Optimal Macro Percentages- your experiences?
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NewMEEE2016
Posts: 192 Member
I was just leafing through a book that recommends eating 40% protein, 40% carbs & 20% fat for optimal weight loss & muscle building. This recommendation was for people who are beginning a weight lifting program (which I really want to do asap, but haven't yet found a trainer- but that's another discussion). ANYway-
It also recommends aiming to eat this percentage AT EACH MEAL (ideally, 6 meals per day).
YES- we all know bottom line is "calories in, calories out", and that as long as you're in a deficit, you will- eventually- lose. However is there a percentage at which muscle gain and fat loss is maximized?
Has anyone tried this- or another protocol? Experiences?
( I've been eating a higher fat%, b/c I read somewhere that you need minimal fat to be able to BURN fat)
It also recommends aiming to eat this percentage AT EACH MEAL (ideally, 6 meals per day).
YES- we all know bottom line is "calories in, calories out", and that as long as you're in a deficit, you will- eventually- lose. However is there a percentage at which muscle gain and fat loss is maximized?
Has anyone tried this- or another protocol? Experiences?
( I've been eating a higher fat%, b/c I read somewhere that you need minimal fat to be able to BURN fat)
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Replies
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I like 30% fat, 40-45% carbs, and 25-30% protein. I do try to do this at each meal, except for my bedtime snack, which is heavier on the carbs. This ratio keeps me more full, and thus more likely to stay in a calorie deficit.0
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Thanks @kshama2001 Have you noticed any difference in the rate of weight loss or muscle gain based on percentages that you eat?0
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Macros is a very personal thing. Even if you followed the scientific recommendations for muscle retention while losing fat, there's a chance that it is not optimal for you based on personal adherence. Some people find low carb more satisfying, others find high carb satisfying, others find different mixes between the three perfect for them.
If you are wanting to retain muscle it's a good idea to go slightly heavier on protein (most suggestions are around .8-1.0 grams per pound of lean body mass). You won't be adding much/any muscle as you are losing weight, but you do want to keep what you have which is done through adequate protein and resistance training.5 -
I try to hit 175 grams of protein and 250 grams of carbs and let fats fall where they may. Since my intake is pretty high I don't really need to concern myself with minimums. I also follow a flexible approach but treat fiber as a macro as well and try and hit 35-40 grams per day. I believe focusing on fiber makes it near impossible to not have a balanced diet if hitting your other macros, barring any extreme stupidity type situations of course.
Is it optimal? Absolutely it is....for me, because it's what I can stick to and enjoy.
#proofisinthepudding3 -
Hmm I have had success with using the Macro's set by MFP.
I think you may be falling into the trap of making this process more complicated than you need to. Meal timing and number of meals is irrelevant for weight loss.
If you feel better with 6 smaller meals per day then by all means go for it. On the other hand many people on here do very well with Intermittent fasting and eating their day's calories within and much smaller window of time.
If you are finding hunger to be an issue then many recommend making sure to hit your protein and fat goals first and foremost and then let the carbs fall where they will. Others find really low carb high fat ways of eating more fulfilling. Just play around with this.
Use yourself as an experiment because what works for others may not work for you.
Also too, I'm pretty sure that particularly for women building muscle when you are actively losing weight is not a possibility. Of course it's important to continue to lift and strength train to maintain as much lean body mass as possible but alongside the fat loss you will lose some LBM, you are just trying to max out the loss from fat and minimize losing muscle.
Have a look at the threads on either bulking then cutting or recomping they will give you much more guidance than I can on this subject.2 -
Thanks to all for input. @HippySkoppy not to worry- not falling into any traps. I have been eating at a deficit since January- down 29 lbs so far- very full, never hungry- a happy camper. Just fine-tuning/trying to optimize. Some of us enjoy being compulsive
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NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Thanks to all for input. @HippySkoppy not to worry- not falling into any traps. I have been eating at a deficit since January- down 29 lbs so far- very full, never hungry- a happy camper. Just fine-tuning/trying to optimize. Some of us enjoy being compulsive
That's pretty fast weight loss, almost 2 lbs/week? How much are you trying to lose? What cal level are you at?0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Thanks to all for input. @HippySkoppy not to worry- not falling into any traps. I have been eating at a deficit since January- down 29 lbs so far- very full, never hungry- a happy camper. Just fine-tuning/trying to optimize. Some of us enjoy being compulsive
That's pretty fast weight loss, almost 2 lbs/week? How much are you trying to lose? What cal level are you at?
