A question for you toned people out there

Makterbro
Makterbro Posts: 101 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have been losing weight but not inches, I am trying to build some muscle/tone up to get rid of some flab. My question to you is how much total fat do you eat a day compared to the goal mfp set for you?This whole time I have been on a low fat diet and have been focused primarily on losing weight but now I want to focus primarily on losing inches. I usually eat less than half of my goal in fat(40grams). I know eating a lot of protein helps but if I eat more fat will that help me build muscle too? Also, how much protein do you eat compared to the number mfp set for you?

Replies

  • kenc1971
    kenc1971 Posts: 107 Member
    I go 35/35/30 as far as percentages of Protein/Carbs/Fat, eat to my sedentary TDEE and my deficit is made up of my exercise calories.

    Fat calories don't make you fat. Too many calories can do that, no matter what they're from :)
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    Where did this fat is the devil thing come from ? There is nothing wrong with some dietary fat.
  • trickduffin
    trickduffin Posts: 19 Member
    Absolutely no disrespect intended, but you really need to educate yourself from a reliable source.

    There is no way to "focus on losing inches". You just lose fat. The inches will come as part of that.

    And here's my opinion of the best FREE source out there:

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/

    I have no affiliation with him, he's just super awesome...

    Good luck.
  • BaldheadSlick
    BaldheadSlick Posts: 51 Member
    My diet is about 30% fat, so for me, more fat and protein and less carbs do the trick. Everyone is different because if you're an athlete, more carbs may be beneficial but if you're sitting on your butt all day with little activity, it may not be for you.

    The total grams depends on your overall caloric intake for your goals, as I normally consume 80-100 grams depending on the day.

    Good luck!
  • OldSportOldsport
    OldSportOldsport Posts: 275 Member
    My macros are 5% carbs, 30% protein and 65% fat but I don't keep to that as though it's the word of God - I often eat extra protein and less fat. If you're doing a lot of working out you probably need more carbs than me though! I recommend upping your protein and fat goals for satiation and energy purposes. You have to decide whether you want to lose fat or build muscle though - can't really do both at the same time unless you're lifting really hard (you can't build muscle on a calorie deficit which is what it takes to lose weight). You can however sustain the muscle that you do have while you lose (by eating protein and lifting weights) and then work from there when you've lost the fat.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I eat a lot of fat because it's delicious and sating and it makes protein/veggies more palatable. But it does not build muscle. To build muscle you need protein and progressive loading strength training.

    You're not going to be building a ton of muscle eating at a deficit anyway-- maybe a few ounces if you're new. What you will do though is maintain your muscle while you lose fat, so you'll end up looking fit.
  • Makterbro
    Makterbro Posts: 101 Member
    Thanks for you suggestions everyone :)
  • RebelDiamond
    RebelDiamond Posts: 188 Member
    While you lose weight/fat from your body you will lose inches. As a woman, I know that building muscle can be quite hard (lower testosterone levels) so it's unlikely that you're replacing the fat with muscle (plus muscle weighs about 3x more than fat).

    Low fat diets are pretty much a fad, while you should lower saturated (unhealthy animal fats and heated oils) there are fats that are good for you. These can be found in avocado, coconut oil, raw nuts, yogurt, raw olive oil etc and are really good for your skin, nails, hair and pretty much everything in moderation.

    Lowering your carb and sugar intake rather than lowering your fat intake (as well as keeping an eye on those pesky calories) will help you see the results you're looking for :)

    ps: often products boasting "low fat" are packed with extra sugar and/or salt to make up for it.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    pretty much what everyone else has said.

    It seems like you are over-thinking it. You really want to just lose the layer of fat that is covering your muscle and build some muscle to help it show up better. All you really need to worry about is the following in this order of importance:

    1) Create a caloric deficit and stay within budget over the long term.
    2) Lift weights 2-3 times a week to build/retain your muscle mass.
    3) Eat enough protein. I usually shoot for 1-1.5g protein/lb LBM.
    4) eat some "good" fats. Some are essential to your health.
    5) fill the rest of your calories with delicious carbs.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    118 grams of fat today I think.
    170 grams protein today.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    So I have been losing weight but not inches, I am trying to build some muscle/tone up to get rid of some flab. My question to you is how much total fat do you eat a day compared to the goal mfp set for you?This whole time I have been on a low fat diet and have been focused primarily on losing weight but now I want to focus primarily on losing inches. I usually eat less than half of my goal in fat(40grams). I know eating a lot of protein helps but if I eat more fat will that help me build muscle too? Also, how much protein do you eat compared to the number mfp set for you?

    dietary fat has nothing to do with your body fat or toning or anything like that. I try to get between 0.35 and 0.4 grams per pound of my body weight which puts me around 60-70 grams per day. The vast majority of my dietary fat comes from nuts, avocado, and avocado, olive, and coconut oil that I cook with...but again, this has zero impact on my muscle tone, etc.

    You "tone" by shedding body fat and exposing muscle (which you must also have). You shed body fat by consuming less energy (calories) than your body requires to maintain the status quot...when you consume less energy than your body requires, your body has to compensate by dipping into stored energy (fat). It's just like your finances...if you don't earn enough in a paycheck to pay your bills, you have to dip into savings to compensate...you keep doing that and eventually you whittle away at those savings until there is little to nothing left.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member

    dietary fat has nothing to do with your body fat or toning or anything like that. I try to get between 0.35 and 0.4 grams per pound of my body weight which puts me around 60-70 grams per day. The vast majority of my dietary fat comes from nuts, avocado, and avocado, olive, and coconut oil that I cook with...but again, this has zero impact on my muscle tone, etc.

    You "tone" by shedding body fat and exposing muscle (which you must also have). You shed body fat by consuming less energy (calories) than your body requires to maintain the status quot...when you consume less energy than your body requires, your body has to compensate by dipping into stored energy (fat). It's just like your finances...if you don't earn enough in a paycheck to pay your bills, you have to dip into savings to compensate...you keep doing that and eventually you whittle away at those savings until there is little to nothing left.
    Awesome analogy!

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