Curious about 40/30/30 Diets...

LittleRedBird18

I noticed that the recommended breakdown of calories is 55% Carbs, 15% Protein, 30% Fats. I logged in all my foods for four days using this breakdown. Every day my protein intake was quite a bit over, and my carbs were pretty much right on. I have hashimoto's thyroiditis, and losing weight even with exercise and controlled calories has proven quite difficult this year. One of my friends at work suggested trying a diet that has more protein and less carbs. I don't want to do anything unhealthy ( I have heard that low carb diets can be detrimental to your health), but I was wondering if maybe a diet of 40/30/30 would be a better option for me. I adjusted my profile to reflect this, and it seemed to reflect my diet a little bit better. My protein intakes seems to be much closer to 30% than 15%. I would have to decrease my carbs a little bit to get it closer to 40%, but I am not far off from this on a daily basis. Is this ok? Of course I want to lose weight, but I definitely don't want to do anything unhealthy in the process. I would love to hear from others who have more knowledge in this area. Help!!!!

DanaDark

This is okay, but honestly a health carb diet is just as fine.

I personally recommend 50/30/20 diets.

Broccoli, celery, spinach and other wonderfully healthy vegetables are carbs and are not exactly making anyone pack on the pounds.

If you choose twinkies and high sodium snack foods for your cards, then that is bad lol.

LittleRedBird18

Just to understand the lingo, when you say 50/30/20, does 20 stand for proteins or fat?

DanaDark

Just to understand the lingo, when you say 50/30/20, does 20 stand for proteins or fat?

Its always listed as Carbs/Protein/Fats

LittleRedBird18

Cool. Thanks so much for the info. I think that I could easily keep my carbs at 50, but I am not sure how to get my protein up to 30 while getting my fats down to 20. My fats are consistently about 30. I do eat nuts daily, but I hate to cut back on those because they curb my appetite and keep me satisfied until the next snack or meal. Any thoughts or ideas? I am gonna add you. If you want to check out my diary, that is fine. I made some bad choices this week, lol. But I work at a restaurant, so it is hard to always make 100% healthy choices. I am surrounded by food!!!

taylor5877

40/30/30 diets are going to be really low in grains (should have said "fairly" here) or void ("lacking" would be a better term here) of veggies/fruits though (the latter in my opinion is far worse).

I'm personally on a 30/40/30 diet and eat almost no grains, mainly fruits and veggies or beans for my carbs. I feel a lot better doing this than when I included grains (which may mean I have a sensitivity issue), but that's me.

You learn a LOT about foods and make some beneficial choices (IMO) to maintain a 30-40% protein diet. If you actually meet the goals everyday you will typically have to make smart choices to meet the macros. That's one of the reasons why I like the ratio so much (other being that I strength train and am way active so I need that much protein).

My goals in my mind are 7 servings of whole fruits and veggies and the 30/40/30 macros. Fats usually end up being the hardest thing to get right.

WendyTerry420

I am doing 45/25/30 but I have noticed that even when I am off on a given day, it tends to even out over the week. Until I am closer to my goal weight, I am more worried about calories. But I don't have any special health issues either.

Goal_Line

I'm 45/25/30. It is working very well for me.

hesn92

I don't go by percentages, I go by body weight. I do a gram of protein per pound of body weight, which comes out to I think 25% and half a gram of fat per pound of body weight which is 30% .... I think?

ShannonGo

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

LittleRedBird18

Thanks for all the thoughts, folks! I am gonna experiment for a week or so and maybe try a 50/30/20 for awhile. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, so I would have to cut back on them to get to 40. I am think right now it might be better to focus on getting fats down and proteins up. I eat too much fat (blush). We'll see. I'll try this for a bit and see if it works, if not, I'll cut back on carbs. But I would hate to give up my fruit .

SuperSexyDork

40/30/30 and I'm doing very well. However, I've never been the biggest potato, pasta, or bread eater either but I do enjoy a lot of veggies and a moderate fruit intake (I don't know why someone up there said that it would be void of fruits and veggies. Where does he think the carbs come from? Honestly 40% for me is over 100 grams.

Some days are just off days but honestly, it's a lot easier than it sounds and if you're over one day, it's easy to compensate through the week.

