Help with Macros (especially protein) for body recomposition please

emilynicholson24
emilynicholson24 Posts: 9 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi,

Can anyone advise on Macros or point me in the direction of a reliable source? Aiming to lose fat and build muscle.

Cheers!

Replies

  • tlpina82
    tlpina82 Posts: 229 Member
    A balanced diet is easy. Usually 40/40/20 (Prot/Carb/Fat) split with 5-10% variation should do the trick, as long as you meet your minimum protein goals, it doesn't really matter.
    If you're not meeting your protein, it's not possible to maintain or gain lean mass.

    Should be simple to calculate, unfortunately, I have to ask some uncomfortable questions.

    - Age
    - Height
    - Weight (Current and Goal)
    - Activities (Please, describe your day to day activity. What is your workout like? What is your day like?)
  • JulioM997
    JulioM997 Posts: 13 Member
    Hello, I'm sure you will get some good advice here, but after 40 years of bodybuilding I believe the answer to your question is unique to you, your activity level and your body. So keep that in mind as you read on. :)

    In general, if you are looking to build muscle, I would suggest your protein intake in the .75 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Play with that and see how you respond/feel. I prefer to eat my protein, but nothing wrong with a good Whey protein powder to fill in. I cycle carbs between 60g and 350g per day and find that works best for me, but I have friends who absolutely dislike carb cycling and prefer a good steady mix. A lot depends on your activity level. Keep in mind, the more muscle you build, the more fat you will burn. Focus on good clean carbs.

    There are some good calculators to determine your mix of protein, carbs and fat. You could use that as a starting point and play with the mix for your needs.

    Also, there are some good YouTube channels that provide good advice on the subject. Unfortunately, all the ones I could recommend are for men, especially advanced bodybuilders. :(

    Best of luck!!! I'm sure you will get lots of ideas from the great folks here.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,162 Member
    There's a research-based protein estimator (they call it a "calculator" 🙄) here, that lets you input info about your size and goals:

    https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/

    Well-rounded overall nutrition is important for recomp (and muscle retention/gain generally), but adequate fats and plenty of varied, colorful fruits and veggies (for micronutrients and fiber) are also a plus. (Personally, I like a minimum of 5+ 80g veggie/fruit servings daily, with 10+ better . . . which is in line with most mainstream recommendations for a minimum of 5.)

    The link sijomial posted above is a good source, too.

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