It's not really that fast- I've actually tried purposely to slow it down the past month or so in an effort to avoid saggy skin (I know it's no guarantee, but anecdotally slow loss seems to help). I was eating 1200 cals per day, and could have kept going forever at that level- I never once felt hungry. Have upped it to 1400-ish. Sometimes I go as high as 1500. I was actually very disappointed that I had to stop the 1200 per day. Wanted to reach my goal (another 15 or so lbs) by beginning of June- but it looks as if I'll have to wait until August.1 -
Slow and steady wins race.
As @WinoGelato has pointed out losing 2 lbs a week is the maximum recommended. As you get closer to goal you'll want to decrease your loss rate to maybe .5 lb per week thus giving you more calories.
I've seen a quote on MFP and I think it's a golden one, I just can't remember who penned it but it kind of goes "The 'winner' is the one who loses weight all the while still eating the most calories." Being hungry or not is not always the best indicator of what your body needs especially when you are at the lowest calorie level of 1200.
As you up your calories just remind yourself that you are working your way into the mindset of maintenance and life long habits around food.
I had a look at your food diary and must say I'm impressed!!! You eat a wide variety of foods and hit your Macro's pretty well spot on. (At least on the days I had a look at)
So keep up what you are doing food wise it's obviously working just don't be afraid to eat more. Many people up calories by say 100 calories per week till their weight loss slows to the desired point then go from there. Make sure to update you stats for MFP ie: your lower weight and the change in loss rate.1 -
The optimal macro split is actually not calculated in a percentage of calories as it's dependent on your calorie goal.
If your calorie goal goes up, so does your intake of each macro. Conversely, if your calorie goal goes down, so does your intake of each macro. This becomes counterintuitive when lowering calories (to create a deficit) results in a lower intake of protein. You actually need more protein in a deficit than you do in a surplus.
A better method is to determine how much protein you need (.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight) and how much fat (.38-.42 grams per pound of lean bodyweight).
Multiply the protein grams by four calories, the fat grams by nine and add them together. Subtract the fat/protein calories from your calorie goal to get your calories from carbs. Divide by four calories to know the grams of carbs.
If your goals change so that you need more calories, simply increase carbs. If you need to reduce calories, simply reduce carbs.
Fat and protein goals should be treated as minimums (because your body needs then). Carbs are more flexible.2 -
Thanks for all the input. @Carlos_421 I am actually told it's .8 per lb of LEAN body mass- not per lb of current weight. My nutritionist recommended 111g of protein, but I try to get more.0
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NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Thanks for all the input. @Carlos_421 I am actually told it's .8 per lb of LEAN body mass- not per lb of current weight. My nutritionist recommended 111g of protein, but I try to get more.
Many will advise 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight OR .8 per pound of total goal weight (gets to roughly the same number assuming about 20% body fat).1 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Thanks for all the input. @Carlos_421 I am actually told it's .8 per lb of LEAN body mass- not per lb of current weight. My nutritionist recommended 111g of protein, but I try to get more.
Many will advise 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight OR .8 per pound of total goal weight (gets to roughly the same number assuming about 20% body fat).
Unfortunately I'm at about 41% fat at the moment. So currently there is a big difference.0 -
NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Thanks for all the input. @Carlos_421 I am actually told it's .8 per lb of LEAN body mass- not per lb of current weight. My nutritionist recommended 111g of protein, but I try to get more.
Many will advise 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight OR .8 per pound of total goal weight (gets to roughly the same number assuming about 20% body fat).
Unfortunately I'm at about 41% fat at the moment. So currently there is a big difference.
I mean 20% body fat at ideal weight.
So if your ideal weight would be around 20%, then your lean mass is 80% of your ideal weight.
Then .8 grams per pound of ideal weight would be the same as 1 gram per pound of lean weight.0 -
NewMEEE2016 wrote: »Thanks for all the input. @Carlos_421 I am actually told it's .8 per lb of LEAN body mass- not per lb of current weight. My nutritionist recommended 111g of protein, but I try to get more.
Yes that standard is 0.8 grams of protein for each lb of bodyweight or 1gram per lbm.
0.35g of fat per lb of bodyweight.
Just as an FYI nutritionist aren't known for being on top of the nutritional information...I could become a nutritionist online in a couple weeks...Registered dieticians are the way to go.0 -
HippySkoppy wrote: »Hmm I have had success with using the Macro's set by MFP.
I think you may be falling into the trap of making this process more complicated than you need to. Meal timing and number of meals is irrelevant for weight loss.
If you feel better with 6 smaller meals per day then by all means go for it. On the other hand many people on here do very well with Intermittent fasting and eating their day's calories within and much smaller window of time.
If you are finding hunger to be an issue then many recommend making sure to hit your protein and fat goals first and foremost and then let the carbs fall where they will. Others find really low carb high fat ways of eating more fulfilling. Just play around with this.