I'm also going to state that eating this way is medically necessary as I have issues with my blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and this is the way I was recommended by both my Dr. and a Dietitian to eat. This keeps my blood sugar far more stable than higher carb diets.

ETA: If you'd like to check it out, my diary is open.

astrampe

40/30/30 diets are going to be really low in grains or void of veggies/fruits though (the latter in my opinion is far worse).

No it is not....I do the 40/30/30 and eat lots of vegetables, fruits and even pasta, oatmeal and rice sometimes......

It works for me - I do heavy lifting three times a week and need the protein, and I run 3x per week and need carbs as well.....
I have to throw in a protein shake almost every day in order to make the 30% protein - as much as I love steak, a huge one every day after lifting weights doesn't always do it for me!

MissMaryMac33

I have been doing 40% protein, 30% carb/fat for a year now... it works best for me.

This still gives you enough carbs (some of them are important and quite healthy - like quinoa, oatmeal, fruit etc.
Fill up on protein first and you'll stay feeling full longer than if you fill up on carbs like bread and pasta.

dbpiero

My diet coach has me on the 30% protein 40% carbs 30% fat breakdown and it has worked well for me. I just make sure that my protein choices are lean and keep my calorie count to 1300 a day and excercise 4-5 times a week. I have been able to lose 14 lbs in 4 months.

SuperSexyDork

Thanks for all the thoughts, folks! I am gonna experiment for a week or so and maybe try a 50/30/20 for awhile. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, so I would have to cut back on them to get to 40. I am think right now it might be better to focus on getting fats down and proteins up. I eat too much fat (blush). We'll see. I'll try this for a bit and see if it works, if not, I'll cut back on carbs. But I would hate to give up my fruit .

I don't think you would have to cut back on fruits and vegetables to get to 40%, honestly. It's could simply be a matter of focusing on getting MORE protein or focusing on getting less starch (potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, etc).

MissMaryMac33

Fat is not the devil.... you need good fats though, like avocado.

LittleRedBird18

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

I also have hypothyroidism. Hmm. Curious as to how you keep your proteins so high, while keeping your fats so low. That is my biggest struggle. My fat is always way too high.

ShannonGo

Thanks for all the thoughts, folks! I am gonna experiment for a week or so and maybe try a 50/30/20 for awhile. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, so I would have to cut back on them to get to 40. I am think right now it might be better to focus on getting fats down and proteins up. I eat too much fat (blush). We'll see. I'll try this for a bit and see if it works, if not, I'll cut back on carbs. But I would hate to give up my fruit .

Honestly, you will not be missing any fruits and vegetables if you are down at 40, the thing that I miss that I've cut out mostly is oatmeal. I miss oatmeal so much because I was eating it for breakfast daily. I'm taking a 3 day back packing trip with my husband so I can have oatmeal. Not really, but I am looking forward to oatmeal.

Right now, I eat most of my carbs through fruits and vegetables, you can get a lot of volume from those carb-calories from the fruits and veggies! I get the rest through brown rice or beans. I rarely eat bread anymore and obviously not much oatmeal. My dietitian recommended a protein-oatmeal snack, but there isn't much room for maple syrup and copious amounts of brown sugar in her recommended snack. :laugh:

IronSmasher

Just to understand the lingo, when you say 50/30/20, does 20 stand for proteins or fat?

Its always listed as Carbs/Protein/Fats

Where? I usually see it CFP. Even MFP lists CFP.

LittleRedBird18

Wow, I love reading all of these responses. I am gonna go change my profile settings so that my food diary is public. That way you can all look at it if you want. Or you can request me as a friend if you want .

The thing that I struggle with most is getting my proteins high, and my fats low. It seems like they always move up together. If anyone wants to take a look and maybe give me some good protein/low fat options, I would greatly appreciate it!

Forgive the teeny bites of bad foods. I work at a restaurant, and it is hard not to nibble throughout the day .

SuperSexyDork

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

I also have hypothyroidism. Hmm. Curious as to how you keep your proteins so high, while keeping your fats so low. That is my biggest struggle. My fat is always way too high.

