WHAT'S THE MAGIC NUMBER - Carbs/Protein/Fat

20% carbs, 15% protein and 65% fat according to how our body is built, how breast milk is (Which babies survive on just fine might I add) etc.

20% carbs, 15% protein and 65% fat according to how our body is built, how breast milk is (Which babies survive on just fine might I add) etc.

but surely a babies needs are very different from an adults?

I'm currently at 40% carbs, 35% protein, 25% fat. I've managed about 15 pounds in less than 2 months, so I guess it works for me?

You sometimes have to fiddle to see what you feel the best at. It's hard filling in all the protein everyday...but it works.

I realize that we all need a percentage of all three and that it probably is based on each of us.
Our body type, our life style, etc.
But how do we know what is the right ballance?

I have just started, so my ratio between Carbs-Protein-Fat are most likely out of wack.
Right now, mine are running about 47% Carbs, 20% Fat and 32% Protein.
How do I know if that is good or bad...?

Trial and Error, that is how you know if it's good and or bad. Also STOP using percentages.

47%, 20%, 32% from 2000 calories is different then from 1500.

Protein should be at .8- 2.5 grams per pound of body weight (or lean mass if you're obese) .
Fat should be at .35-.50 per pound of body weight (or lean mass if you're obese) .
Fill remaining calories in with carbs.

Totally agree
When I work on numbers, I usually start with fat - 25/30 % from the total intake, then protein (g/bw) and fill up with carbs.

Bingo. I go for at least 170g protein a day, 60g fat mixed in with as many polyunsaturated and monounsaturated as possible, then fill the rest with carbs.

Worth the read





http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981&page=1

LET'S TALK RATIOS AND BALANCE

Does anyone know what the best ratio is between your daily Carb-Protein-Fat intake should be...?
Can anyone help us with this...?

What are your ratios...?
Post your daily ratios here and hopefully we can all get on a heathy balance...

The numbers are personal preference really. There is nothing magical about them. People whine and moan about carbs, but I'm at 50% carbs, 20% protein, and 30% fat. The only one I really worry about is protein. I try to make that number red every day and keep my calories number green.

20% carbs, 15% protein and 65% fat according to how our body is built, how breast milk is (Which babies survive on just fine might I add) etc.

but surely a babies needs are very different from an adults?

HAHA....Definitely! Babies have to have more fat in their diet. A grown person has entirely different needs than a newborn.

20% carbs, 15% protein and 65% fat according to how our body is built, how breast milk is (Which babies survive on just fine might I add) etc.

but surely a babies needs are very different from an adults?

HAHA....Definitely! Babies have to have more fat in their diet. A grown person has entirely different needs than a newborn.

Actually there was a bit of research and the baby part was only part of it, our bodies own composition also played a part in the study and findings as well as other factors... Boils down to how do we replace brains fat cells with protein or carbs? We cannot... That simple as well as provide fuel in place of carbs through glyconeogenesis, same with other functions that rely on fat, protein is needed for muscles etc.

Essentially the only one of those big three that has no essential functions is carbs... however to complete cut them out would be impossible to keep up I would imagine and you wouldn't make the best choices would you?

You have essential proteins and amino acids and you have essential fats.

Can someone please tell me the essential carbohydrate that we need? Because I do not know of any...

Actually, the best way to get all the EFAs is through a daily dose of hemp seeds.

Carbs provide energy. It's the fastest way to get energy. My macros are 50/20/30 and that works for me. Like I said originally, it's a matter of personal preference. You can go low carb and make up for it with lots of lean protein. Or you can have carbs throughout the day and still have plenty of energy. It's up to you.

[You have essential proteins and amino acids and you have essential fats.

Can someone please tell me the essential carbohydrate that we need? Because I do not know of any...

I think you're missing the point of nutrients while trying to bring up the subject of essentials. If you look at the linked chart, you'll see that in general, vegetables (essentially carbs) provide a greater amount of nutrients per calorie than say meat (animal protein):
http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/healthy-food-nutrient-density-of-green-vegetables.html

When I initially started here and was concerned mostly about my body composition (wanting musculature with a low body fat %) rather than weight loss, I focused on getting my protein needs met first on a daily basis. I used to strive for 1 to 1.5g of protein per lb of body weight until recent blood test results showed I'm in the normal range for everything except for my hight protein levels, which I thought was OK

But after researching some more and finding studies correlating higher levels of IGF-1with increased risk of certain cancers and reduced lifespan, I'm now striving for a lower level of protein intake (15 to 25%).

As to body composition, I'm still doing my resistance training. Haven't noticed a decrease in LBM despite lower protein levels but I know I won't be competing for Mr Olympia anytime soon either.

So what's the magic number - carbs/protein/fat? Depends on what your goals are and how "healthy" you want to be. If that's ambiguous, then the standard MFP ratio you start off with (55%C,15%P,30%F) is still a pretty good start.

I stick to 45 carbs, 25 protein, 30 fat.
That gives me about 104g protein for my 126 Ibs body, though with exercise, I tend to often end up in the 120s or 130s for protein.
I used to be higher carbs but feel more comfortable on this for now.