Need Help with Macro Ratios as a Vegan

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a_lonewolf
a_lonewolf Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

A very kind memeber (Pu_239) helped me figure out my daily calories and the macro ratios I need to aim for daily. As a person who eats zero dairy and no animal products at all (except certified humane eggs), I'm having a hard time achieving the ratio I need. I'm ALWAYS over on carbs. I do drink a vegan protein recovery shake after every work out which does help me (almost) get to the right protein ratio. I'm also having a hard time getting to the right fat ratio.

My ratios should be:

CARB: 25
PROT: 35
FAT: 40

What I'm usually acheiving is carb at 50%, prot at 30%, and fat at 20%.

Any ideas what I can do to change that? If I eat less carbs, it severely reduces the variety of foods I can eat as my protein choices are rather limited.
«1

Replies

  • spud_chick
    spud_chick Posts: 2,640 Member
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    Just curious, are you diabetic or have some other health reason to go low carb?
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
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    You may not like my response because my approach to your scenario is a little different.

    If your food intake is healthy, you have plenty of energy/vitality and you stay within your calorific range then I see no harm/error in your macros.
  • a_lonewolf
    a_lonewolf Posts: 14
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    Just curious, are you diabetic or have some other health reason to go low carb?

    No health issues. I want to change my body composition and not just "lose weight." I'm undertaking a serious effort to build muscle as I lose. This was the recommended ratio in order to do that.
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
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    Have you tried hemp seeds? They have a ton protein and healthy fats. I love adding them to my salads, smoothies and eating them just as. :) I'm not vegan, but have a lot of vegan and vegetarian friends so it helps me in diversifying what I eat. Also, the hemp seeds are an easy way to meet my protein macros when I'm low without adding too many carbs and fat.
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
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    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.
  • a_lonewolf
    a_lonewolf Posts: 14
    Options
    Have you tried hemp seeds? They have a ton protein and healthy fats. I love adding them to my salads, smoothies and eating them just as. :) I'm not vegan, but have a lot of vegan and vegetarian friends so it helps me in diversifying what I eat. Also, the hemp seeds are an easy way to meet my protein macros when I'm low without adding too many carbs and fat.

    Hadn't thought of that. I do add chia seed and flax seed to my morning kale smoothie, so maybe I'll also add hemp. Thanks!
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
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    It's unlikely that you'll be able to eat whole food and hit those macros. Your options are pretty much either a) eat only foods that are higher in protein than carbs (which, as you've seen, are limited on a vegan diet and make you cut out a lot of good stuff) or b) use protein supplements.

    Or adjust your macros. I did a recomp on 40/30/30 (C/P/F) and it went great; what's your current BF%?
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    Options
    Have you tried hemp seeds? They have a ton protein and healthy fats. I love adding them to my salads, smoothies and eating them just as. :) I'm not vegan, but have a lot of vegan and vegetarian friends so it helps me in diversifying what I eat. Also, the hemp seeds are an easy way to meet my protein macros when I'm low without adding too many carbs and fat.

    Hadn't thought of that. I do add chia seed and flax seed to my morning kale smoothie, so maybe I'll also add hemp. Thanks!

    You're welcome! Yeah usually on days when I strength train I have a whey protein smoothie with almond milk, hemp seed and chia and I usually end up close to 40 grams of protein. The hemp seeds bring a nutty yummy flavor to the smoothies. I also put them in my raw fruit juices.
  • a_lonewolf
    a_lonewolf Posts: 14
    Options
    It's unlikely that you'll be able to eat whole food and hit those macros. Your options are pretty much either a) eat only foods that are higher in protein than carbs (which, as you've seen, are limited on a vegan diet and make you cut out a lot of good stuff) or b) use protein supplements.

    Or adjust your macros. I did a recomp on 40/30/30 (C/P/F) and it went great; what's your current BF%?

