carb/protein/fat ratio
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jayvrdrjn
Posts: 11 Member
Hi all: what is the ratio you found that works best? I am 5'4" and weigh 160 lbs. Trying to lose 15 lbs. I have my goals set at 50/25/25 which gives me about 165g of carbs and 90g of protein daily. It is hard to hit the protein on all days as I am a vegetarian, especially on the days I work out as the site then automatically ups it to >100.
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Replies
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40/30/30 for me. Slow carbs and fats mainly from fish and nuts. I do my best to stay away from white flours, white sugars, and processed foods in general. Although they are WAY easier to find, prepare, etc. lol0
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For serious and easy fat loss - try 30g carbs a day - your 150g Protein and whatever is left as fat. If you only eat veggies, 30g is a lot, then regular lean meats should fill out the rest of your diet. Don't be afraid of beef, poultry, eggs, tuna, fish etc. Whatever you do, don't r under-eat and over-exercise daily. It has a bad rebound and typically just doesn't work long term. Eat a few times a day, when hungry and eat until full. That should be a pretty easy way to not only lose weight, but also form habits that will stop your old life from returning after you hit that goal weight.
When you first lower your carbs, you might be a little tired for the first week while your body adjusts and starts converting fatty acids to an energy source, but push through it and the results flow quickly. Feel free to check my diary for meal ideas - in general I've raised my carbs slightly since I'm under my goal weight now and aiming to add a bit of muscle while keeping lean.0 -
I have my mine set to 25% / 25% / 50% ...most days I am very close to being on target...and I feel great!!!!!!!!0
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For serious and easy fat loss - try 30g carbs a day - your 150g Protein and whatever is left as fat. If you only eat veggies, 30g is a lot, then regular lean meats should fill out the rest of your diet. Don't be afraid of beef, poultry, eggs, tuna, fish etc. Whatever you do, don't r under-eat and over-exercise daily. It has a bad rebound and typically just doesn't work long term. Eat a few times a day, when hungry and eat until full. That should be a pretty easy way to not only lose weight, but also form habits that will stop your old life from returning after you hit that goal weight.
When you first lower your carbs, you might be a little tired for the first week while your body adjusts and starts converting fatty acids to an energy source, but push through it and the results flow quickly. Feel free to check my diary for meal ideas - in general I've raised my carbs slightly since I'm under my goal weight now and aiming to add a bit of muscle while keeping lean.
Haha, so your advice is for the vegetarian to stop being a vegetarian, then...?0 -
For serious and easy fat loss - try 30g carbs a day - your 150g Protein and whatever is left as fat. If you only eat veggies, 30g is a lot, then regular lean meats should fill out the rest of your diet. Don't be afraid of beef, poultry, eggs, tuna, fish etc. Whatever you do, don't r under-eat and over-exercise daily. It has a bad rebound and typically just doesn't work long term. Eat a few times a day, when hungry and eat until full. That should be a pretty easy way to not only lose weight, but also form habits that will stop your old life from returning after you hit that goal weight.
When you first lower your carbs, you might be a little tired for the first week while your body adjusts and starts converting fatty acids to an energy source, but push through it and the results flow quickly. Feel free to check my diary for meal ideas - in general I've raised my carbs slightly since I'm under my goal weight now and aiming to add a bit of muscle while keeping lean.
Haha, so your advice is for the vegetarian to stop being a vegetarian, then...?
Lol, I was about to say the same thing.
To OP: Anyways, I have a 45/30/25 carbs/protein/fat ratio. Works for me but I'm maintaining weight. I've seen the higher carb work very well but you must be active. With my ratios I do plenty of cardio and weight training with no problems.0 -
damn, I don't know how I missed that lol.
There are ways to approach the primal/paleo/huntergatherer side from vegetarian, but I won't lie, it's more difficult. I still think go for as low carb as possible even as a vegetarian. Check out the literature on Leaky Gut and see what you think
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I do 45% carbs, 25% protein 30% fat. It has been a really good ratio for me, though even as a meat eater it is difficult for me to eat that much protein on workout days. I have started eating a couple of hard boiled eggs every other day at breakfast, and cheese the other days, plus a bowl of oatmeal. That way I get my day started out with protein
Don't be afraid of fat, it helps your body breakdown and process all the veggies you eat, and suppresses your appetite as well. As long as you are getting good sources of fat up to 35% isn't a problem.
