protein/carbs?!

ccasey1985
ccasey1985 Posts: 4 Member
edited November 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been looking into high protein diets but i am really confused on what my carb and fat intake should be? I just need someone to tell me exactly what i should be at on here please. I am 165 lbs, 5'2" I train with weights 3-4 times a week (30 minute sessions) and cardio 2 times a week. From everything I've read i should be at 1 gram of protein per pound, so 165 grams of protein. But what should my other goals?? Ok realistically to start out I've been at about 100 grams of protein

Replies

  • DesertGunR
    DesertGunR Posts: 187 Member
    For the most part eating at deficit is your main goal even as you exercise. As for protein intake around 0.8g-1g per pound lean muscle mass you have, so you are probably pretty close to your ideal intake already. As for carbs, unless you are diabetic you are probably good to go and the same goes for fats. Just keep them in the reasonable range since your body still needs them to function properly.

    Good Luck and keep at it!
  • ccasey1985
    ccasey1985 Posts: 4 Member
    Oh i didn't know it was per lb of lean muscle mass! Good to know. So that changes things, I'm at 125 lean muscle mass, about what ball park do u think my calories should be at with that amount of protein being consumed and my excersize. I just get worried about burning too much and my body 'eating' my muscle and eating too much and not seeing good results. It's so frustrating there is so much to the human body! Thanks for your help!
    Btw i am a female
  • DesertGunR
    DesertGunR Posts: 187 Member
    What amount of calories per day is an equation that can be set by MFP for you. If you haven't done this already, you need to do it now so you'll know what your daily calorie goal is. The math and science behind it all is way past my pay grade. You need to select an activity level. This is your activity level during what would be considered work hours, otherwise how active are you at work. Are you a desk jockey or do you lift and carry heavy objects as you run everywhere? Lets say sedentary, which means your job is 8+ hours of sitting at a desk all day. Then you fill out other stuff like age, sex, height, weight etc. It will also ask you how many days you exercise on average and how many pounds you want to lose per week. Be reasonable, trying for 2lbs. is very difficult to achieve. Above all, log everything that you eat and drink into your food diary and everything you do for exercise in your exercise diary. Now each exercise you do will burn calories and it is your choice as to whether you eat them back or not or somewhere in between. It is not necessary to eliminate anything in your diet, just realize there are good and bad choices when it comes to food. If you are addicted to chocolate, you can still eat it, it would just be wiser to reduce the amount as it will only make it harder to lose because of the high calorie count.

    On a side note, fill out the why you want to get into shape and inspirations part of your profile. It will serve as a visual reminder of why you are doing this. Something I read many years ago said that by writing goals and other important stuff down helps you in actually achieving them. Kind of like your own personal declaration and a way to hold yourself accountable to yourself.

    Hope that helps.
  • Justthisgirl1994
    Justthisgirl1994 Posts: 226 Member
    1g of protein = 4 calories.
    So if you have 125g of protein your calories from protein will be 500.

    20-30% of your calories should come from fats. Idk what your calorie limit is, so you'll have to calculate that yourself! Mine is 33g and im at 1200.

    Whatever amount of calories you have left over goes towards carbs.
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    Depends on your goals. do you want to loose weight? maintain? gain? loose BF% and gain muscle?

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm

    This is a handy tool to determine if you know what you want % wise

    Average is 50% protein 30% carbs 20% fats
    looking to loose weight try carb cycling
    Days you work out
    protein 40%
    Carbs 40%
    Fats 20%
    Days you don't work out
    protein 45%
    Carbs 25%
    Fats 30%
    2 days a week on Relax days (preferably the day before high carb day if you can)
    protein 50%
    carbs 5%
    fats 45%

    To explain little. what this does
    the body needs carbs its what give you energy and burns longer. So eating it on the heavy work out days should help energy levels.
    eating low carbs on light (cardio) or non work out days lets the body work on burning fat
    Eating almost 0 2 days a week lets it really work on burning fat and then kinda shocks your system the next day when your carb heavy and your energy boost up

    protein is always high because that's what helps recover your muscle, keeps you full.
    Low protein can possibly have your body start burning muscle over fat and you don't want that. don't know anyone that would lol

    A lot of people do this and it works great especially for body fat % (aka showing the 6 pack if or when you are there lol)
    Some people mix it with intermediate fasting. You don't have to but you can

    intermediate fasting is when you (MALE) eat all your food for the day in an 8 hr window (FEMALE) 10 hr window
    What this does is fuels your body for the day and on the 16 hrs of only drinking water, 8 hrs should be sleep so its not as hard as it sounds you body is burning fat (make sure your high in protein)

    I lost my first initial 140lbs in 7 months (gained back 80 fell off earth for 8 months lol ops) I was eating 1400 calories and intermediate fasting

    I got busy in life stopped working out and stopped diet and gained back 80 lbs

    After a lot of research I found out that its not that healthy and if I want muscle and strength gains I need the calories so I decided to do what a lot of the fitness guys do out there and mix both