Lean cuts of meat, fat-free or low fat Greek yogurt, fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, protein powder, egg whites, lots of seafood... I use nuts or nut butters to bring UP my fat percentages sometimes because they'll be too low. I make an awesome protein smoothie that I call the Triple threat because it has pasteurized egg whites, Greek yogurt and protein powder and they're all great sources of protein!

ShannonGo

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

I also have hypothyroidism. Hmm. Curious as to how you keep your proteins so high, while keeping your fats so low. That is my biggest struggle. My fat is always way too high.

My plan is:

Breakfast: 1:1 carb-to-protein, 10g of fat - usually I eat almonds with 6oz fat free greek yogurt mixed with 6oz low-sugar fruit yogurt.

Snack: Optimum Nutrition Natural Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein (Chocolate) with water + nectarine, peach, apple, strawberries - whatever fruit I find exciting. Alternatively, I can have 2 lite string cheese sticks - but I find that much string cheese too salty and prefer the protein shake.

Lunch: 4-6oz of protein (depending on how lean, if I eat chicken breast, I get 6oz, but if I am eating beef, its only 4oz) + veggies (usually a cup - sometimes more if its salad greens). I also have a choice of 100 calories (25g) of carb - I can have 100 calorie bread or beans or rice OR 100 calories of fruit - I usually opt for the fruit again.

Snack: Chobani fruit yogurt (one that is as close to 1:1 as possible, some are 6g apart, I usually go for those)

Dinner: same as lunch.

LittleRedBird18

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

I also have hypothyroidism. Hmm. Curious as to how you keep your proteins so high, while keeping your fats so low. That is my biggest struggle. My fat is always way too high.

Lean cuts of meat, fat-free or low fat Greek yogurt, fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, protein powder, egg whites, lots of seafood... I use nuts or nut butters to bring UP my fat percentages sometimes because they'll be too low. I make an awesome protein smoothie that I call the Triple threat because it has pasteurized egg whites, Greek yogurt and protein powder and they're all great sources of protein!

Oddly enough, I am incredibly allergic to eggs, and fairly allergic to dairy, but most hard cheeses seem to not bother me too much. But if I eat yogurt (which I miss sooooo much), or drink cow's milk, I break out in hives and get ear infections. Not to mention have trouble wheezing and breathing. I am a mess! Any other sources of protein that are low fat? I have been eating nuts to get the protein up, but there is so much fat in them!

Spartan_Maker

There are 6.7 billion people in the world and many different phenotypes.

Through simple statistical analysis, people can determine the exact macronutrient profile that would best achieve their goals.

I, for one, determined that my body fat % decreases the most when I eat 25% C - 30% P - 45% F. Those macronutrient percentages work for many people who share my phenotype. You, however, may be completely different.

I never understood why people don't simply open up a spreadsheet and use simple correlation and regression analysis to figure these things out rather than have these senseless "one-size fits all" discussions and debates.

Any time someone recommends that you blindly follow some fixed percentages and you follow those recommendations, assume that your results -- at best -- won't be optimal.

Preacher224

I am at 45/20.35 but I eat a lot of monosaturated fats. Olive oil in particular. I am also in a weight loss stage right now. When I change to a buliking stage I will up my protiens almost double and carbs a bit and lower my fats to about 25%. I will try to get 1 - 1.5 grams of protein for each pound of body weight. I have done this before with no problem with kidney function. My suggestion is to find what works for you. Accomplishing goals, feeling energetic blood panels in acceptable levels etc.. I would avoid very low carb diets such as Atkins and others without the help of a nutritionist and even a Dr, to monitor things like kidney functions and ketones and other things. These diets work well if done safely and with professional help. Although most of the weight loss in the first weeks is due to the extreme diarrhea that comes as a result of the diet which causes a person to lose water weight very quickly. On good rule is: If it sounds extreme then it is probably best passed by unless monitored by a professional. A good all around diet for just about anyone is the "Mediterranean" diet tweeked to suit your personal preferences. Those who eat this diet are some of the most healthy people on earth as a whole. Remember, this is a diet similar to what Jesus ate and I believe he was the healthiest person that ever lived. Not preaching, just my opinion. Any one feel free to add me to your friends list if you like. I am not always very active at posting comments due to my schedule. But I am on everyday and will post on occasion. I will also answer any direct messages I get. So feel free to send me one if you have any questions. I don't know everything, but after 20+yrs of study and practice I have learned a bit and am willing to share.

