Carbs
jimsessions8
Posts: 41 Member
What is the right balance of carbs fat and protein.i see the circle on my food diary but I don't know what is the correct balance.
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Replies
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I believe the right balance is different for each person.9
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Except for medical issues (diabetes), the right blend is one that keeps you satiated with a minimum protein of .8-1.0g per pound of ideal weight.7
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I honestly say it's a love hate relationship. I don't eat bread like i use to, but enjoy my mom's homemade blueberry waffles. I also do the vegetable pasta, or pasta stuffed spinach.2
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You shouldn't be too worried about the balance between the three macronutrients.
It's more about what carbs you're eating compared to the amount.
Well the amount is important, but bad carbs will always store fat regardless if you keep a low caloric intake.
Keep things natural when its carbs, nothing a machine has done to the food at all (non processed).
Anything manufactured into shapes puts your body to work to break down, that's why we're silent after eating a pizza haha. Choose wholegrains - quinoa, barley, oatmeal. And if going near pasta or rice, keep it to brown rice, brown pasta, more natural sources. Fruits are always staple carbs too.
Also, because bad carbs have a lack of nutrients, you will soon be hungry again after you eat them, which can be a tempting danger.3 -
benwalker86 wrote: »You shouldn't be too worried about the balance between the three macronutrients.
It's more about what carbs you're eating compared to the amount.
Well the amount is important, but bad carbs will always store fat regardless if you keep a low caloric intake.
Keep things natural when its carbs, nothing a machine has done to the food at all (non processed).
Anything manufactured into shapes puts your body to work to break down, that's why we're silent after eating a pizza haha. Choose wholegrains - quinoa, barley, oatmeal. And if going near pasta or rice, keep it to brown rice, brown pasta, more natural sources. Fruits are always staple carbs too.
Also, because bad carbs have a lack of nutrients, you will soon be hungry again after you eat them, which can be a tempting danger.
This is not true at all. It would be great for many of us who struggle to put on weight, if all I had to do was eat some "bad carbs" then wow that would save me a lot of time and money when I bulk that's for sure!
Also I never get hungry after "bad carbs" ... even straight up candy. I have some and I forget to have lunch. So definitely not a universal thing.17 -
benwalker86 wrote: »You shouldn't be too worried about the balance between the three macronutrients.
It's more about what carbs you're eating compared to the amount.
Well the amount is important, but bad carbs will always store fat regardless if you keep a low caloric intake.
Keep things natural when its carbs, nothing a machine has done to the food at all (non processed).
Anything manufactured into shapes puts your body to work to break down, that's why we're silent after eating a pizza haha. Choose wholegrains - quinoa, barley, oatmeal. And if going near pasta or rice, keep it to brown rice, brown pasta, more natural sources. Fruits are always staple carbs too.
Also, because bad carbs have a lack of nutrients, you will soon be hungry again after you eat them, which can be a tempting danger.
Your first sentence is fine. The rest is rubbish.
What are bad carbs and why are they bad?
How do they negate the basic laws of thermodynamics by causing one to store fat in a deficit?
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jimsessions8 wrote: »What is the right balance of carbs fat and protein.i see the circle on my food diary but I don't know what is the correct balance.
Consider this thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
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serindipte wrote: »Except for medical issues (diabetes), the right blend is one that keeps you satiated with a minimum protein of .8-1.0g per pound of ideal weight.
Add PCOS to that list..0 -
OP, You will get 200 different answers,and each person will be convinced that their way is correct..and,it just might be-FOR THEM!
I would start with a physical,blood work,and a hormone panel..That can save you a lot of time, finding what's best for YOUR body..
Another poster mentioned not being hungry after eating candy,I'm always hungry soon after eating candy,even oatmeal..This shows how we are all different.
If your blood tests come back good,just use the suggestion s that MFP gives you,and adjust as needed.
We have all had to experiment to find out what works best,give it some time..Don't forget to use a food scale!
Good Luck.1 -
I think each person is different however if you are looking to lose weight you should have 40% of your calories come from protein and you can fill in the rest of carbs/fat based on your preference. For example, if you are looking to consume 1800 calories a day, you could do something like: 175 Protein/150 carbs/60 fat which will give you about 1840 total calories. I would say do not go below 55-60G or fat a day, you need it to maintain your hormone levels. At the end of the day, you need to be in a calorie deficit regardless of what you eat.
A final note, there is no such thing as a good or bad food. You can eat what you want as long as it is in moderation and is balanced. That is the biggest thing when trying to lose weight, you tend to put food into a category and that ends up doing more harm then good. You avoid those foods and then eventually you will binge. If you add some of those foods you like along the way, it will be easier to reach your goal, and more importantly, maintain it. Goodluck.1 -
Fat and protein are essential nutrients your body needs to survive. You should make sure you hit minimum lvels for these. the .8 per ideal body weight is a good start. At that point with regard to weight loss it only matter how easily you can stay within your target. Some folks find fiber very satiating, others protein, other fat. Usually some combination of those three will hit a sweet spot while maximizing nutrients and minimizing calories.
