What is the best carb, protein, fat ratio

gymrazvan wrote: »

The best low carb to protein to fat ratio can vary based on individual goals and lifestyle. However, many people have found success on low-carb diets, such as the ketogenic diet. This involves eating a smaller amount of carbohydrates, replacing them with proteins and healthy fats. A common ratio for a ketogenic diet is about 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates. This approach helps the body enter a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat burning is enhanced. It's important to consult a nutritionist or doctor before starting any new diet to make sure it's right for you and meets all your nutritional needs.

You don't burn more calories on a ketogenic diet. Most energy comes from dietary fat because that's what you mostly eat. But dietary fat is not the same as body fat. You lose body fat by being in a calorie deficit and here it doesn't matter how you eat as long as you eat less than your body uses. Welcome here, btw.

abibo1 wrote: »

I appreciate all the information. I have educated myself on almost everything I can find about low carb. With that said, what I am asking is what has worked well for anyone out there. Asking for experience vs information😁

The advice I gave you is exactly what I do myself, except that I genericized it because you gave zero information about your goals or lifestyle. You didn't specify what kind of experience is relevant to you.

I lost 50+ pounds (class 1 obese to a healthy weight), have stayed at a healthy weight for 7+ years since (after around 30 previous years of overweight/obesity). I have more muscle mass than average for my demographic (F, 68). My athletic performance in my sport is decent in age group terms, and I routinely work out with much younger people and keep up. My formerly high blood pressure and cholesterol/triglycerides are solidly normal. My blood sugar has been fine (and was even when I was overweight, FWIW).

I target a daily minimum of about 0.8g protein per pound of healthy weight (which for me is roughly equivalent to about 1g per pound of estimated lean mass), 0.4g of fats (with attention to reasonable balance of mono- and polyunsaturated fats with saturated fats, Omega-3s with Omega-6s). I usually exceed the protein minimum by about 20% (which I see as positive), but have to pay more attention in order to hit the fat minimum.

I don't care how many carbs I eat, as long as calories average OK for my weight goals (maintenance within a sensible weight range, these days). In maintenance, it tends to be 225g+ of carbs most days. While losing (on lower calories, of course), it was 150g or so. Most of the carbs are from fruits, veggies and no-sugar-added dairy foods, though I do eat some added sugars (normally well less than the recommended limit of 10% of calories). I make it a point to eat at least 400g of fruit/veggies most days, and ideally (usually) 800g+. Because of all the veggies/fruits, I generally exceed all the micronutrients MFP tracks, and get 40-60g of fiber most days.

As it turns out, even though I don't work to achieve the default MFP macro percent goals, when I look at my logs retrospectively, the averages are within spitting distance of the MFP defaults.

I don't have to pay close attention to any of the macro/micro details, really, because my routine eating habits - the meals/snacks I enjoy - get me there without much attention. I did experiment to find and practice those habits during weight loss, but now they're pretty much on autopilot.

Occasionally, I have an indulgent or celebratory day where I don't hit all my standard nutritional goals. I think that's fine, as long as fairly rare. It seems to have no observable negative health impact.

That's my experience. That's the basis for advice I posted above.

I'm not arrogant enough to think that my exact experience will work for others, especially others who may have different goals, different health history, or different genetic risks. Those variations, plus some things relating to personal sustainability and pleasure in food, make "best" macro ratios quite individual IMO.

BTW, your OP also didn't ask about other people's experience, you asked what was best. I suspect that's why we didn't slant our answers toward personal experience.

abibo1 wrote: »

I realise the calorie deficit for losing weight. I believe that it does matter what you eat when you are also considering a balanced diet and there is something to taking refined sugar out of your diet and how your body stores fat.

How is cutting out carbs and sugar a balanced diet? How does cutting out sugar change the way you store fat? Genuine questions. If you have a surplus of calories, you gain. A deficit, you lose. You can be a vegetarian and eat mostly carbs and lose weight. It’s important to challenge what you read. Cutting out entire food groups isn’t balanced but if thats what you want to do there’s no harm apart from lack of joy and poor energy levels. I joke because I care, but the moral of the story, you don’t have to sacrifice so much to meet your goals. You can do it just by reducing your calorie intake. Wishing you success and a happy new year in 2024. Oh yeah, there’s a low carb forum here somewhere if you use the search feature. They’re here because even though they do
Low carb, they still need to limit calories to lose weight 🤷🏼‍♀️ (impossible not to). Sometimes 1 rule just isn’t enough 😂.

My personal experience: my macro preferences are protein and fat. Some people talk about craving sweets or salty foods. I don't. I occasionally crave lean meat.
I do better when I set my protein at a minimum and always hit close to that exact amount, set my fats at a maximum amount and try to not go very far over that. Whatever that leaves for carbs is fine. I'm not sure, but I think it's about 100 grams right now. I don't like grains a lot, so it's usually veggies and fruit. I often go under my carb goal because I go over on protein and fat and try to stay near calorie goal.
I am 74, female, 5'8", don't exercise other than short walks and swimming 2 months each summer. I have lost from 220s to 175ish since March 1.
I've never tried lower carb because what I'm doing makes me happy, and I'm a FIRM BELIEVER in "The one who eats the most things they love and still loses weight wins!"

abibo1 wrote: »

What is the best low carb -protein -fat ratio that anyone has found to work well? I am just starting out and I’m trying to figure out which one to try.

Why do you want to, are you diabetic, insulin resistant ? which will facilitate a different tactic if you are than just wanting to remove sugar to say, be healthier.

Ultimately you can tailor your carb intake by understanding and knowing your tolerance to carbs and in the long run that will give you the best bang for the buck. You really need to talk to a Doctor that specializes in diabetes. The test is basically to see how high your blood sugar rises after an oral dose of glucose, how long it stays elevated and also to find your particular base line. You can use a continual glucose monitor and run something similar to get a decent idea of your carb tolerance.

If you want to remove sugar just to be healthier, then replacing processed foods for whole foods is a healthier lifestyle as it relates to diet and will lower added sugars by a considerable margin.