Body building - What are your macros??
oceansmoke
Posts: 23 Member
I'm somewhat of an ectomorph (trying to make gains) and I've got my macros set to 50-30-20.
That's 200 carbs, 120 protein, and 36 fats for me.
The problem is, I seem to be keeping belly fat.
What are your goals? What
do you have your macros set to and have you been having success?
That's 200 carbs, 120 protein, and 36 fats for me.
The problem is, I seem to be keeping belly fat.
What are your goals? What
do you have your macros set to and have you been having success?
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Replies
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You should forget the idea of ectomorphs, that stuff was made up in the 40s by someone with no education on physiology or nutrition for a completely different goal.
What are your stats? Height/weight etc.?0 -
stevencloser wrote: »You should forget the idea of ectomorphs, that stuff was made up in the 40s by someone with no education on physiology or nutrition for a completely different goal.
What are your stats? Height/weight etc.?
To add onto what @stevencloser said, what are your goals too... weight loss or adding mass? And no you can't really do both at the same time.
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I can tell you right now that 36 grams of fat is far too low (even for a 100 lb. female) and quite unsafe if followed long-term.0
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oceansmoke wrote: »I'm somewhat of an ectomorph (trying to make gains) and I've got my macros set to 50-30-20.
That's 200 carbs, 120 protein, and 36 fats for me.
The problem is, I seem to be keeping belly fat.
What are your goals? What
do you have your macros set to and have you been having success?
Adding to other posters: Should you choose you want to reduce fat, you can't specifically spot reduce fat anywhere. That is the Dr. Oz equivalent of broscience. Your genetics pick where you are going to store fat. The only way to loose belly fat is to loose fat in general and hope it comes from there. Eventually it will the lower you get. If you are looking for something like visible, individual ab defintion, this happens roughly sub 20% bodyfat for women (sub 15% for guys):
We definitely need your age/height/weight to help any further as far as helping you set a TDEE and getting your minimums figured out. If you have a body fat caliper, getting a rough bf% measurement can also help you set a more accurate TDEE (you can use the more accurate Katch-McArdle formula instead of the Mifflin- St Jeor).0 -
Hey guys, thanks for the responses. As far as stats go I'm 5'6 and I currently weigh 118. My BFP was 14% last I had it checked (about 2 months ago) but I definitely still have a layer of fat on my stomach.
My goal is to gain mass0 -
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If your goal is to gain mass, I struggle to see how you are going to do it at 1604 calories. The average women I know who is bulking up is eating another 800 calories.
Do you know your true maintenance calories? Also, are you already lifting (if so, which program and how long)?
And it's not uncommon to be a bit underweight and still have stomach issues. It's actually a fairly typical problem I see around here. IMO, it's mainly due to the lack of muscle mass.0 -
oceansmoke wrote: »Would you suggest lowering carbs and raising fats?
I would suggest getting a minimum of 0.40 grams dietary fat per 1 lb. bodyweight (more if maintaining or bulking). Dietary fat is crucial to hormone health, reproductive health (especially in women), hair, skin, nails, brain health/mood, etc.0 -
If your goal is to gain mass, I struggle to see how you are going to do it at 1604 calories. The average women I know who is bulking up is eating another 800 calories.
Do you know your true maintenance calories? Also, are you already lifting (if so, which program and how long)?
And it's not uncommon to be a bit underweight and still have stomach issues. It's actually a fairly typical problem I see around here. IMO, it's mainly due to the lack of muscle mass.
I have to say that I agree with you completely but for whatever reason, I begin to gain weight around 1,800 calories despite working in a restaurant and lifting 5 times a week. I was putting on the most mass at 1,800 cals but I was also getting a lot of belly fat.
I'm not following any specific program, just increasing weight and pushing as hard as possible.
Are there any that you suggest?
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Yeah, it's making a lot of sense now why my mood has suffered since I have cut my fats down. Thanks for responding.0
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oceansmoke wrote: »If your goal is to gain mass, I struggle to see how you are going to do it at 1604 calories. The average women I know who is bulking up is eating another 800 calories.
Do you know your true maintenance calories? Also, are you already lifting (if so, which program and how long)?
And it's not uncommon to be a bit underweight and still have stomach issues. It's actually a fairly typical problem I see around here. IMO, it's mainly due to the lack of muscle mass.
I have to say that I agree with you completely but for whatever reason, I begin to gain weight around 1,800 calories despite working in a restaurant and lifting 5 times a week. I was putting on the most mass at 1,800 cals but I was also getting a lot of belly fat.