I personally prefer lower carb (under 100g) because I find carbs to be easy to eat and not very filling.1 -
I think each person is different however if you are looking to lose weight you should have 40% of your calories come from protein and you can fill in the rest of carbs/fat based on your preference. For example, if you are looking to consume 1800 calories a day, you could do something like: 175 Protein/150 carbs/60 fat which will give you about 1840 total calories. I would say do not go below 55-60G or fat a day, you need it to maintain your hormone levels. At the end of the day, you need to be in a calorie deficit regardless of what you eat.
A final note, there is no such thing as a good or bad food. You can eat what you want as long as it is in moderation and is balanced. That is the biggest thing when trying to lose weight, you tend to put food into a category and that ends up doing more harm then good. You avoid those foods and then eventually you will binge. If you add some of those foods you like along the way, it will be easier to reach your goal, and more importantly, maintain it. Goodluck.
That is a LOT of protein, and wholly unnecessary to lose weight. For many people, increasing protein can help keep them feeling full in a deficit, but 40% of calories would be really difficult for many people to stick to consistently.
I ate 1500 calories when I was in a deficit. If I had thought I had to eat 40%P which would be 150g in order to lose weight, I would've given up. I was typically eating @ 50g before I started tracking. Adding another 100g of protein daily would've wrecked me. Increasing that average to more like 90g per day (25%) was a much healthier level to preserve muscle mass and improved my appetite control.10 -
I think each person is different however if you are looking to lose weight you should have 40% of your calories come from protein and you can fill in the rest of carbs/fat based on your preference. For example, if you are looking to consume 1800 calories a day, you could do something like: 175 Protein/150 carbs/60 fat which will give you about 1840 total calories. I would say do not go below 55-60G or fat a day, you need it to maintain your hormone levels. At the end of the day, you need to be in a calorie deficit regardless of what you eat.
A final note, there is no such thing as a good or bad food. You can eat what you want as long as it is in moderation and is balanced. That is the biggest thing when trying to lose weight, you tend to put food into a category and that ends up doing more harm then good. You avoid those foods and then eventually you will binge. If you add some of those foods you like along the way, it will be easier to reach your goal, and more importantly, maintain it. Goodluck.
Yikes that's a lot of protein! I currently have mine set at 30% only because I'm healing from major spinal surgery and need the extra to promote healing. After a few months I will set it back to the normal 25%, which is plenty for me.5 -
jimsessions8 wrote: »What is the right balance of carbs fat and protein.i see the circle on my food diary but I don't know what is the correct balance.
Consider this thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
This is what I would have linked, if Ann hadn't already -- great advice.I think each person is different however if you are looking to lose weight you should have 40% of your calories come from protein and you can fill in the rest of carbs/fat based on your preference.
There is absolutely no need to eat that much protein to lose weight (weight loss is about calories), and it's an amount that could easily be difficult and entirely unnecessary to hit, including for nutritional purposes.
For maintaining muscle while losing weight, the most important thing is a reasonable deficit and doing some weight bearing exercise, but it also can be helpful -- as the link above covers -- to eat around 0.6-0.8 g of protein per lb of a healthy goal weight (err on the high side of the range if you want to be conservative or have extra reason to be concerned about maintaining muscle).
For me, 0.8 g is about 96 g, so if eating, say, 1600 cals, that's not even 25%. I do think lots of women who get lower cals might be better off at 25 or 30% vs. the default 20 when in a deficit.5 -
The default Myfitnesspal setting is 50% Carbs - 30% Fat - 20% Protein
For most people that is a reasonable and easy to attain split. I tend to fall in the 40-40-20 range nearly every day.4 -
benwalker86 wrote: »Well the amount is important, but bad carbs will always store fat regardless if you keep a low caloric intake.
How does this happen? (Hint: it doesn't.)Anything manufactured into shapes puts your body to work to break down, that's why we're silent after eating a pizza haha.
How is pizza manufactured into shapes? You mean because the person making it turns it into a round (pie) shape in most cases when making it? What about when this is done with a cauliflower crust?
Also, usually pizza has as many cals from fat as carbs, and taking longer to break down usually means that foods will be sating for longer (i.e., protein, fiber).
Not sure why you would assume pizza led people to be quiet. I've never heard that one before.Choose wholegrains - quinoa, barley, oatmeal. And if going near pasta or rice, keep it to brown rice, brown pasta, more natural sources.
Steel cut oats are manufactured into shapes.
Pasta is manufactured into shapes whether whole grain or not (and whole grain pasta isn't actually more "natural" and the nutritional differences are pretty slight, same with the nutritional differences between white and brown rice). Usually a much bigger difference is whether it's traditional pasta or made from something with more fiber or protein or -- especially -- what other carbs (like vegetables!) and protein and fat one adds to the pasta, as those will make up a good bit of the nutrition and cals.5 -
jimsessions8 wrote: »What is the right balance of carbs fat and protein.i see the circle on my food diary but I don't know what is the correct balance.
