Carb - Fat - Protein Ratios

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planetcadillac
planetcadillac Posts: 137 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all. I am looking to lose about 20-25lbs. SW 215 Goal 190. I am between 6'0 and 6'1. I am currently a 36 waist going to 34. BMI says I could go to 185 but I don't have much of a belly. Anyways the reason I write is that the standard matrix for C-F-P is 50%-30%-20%. I do a lot of bicycling, like 10-20 miles daily moderate. My diet is a bit protein heavy and a bit fat light. I am averaging 45%C-20%F-35%P. What is everyone averaging and does it change significantly for the type of diet you are on and/or how much you are trying to lose? I know some on Paleo and Keto will have C% down under 20%. I just don't eat a lot of fatty foods. I am averaging around 140g carbs.

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  • jusjoking
    jusjoking Posts: 56 Member
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    not sure if there is a "standard" anything when it comes to diet/exercise etc. I know that for as long as I have read info on weightlifting/bodybuilding/powerlifting, that it has been suggested to get at LEAST 1g protein for every lb of bodyweight. of course, as I stated, nothing is "standard" and it can all be debated until we are long gone lol. But the stock MFP formula is recommending me to get 100g protein for a 2000 cal diet. As a 250 lb guy, that would seem like less than half the protein id need.

    Even if I 'ate for the body i want' id still be wanting about 200g protein if I were aiming at dropping down to 200lbs

    I dunno if the whole 50-30-20 formulas (or any other formula) is the way to go. Seems one would decide how much protein they need for bodyweight. Then a certain amount of fat and then play with the carbs to get to desired weight etc etc.

    Unless of course you are doing Keto which would be a thing unto itself

    in any case 140g carb seems kind of light for all of that cycling.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    Weight loss comes down to a calorie deficit period.

    BUT some people are satiated on different macros some need higher protein or higher fat others higher carbs. For me personally its about 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.

    You'll just have to play around to see what helps keep you satiated AND gives you plenty of energy for your rides.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    Personally my macros are generally in the neighbourhood of 5% carbs, 45% fat, 50% protein as a keto distance runner. YMMV based on how you respond to different macronutrient densities re: satiety and athletic performance.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited April 2017
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    planetcadillac wrote: »
    Hello all. I am looking to lose about 20-25lbs. SW 215 Goal 190. I am between 6'0 and 6'1. I am currently a 36 waist going to 34. BMI says I could go to 185 but I don't have much of a belly. Anyways the reason I write is that the standard matrix for C-F-P is 50%-30%-20%. I do a lot of bicycling, like 10-20 miles daily moderate. My diet is a bit protein heavy and a bit fat light. I am averaging 45%C-20%F-35%P. What is everyone averaging and does it change significantly for the type of diet you are on and/or how much you are trying to lose? I know some on Paleo and Keto will have C% down under 20%. I just don't eat a lot of fatty foods. I am averaging around 140g carbs.

    Macro % are mostly for satiety. If you find you are getting too hungry at the right amount of calories you can try changing them up. Most folks who aren't following a lchf diet look at protein and fat as minimums, and let carbs fall where they may.

    To maintain muscle, I believe the current recommendation is to aim for at least 0.8g of protein per lb of body weight.

    For what it's worth, I tend to end up around 45-25-30. Good luck!
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    I completely base my macros off of what makes me feel full within my calorie limits. For me fats and proteins with some carbs do the trick, so I am always heavier on those (fats and proteins), I edited my goals to reflect that.

    Do you feel like you are getting enough energy? Do you feel hungry or tired?

    I did do research before editing to make sure they fell within healthy ranges but ultimately weight loss is calories in/out ...though muscle has been shown to burn cals even at rest so it's worth keeping it around and feeding it enough of everything!
  • planetcadillac
    planetcadillac Posts: 137 Member
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    I generally feel good. I have always cycled, but of course not in the winter, but prior to changing diet my old diet was more like 70%C- 20%F - 10%P mainly because I cut out a lot of "bad" meats. Now I switched to lean meats and protein supplements while maintaining a Max of 1,500 gross calories per day. With that switch, my protein % tripled, carb cut in half almost and fat rose slightly. My total caloric is down about 500 - 700 gross per day. I am hoping I will be on maintenance by the time I put the bicycle away for the winter. I do get hungry some but not too bad. I have been sleeping longer with the increase in riding. I drink about a half a gallon of water per day.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    I'd just be concerned you are a bit under for fat and could switch some carbs for fat. Hitting that high a protein number is good. I'm about your height and weigh more, but I aim for 45C 30F 25P. I'm going to start lifting soon so will be upping protein to 30 and dropping carbs.

    Hopefully someone brighter than me can comment on the need for fat in the diet.
  • Jabbarwocky
    Jabbarwocky Posts: 100 Member
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    I cant say that I'm brighter than you Tacklewasher, but I do know for a fact that proper fats are needed in a diet. They lubricate the joints and help keep the skin and hair moisturized. I know my wife did a thing YEARS ago where she essentially cut out all fats and complained that her hair was brittle and was having a bit of trouble with her joints moving smoothly. Her doctor quickly determined the problem and told her that was why fat free wasn't necessarily a good thing.
  • planetcadillac
    planetcadillac Posts: 137 Member
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    I am basically at 45%C - 25%F - 30%P. On average since April 1. Of course some days a bit more and less depending on what I eat. Mostly the F & P fluctuates. I have never gone over 55%C except one day I had to attend a dinner party and I could only estimate what I ate but it was a bit carb heavy. I knew it going in so I went really carb light earlier in the day but ended up at around 60%C - 25%F - 15%P. Most of my carbs comes from vegetables and the like not processed goods like crackers, and anything made from white flour, etc. although I do eat popcorn a couple of times a week. Fats in the diet are a necessary thing and it is a good thing that, in the US at least, trans fats will be banned starting next year. I use olive oil a lot so my monos are always high, polys are high, but I am also on all that fish oil. I am not a seafood person. Mostly lean white meats and occasional pepperoni. Basically a follow a Mediterranean diet with tweaks.
  • gen39
    gen39 Posts: 36 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Baseline recommendations from Eric Helms for natural bodybuilders below. i.e., keeping maximum amount of lean mass while dieting down (since the goal is to lose fat, not muscle).

    * 1.1 - 1.4 g protein per pound of bodyweight (however, available research shows very little advantage of consuming above ~0.8g protein / lb)
    * ~25% of total calories from fat. Fat is 9 kcal per gram.
    * Remainder of calories from carbs.

    Tons of research showing high protein to have numerous advantages in weight loss. The default recommendations on MFP are very low on protein.
  • planetcadillac
    planetcadillac Posts: 137 Member
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    I am averaging between 85-100g protein daily and around 30-35%P in the matrix. I have read that to calculate the protein g/lb. to use your target weight not your current weight or it will work out to you needing to consume an enormous amount. My target weight is 190 and if I consume 100g that works out to be about .53g/lb. At .8g/lb I would have to consume something like 150g and at my current weight 164g. That is excessive in my opinion. I am averaging 1500 cal a day. At 150g protein that would work out to something like 67% of the diet is protein. I am not sure that is viable for me or sustainable. I have no interest in a keto diet right now. 40% protein on my diet works out to about 100g which is the upper range of what I am doing. I can't go below 30% in carbs or I will have difficulty cycling.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I'm 148lbs and take in 130g of protein a day - focusing on athletic performance - 1500cal gross seems low based on what you are saying your level of activity is

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