I'm not following any specific program, just increasing weight and pushing as hard as possible.
Are there any that you suggest?
Having a structured program will provide much greater results than just going to do random stuff. Look at strong curves.
Also, realize that when you gain muscle, you will also gain fat. Its inevitable. And for women its about 75% fat 25% muscle (thank you lack of testosterone).
Personally, I would set you at maintenance for a few months while you get started on a structured program like Strong Curves. After you start to plateau in terms of strength gains, add 250 calories over your TDEE for about 12-20 weeks. And then cycle back to a cut.
Also, while you are at maintenance, read Bulking – A Complete Guide For Beginners a few times to get familiar. Also, spend time in the bulking forums (I am going to move this thread in there) so you can familiarize yourself with the concept and understand all the nutrition aspects.0 -
oceansmoke wrote: »Hey guys, thanks for the responses. As far as stats go I'm 5'6 and I currently weigh 118. My BFP was 14% last I had it checked (about 2 months ago) but I definitely still have a layer of fat on my stomach.
My goal is to gain mass
how did you measure your body fat? 14% is extremely low for a female, and at that level you should not have a "layer of fat" on your stomach....0 -
HOw was your body fat measured? Tanita machine?0
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oceansmoke wrote: »Hey guys, thanks for the responses. As far as stats go I'm 5'6 and I currently weigh 118. My BFP was 14% last I had it checked (about 2 months ago) but I definitely still have a layer of fat on my stomach.
My goal is to gain mass
how did you measure your body fat? 14% is extremely low for a female, and at that level you should not have a "layer of fat" on your stomach....
I had it measured professionally. I'm not sure which device they used though. I had to hold my arms out straight and hold onto this device. It's tough for me to explain...I'm a very thin and lean person. It's almost as though the only part of my body that stores fat is my belly but I'm not round by any means.
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oceansmoke wrote: »If your goal is to gain mass, I struggle to see how you are going to do it at 1604 calories. The average women I know who is bulking up is eating another 800 calories.
Do you know your true maintenance calories? Also, are you already lifting (if so, which program and how long)?
And it's not uncommon to be a bit underweight and still have stomach issues. It's actually a fairly typical problem I see around here. IMO, it's mainly due to the lack of muscle mass.
I have to say that I agree with you completely but for whatever reason, I begin to gain weight around 1,800 calories despite working in a restaurant and lifting 5 times a week. I was putting on the most mass at 1,800 cals but I was also getting a lot of belly fat.
I'm not following any specific program, just increasing weight and pushing as hard as possible.
Are there any that you suggest?
Having a structured program will provide much greater results than just going to do random stuff. Look at strong curves.
Also, realize that when you gain muscle, you will also gain fat. Its inevitable. And for women its about 75% fat 25% muscle (thank you lack of testosterone).
Personally, I would set you at maintenance for a few months while you get started on a structured program like Strong Curves. After you start to plateau in terms of strength gains, add 250 calories over your TDEE for about 12-20 weeks. And then cycle back to a cut.
Also, while you are at maintenance, read Bulking – A Complete Guide For Beginners a few times to get familiar. Also, spend time in the bulking forums (I am going to move this thread in there) so you can familiarize yourself with the concept and understand all the nutrition aspects.
Wow, okay I will do that. Thank you so much for all of your help!
Seriously
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You are asking BBs what their MACROs are...so are you or do you plan on competing? Some of my female friend's compete at not much less than 14%, so that's actually pretty good.0
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TiberiusClaudis wrote: »You are asking BBs what their MACROs are...so are you or do you plan on competing? Some of my female friend's compete at not much less than 14%, so that's actually pretty good.
I know that this won't make sense to some people but I don't necessarily plan on competing but I want to be in competition shape. So ideally, I'd like to keep my bf at 14-15%.0 -
oceansmoke wrote: »oceansmoke wrote: »Hey guys, thanks for the responses. As far as stats go I'm 5'6 and I currently weigh 118. My BFP was 14% last I had it checked (about 2 months ago) but I definitely still have a layer of fat on my stomach.
My goal is to gain mass
how did you measure your body fat? 14% is extremely low for a female, and at that level you should not have a "layer of fat" on your stomach....
I had it measured professionally. I'm not sure which device they used though. I had to hold my arms out straight and hold onto this device. It's tough for me to explain...I'm a very thin and lean person. It's almost as though the only part of my body that stores fat is my belly but I'm not round by any means.
Sounds like an electrical impedance test. Those are notoriously inaccurate, like in the range of +/- 10% depending on your hydration. That is pretty lousy accuracy.