LittleRedBird18

[/quote]

My plan is:

Breakfast: 1:1 carb-to-protein, 10g of fat - usually I eat almonds with 6oz fat free greek yogurt mixed with 6oz low-sugar fruit yogurt.

Snack: Optimum Nutrition Natural Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein (Chocolate) with water + nectarine, peach, apple, strawberries - whatever fruit I find exciting. Alternatively, I can have 2 lite string cheese sticks - but I find that much string cheese too salty and prefer the protein shake.

Lunch: 4-6oz of protein (depending on how lean, if I eat chicken breast, I get 6oz, but if I am eating beef, its only 4oz) + veggies (usually a cup - sometimes more if its salad greens). I also have a choice of 100 calories (25g) of carb - I can have 100 calorie bread or beans or rice OR 100 calories of fruit - I usually opt for the fruit again.

Snack: Chobani fruit yogurt (one that is as close to 1:1 as possible, some are 6g apart, I usually go for those)

Dinner: same as lunch.
[/quote]

Thanks so much! Short of having to find something to replace yogurt cuz I am allergic, that gives a good idea of how to lay it all out.

Rambo313

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

I also do 40/40/20 and have hypothyroidism.

ShannonGo

I am sorry about the dairy issue! Have you tried any of the goat's milk yogurts?

My dietitian recommends Power Crunch protein cookies - the two that I like the most are available at Trader Joe's - the Peanut Butter Fudge and Triple Chocolate - these are very much like those layered wafer cookies, but covered in chocolate. The Triple Chocolate is 10g carb, 13g protein and 13g fat. I sometimes skip the almonds in at breakfast so that I have "room" in my diet for one of these protein bars at either of my snacks.

LittleRedBird18

There are 6.7 billion people in the world and many different phenotypes.

Through simple statistical analysis, people can determine the exact macronutrient profile that would best achieve their goals.

I, for one, determined that my body fat % decreases the most when I eat 25% C - 30% P - 45% F. Those macronutrient percentages work for many people who share my phenotype. You, however, may be completely different.

I never understood why people don't simply open up a spreadsheet and use simple correlation and regression analysis to figure these things out rather than have these senseless "one-size fits all" discussions and debates.

Any time someone recommends that you blindly follow some fixed percentages and you follow those recommendations, assume that your results -- at best -- won't be optimal.

Wow. There are a lot of big words here that I don't understand, lol. How would you go about doing such a thing? I honestly have no clue what you are talking about, although I do appreciate the response.

SuperSexyDork

I am on a 40/40/20 plan myself and my diet is not void of fruits, vegetables or grains. This is the plan my dietitan set up for me given that I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I've lost 12lbs since June 1.

I also have hypothyroidism. Hmm. Curious as to how you keep your proteins so high, while keeping your fats so low. That is my biggest struggle. My fat is always way too high.

Lean cuts of meat, fat-free or low fat Greek yogurt, fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, protein powder, egg whites, lots of seafood... I use nuts or nut butters to bring UP my fat percentages sometimes because they'll be too low. I make an awesome protein smoothie that I call the Triple threat because it has pasteurized egg whites, Greek yogurt and protein powder and they're all great sources of protein!

Oddly enough, I am incredibly allergic to eggs, and fairly allergic to dairy, but most hard cheeses seem to not bother me too much. But if I eat yogurt (which I miss sooooo much), or drink cow's milk, I break out in hives and get ear infections. Not to mention have trouble wheezing and breathing. I am a mess! Any other sources of protein that are low fat? I have been eating nuts to get the protein up, but there is so much fat in them!

Okay, so you're not a vegetarian though, right? That leaves turkey, ground turkey, chicken breast, salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallops, crab, imitation crab (surimi), lunch meats, black beans (and most other beans), tofu, soy, edamame, 93/7 ground beef, tilapia (any kind of white fish really), and quinoa. I'm also sure that there are other things I'm missing.

Also venison is quite low fat for being red meat and you can buy lean cuts of beef.