Protein Shakes & the Ratio of Carbs, Protein, and Fat
 

Edit: I am not trying to lose but to gain weight! Sorry if I posted this in the wrong section.

Hi,

– Based on "The Skinny on Fats" by Enig & Fallon I now know that the recommended number of polyunsaturated fat in percent of the calories consumed (through the fat) should not be more than 4%. It seems like most people are above that (I had 9% yesterday).
– The intake of saturated fat should be less than 7% (Source: WHO, vide Wikipedia) (I had 10% yesterday).
– The majority should come from monounsaturated fat, which is relatively healthy.

Further, I came across the ratio of 50%-30%-20% for carbs, protein, and fat. This ratio is for people who lift weights frequently (in my case 3-4 times a week). If I calculate the daily intake of protein needed for me, personally, based on my weight, why is that ratio important at all? Should I use it as an approximate guide and no more?

Whereas I live quite healthily, I still consume too much (unhealthy) fat. This is mainly due to weight lifting; I'm trying to build up muscles and eat a lot. I always stayed away from protein shakes but I am now reconsidering this and asking for your advice.

Protein shakes would allow me to decrease the fat consumed (e.g. I wouldn't eat as much cheese, which contains a lot of saturated fat) and keep up the high level of protein for the muscles.

But caloriecount shows me that these shakes contain a lot of cholesterol, which seems contra-productive. Is it "bad" cholesterol?

To sum it up:
1) What do you make of that ratio?
2) Do protein shakes make sense in my case?

Many thanks in advance.

I've seen 40%p/40%c/20%f as well.

For myself, I just generally stick to about .8g protein per lb of lean muscle mass. My calculated lean muscle mass is about 160ish. So I try to take in about 128 grams of protein.

With my schedule I have a hard time keeping the percentages right if I don't take protein powder. But the cholesterol content of protein powder varies. What I am taking now is GNC Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60. It has 15mg of cholesterol per serving, about 5% RDA. A serving contains 60g protein, 7g carbs, 1g fat. One serving is 3 scoops and I don't take this at one time. I break it up over the day with one scoop per glass of water.

Hope this helps.

I personally follow 50%f/30%p/20%c. I lift heavy as well, try to fuel myself on fat and protein. Most of my carbs come from vegetables and fruit. I hardly ever eat bread or grain products.

I will on occasion use protein shakes on days I go really heavy, i.e., max effort days. Most of the time though I will just drink a tall glass of whole milk immediately after training, since it is rich in leucine, an amino acid that promotes protein synthesis (in other words, more muscle).

I also try not to push saturated fats too low. Saturated fat is processed in the body to anti-inflammatory compounds that lessen muscle soreness the day after training. My body knows when I haven't had enough!

The ratio suggested is just a guide. Everyone is unique and while this works for many you may need to experiment to find what works best for you. If you are trying to gain muscle then the number of grams of protein consumed may be the most important number in your macro-nutrient counts. You may want to plan for your protein goal and let the carbs and fat fall where they may. (Of course sticking to your caloric goals.) Bodybuilding forums usually recommend 1.0g to 1.5g of protein per pound of LEAN body weight. (See Bodybuilding.com for more info.)

Protein is the only macro-nutrient that can build muscle. Carbs and fat are great as fuel for muscles but they lack the building blocks for muscle building. That is why protein should be your main concern when building muscle. Since you will be in a caloric surplus while bulking (and I assume you want to minimize your fat gains) you will want to keep your simple carbohydrate intake low (as Tandoorichiken does). This is because it is easier for your body to convert simple carbs into fat stores than to convert fat into fat stores.

Tandoorichicken makes a great point about leucine promoting protein synthesis. You need to be able to get all the protein you consume absorbed into your muscles.

FAT: As long as you are burning it as fuel and not storing it the type does'nt matter much, in my opinion. I would worry more about this after you are done bulking up and start cutting fat stores.

CHOLESTEROL: Unless you have high cholesterol already this too does'nt matter. A little known fact is that no study has ever linked eating high cholesterol foods with high cholesterol levels in your body. In fact I have seen reports that showed no correlation between intake and blood level measurements for cholesterol.

PROTEIN SHAKES: Protein shakes are a efficient way to increase your protein intake with a minimum of calories. I don't think you can maximize your muscle gains while minimizing your fat gains without them.