You could try going low carb, but as a vegetarian I don't think that is sustainable at all, and to me a weight loss program is only as good as its sustainability. You don't want to lose the weight just to gain it all back! So figure out what you like and what works for you and go with it. When I did low carb I felt starved all the time, and even though I lost a lot of weight I gained more than double back within a couple years.
Good luck!0 -
Thank you all for the input - Maybe I will try going down to 45% carbs for a while and see if it works out - I know it will be hard. I know I was not getting enough protein so have been consciously trying to increase that in my diet.
Yes, I thought Steve's advice was funny, but thanks to you too for taking the trouble! I do eat eggs, so I try to make sure I eat some eggwhites or eggbeaters at least every other day and i get plenty of dairy in the form of greek yogurt, cottage cheese etc which are high in protein.0 -
How would you feel about using some kind of protein powder? 1 or 2 scoops per day would probably bring you to your protein goal.0
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lol - yeah, sorry about that haha -
I would eat tons of eggs-and the whole thing! Get the super good fats and omelet your butt off!
Also, Taso's right - do whey protein - it's a great form of protein and a super fast meal! Avoid the bars - they are filled with junk and sugar, the powder is a much better bet to raise your protein and not increase the carbs any more than they already are.
If you will do fish - that's the jackpot!0 -
great ideas....will try the protein powder - I know my son uses it after his workouts. Is there a particular brand you guys recommend?0
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Honestly, I would say it depends on your specific goals, workouts, and definitely as a vegetarian. The healthiest diet overall has been shown to be mostly vegetarian. I wouldn't worry so much about the %'s but focus on getting the complete proteins from vegetarian sources. Just make sure you get some grains, nuts, beans, and seeds daily and you'll get your complete proteins. Also, base your protein needs on your body weight and goals. So if you aren't exercising, then you need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. A 220 pound person would be 100 kilograms. Multiply that 100 kg by 0.8 grams and you get 80 grams of protein per day. If you are exercising intensely (high intensity cardio and weights), then you can go up to 2 grams per kilogram. So that same 220 pound person (100 kg person) can have up to 200 grams of protein. Pick somewhere between the 0.8 grams per kilo and the 2 grams per kilo depending on how intensely you think you are exercising. Then you can figure out what percentage of your intake is suppose to be from protein based on that. If you are suppose to have 80 g of protein on a 1200 calorie eating plan, then you multiply the 80 grams by 4 to get calories from protein. That is 320 calories. Divide the 320 calories from protein by the total 1200 calories per day to get 26.6 percent from protein. The other percentages can be determined after that. As a vegetarian, you won't get as much fat as carnivores (although you can get quite a lot from olive and canola oils, avocado, coconut, etc.), so it is okay to go with the lower end of the range on it. The range is 20-35% from fat, so I'd go with 20%. 1200 calories x 20% = 240 calories from fat. 240 divided by 9 calories per gram = 26.7 grams per day. 26.6% protein + 20% fat = 46.6% total. 100% - 46.6% = 53.4% left to come from carbs. 1200 x 53.4% = 640.8 calories from carbs. 640.8 divided by 4 calories per gram gives you 160 grams of carbohydrate per day.
As for adding other sources of protein from powders and such, you have to watch what you buy as a vegetarian. Whey protein is the most common and it is a milk protein so unless you are lacto-vegetarian then whey protein is out. Soy protein may be a more acceptable form for you, but if you have had issues with estrogen based cancers (breast, ovarian, cervical) in your family, then you may want to limit your soy intake. Like I said, the specific percentages are less important then your own individual nutritional needs and desires.
