Thoughts on Michael Matthews' fat recommendation
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Amerek412
Posts: 74 Member
So I've finally come to realize that I'm going to need to start a weight training program to get the body I want, since I'm already in a healthy weight range. I've never (seriously) used weights before, so I thought Michael Matthews' book Thinner Leaner Stronger would be perfect for me to get started, and I did a quick search of the forum and it seems a lot of people recommend it.
My question is about his recommendation on fat intake. He says to do 0.2g of fat per lb of body weight per day...I'm 5'2 and 125lbs, so that gives me 25g of fat per day?? Maybe that seems reasonable to some people, but I'm a meat and cheese kinda girl. I tend to have a much easier time than most to cut carbs since I find they leave me less satisfied and full than protein and fat does.
I'm thinking (and hoping) that the main take-away is the high protein intake, and the other 2 can be adjusted without as much impact. I know carbs give you energy for the workouts and I do still get a reasonable amount, I just can't imagine sticking to 25g fat per day. My diary is open for anyone who wants to check it out to see what I get in a typical day, but do note I've recently (like, yesterday lol) changed from 1200cal/day to 1300cal/day which has changed up my macro goals, so it'll be a little different going forward.
Any advice would be great. Thanks!
My question is about his recommendation on fat intake. He says to do 0.2g of fat per lb of body weight per day...I'm 5'2 and 125lbs, so that gives me 25g of fat per day?? Maybe that seems reasonable to some people, but I'm a meat and cheese kinda girl. I tend to have a much easier time than most to cut carbs since I find they leave me less satisfied and full than protein and fat does.
I'm thinking (and hoping) that the main take-away is the high protein intake, and the other 2 can be adjusted without as much impact. I know carbs give you energy for the workouts and I do still get a reasonable amount, I just can't imagine sticking to 25g fat per day. My diary is open for anyone who wants to check it out to see what I get in a typical day, but do note I've recently (like, yesterday lol) changed from 1200cal/day to 1300cal/day which has changed up my macro goals, so it'll be a little different going forward.
Any advice would be great. Thanks!
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Replies
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Everyone has their own opinions about nutrition - you can see that bookshelves are lined with dozens of diet books, each one with a different approach. None are necessarily wrong, but they all should be taken with a grain of salt.
Fat is good for you and you can eat more than 25g a day if that's what your preference is. I follow a low-carb way of eating and my diet is around 10% carbs, 30% protein and 60% fat. You can play with your macros to find something that suits you best. If you are working out a lot, protein is the one macro you shouldn't skimp on too much. And yes, carbs can definitely give you energy for your high-intensity workouts - but you don't need a ton of them.0 -
As a woman of any size I wouldn't dip below 50 personally. Tall or short, fat or thin.4
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I also wanted to note that I found it very "interesting" that in his Shredded Chef recipe book, he has these fat intake recommendation written in the book, and then the FIRST recipe he has listed is for Eggs Benedict and has 24g of fat. Thanks Michael!
Just sayin.....lol
Didn't buy the book but looked through the Amazon.com preview4 -
Amandrew412 wrote: »I also wanted to note that I found it very "interesting" that in his Shredded Chef recipe book, he has these fat intake recommendation written in the book, and then the FIRST recipe he has listed is for Eggs Benedict and has 24g of fat. Thanks Michael!
Just sayin.....lol
Didn't buy the book but looked through the Amazon.com preview
That tells me all I need to know
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Ok, thanks mrsnatty and toxi! I was already thinking along those lines, but wanted to see if other people had similar opinions.1
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »Amandrew412 wrote: »I also wanted to note that I found it very "interesting" that in his Shredded Chef recipe book, he has these fat intake recommendation written in the book, and then the FIRST recipe he has listed is for Eggs Benedict and has 24g of fat. Thanks Michael!
Just sayin.....lol
Didn't buy the book but looked through the Amazon.com preview
That tells me all I need to know
Haha I know! I mean, the guy seems to know what he's talking about in general so I don't necessarily question his credibility because of it...but I was like COMMON!!0 -
I'm experimenting with my fats being 100g/day for the next week or so, due to some raging hunger. It really doesn't matter how you split your macros; truly, but fat isn't one I'd skimp on. fat is essential for healthy hormones. Among other things, like hair, skin, nails and (hopefully for me) satiety.1
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That does seem very low.. perhaps it was 0.2g minimum? I have heard 0.35-0.6g per lb bodyweight/goal weight is the minimum. As long as you are getting adequate protein (since you are weight training) and fat, adjusting macros according to personal preference, adherence and satiety makes more sense to me than following some strict low number.0
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I'm ALWAYS over in fat (but stay between 1300-1400 calories/day). I just don't wanna change that. It's usually when I have red meat and my daily dark chocolate.0
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I wouldn't go for less than .4 grams per pound on average (I average over the week.)0
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That does seem very low.. perhaps it was 0.2g minimum? I have heard 0.35-0.6g per lb bodyweight/goal weight is the minimum. As long as you are getting adequate protein (since you are weight training) and fat, adjusting macros according to personal preference, adherence and satiety makes more sense to me than following some strict low number.
