Carb/Fat/Protein ratios?

Rage_Phish

I feel like I have really over thunk this and been reading to many differing opinions on this. What do you recommend the Carb/Fat/Protein ratio be set at for a 27 year old, 230lbs male?

Thanks!

Angela4Health

I have mine set to 45 carbs 30 protein 25 fat and this seems to be working out great for me. I tried lowering my carbs to 40 but I was consistently going over. I stay under with it set to 45. I don't worry about it because my carbs are complex they come from fruits and whole grains or sweet potatoes vs regular potatoes. That's the most important thing.

The_Saint

I'm a male 6' 2" 208 down from 230 January 1st.

My ratio is
40% protein (I train a lot)
30% carb
30% fat

I'm relatively happy with that. But my formula works out like so.
1.5g protein/lb
.5g fat per lb
Remaining calories are carbs.
Which ironically works out to be the above give or take a % or two.

demoharry

Its all up to you, your goals and how your body reacts to certain foods. If you want to lose maximum FAT in a short amount of time (about 12 weeks) I suggest you do either 1) 50% high carb, 40% high protein, 10% low fat 2) or 10% low carb, 50% high protein, 40% high fat.

Make sure the protein you eat is lower than your weight or quill too it -otherwise the left over protein will go to waste.

If you decide to do a low carb meal plan, be prepared for your body to change a lot in the first week because it will need to adapt and learn how to use energy from fats not carbs (we get most of our energy from carbs).

As for me, I am going a high carb, high protein and low fat plan It was hard to figure out different combination's of foods that fit within the different gram and calorie limits but i worked it out eventually.

Good luck! Make sure you exercise at least 3 times a week!!

Ps. My fitness level is high (2 hours every day of intense circuit weight training and cadio)

ATT949

This might be of interest from a study at Johns Hopkins.

The focus of the research was the impact of fat on the cardiovascular system but there was an interesting observation:

"In the first study, scheduled to be presented June 3 at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Denver, the Johns Hopkins team studied 23 men and women, weighing on average 218 pounds and participating in a six-month weight-loss program that consisted of moderate aerobic exercise and lifting weights, plus a diet made up of no more than 30 percent of calories from carbs, such as pastas, breads and sugary fruits. As much as 40 percent of their diet was made up of fats coming from meat, dairy products and nuts.

"Low-carb dieters showed no harmful vascular changes, but also on average dropped 10 pounds in 45 days, compared to an equal number of study participants randomly assigned to a low-fat diet. The low-fat group, whose diets consisted of no more than 30 percent from fat and 55 percent from carbs, took on average nearly a month longer, or 70 days, to lose the same amount of weight."

The full article is here:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/low_carb_higher_fat_diets_add_no_arterial_health_risks_to_obese_people_seeking_to_lose_weight

Blueberry09

I have mine set to 45 carbs 30 protein 25 fat and this seems to be working out great for me.

I JUST set mine to those levels too-we'll see what type of results I get. I lost about 2lbs a month on the MFP settings -noticeable inches but not much weight.

lizzil0

10%carb/30%protein/60%fat- go big or go home! Ha