Carb / Protein / Fat ratios

postolache
postolache Posts: 187 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,
I'm 36, 210lbs, 5'8". I'm trying to loose about 40lbs.
My job is sedentary and until one month ago the only walking was from home to car and car to office.
I've started to walk now, about 2miles/day. Tried to run but I have some pains in tibial area after only 1 minute.

The default MFP ratio is Carb = 55% | Protein = 15% | Fat = 30%
Net Calories Consumed* / Day 1,740 cal/day

That ratio seems low on Protein and high on Fat. What should be the best Carb/Protein/Fat ratio?

Thank you,
Petronel

Replies

  • mich19025
    mich19025 Posts: 55 Member
    I like 40p/30c/30f
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    The first thing I would say though is that 30% fat is not high, and that fats are essential for your health. Low fat diets efficacy was disproved by the 90s.

    As regards the ratio you use, it's a personal preference, but it'll generally be a swap between carbs & protein. Based on your activity levels as described you may be better off with a higher protein diet. I use a 40 Carb 30 Fats 30 Protein split, and I find that it works very well for me. Try to hit the right ratio of them each week, and try for healthy fats rather than fried/deep fried foods and you should start seeing results. The higher protein content would also support any weight training well.

    Good luck!
  • postolache
    postolache Posts: 187 Member
    Thanks for the replies.

    I will try a 40/30/30. Until today I did paid attention only to the total calories.
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    Not a huge amount of harm in that either, as long as you accurately track your food by weighing everything then a calorie deficit, regardless of its split, will result in weight loss.
  • ElectricDragon
    ElectricDragon Posts: 60 Member
    Thanks for the replies.

    I will try a 40/30/30. Until today I did paid attention only to the total calories.

    That's a pretty good balance. Myself I set my goals on MFP to 30 carb|35 fat|35 protein. I'm still a newbie and struggle with these macro goals I set for myself, but most of the time I do alright. My primary concern is having a calorie deficit and the secondary is trying to keep the protein and fat percentages slightly above that of the carbohydrate.
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    That's a pretty good balance. Myself I set my goals on MFP to 30 carb|35 fat|35 protein. I'm still a newbie and struggle with these macro goals I set for myself, but most of the time I do alright. My primary concern is having a calorie deficit and the secondary is trying to keep the protein and fat percentages slightly above that of the carbohydrate.

    Looking at your diary you're doing great in terms of your macro targets, they're pretty much bang on target each day. Your daily calorie allowance is really low though. Are you following professional advice on that level intake or is it set by MFP?
  • OatFloats
    OatFloats Posts: 119
    Is there any way to change the default setting for these macros?
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    On the My Home page, click on the Goals link, then Change Goals, then select Custom and hit continue. On the page that comes up you can tweak any of your goal settings, including your macro split.
  • OatFloats
    OatFloats Posts: 119
    Thanks!
  • ElegantSlenderChic
    ElegantSlenderChic Posts: 41 Member
    Not a huge amount of harm in that either, as long as you accurately track your food by weighing everything then a calorie deficit, regardless of its split, will result in weight loss.


    This is fabulous news as I'm struggling to reduce my carb intake.
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    This is fabulous news as I'm struggling to reduce my carb intake.

    You're look pretty close to your targets each day, I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. The only minor issue with that amount of carbs in your diet is that you'll tend to have more glycogen stores in your muscles, which holds more water in your muscles as a result.
  • _db_
    _db_ Posts: 179 Member
    40c/40f/20p is a really good macro ratio. Diets with that macro distribution are called low glycemic or mediterranean. Harvard did a study and found this to be the best diet in their study.

    http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/06/when-a-calorie-is-not-just-a-calorie/

    Additionally, it's quite easy to hit the targets at those levels. In fact, I found out about that diet because my macros were naturally coming in about 40/40/20, so I did some searching to see if those levels were "good". Turns out, they're quite good.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    There is no one ideal ratio for everyone, but 30% fat is too much for most people.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Generally if you are doing a significant amount of exercise or are lifting weights there are some general guidelines:

    0.8-1.0g of protein per pound of lean body weight.
    0.5g of fat per pound (is it lean??)
    figure out what the percentages are based off that
    and fill in the rest with carbs.
  • kaykayb93
    kaykayb93 Posts: 4 Member
    trying keto macros
    65f/30p/5c
    always go over on carbs, and never hit that much fat, but losing weight at a much faster pace!
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    40c/40f/20p is a really good macro ratio. Diets with that macro distribution are called low glycemic or mediterranean. Harvard did a study and found this to be the best diet in their study.

    http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/06/when-a-calorie-is-not-just-a-calorie/

    Additionally, it's quite easy to hit the targets at those levels. In fact, I found out about that diet because my macros were naturally coming in about 40/40/20, so I did some searching to see if those levels were "good". Turns out, they're quite good.

    That's an interesting article-thanks! I've just started playing around with macro ratios and think I'll give this a try. I've seen this ratio being recommended elsewhere and I'm intrigued by it, especially since I'm in maintenance and the article addresses that specifically :)
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
    My preference is to keep protein at about 30-35% and I go with either a 20% fat and 50% carb or 50% fat and 20% carb. Depends on how active I am though that phase.