He definitely didn't mean it as a minimum but I agree, it's just too low for me so I think I'm going to try to stick to around 60g of fat, try my absolutely hardest to stick to his recommended 150g of protein, and just fill the rest with carbs.
Thanks for all the advise everyone, I feel much better about making this decision1 -
Yea so I just checked and according to the book, he says 0.2g of fat per lb body weight, but calls it a starting point and to adjust as needed. I would definitely adjust and bring that up a bit to at least 0.35g especially if you find that fat too low to stick to. Also his recommendation for 1.2g protein per lb bodyweight is a bit overkill IMO
To add Bret Contreras recommends 0.3-0.5g per lb lean body mass. Interesting.
Those are the only resources I have on hand at the moment.0 -
Yea so I just checked and according to the book, he says 0.2g of fat per lb body weight, but calls it a starting point and to adjust as needed. I would definitely adjust and bring that up a bit to at least 0.35g especially if you find that fat too low to stick to. Also his recommendation for 1.2g protein per lb bodyweight is a bit overkill IMO
To add Bret Contreras recommends 0.3-0.5g per lb lean body mass. Interesting.
Those are the only resources I have on hand at the moment.
Agreed, not need for that much protein, 0.8grams per lb of lean body mass is a good minimum to go for. Or if you don't know your BF% aiming for 0.8grams per lb of goal body weight is good.0 -
Yea so I just checked and according to the book, he says 0.2g of fat per lb body weight, but calls it a starting point and to adjust as needed. I would definitely adjust and bring that up a bit to at least 0.35g especially if you find that fat too low to stick to. Also his recommendation for 1.2g protein per lb bodyweight is a bit overkill IMO
To add Bret Contreras recommends 0.3-0.5g per lb lean body mass. Interesting.
Those are the only resources I have on hand at the moment.
Agreed, not need for that much protein, 0.8grams per lb of lean body mass is a good minimum to go for. Or if you don't know your BF% aiming for 0.8grams per lb of goal body weight is good.
Yea exactly. I think much of the advice is for people that aren't tracking their calories or macros accurately, so there is some "buffer" built it.. aim higher so you pretty much end up at a sufficient amount. But if you are tracking, I think it can be a bit much to get so much protein, I personally don't want to be sacrificing veggies, fibre or healthy fats just to hit some super high protein number, which according to Mike would be 162g.0 -
Thanks Sardelsa and Eric! I did feel that that amount of protein was a bit high, considering I always make a point to try for a high protein diet, yet rarely get 100g, let along over that. But figured since I would be in a calorie deficit that amount would be necessary to build muscle (side note, I do know of the difficulties of losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously, but since I am VERY new to weight lifting...newbie gains ftw lol...let's hope)
I'm going to look more into that and may adjust.0 -
He recommends the .2 g of fat for rapid weight loss or .3 or.4 for muscle growth
https://www.muscleforlife.com/macronutrient-calculator/0 -
Amandrew412 wrote: »Thanks Sardelsa and Eric! I did feel that that amount of protein was a bit high, considering I always make a point to try for a high protein diet, yet rarely get 100g, let along over that. But figured since I would be in a calorie deficit that amount would be necessary to build muscle (side note, I do know of the difficulties of losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously, but since I am VERY new to weight lifting...newbie gains ftw lol...let's hope)
I'm going to look more into that and may adjust.
No prob! While you may be able to build some muscle, the main objective in a deficit is to preserve the muscle you have, so protein and weight lifting can help you do that. But you don't need to go overboard on the protein, especially when your cals are on the lower side.
Keep it simple and don't overthink it
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KickboxFanatic wrote: »He recommends the .2 g of fat for rapid weight loss or .3 or.4 for muscle growth
https://www.muscleforlife.com/macronutrient-calculator/
Hm, I haven't actually read the book yet and am just going off what was in the Amazon.com preview. So may be my fault for not getting the whole story. Thanks!0 -
I'm 5'0 and 107 pounds. My macros according to Lou Schuler, the NROL guy, is 100 g protein, 60 g fat and 121 carbs. The fat really seems to help me feel good. I had a hard time getting that amount so I'm adding heavy cream to my coffee. You should check out NROL, I hate exercising but am addicted to weight lifting after doing all his programs. Yay Bulgarian split squats!0
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You can almost all of the information that you need from his website without buying the book BUT some of his articles seem to kind of contradict themselves (the fat macro is a big one, it changes depending on the "goal" of the article). I have the book and the Shredded Chef and love them both. Just like all fitness books you have to apply your knowledge and tweak them to meet your goals. They are written for the masses and not personal programs.
Also, if you buy the book, use the link to Amazon through his website. He then emails you some extras but most importantly you have his email and he's really good about responding to questions.1
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