    BUT MY POINT IS
    When I was on intermediate fasting and carb cycling in the last week I was eating my 2200-2300 calorie goal of 2400 that is more than ive ever eaten on a diet I have already lost over 13 lbs in a week. sounds impressive but tis not because most of that is water weight. but as I continue im loosing weight at a steady pace and I haven't noticed a difference in strength. so im enjoying it very much


    Sorry for the long answer but I hope that helps some
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    edited June 2015
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals

    yes using that calculator it says to loose weight eat 300 G carbs and 160G protein something doesn't seem right with that theory to me
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals

    Ide rather not pay money for something I can find free online lol

    also if I take the time to calculate the 1.0 G protein and the .4 of fats
    magically it comes out to be around 40% and 20% and what left for carbs is around 40%

    It uses the same calculator theory but just displays it in a different way and its free

    Um... IIFYM.com is free.
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals

    Ide rather not pay money for something I can find free online lol

    also if I take the time to calculate the 1.0 G protein and the .4 of fats
    magically it comes out to be around 40% and 20% and what left for carbs is around 40%

    It uses the same calculator theory but just displays it in a different way and its free

    Um... IIFYM.com is free.

    yea I noticed and edited it had everything blocked till u went stp by step my bad
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited June 2015
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals

    yes using that calculator it says to loose weight eat 300 G carbs and 160G protein something doesn't seem right with that theory to me

    What's wrong with the theory? They've calculated how many cals you need for your goal, then calculated macros for fat and protein as Xg per kg/lb, then carbs fill the rest.

    Most people counting macros won't alter protein or fat whatever their goals are, so carbs are usually the thing that changes.
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals

    yes using that calculator it says to loose weight eat 300 G carbs and 160G protein something doesn't seem right with that theory to me

    What's wrong with the theory? They've calculated how many cals you need for your goal, then calculated macros for fat and protein as Xg per kg/lb, then carbs fill the rest.

    it calculates it at the standard 40% 30% 30% diet its the same theory just diff way of calculating it is all im saying . and all depends on goals to what you want your carbs to be.
    everything depends on your goals
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Don't rely on %'s for your split. Go to IIFYM.com to work out macros based on your goals

    yes using that calculator it says to loose weight eat 300 G carbs and 160G protein something doesn't seem right with that theory to me

    What's wrong with the theory? They've calculated how many cals you need for your goal, then calculated macros for fat and protein as Xg per kg/lb, then carbs fill the rest.

    it calculates it at the standard 40% 30% 30% diet its the same theory just diff way of calculating it is all im saying . and all depends on goals to what you want your carbs to be.
    everything depends on your goals

    When your goals change, the %split won't be the same as protein and fat grams don't change
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    I ment goal as in if you want to gain muscle, maintain, loose weight, a mix of both
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I ment goal as in if you want to gain muscle, maintain, loose weight, a mix of both

    The % split will change when you change goals,as the calories from protein and fat stay pretty consistent, but the calories from carbs changes.
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    yes I know but if you decent fit it works your way. if your very over weight (like me) it makes the carbs almost double if not triple what they should be can that's makes it harder to loose weight. If your pretty fit your way works well if you need to loose weight then my way is better.
    But its all personal opinion. I was just giving what worked well for me to drop a lot of weight and whats working currently
  • FearlessRobb
    FearlessRobb Posts: 249 Member
    i also hate this computer it keeps missing letter i type and makes it sound like i speak broken English. sorry
  • SSalimJ
    SSalimJ Posts: 9 Member
    DesertGunR wrote: »
    What amount of calories per day is an equation that can be set by MFP for you. If you haven't done this already, you need to do it now so you'll know what your daily calorie goal is. The math and science behind it all is way past my pay grade. You need to select an activity level. This is your activity level during what would be considered work hours, otherwise how active are you at work. Are you a desk jockey or do you lift and carry heavy objects as you run everywhere? Lets say sedentary, which means your job is 8+ hours of sitting at a desk all day. Then you fill out other stuff like age, sex, height, weight etc. It will also ask you how many days you exercise on average and how many pounds you want to lose per week. Be reasonable, trying for 2lbs. is very difficult to achieve. Above all, log everything that you eat and drink into your food diary and everything you do for exercise in your exercise diary. Now each exercise you do will burn calories and it is your choice as to whether you eat them back or not or somewhere in between. It is not necessary to eliminate anything in your diet, just realize there are good and bad choices when it comes to food. If you are addicted to chocolate, you can still eat it, it would just be wiser to reduce the amount as it will only make it harder to lose because of the high calorie count.

    On a side note, fill out the why you want to get into shape and inspirations part of your profile. It will serve as a visual reminder of why you are doing this. Something I read many years ago said that by writing goals and other important stuff down helps you in actually achieving them. Kind of like your own personal declaration and a way to hold yourself accountable to yourself.

    Hope that helps.

    Thanx dear it really did help me..
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
    As someone who uses a reduced carb diet to lose 80 pounds (and drop cholesterol levels to good to excellent levels), I can attest that it works. Atkins is an example of a low carb diet, and it will start you out at 20 grams of carbs, which works out to about 5% of your calories. I'm successfully maintaining without measuring at the moment, but my daily intake is about 80 to 100 grams, or about 20% of my calories.
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