The only true methods for accurate measurement require a BodPod, DEXAscan, or hydrostatic weighting, and even those are only accurate to about 1%. BodPod is fairly cheap if you really want one done, I did one in January to get a baseline measurement before I started a cut. Was like $40.
Calipers can get you in the 4-5% accuracy ballpark, but obviously a lot cheaper than a one-time professional measurement.
Hydrostatic weighting is probably the best method, but you gotta lie super still in a pool of water with an air mask for an extended period, so not exactly a pleasant test.
DEXAscans are primarily used for measuring bone density (they shoot x-rays through your body, not terribly healthy). They can also be used for tissue measurements, but likely only people with serious medical needs (morbid obesity) will get this since it is legit medical equipment and expensive to use.0 -
oceansmoke wrote: »TiberiusClaudis wrote: »You are asking BBs what their MACROs are...so are you or do you plan on competing? Some of my female friend's compete at not much less than 14%, so that's actually pretty good.
I know that this won't make sense to some people but I don't necessarily plan on competing but I want to be in competition shape. So ideally, I'd like to keep my bf at 14-15%.
Just a note, competition shape - as in the actually body that steps on stage - isn't something that is maintained year round. So if that's what you're comparing your belly fat to, it's not really a good comparison because they don't stay at the level of lean.
The link posted about bulking will be a really good post for you to read and decide if that's what you want to do. You will gain fat. Muscle gain and fat gain go hand in hand. The other option is recomposition (thread is in the maintenance section). But be aware that it's a much longer process than bulking and cutting. But would be a good situation if a little fat gain makes you uncomfortable.0 -
oceansmoke wrote: »TiberiusClaudis wrote: »You are asking BBs what their MACROs are...so are you or do you plan on competing? Some of my female friend's compete at not much less than 14%, so that's actually pretty good.
I know that this won't make sense to some people but I don't necessarily plan on competing but I want to be in competition shape. So ideally, I'd like to keep my bf at 14-15%.
Just a note, competition shape - as in the actually body that steps on stage - isn't something that is maintained year round. So if that's what you're comparing your belly fat to, it's not really a good comparison because they don't stay at the level of lean.
The link posted about bulking will be a really good post for you to read and decide if that's what you want to do. You will gain fat. Muscle gain and fat gain go hand in hand. The other option is recomposition (thread is in the maintenance section). But be aware that it's a much longer process than bulking and cutting. But would be a good situation if a little fat gain makes you uncomfortable.
^ +1. Being competition lean all the time is not healthy, nor sustainable (unless you are on PEDs, which puts even more stress on the body). Women are especially sensitive to extra lean bodyfat levels, as it can really mess with your hormones. Nothing wrong with competing ( I plan to myself in a couple years), but you need to realize that you can maintain super lean bodyfat for a week, maybe two, before serious health problems set in. Better to maintain an athletic level of bodyfat (for ladies, I think this is the 15-20% range, but don't quote me on it) where your body is stable and your insulin/hormone levels/etc. are in healthy ranges.0 -
If you're looking to add some mass onto your frame then expect to gain some fat along the way. I went from 19% up to 25% in my last bulk but added some good amount of muscle mass along the way. Remember, that once you reach your bulking weight goal then you can drop bodyfat down again pretty quickly by going into a slight deficit. Enjoy the bulk and lift heavy throughout. The more muscle mass you carry coming out of your bulk then the easier it will be to burn off the fat in your next cut. Plus a lot of it is trial and error with macros and different for each person. I think I finished my bulk around 45c/30p/25f and 3000cals. Now cutting on 1800cals with a slightly different split but it all took a bit of tweaking here and there along the way. Good luck!0
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Hey hun, just from my personal experience as a female there are two reasons why you could be 14% and have extra belly fat. 1. Sugar or salt. I store either extra fat or extra fluid around my organs when I'm eating too much sugar and salt. Cut the sugars down (even fruit) and salt for a couple of weeks and see how you go. 2. Body dismorphia. When you stare at the same spot over and over you start to get a skewed opinion of what you really look like. What is your waist measurement? Try not looking at your belly area (! seriously !) for a couple of weeks. Just literally ignore it when you're looking in the mirror or try to look at your body as a whole, which takes practice but is worth it. You'll be surprised what a bit of perspective does. Any lower than 12-14% body fat for an extended period of time for a female is harmful for our hormones, so you don't really want to cut much more fat off that frame. Remember as well for us our bodies are trying to protect our reproductive organs and always have a little store in case we get pregnant and there's famine - modern times, but our bodies haven't adjusted! Some times a little bit of self love and working on trying to get rid of the perfection mentality can really help. All the fitness models you see have been dieting for 16+ weeks, doing extra cardio, and often salt depleting before comps. They look like that for a few hours!! Sorry, probs not what you want to hear but I had to realise that for myself x0
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Hi. I know what machine is that. its the inbody media scan, it should look something like this. http://thedietdoctwinfalls.com/introducing-the-inbody-230-body-composition-device/
No matter how 'inaccurate' it is, i would i say its pretty close judging from the what i visually see. it had me at 9% body fat, i see a lot of veins in my forearms and legs. and i feel moody and my period is haywire. So yes TOO LOW a bodyfat % is dangerous and not healthy. Hence I am currently 'bulking' to get my weight up and also to increase my bodyfat%.
