Macro breakdown question

Leana088

Generally when cutting (bringing down fat % but trying to maintain LBM) which percentage of protein is ideal?

I'm currently at 35% protein, 40% carbs and 25% fat. Is that good enough?

Also, when bulking, do you also need to pay attention to enough protein, or is a caloric surplus more important?

Leana088

Bump

Leana088

Bump again.

never2bstopped

Protein 1g per lb of LBM
Fat .45g per lb of body weight
Carbs whatever is left in your cal allotment.

Percentages mean nothing without knowing what they are a percentage of.

When bulking get in the protein and after that is filled eat what you like to get to your cal needs.

jacksonpt

Recommended macros will usually involve a range, somewhere between minimum and ideal based on your goals. It's not always as black and white as people, websites, formulas, etc. suggest. Speaking very generally, people should be aiming for -

fat: .25-.5g per lb of total body weight
carbs: 1-3g per lb of total body weight
protein: .75-1.5g per lb of lean body mass

Where you fall within those ranges should be dictated by things like personal preference, sustainability, performance, and goals.

Most people generally recommend keeping fat and protein fairly level regardless of calorie level, and adjusting carbs based on overall calorie need, as suggested in the previous post.

pzarnosky

If you're going through bulking/cutting phases then I'm assuming you lift weights regularly. Bulking phases are when you increase your lean muscle mass, cutting is for losing the fat surrounding these muscles. So....

Protein intake is important at either stage. The exact number of grams you should intake varies depending on who you ask but in either stage you should be getting around 1g per pound of lean body weight (you'll have to do a fat test with calipers, oh so much fun). For me personally, I've just finished a bulking cycle and and am now 2 weeks into cutting. I'm set at 1400 cals a day, 40% protein, and 30% for both carbs and fats. My number one goal is to hit that 140g of protein every day and even go over sometimes. I don't eat any breads or pastas (except for my cheat meal which is a lot of both!) and most of my carb intake is from my protein powder as a shake or added to greek yogurt, a serving of fruit, or if i have oatmeal that day. Whether you're bulking or cutting you need to hit your protein macro requirement but if i had to choose i would ultimately say it's more important during cutting in order to help maintain the muscle you've gained and prevent the body from metabolizing its own muscle. Make sure you continue to lift throughout this phase as well. When i'm bulking i don't really pay all that close attention to what i eat. I know that i'm in a calorie surplus every day and eat a lot of protein so i'm right around my 140g goal.

Hope this helps!