Carb/protein/fat percentages for women??

girlandbird
girlandbird Posts: 3 Member
edited May 2016 in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I've been using MFP for a month - it's going well and I've lost about 7lb. I want to loose another 14lb and exercise 2-3 times a week - BodyStep, RPM and swimming.

I'm generally following a low carb & high fat diet but was wondering what a good percentage distribution for C-P-F is? I'm currently set at 35-30-35 but am struggling to hit my protein count most days. I want to keep carbs low but am wary of upping my fat percentage - old habits I suppose!

I'm usually achieving the carb target but any lower would be tricky.

Any help or discussion is welcome!

Replies

  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    edited May 2016
    I am currently at 45 carbs, 30 fat, 25 protein. Lost 45 pounds and many many inches since september that way. I am about 20 away from goal now, I might change my macros at 10-15 away, but where I am now is realistic and sustainable for me so I might keep it as is.

    I lift weights (nothing really heavy, only about 50 pounds for now) and I have 3 kids so I need carbs to fuel me otherwise i find myself napping mid-day.
  • Lolikei
    Lolikei Posts: 2 Member
    My trainer had me at 40c, 30f, 30p. It's carbs, but I love quinoa as a way to get lots of protein with minimal calories, if only because even just a few tablespoons fills me up so fast. Not crazy about it plain, but I add it to other foods; soups, salads, rice, oatmeal, etc. If you're not afraid of fat, cashews and macadamia nuts are a nice source of protein.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Use grams. Get .8-1g of protein per pound of body mass, .35-.45g of fat per pound of body mass, the rest in carbs.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    It can be almost anything. As long as you are meeting your fat and protein macros, you are set. If you find it hard to hit your protein, lower it a bit. Have a smaller steak with a small pat of butter on it for example. If you want the prtein, consider trying a protein powder - an easy way to slip in more protein.

    I eat very LCHF ketogenic diet. My macros are 5% C (~20g), 20-25% P (~75-95g), and 70-75% F (~110-125g). My calories are set at about 1500kcal. My fat is much higher than most people's but it is a healthy diet for me.

    I know it is weird increasing your fats at first, but as long as you aren't pairing high fat with high carb, or eating trans fats or veggie oils at high temperatures, fat is very good for you.
  • girlandbird
    girlandbird Posts: 3 Member
    @
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    It can be almost anything. As long as you are meeting your fat and protein macros, you are set. If you find it hard to hit your protein, lower it a bit. Have a smaller steak with a small pat of butter on it for example. If you want the prtein, consider trying a protein powder - an easy way to slip in more protein.

    I eat very LCHF ketogenic diet. My macros are 5% C (~20g), 20-25% P (~75-95g), and 70-75% F (~110-125g). My calories are set at about 1500kcal. My fat is much higher than most people's but it is a healthy diet for me.

    I know it is weird increasing your fats at first, but as long as you aren't pairing high fat with high carb, or eating trans fats or veggie oils at high temperatures, fat is very good for you.


    I've heard a lot about keto diets - I'm not sure I could go that low carb (I would really miss carrots and apples!) but I definitely feel that low carb and higher ft is the way to go!
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  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Basically, it's beneficial to have at least .65-.85 g of protein per lb of goal weight. If the 35% is protein that's probably higher than you need -- I'd focus on grams. Beyond that, it really doesn't matter how you split carbs and fat (I'd make good choices for nutrition within both categories), so if you want to stay lower carb and find you need a little less protein maybe try moving those calories to the fat column.

    I don't think there's anything special about fat vs. carbs -- I lost my weight easily doing (mostly) 40-30-30 just because that's how I enjoy eating -- but if you want to stay lower carb that's a totally reasonable approach and eating more fat goes along with that and is not going to be a problem.
  • meganmoore112
    meganmoore112 Posts: 174 Member
    I'm doing percentages similar to yours. I aim for 118g carbs & protein and the rest fat. Hitting the protein takes some effort. I make sure to have at least 20 grams with breakfast. I either have a protein shake or I eat a whole egg plus egg whites with cottage cheese. Then lunch and dinner will have some kind of meat, usually chicken or turkey. In the afternoon and evening, I eat greek yogurt and sometimes another protein shake. That gets me where I need to be with protein. I have a harder time meeting my fat goal. I know how to add fat, but I generally would rather eat more carbs than add fats to my foods. I should probably start adding some avocado to my breakfast or something.

    My diary is open if you want to see it. Fair warning though, last week I was carb happy and didn't do that well :smile:
  • hassankarimi82
    hassankarimi82 Posts: 153 Member
    Basic macro breakdown should be 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, half of that is your fats, the rest is carbs (depending on your calorie goal). In terms of the percentages, I wouldn't be too concerned with it.
  • jessiethe3rd
    jessiethe3rd Posts: 239 Member
    60/35/5

    Get good fat... Grassfed and oils like avocado oil, walnut, coconut. Fat is good.