I am only 5"2" 106 pounds (desk job), but i am eating 2400 cals. Even at this, i foresee myself increasing these calories to gain more size, faster. Bodyfat% is not something i would like to play with, especially for ladies. 0 -
oceansmoke wrote: »oceansmoke wrote: »Hey guys, thanks for the responses. As far as stats go I'm 5'6 and I currently weigh 118. My BFP was 14% last I had it checked (about 2 months ago) but I definitely still have a layer of fat on my stomach.
My goal is to gain mass
how did you measure your body fat? 14% is extremely low for a female, and at that level you should not have a "layer of fat" on your stomach....
I had it measured professionally. I'm not sure which device they used though. I had to hold my arms out straight and hold onto this device. It's tough for me to explain...I'm a very thin and lean person. It's almost as though the only part of my body that stores fat is my belly but I'm not round by any means.
that is not a professional measurement. That is a handled device that is extremely inaccurate. I hope you did not pay for that…
A dexa scan or water submersion would be considered a professional and accurate measurement.
more than likely you are not 10% body fat.0 -
Hey hun, just from my personal experience as a female there are two reasons why you could be 14% and have extra belly fat. 1. Sugar or salt. I store either extra fat or extra fluid around my organs when I'm eating too much sugar and salt. Cut the sugars down (even fruit) and salt for a couple of weeks and see how you go. 2. Body dismorphia. When you stare at the same spot over and over you start to get a skewed opinion of what you really look like. What is your waist measurement? Try not looking at your belly area (! seriously !) for a couple of weeks. Just literally ignore it when you're looking in the mirror or try to look at your body as a whole, which takes practice but is worth it. You'll be surprised what a bit of perspective does. Any lower than 12-14% body fat for an extended period of time for a female is harmful for our hormones, so you don't really want to cut much more fat off that frame. Remember as well for us our bodies are trying to protect our reproductive organs and always have a little store in case we get pregnant and there's famine - modern times, but our bodies haven't adjusted! Some times a little bit of self love and working on trying to get rid of the perfection mentality can really help. All the fitness models you see have been dieting for 16+ weeks, doing extra cardio, and often salt depleting before comps. They look like that for a few hours!! Sorry, probs not what you want to hear but I had to realise that for myself x
no, no, no …you don't store fat in a caloric deficit because sugar, that is just ridiculous.
OP - does not have body dismorphia…she just got an inaccurate body fat % measurement and thinks she should be leaner when she probably just has a higher body fat than expected…
no fruit, really?????0 -
Shouliveshappy wrote: »Hi. I know what machine is that. its the inbody media scan, it should look something like this. http://thedietdoctwinfalls.com/introducing-the-inbody-230-body-composition-device/
No matter how 'inaccurate' it is, i would i say its pretty close judging from the what i visually see. it had me at 9% body fat, i see a lot of veins in my forearms and legs. and i feel moody and my period is haywire. So yes TOO LOW a bodyfat % is dangerous and not healthy. Hence I am currently 'bulking' to get my weight up and also to increase my bodyfat%.
I am only 5"2" 106 pounds (desk job), but i am eating 2400 cals. Even at this, i foresee myself increasing these calories to gain more size, faster. Bodyfat% is not something i would like to play with, especially for ladies.
you have never seen the machine but you know what it is and how accurate it is? That is a neat trick….0 -
OP - if you're carrying belly fat and at a low BF% perhaps you need to take a look at your stress levels and try to reduce stress if it's high. Cortisol is the stress hormone and it is linked to increased belly fat...it's also not great for gains.0
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I am 125lb woman and mine are. 150G Protein, 120G Carbs, 27G Fat.0
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I'm 5'5" 120 lbs. Maintaining on 240 carb / 65 fat / 130 protein. At 2050 calories/day, that's not an even ratio - it's 46% C/29% F/25% P.0
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