ETA: In the OP, you asked about what % we do, so here are mine: 70-80% carbs, 10-15% protein, and 10-15% fat. I have had breast cancer issues, so I've been told to keep my fat intake to below 15% to reduce the risk in the future. I'm also doing a kidney donation and have been told to do 15% or less of protein to keep from overworking the kidneys before the transplant and also after the transplant because I'll only have one left to do all the work. That leaves a lot of carbs! People are often shocked at how many carbs I eat and am still losing weight consistently. The secret is making sure you do the type of activity that uses the extra carbs and trains the body to store them as glycogen instead of fat. (IE: Weight training)0 -
I'm close to 40/35/25.0
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Iv got mine set to 45/35/20 carbs, protein , fat. Iv set it to that because iv read this is a good ratio for weight loss. Make sure there good carbs, whole grains, avoid White pasta rice ect.0
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Honestly, I would say it depends on your specific goals, workouts, and definitely as a vegetarian. The healthiest diet overall has been shown to be mostly vegetarian. I wouldn't worry so much about the %'s but focus on getting the complete proteins from vegetarian sources. Just make sure you get some grains, nuts, beans, and seeds daily and you'll get your complete proteins. Also, base your protein needs on your body weight and goals. So if you aren't exercising, then you need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. A 220 pound person would be 100 kilograms. Multiply that 100 kg by 0.8 grams and you get 80 grams of protein per day. If you are exercising intensely (high intensity cardio and weights), then you can go up to 2 grams per kilogram. So that same 220 pound person (100 kg person) can have up to 200 grams of protein. Pick somewhere between the 0.8 grams per kilo and the 2 grams per kilo depending on how intensely you think you are exercising. Then you can figure out what percentage of your intake is suppose to be from protein based on that. If you are suppose to have 80 g of protein on a 1200 calorie eating plan, then you multiply the 80 grams by 4 to get calories from protein. That is 320 calories. Divide the 320 calories from protein by the total 1200 calories per day to get 26.6 percent from protein. The other percentages can be determined after that. As a vegetarian, you won't get as much fat as carnivores (although you can get quite a lot from olive and canola oils, avocado, coconut, etc.), so it is okay to go with the lower end of the range on it. The range is 20-35% from fat, so I'd go with 20%. 1200 calories x 20% = 240 calories from fat. 240 divided by 9 calories per gram = 26.7 grams per day. 26.6% protein + 20% fat = 46.6% total. 100% - 46.6% = 53.4% left to come from carbs. 1200 x 53.4% = 640.8 calories from carbs. 640.8 divided by 4 calories per gram gives you 160 grams of carbohydrate per day.
As for adding other sources of protein from powders and such, you have to watch what you buy as a vegetarian. Whey protein is the most common and it is a milk protein so unless you are lacto-vegetarian then whey protein is out. Soy protein may be a more acceptable form for you, but if you have had issues with estrogen based cancers (breast, ovarian, cervical) in your family, then you may want to limit your soy intake. Like I said, the specific percentages are less important then your own individual nutritional needs and desires.
ETA: In the OP, you asked about what % we do, so here are mine: 70-80% carbs, 10-15% protein, and 10-15% fat. I have had breast cancer issues, so I've been told to keep my fat intake to below 15% to reduce the risk in the future. I'm also doing a kidney donation and have been told to do 15% or less of protein to keep from overworking the kidneys before the transplant and also after the transplant because I'll only have one left to do all the work. That leaves a lot of carbs! People are often shocked at how many carbs I eat and am still losing weight consistently. The secret is making sure you do the type of activity that uses the extra carbs and trains the body to store them as glycogen instead of fat. (IE: Weight training)
THIS IS GREAT! ... I've been hoping someone would break down the calculations for me... the ratios can be tricky but I guess you have to try it to see what actually works for you to get the results you're aiming for.
