Is a 30 40 30 macro realistic?

XavierPR2

I decided to look up high protein recipes on the MyFitnessPal application and as I checked the macros for each recipe, I saw many recipes with a higher amount of carbs than protein. So I started to think that cooking a meal for a 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat ratio is unrealistic without some form of supplement such as whey protein. I tried Google but I wasn't able to find any recipes for the macros I'm trying to eat.

If you're running a successful 30 40 30 diet, please share your recipes. Thanks.

lgfrie

I guess I don't understand why this would be an unrealistic diet without protein supplements. I don't aim for any particular macro balance but I do track my actual macros consumed, and they're in the general ballpark of what you're trying to accomplish. 33C, 35F, 32P. No supplements here; I just love meat and eat a lot of it. Example, tonight I had 8 oz of flank steak with broccolini and a few small potatoes on the side. Last night we had spaghetti and meatballs, heavy on the meat balls and 2.5 oz of spaghetti each to hold the meatballs in place LOL The night before, a giant marinated grilled chicken breast with some spinach on the side. Eat like that and you will hit your macro target easily. Big hunk 'o meat, side vegetable, easy on the starchy accoutrements, and you're all set.

sijomial

You do realise that even if you decide to aim to get close or very close to your percentage/ratio goals for your diet you don't have to make every meal and snack in that same ratio?
It's perfectly OK to have a big variation in macros throughout the day. Carby breakfast and a nice big steak for your evening meal or whatever suits you.

I didn't eat to percentages as it wouldn't work well with a highly varied daily calorie allowance. On a 4,500+ calories day boosted by exercise I really don't want or need to eat a whole cow!

An alternative that many favour for dietary flexibility is just to regard protein and fat as minimum goals (absolutely fine to exceed within overall calorie goal) and carbs to fill the remainder.

rheddmobile

Lean meats such as pork loin make it easier. But remember that the body can only use so many grams of protein at a sitting, excess is turned into carbs anyway. So no reason to beat yourself up if these macros aren’t easy to meet.

sijomial

rheddmobile wrote: »

Lean meats such as pork loin make it easier. But remember that the body can only use so many grams of protein at a sitting, excess is turned into carbs anyway. So no reason to beat yourself up if these macros aren’t easy to meet.

Not really - rate of absorption doesn't equal restriction on portion size and using that portion size for amino acids over an extended period of time.
Our bodies are very good at using what we put in our mouths.

ETA - here's a good read on the subject
https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-can-you-eat-in-one-sitting/