Macro Nutrient

NitaGrobler42
NitaGrobler42 Posts: 17 Member
edited November 30 in Food and Nutrition
If i want to build muscle and lose fat %, what must my carb, protein and fat % intake be per day. At the momemt i am working towards 1200 calories per day. 30% carbs, 35% protein and 35% fat.

Replies

  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    I honestly think that you are going to get a ton of different answers here. I can tell you that for myself, I've found my sweet spot to be 50/30/20 fat/protein/carbs and if I'm hitting that ratio then the pounds seem to literally fall off of me. And that is pretty easy for me to hit since I don't eat carbs or most packaged foods.
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    If you want to build muscle, you need to work out. If you are working out, you should probably be eating more than 1200 cals/day. It also really has to do with your stats and current bf%. Currently I'm doing 50% carb, 30% protein and 20% fat eating 1400 cals on rest days and 1600 on workout days. I'm consistently losing around 2 pounds/week on this and my body fat dropped 6% at my last reading 3 days ago.

    I'd work with a professional to find what is right for you, but that's just me. I gave myself 30/35/35 and didn't lose a thing for months.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    michelle172415 wrote: »
    I honestly think that you are going to get a ton of different answers here. I can tell you that for myself, I've found my sweet spot to be 50/30/20 fat/protein/carbs and if I'm hitting that ratio then the pounds seem to literally fall off of me. And that is pretty easy for me to hit since I don't eat carbs or most packaged foods.

    If you don't eat carbohydrates, how is 20% carbohydrates your "sweet spot"?
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    Sorry, that should have said gluten, not carbs. I'm still new and don't know how to edit.
  • NitaGrobler42
    NitaGrobler42 Posts: 17 Member
    I am working out. Lost 4.7kg in four weeks. My fat ‰ dropped to 25% and muscle picked up to 35%. I still have about 6-8kg's to lose but i am scared of losing muscle. My fat % still needs to drop a lot.
  • mp5928
    mp5928 Posts: 3 Member
    The "Hello Healthy" blog on this site has a number of recent and very good posts about macro nutrients. Just go to the blog tab in the top ribbon and when in the blog search "Nutrition 101".
  • NitaGrobler42
    NitaGrobler42 Posts: 17 Member
    mp5928 wrote: »
    The "Hello Healthy" blog on this site has a number of recent and very good posts about macro nutrients. Just go to the blog tab in the top ribbon and when in the blog search "Nutrition 101".

    Tnx
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited February 2016
    NitaGrobler42 wrote: »
    If i want to build muscle and lose fat %, what must my carb, protein and fat % intake be per day. At the momemt i am working towards 1200 calories per day. 30% carbs, 35% protein and 35% fat.

    You can't really build muscle at 1200. To maintain muscle while on a deficit the most important things are not having too high a deficit, a progressive weight-lifting program, and getting enough protein. Benefits seem to exist up to about .6-.8 grams of protein per lb of healthy body weight. Based on that I personally aim for about 100 grams of protein and don't worry much about fat vs. carbs (whatever makes me feel best, I focus more on having a balanced, nutrient-rich diet and foods I love).

    For losing fat, the main thing is just having a calorie deficit.
  • NadiaMayl
    NadiaMayl Posts: 496 Member
    Your 1200 cal diet is too low for muscle building... and if you are lifting to build muscle and burn fat, then 1200 is definitely too low. I'd start by adding more lean protein.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    michelle172415 wrote: »
    Sorry, that should have said gluten, not carbs. I'm still new and don't know how to edit.

    Gluten is a protein.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Moved thread to a more appropriate section.

    Also, the likelihood of building muscle and losing fat is generally slim, even more so with women as they don't have the testosterone levels as men. The more likely scenario is that you will develop stronger and more efficient muscles, maintain that muscle and cut fat if you have adequate protein and resistance training.

    Considering, based on your profile, that you have little to nothing to lose, you will want to have a smaller deficit to ensure proper nutrition. At this point, I would probably set your account to lose .5-1lb per week. If you want specifics, we will need to know the below.

    What are your stats? What is your current workout program? What are your goals outside of a specific weight? Any medical conditions such as PCOS, hypothyroidism, etc..
This discussion has been closed.

Categories