Ratio

ChubbyBunny

What is a good % of my food goals?
I customize my goals (I can't survive on 1200 Cals, even with exercise....and lose weight). Besids my BMR is at 1559 so I wanted to be at least close to that.

I have been going over on carbs and fats a lot and am always under on protein. I just want to make sure I have my ratios right.

Currently, it's at:
Protein: 45%
Carbohydrates: 35%
Fats: 20%

Does that seem accurate/balanced enough? I am trying to lower carb intake a little (not extreme cause I get sick).

Help.

ChubbyBunny

What is a good % of my food goals?
I customize my goals (I can't survive on 1200 Cals, even with exercise....and lose weight). Besids my BMR is at 1559 so I wanted to be at least close to that.

I have been going over on carbs and fats a lot and am always under on protein. I just want to make sure I have my ratios right.

Currently, it's at:
Protein: 45%
Carbohydrates: 35%
Fats: 20%

Does that seem accurate/balanced enough? I am trying to lower carb intake a little (not extreme cause I get sick).

Help.

mjfer123

i think your protein is a little high
the food pyramid is a good tool to use when devising your diet plan if you are going the traditional route.

emibmas

You should ask Banks

NewMK08

You should ask Banks

Where is Banks??

Unknown

This content has been removed.

raincloud

Currently, it's at:
Protein: 45%
Carbohydrates: 35%
Fats: 20%

Help.

Wait, that adds up to 123%.

No it doesn't it adds up to 100%

Phoenix_Rising

Currently, it's at:
Protein: 45%
Carbohydrates: 35%
Fats: 20%

Help.

Wait, that adds up to 123%.

EL
OH
EL

psyknife

I've known lots of people to recommend 40/30/30

40 carbs
30 protein
30 fats (good fats)

With your current balance you may find yourself feeling quite low on energy due to the high protein and low carb amounts.

firegirlred

I asked the personal trainer who did my fitness assessment today about this specific subject.
He recommended FOR ME the following:

Carbohydrates @55%
Proteins @30%
Fats @15%

According to him, the fats are higher for me because of the volume of physical activity that I do. 7-10 hours a week minimum is apparently a lot... Proteins are high too.

He said that an average person should get 1.2-1.4 GRAMS per kilogram a day of protein. The average athlete should get 1.4-1.8 GRAMS per kilogram a day.

I'm going to trust his opinion because he was very educated about this subject, and seemed to know more than most trainers.

kerrilucko

I thought banks told me once it should be around 40,40,20(fat)
but i'm not positive. where IS banks?

firegirlred

I think Banks is lurking because he wasn't happy with some of the things going on around here.

ChubbyBunny

I asked the personal trainer who did my fitness assessment today about this specific subject.
He recommended FOR ME the following:

Carbohydrates @55%
Proteins @30%
Fats @15%

PL just quoted me these numbers too, kind of the ratios South Beach runs with.
I also think I remember Banks saying the 40-40-20 rule (that's where I was before).

I don't see...."results" from my workouts when my carb intake is that high though. Don't get me wrong, I don't do LOW carbs.... I just want to make sure they are low enough to see progress but high enough that I keep a balance.

ChubbyBunny

I've known lots of people to recommend 40/30/30

40 carbs
30 protein
30 fats (good fats)

With your current balance you may find yourself feeling quite low on energy due to the high protein and low carb amounts.

I do P90X, but haven't been doing the eating plan this round. I am hoping to be more disciplined when I do the next round of it. However, I know a lower carb number was suggested to see more results.

Another issue I am having is I need a good site that lists protien options (preferably easy to print off). Since I am always under in that area, I wanted to see if there were "easy" sources I could slip in that won't raise my sodium intake (which is at 1600...and I feel awesome when I stay close to that). I HATE protein powders....with a passion and don't do smoothies....even that takes too much time somedays for me.

firegirlred

I just started the peanut butter route. I added soy protein to my diet, and eas vanilla soy protein is actually edible. This is the only way I've been able to get enough protein in my diet.

Rae

psyknife

There really is no set ratio that will work for everyone... the key is finding the ratio that will work for you.

banks1850

Yes well, I'm still not sure how I feel about stuff that happened on here, but I don't want people to go mis-informed.

I have, in the past suggested 50/30/20, but never 40/40/20. I feel that's way too much protein, way too little carbs.
If you take a peek at the FDA food pyramid you will understand why. Average persons should be eating around 60% carbs, 25% protein, and 15% fats (good fats), if you are trying to gain muscle mass, then you can up the protein a little, lower the carbs a little, and up the good fats a little. But not too much, carbs are very important. Cutting out the carbs is bad IMHO, cutting out BAD carbs is good, cutting out all carbs is bad. I won't go deep into why since I've already posted why about a million times and they are all on here.
Also, protein is metabolized in the liver mainly, too much protein is bad, if you really want to know, google protein metabolism and start reading, it's all out there for you.

ChubbyBunny

Yes well, I'm still not sure how I feel about stuff that happened on here, but I don't want people to go mis-informed.

I have, in the past suggested 50/30/20, but never 40/40/20. I feel that's way too much protein, way too little carbs.
If you take a peek at the FDA food pyramid you will understand why. Average persons should be eating around 60% carbs, 25% protein, and 15% fats (good fats), if you are trying to gain muscle mass, then you can up the protein a little, lower the carbs a little, and up the good fats a little. But not too much, carbs are very important. Cutting out the carbs is bad IMHO, cutting out BAD carbs is good, cutting out all carbs is bad. I won't go deep into why since I've already posted why about a million times and they are all on here.
Also, protein is metabolized in the liver mainly, too much protein is bad, if you really want to know, google protein metabolism and start reading, it's all out there for you.

Okay...I understand the cutting out parts, I read those.
I did look at the Pyramid...just wasn't sure if the same ratios applied for weight loss as they did for healthy "regular" diet.
So, gear it more towards 50/30/20s.....

Miss your input Banks, but I appreciate your guidance here. Thanks.

72lori

Sorry for sounding dumb, I'm new at this. When you log your food on this website and it give a recommended amount of carbs/fat/protein/etc to eat each day, does it fall into the 50/30/20 ratio?

I'm having trouble because following the guidelines on here, I eat my 'amount' of carbs, protein, way over in fiber, usually have at least half my fat left to eat and around 200 calories to hit 1200. What do I do at that point? I usually throw down a handful of almonds.

songbyrdsweet

I asked the personal trainer who did my fitness assessment today about this specific subject.
He recommended FOR ME the following:

Carbohydrates @55%
Proteins @30%
Fats @15%

According to him, the fats are higher for me because of the volume of physical activity that I do. 7-10 hours a week minimum is apparently a lot... Proteins are high too.

He said that an average person should get 1.2-1.4 GRAMS per kilogram a day of protein. The average athlete should get 1.4-1.8 GRAMS per kilogram a day.

I'm going to trust his opinion because he was very educated about this subject, and seemed to know more than most trainers.

Those fats aren't high at all. 15% is the minimum. We seem to forget that fat isn't just used for fuel, and it's not just subcutaneous. It's used in nerve function, cell membranes, vitamin absorption, as a shock absorber...it's inter and intramuscular, it's around our organs, it makes up our brain tissue. I'd actually lower your protein and increase your fat intake. There's no point in eating a ton of protein; it's just going to be used in energy production. Eat more fat and carbohydrates so the protein can be spared for tissue repair.

But you will hear 100 different things from 100 different trainers. My view differs because of my background in physiology and exercise science, which is different from something like nutrition or dietetics. A dietician would probably have a heart attack at your level of protein.