Macros

skepple

I know this has probably been asked a million times but how important is making the 40/30/30 macro goals. I've upped my calories from 1200 to 1600 after staying at the same weight for about 4 months (youde think I would have caught on that it wasn't working earlier haha) and am nervous about upping calories but hoping for good things to come. I'm having trouble making the exact percentages and feeling like I'm typically under on protein even though I feel like I eat a great deal of protein. My food diary is open, any insight would be greatly appreciated!!

SweetHarmony81

I would say your first priority is to get all the calories in with main focus on eating enough protein. That would be around 1g/BW(lbs).
Then for carbs and fat, eat according to your preferences. The 40/30/30 is a general recommendation that works for most. But many here would favour one of the two according to what/how they like eating. I personally prefer a bit higher carb on workout days and a bit higher fat on rest days. Still my own preference. But don't over-stress about it

ms_leanne

I've been going over on my carbs with fruit that eat but I tend not to worry about it too much. I have just started losing again as well after re-adjustment of calories.

KarenJanine

If you are strength training it is generally advised to aim for a minimum of 1g protein per lb of lean body mass. You can calculate your LBM via online calculators to get a rough idea.

It's also recommended to have a minimum of 0.35 g fat per lb bodyweight.

As long as you reach these minimums then you should be OK. There has been a lot of reserach on trying to find optimal protein intake levels but they are generally inconclusive and there is no clear evidence base that X protein intake is optimum. This is probably because it varies from person to person as the ability to build muscle is largely genetic.

If you are getting the results you want then stick with what is working for you.