Consider this thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
This is what I would have linked, if Ann hadn't already -- great advice.I think each person is different however if you are looking to lose weight you should have 40% of your calories come from protein and you can fill in the rest of carbs/fat based on your preference.
There is absolutely no need to eat that much protein to lose weight (weight loss is about calories), and it's an amount that could easily be difficult and entirely unnecessary to hit, including for nutritional purposes.
For maintaining muscle while losing weight, the most important thing is a reasonable deficit and doing some weight bearing exercise, but it also can be helpful -- as the link above covers -- to eat around 0.6-0.8 g of protein per lb of a healthy goal weight (err on the high side of the range if you want to be conservative or have extra reason to be concerned about maintaining muscle).
For me, 0.8 g is about 96 g, so if eating, say, 1600 cals, that's not even 25%. I do think lots of women who get lower cals might be better off at 25 or 30% vs. the default 20 when in a deficit.
I agree that that protein recommendation is unnecessarily high as you and others have mentioned. Also, it is important to get a minimum of .35 grams per lb of fats for brain and hormonal health. Men can get away with a little less but fats were just left to preference in that post. Overall that was misguided advice.1 -
jimsessions8 wrote: »What is the right balance of carbs fat and protein.i see the circle on my food diary but I don't know what is the correct balance.
There is no universally optimal macro breakdown. MFP's defaults are a fine place to start, so I wouldn't over complicate things, particularly if you're just getting into calorie counting...get that down first because that's what's actually important to losing weight.
Macro breakdowns are pretty individual and there are a lot of variables to consider...medical conditions...dietary preferences (vegan, vegetarian, etc), activity and what kind of activity (ie endurance athletes tend towards higher carb diets), body composition goals, etc.2 -
There are a few reasons I suggested 40% protein. The first one you mentioned, appetite control. Protein generally keeps you feeling fuller longer. The second is that in terms of volume, eating say 300 calories worth of protein will provide a lot more food than 300 calories of carbs or fat, which when you are dieting the volume of food will help.
Third, the thermic effect of food is critical when putting together a diet. By far, protein has the highest thermic effect of any of the 3 marco nutrients at about 20-25% where carbs are 8-10% and fat is about 2%. Perhaps when you get to the point of maintaining you could go to 25-30% but starting at only 25% of your calories from protein, I think would be too low.
Again, everyone is different. I am sure people have lost weight going lower however for me I have lost 35 lbs and have kept it off for 4 years. When I started I actually did 45% protein and now at maintenance I am at around 35%. I’m not a bodybuilder or anything like that, I am an average guy in his 40’s.
Try out different protocols and see what works for you.
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I think each person is different however if you are looking to lose weight you should have 40% of your calories come from protein and you can fill in the rest of carbs/fat based on your preference. For example, if you are looking to consume 1800 calories a day, you could do something like: 175 Protein/150 carbs/60 fat which will give you about 1840 total calories. I would say do not go below 55-60G or fat a day, you need it to maintain your hormone levels. At the end of the day, you need to be in a calorie deficit regardless of what you eat.
A final note, there is no such thing as a good or bad food. You can eat what you want as long as it is in moderation and is balanced. That is the biggest thing when trying to lose weight, you tend to put food into a category and that ends up doing more harm then good. You avoid those foods and then eventually you will binge. If you add some of those foods you like along the way, it will be easier to reach your goal, and more importantly, maintain it. Goodluck.
I agree with others: Dramatically and unnecessarily high protein, for many of us.
I lost most of my weight (about 50 pounds, in less than a year) on 1600 or more calories (plus exercise, but we'll ignore that for the moment). At 1600, 40% protein would be 160g. At 5'5", almost certainly under 100lbs lean mass, 160g protein would be absurd overkill. 100g is ample, and 80 would be fine. (I usually got 80g+ while losing, 100g+ now in maintenance.)
People need a certain minimum of fat. Carbs are pretty much irrelevant, unless one has a medical condition that makes them relevant, finds they cause more cravings thus making it hard to maintain calorie compliance, or affect energy level so need a certain minimum to feel best - all of which is individual. Personally, I ate around 150g of them all through weight loss, and lost fine.
Earlier, I ignored exercise. If I hadn't, I would've needed to be targeting 180-210g daily while losing, which (1) is very, very extreme, (2) is not at all necessary for good nutrition, or even for the largest possible muscular benefit I could hope to squeeze out of my li'l ol' lady body, and (3) punitively hard to get happily as a vegetarian (or probably for almost anyone else, for that matter).
Do some people need 40% protein? Maybe, dunno. All of us? NopeNopeNope.
https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-you-need/
https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/
Even those guys ^^^ (very research-based) say my optimal intake would be far lower than 40% of calories, and even their "may provide additional benefits, based on limited evidence" level doesn't go as high as that.
https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dri-calculator/ (way too low/conservative about protein for my taste, but that's the mainstream advice for minimums)5
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