Thanks Tonya... you're always sharing the best information:flowerforyou:0 -
Honestly, I would say it depends on your specific goals, workouts, and definitely as a vegetarian. The healthiest diet overall has been shown to be mostly vegetarian. I wouldn't worry so much about the %'s but focus on getting the complete proteins from vegetarian sources. Just make sure you get some grains, nuts, beans, and seeds daily and you'll get your complete proteins. Also, base your protein needs on your body weight and goals. So if you aren't exercising, then you need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. A 220 pound person would be 100 kilograms. Multiply that 100 kg by 0.8 grams and you get 80 grams of protein per day. If you are exercising intensely (high intensity cardio and weights), then you can go up to 2 grams per kilogram. So that same 220 pound person (100 kg person) can have up to 200 grams of protein. Pick somewhere between the 0.8 grams per kilo and the 2 grams per kilo depending on how intensely you think you are exercising. Then you can figure out what percentage of your intake is suppose to be from protein based on that. If you are suppose to have 80 g of protein on a 1200 calorie eating plan, then you multiply the 80 grams by 4 to get calories from protein. That is 320 calories. Divide the 320 calories from protein by the total 1200 calories per day to get 26.6 percent from protein. The other percentages can be determined after that. As a vegetarian, you won't get as much fat as carnivores (although you can get quite a lot from olive and canola oils, avocado, coconut, etc.), so it is okay to go with the lower end of the range on it. The range is 20-35% from fat, so I'd go with 20%. 1200 calories x 20% = 240 calories from fat. 240 divided by 9 calories per gram = 26.7 grams per day. 26.6% protein + 20% fat = 46.6% total. 100% - 46.6% = 53.4% left to come from carbs. 1200 x 53.4% = 640.8 calories from carbs. 640.8 divided by 4 calories per gram gives you 160 grams of carbohydrate per day.
As for adding other sources of protein from powders and such, you have to watch what you buy as a vegetarian. Whey protein is the most common and it is a milk protein so unless you are lacto-vegetarian then whey protein is out. Soy protein may be a more acceptable form for you, but if you have had issues with estrogen based cancers (breast, ovarian, cervical) in your family, then you may want to limit your soy intake. Like I said, the specific percentages are less important then your own individual nutritional needs and desires.
ETA: In the OP, you asked about what % we do, so here are mine: 70-80% carbs, 10-15% protein, and 10-15% fat. I have had breast cancer issues, so I've been told to keep my fat intake to below 15% to reduce the risk in the future. I'm also doing a kidney donation and have been told to do 15% or less of protein to keep from overworking the kidneys before the transplant and also after the transplant because I'll only have one left to do all the work. That leaves a lot of carbs! People are often shocked at how many carbs I eat and am still losing weight consistently. The secret is making sure you do the type of activity that uses the extra carbs and trains the body to store them as glycogen instead of fat. (IE: Weight training)
THIS IS GREAT! ... I've been hoping someone would break down the calculations for me... the ratios can be tricky but I guess you have to try it to see what actually works for you to get the results you're aiming for.
Thanks Tonya... you're always sharing the best information:flowerforyou:0 -
This is awesome - makes a lot of sense. I currently am set at 50/25/25 which is very do-able for me - My current wt is 72kg and with a goal of 1300 cal this gives me about 165g carbs, 83g protein and 37g fat. I am often lower on the fat, within +/- 10 on the protein, and either at, or marginally higher on the carbs. I did the calculations the way you explained things and it comes close. MFP increases my protein on the days I work out which is then a challenge. I don't see how eating 30% carbs would be sustainable for me - I could possibly do it short term but it would not last. I have been stalled at this weight for about a month so was looking for ideas. My goal is to lose 10-15 lbs so not too ambitious but I am struggling with it, despite working out 4-5 days a week, and being at or under my calorie goal. Will keep plugging along I guess!0
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I apologize for being 2 years late on this one. THIS IS THE GOLD STANDARD of Fat/Pro/Carb ratio for fitness enthusiasts.
I can not believe NO ONE in this entire thread knew this, this is COMMON KNOWLEDGE to ANYONE who knows ANYTHING about nutrition.
The Gold Standard ratio for Fats/Proteins/Carbs is 30%/30%/40%
Now, to do what everyone else did which is share what they are currently doing and what is working... I lift weights a lot, 6 days a week for at least an hour each day so I like lots of protein. And I like to stay cut (under 10% body fat) so I eat low carbs and I shoot for a 25%/50%/25%.
If you are a vegetarian that does not matter - go buy a protein shake mix and you can slam 50grams in one drinks for just 300 calories. Pro7ein at NutriShops is a great lean protein shake or just browse bodybuilding.com for one with low sugar and low carbs.
I hope this helps.0 -
Here's a great article worth reading: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-ripped-dude-magical-macronutrient-ratio-for-fat-loss.html0
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My ratios are 70% fat/ 20% protein/ 10% carbs. Losing weight and feel great so far.
Edit: Didn't realize this is an old thread, my bad.0
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