    BF is really high right now. Last time my trainer measured me on 3/6 it was 40.9, but I also weighed in at 199 at the time. Since then I've dropped 7 pounds and my clothes are significantly looser, so it's probably less than that number but I won't know until the next measuring day.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Options
    It's unlikely that you'll be able to eat whole food and hit those macros. Your options are pretty much either a) eat only foods that are higher in protein than carbs (which, as you've seen, are limited on a vegan diet and make you cut out a lot of good stuff) or b) use protein supplements.

    Or adjust your macros. I did a recomp on 40/30/30 (C/P/F) and it went great; what's your current BF%?

    BF is really high right now. Last time my trainer measured me on 3/6 it was 40.9, but I also weighed in at 199 at the time. Since then I've dropped 7 pounds and my clothes are significantly looser, so it's probably less than that number but I won't know until the next measuring day.

    Soy protein?
  • a_lonewolf
    a_lonewolf Posts: 14
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    This!
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.

    You can buy pure egg whites.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.

    Yes, some berries would be good. Here is a list of fruits broken down by low-sugar to high-sugar:

    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/whatfruit.htm
  • sphyxy
    sphyxy Posts: 202 Member
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.

    You can buy pure egg whites.

    Vegans don't really eat eggs, so there's that.

    Edit: Just read they eat certified humane eggs. As long as it's not your generic cage free eggs because some cage free egg sources still cut their birds' beaks.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.

    You can buy pure egg whites.

    Vegans don't really eat eggs, so there's that.

    mmm, okay.
  • a_lonewolf
    a_lonewolf Posts: 14
    Options
    [/quote]

    You can buy pure egg whites.
    [/quote]

    Nope, I can't. I only eat certified humane eggs. There are no "certified human" pure egg white options.
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.

    Yeah that's probably way too much tropical fruit tbh, half a banana and berries is a good idea, although you may want to eat those berries whole as snacks, you'll figure that part out yourself though. Pick the lowest carb berries possible obviously, frozen should be cheaper and just as good for smoothies (thaw out each days portion the night before in the fridge if your blender can't handle the frozen berries). If you're only adding the other fruit for sweetness consider using a low carb sweetner like splenda or stevia.
  • a_lonewolf
    a_lonewolf Posts: 14
    Options
    I would guess that if you want to cut down carbs as a vegan you would need to drop most or all fruit, or at least tropical fruit, as well as any starchy veg and rice for a start. After that you would probably want to increase your legume servings, as well as servings of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (written in order of least to most carbs of that group).
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/Carbs-Fats-And-Calories-In-Nuts-And-Seeds.htm

    Also I personally find this wasteful but if you can eat more egg whites (say an omlette/scrambled eggs made with 1-2 whole eggs and 4-6 whites) then you can increase your protein without increasing carbs or fats. Personally I can't afford to be throwing out 2/3's of each egg I buy though.

    After you make those changes look at your macros in a day or two and see how they are shaping up, but importantly how you feel while eating like this. Trying to eat lower carb while vegan will force you to eat a lot of calorifically dense foods, which will reduce the overall volume of food you eat daily, which may make you feel hungry more often. You could counter this with even more greens and low carb veg than you're already eating.

    Wow...SUPER helpful. I'll try to implement some of these changes. Yeah, I can't justify eatin only the egg whites because in order to get the only eggs I feel morally comfortable eating...they cost $7.50 a carton. Eek. Can't throw any of that out. I will try adding more nuts. Also, thanks...didn't think about the fruit. I make a kale smoothie every day which has about 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, and 1/2 a banana. Probably need to substitute with berries? I don't know...I need the banana for the smoothness and some other fruit for sweetness.

    You can buy pure egg whites.

    Vegans don't really eat eggs, so there's that.

    mmm, okay.

    Yeah, I know. Tha'ts why I said I eat vegan 99% of the time and the ONLY eggs I eat are the CERTIFIED HUMANE $7.50/carton eggs.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Options

    You can buy pure egg whites.
    [/quote]

    Nope, I can't. I only eat certified humane eggs. There are no "certified human" pure egg white options.
    [/quote]

    okay, soy protein?

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