Use yourself as an experiment because what works for others may not work for you.
Also too, I'm pretty sure that particularly for women building muscle when you are actively losing weight is not a possibility. Of course it's important to continue to lift and strength train to maintain as much lean body mass as possible but alongside the fat loss you will lose some LBM, you are just trying to max out the loss from fat and minimize losing muscle.
Have a look at the threads on either bulking then cutting or recomping they will give you much more guidance than I can on this subject.
Another FYI...MFP macros are set to the minimum requirements set out by USDA...and other federal programs.
I prefer to get in more than the minimums.
And yes people can build muscle while in a deficit...new to lifting, obese, young men etc. These gains are likely small but are still gains. As well during a recomp you are either in a small deficit or at maintenance and building muscle and losing fat at the same time.
I suspect however most here aren't doing a progressive load lifting program required to build muscle.
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I have my macros set to 50% carb, 20% protein, and 30% fat as recommended by the DASH plan. I plan to reset them to a higher protein DASH diet amount of 48% carb, 25% protein, and 27% fat because of the favorable results on triglycerides and total cholesterol. I don't want my carbs too low because they're important for brain function and Alzheimer's runs in my family. I have lost an average of a little over 2 pounds per week on 1200 calories with my original macros without hunger issues. I've lowered my blood pressure, triglycerides, and total cholesterol considerably. A minor problem was when I changed the settings to lose less, the calorie amount stayed the same. To fix this I try to consciously go over my goal by 200 to slow my loss.
I do have saggy upper arms and loose skin but that's a minor issue compared to my before weight. I don't care to lift heavy and build muscle because I've always been super muscular due to competitive swimming as a child/youth and being a trucker/fuel hauler as an adult. I do, however, plan to start swimming laps again. Hopefully that will help me tone up this body of mine.0 -
CaptainJoy wrote: »I have my macros set to 50% carb, 20% protein, and 30% fat as recommended by the DASH plan. I plan to reset them to a higher protein DASH diet amount of 48% carb, 25% protein, and 27% fat because of the favorable results on triglycerides and total cholesterol. I don't want my carbs too low because they're important for brain function and Alzheimer's runs in my family. I have lost an average of a little over 2 pounds per week on 1200 calories with my original macros without hunger issues. I've lowered my blood pressure, triglycerides, and total cholesterol considerably. A minor problem was when I changed the settings to lose less, the calorie amount stayed the same. To fix this I try to consciously go over my goal by 200 to slow my loss.
I do have saggy upper arms and loose skin but that's a minor issue compared to my before weight. I don't care to lift heavy and build muscle because I've always been super muscular due to competitive swimming as a child/youth and being a trucker/fuel hauler as an adult. I do, however, plan to start swimming laps again. Hopefully that will help me tone up this body of mine.
as a woman I wouldn't worry about lifting heavy and building muscle...you can't "mistakenly" build muscle.
lifting heavy is to preserve the muscle while losing fat...not build it.
To build muscle (unless there are other factors) you have to be eating in a surplus of maintenance and doing a progressive load lifting program...
So please don't spread that false information.1 -
@SezxyStef We learn something new everyday. Good to know. From comments in the community I thought lifting was to build muscle AND to preserve muscle while losing. I guess you must be right and it's just about preserving muscle while losing. I used to lift heavy nearly every day. They were 4" hoses filled with gas and deisel. I had massive muscles and strength for an older woman. Then again, I must have been a special snowflake. If only I were so smart....still happy though! 0
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CaptainJoy wrote: »@SezxyStef We learn something new everyday. Good to know. From comments in the community I thought lifting was to build muscle AND to preserve muscle while losing. I guess you must be right and it's just about preserving muscle while losing. I used to lift heavy nearly every day. They were 4" hoses filled with gas and deisel. I had massive muscles and strength for an older woman. Then again, I must have been a special snowflake. If only I were so smart....still happy though!
I get the feeling this is sarcasm but regardless building muscle is hard to do at a deficit and unless you are one of the following it wont happen
1. YOung man full of testosterone
2. obese
3. new to lifting (these gains are small and end quickly)
It's just a lot of women hear that heavy lifting makes you bulky when in fact it doesn't...and the statement I bolded scares a lot of women from lifting when we should.
It staves off osteoporosis, keeps us strong for later in life and is a great exercise...I lift heavy...very heavy and I have been for almost 3 years and I have yet to build any appreciable muscle...it is more exposed now that I am slimmer but it's not new...and yes I am very very strong for a woman my age...but again don't confuse strength gains for muscle gains...
To build muscle you need to do a progressive load lifting program (increasing weights every time) and eating at maintenance or above...and that is known in the community.
No need to worry no special snowflake status for you.3
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