If my protein is at 20%.....

jo_marnes
jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
in Food and Nutrition
ok, so I have approx 90 - 95lbs lean mass, protein at 95g is 20% of my macros. So can anyone advise what the carbs/ fat ratios should be for building muscle and NOT losing fat (I'm little and wanna build up a bit)? Thanks

Replies

  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    for building muscle...

    protein at 1g/lb lean body. You got already.

    Carbs = 2x protein.

    fat equal 30% of total cals.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    40/30/30

    carbs/protein/fat
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Neither suggestion works?!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Neither suggestion works?!

    how long have you tried 40/30/30 for?
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    I would just eat 20-30% calories from fat and make sure you're getting enough fiber(and enough carbs to get your vitamins and minerals from non-fortified sources if possible). The rest in between is just monkeys throwing darts.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    Eating, then when your full, eat again, oh, and lift a lot.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    make fat 0.4grams per lbs of bodyweight.

    Whatever is left you fill with carbs.
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    55c-35p-20f

    The belief that you can put on weight and have it be 100% muscle is not true. You will add a little fat, but judging on your ectomorph body type I would definitely have more carbs then protein, if you are gaining weight protein is a higher thermogenic which means your body burns more energy breaking it down - 95 g is fine but when it comes to carbs i would eat a ton of them - and go for the whole grains more. If you are low on your calorie goal finish up with healthy fats - nuts, avocado, etc.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    I think you and I have similar body types (you're probably a little leaner than I am), so it might help you to tell you what I've been trying.

    Most of what I have read lately says to up protein to between 1 and 1.5 per pound LBM to build muscle. I have upped my protein to 100 grams a day minimum (bounce between 100 and 119) and I have seen remarkable improvement over the past month and a half. I've changed up my strength training regime as well, upping the weight, lowering the reps. My LBM is about what yours is.

    Fats are the tricky part for me because I have a mental block about eating them but know I need them because of absorption of the fat-soluble micronutrients. I keep those at around 50-60 grams when I work to get them in my diet. I think this has improved my overall performance in the gym. I know it has improved my overall sense of well-being.

    I don't monitor my carbs. They make up the rest, whatever ratio that becomes. I was doing 40/30/30 for a while, but now I barely look at the pie chart. I concentrate on the gram goals of the two essentials (protein and fat) and let the carbs fall where they may. It varies everyday depending on calorie intake.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    The reason it isn't working for you is because your not eating enough.....protein can be in a very broad range to be able to build muscle. Anytime someone says they can't build muscle is because they're afraid to eat enough to make that happen, they think they're going to get fat. Eat.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    Neither suggestion works?!

    I am curious why my suggestion above "doesn't work"? How long did you try it?

    Here is the math that i am suggesting:
    Protein: 95 grams or 380 cals (1 g per lb of LBM)
    Carbs: 190 grams or 760 cals (twice protein)
    Fats: 65 grams or 585 cals (30% total cals)
    Total cals: 1725 cals per day

    In addition, if you are trying to build muscle, you will want to augment your diet with creatine and BCAAs.

    You are trying to grow muscle. It takes protein, carbs and working out like hell!

    I am 6' 4", 200 lbs and 11.5% BF. This is how i eat and i have put on 15 pounds of lean body mass in the last year and lost 15 pounds of fat. I weight the same but look a LOT different!

    No matter what you do or how you approach this, good luck!
  • theryan244
    theryan244 Posts: 65 Member
    Neither suggestion works?!

    I am curious why my suggestion above "doesn't work"? How long did you try it?

    Here is the math that i am suggesting:
    Protein: 95 grams or 380 cals (1 g per lb of LBM)
    Carbs: 190 grams or 760 cals (twice protein)
    Fats: 65 grams or 585 cals (30% total cals)
    Total cals: 1725 cals per day

    In addition, if you are trying to build muscle, you will want to augment your diet with creatine and BCAAs.

    You are trying to grow muscle. It takes protein, carbs and working out like hell!

    I am 6' 4", 200 lbs and 11.5% BF. This is how i eat and i have put on 15 pounds of lean body mass in the last year and lost 15 pounds of fat. I weight the same but look a LOT different!

    No matter what you do or how you approach this, good luck!

    The OP said he wants to bulk. These are skimpy macros for a beginner trying to put on mass and your reasoning to get to these numbers are unjustified.

    Forget percentages.

    0.4g - 0.5g per pound of body weight for fat
    0.8g - 1g per pound of body weight for protein
    Fill the remaining calories with carbs

    You could make lean body mass recommendations but LBM is difficult to accurately calculate.
  • theryan244
    theryan244 Posts: 65 Member
    I assumed the OP was a dude but I was mistaken... That calorie count isn't ridiculously low for females. Honestly I don't like making recommendations to females but the method I suggested to get to your macros should still be applicable, nonetheless.
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    I didn't mean they don't physically work for me.... I mean they don't work mathematically with my calorie goals (1920 per day). The whole eat 1g protein per lb LBM totals 95g for me, or 20% of my daily macros. That leaves me with 80% to cover with fat and carbs. My question was what % of each should I go with? Hendrix has understood the question - thanks! This leaves me with 20% protein, 20% fat and 60% carbs?
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    you would be better off increasing your protein.

    vegetables are all carbs, keep that in mind too.

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