    As a general rule of thumb (Shoulda called it rule of wrist!), you wanna hit about 0.35grams of fat per lb of body mass and 1gram of protein per lb of lean body mass. Most macro calculators, such as IIFYM, will default you to this.

    Just my 2 cents
  • postolache
    postolache Posts: 187 Member
    Using IIFYM calculator and my 1740 cal I get close to 15%c | 50%p | 35%f
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    Bear in mind that carbs & protein have 4 calories per gram, where fat has 9, so that has to be taken into account to calculate ratios (i.e. convert each to calorie amounts and then you can get a proper ratio between them).
  • gmthisfeller
    gmthisfeller Posts: 779 Member
    Hi,
    I'm 36, 210lbs, 5'8". I'm trying to loose about 40lbs.
    My job is sedentary and until one month ago the only walking was from home to car and car to office.
    I've started to walk now, about 2miles/day. Tried to run but I have some pains in tibial area after only 1 minute.

    I am 5'7" and I started at 209. Like you I started with walking. If you are comfortable walking 2 miles a day, don't suddenly jump to running. Pick a pair of land marks --two mailboxes, driveway entrances, trees, whatever-- that are about 20 yards (yep, "yards") and jog that distance. Do this towards the end of your walk. Be sure that you have good shoes, really good shoes. You can skimp on almost everything about running except for shoes.

    I started this way 6 months ago. Now I am running 4 miles a day. With care and patience, you can too.
  • bryntevans01
    bryntevans01 Posts: 25 Member
    Before deciding on what macro split you should eat you WILL HAVE TO figure out your 'Somatype'. Macro splits are great but just eating a 40/40/20 is 1) an old fashioned bodybuilders trick to cut 2)is only aimed at certain somatypes. If you are Ecto you will need a lots more carbs (i.e 55c/25p/20f) or meso (40c/35p/25f) or Endo (30c/50p/20f) These are ofcourse rough guestimates to give you an example. Endomorph (Like me) have a much slower reaction to carbs and need much less of it in their diet, the liver cant process the carbs (or the insulin that comes from it) well enough and stores it as fat. Ectos are the opposite, meso are in the middle.
    Macro splits are very individual person to person and it needs a lot of trial and error. I have tried 40/40/20 and its quite hard to do as i require more protein and fat to feel nourished.

    Hope this helps
  • postolache
    postolache Posts: 187 Member
    @gmthisfeller: this is what I'm trying to do now. I can walk a few miles, but I can't run and will probably need to see a doctor to confirm that I don't do any damage to my tibialis muscle.
  • postolache
    postolache Posts: 187 Member
    nvm, was a misunderstood term

    I think I'm "Endomorphic".... so I should go high on protein and keep fat as low as possible.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Before deciding on what macro split you should eat you WILL HAVE TO figure out your 'Somatype'. Macro splits are great but just eating a 40/40/20 is 1) an old fashioned bodybuilders trick to cut 2)is only aimed at certain somatypes. If you are Ecto you will need a lots more carbs (i.e 55c/25p/20f) or meso (40c/35p/25f) or Endo (30c/50p/20f) These are ofcourse rough guestimates to give you an example. Endomorph (Like me) have a much slower reaction to carbs and need much less of it in their diet, the liver cant process the carbs (or the insulin that comes from it) well enough and stores it as fat. Ectos are the opposite, meso are in the middle.
    Macro splits are very individual person to person and it needs a lot of trial and error. I have tried 40/40/20 and its quite hard to do as i require more protein and fat to feel nourished.

    Hope this helps

    I have absolutely no idea what any of this means-off to google :grumble:
  • bryntevans01
    bryntevans01 Posts: 25 Member
    [/quote]

    I have absolutely no idea what any of this means-off to google :grumble:
    [/quote]
    Somatypes-

    You will be one of the following-
    Ectomorph: you look like a marathon runner, find it hard to put on weight and muscle, narrow shoulders and hips, thin bones
    Mesomorph: you look athletic, sporty type, wide shoulders and narrow hips, strong bones, fast metabolism, fast muscle growth.
    Endomorph: large bone structure, rounded in shape, difficult to lose fat, slow metabolism

    There are mixes of two also. An endo will never be a ecto and a meso will never be an ecto either. So when peopl say I wanna look like soandso, it's probably an impossibility!!
    Due to the biology of each somatypes they process nutrients differently, hence two people can eat the same diet but look different.

    Any of this making sense? I'm not even making this up ha
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    The default MFP ratio is Carb = 55% | Protein = 15% | Fat = 30%

    I'd suggest moving to 40-30-30 as a starting point. That will get you the 1g/LBM-lb protein that is fairly widely accepted as a solid protein number.
  • TarynAngeline
    TarynAngeline Posts: 95 Member
    I like 40p/30c/30f
  • blackNBUK
    blackNBUK Posts: 58 Member
    Somatotype are at the very least a subjective judgement and in many people's opinions largely a myth. Have a read through of the following for a discussion: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817668-somatotypes-are-a-myth

    Using them to determine what your macro ratios should be seems a little nutty. Better to figure out what your aims are and what your food preferences are and then pick macro ratios as appropriate.

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