Different ratios work for different people. What I tell people is figure out a menu for each ratio type (carb-protein-fat 40-40-20, 50-30-20, 20-30-50, or whatever else you might want to try), then take 2 weeks for each ratio to see how your body responds. Pay attention to things like bloat, GI regularity, sleep quality, productivity, and mood in addition to scale weight. You'll know when you've got a winner.

In general, on workout days you'll want to get more protein and eat the bulk of your carbs after you've done your workout. This will make sure that your body uses these resources to recover from the workout rather than to just burn at your base rate and store the rest.

I agree with tandoorichicken, especially the comment about eating carbs after workouts.

I'm not sure about your body type, so I can't say this will work, but for me (I'm 27 and 5'6") I try to get 35% protein, 25%-30% carbs, and 35-40% fats. I eat more calories than you, so I'm not sure of that breakdown in grams. If you are having trouble getting in calories, adding healthy fats will give you a good boost. My favorites are nuts and nut butters, as well as olive oil for my salads.

Good luck and congrats on your progress so far.

Eliminate grains from your diet, period. Eat as much protein and good fats as you want and eat a load of macronutrient rich veggies and you will start losing again.

Keep fruit intake to a minimum and when you do eat them, try to eat mostly berries like strawberries and blueberries.

If you are hungry at first, use small handfuls of raw almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds to fill the void until you get out of your carb-roller coaster. You will find that after about 2 weeks (max) you will not have the mood swings and crazy need for food every few hours.

For optimum weight loss keep your carbs between 50-100gms per day (less than 50 gms will expedite the weight loss). When you eat the right foods, you will find that your calorie count seems low, but don't worry about it. If you eat meat, veg, some fruits, nuts and seeds you will be getting all that you need and you will find that you aren't hungry either.

Good luck.

Zorba, I agree that elimination of grains does reduce chronic inflammation, which makes fat loss way easier IMO. But caloric restriction is key too. You can't eat as much fat as you want. Not because it will raise cholesterol or clog your arteries or anything like that, but because excess fat in the diet is still stored as fat, regardless of whether insulin is involved or not. It cannot be simply excreted like excess protein. Eliminating grain products will take you far, but getting those last few bits of flab out requires modest portions too.

In theory sure, but chances are if you are eating as much as you want you won't be able to eat enough fat (the good fats is what I was referencing) to have an excess of calories.

I ate HUGE yesterday...was stuffed and I still only ate 1800 cals.

If you eat this way, it is REALLY hard to eat to the point where your calories are so high that you start storing.

Probably true, but some people's required deficits are less, like around 1500 kcal/day. Those are the people that need to watch number as well as quality of calories.

If that is the case, I believe it would be even more difficult to eat too much fat to the point that it gets stored. It is REALLY hard to eat too much fat/protein.

Once you cut out the grains and carbs from processed 'low-fat' silliness and your body and insulin level stabilizes, you just don't feel hunger like you once did, and the frequency of putting food in your mouth throughout the day drops dramatically.

The beauty of eating primal allows me to not have to pay attention to anything. I have been putting my food in on fit day just to watch my carb levels (from fruits) because I am determined to reveal that there are, in fact, ab muscles in there. I have a good idea of how much is the right amount so it is pretty much unnecessary anymore.