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 AuthorTitle / Message Body
ldevany ldevany
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 15:02
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Protein, Carbs & Fat
Hi there. If you are trying to eat normally and lose weight what is the best percentage for the Protein, carbs & fat? Should it be Protein 15%, Carbs less than 55% and total Fat less than 30%. Please help. This website has a balanced diet listed differently than the USDA place. I am on a 1300 and below calorie diet.

holieta holieta
KY
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 15:02
 Unrated
I would also like to know the answer to that question!
Good question. I would like to know what the answer is also!

ldevany ldevany
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 15:02
 Unrated
A nutritionist told me
That 50% should be from carbs, 30% from fat and 20% from protein is the average for a balanced diet. The fats should be mainly good fats though.

ldevany ldevany
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 15:02
 Unrated
correction
Sorry it is 55% carbs, 15% protein and 30% fat. But..... some diets like the mediterrean Diet requiere more fat like 40% but the fat must be olive oil, fish or nuts. Each diet is different.

lelogosdemoi lelogosdemoi
Charlotte NC
Thu, Feb 25, 2010 15:02
 Unrated
my 2 cents
I do not claim to know the best answer to this for you - it is a very controversial topic. A book I read recently, Lou Schuler's New Rules of Weightlifting for Women, has a diet section that recommends a blend of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat (not just a ratio he recommends for women, but it happens to be in that book). I can attest that as a vegetarian that is a very hard ratio to hit for protein w/o protein powders or tons of eggs (which I don't love b/c of the cholesterol). There are many other, different, recommendations out there from equally qualified experts as Mr. Schuler.

I have found personally that I feel the best when I am eating lower carbs - 40-45% range and higher fats...natural, plant-based fats, not processed or animal based fats. The protein ratio does not actually seem to make a big difference for me--but if I'm not getting enough I crave it (tend to crave beans/tofu/eggs since those are my main protein sources).

What works best for you will depend on your body composition now, your metabolism, and what you are trying to acheive (build muscle/gain weight, lose fat/lose weight, etc).

CarolynDiets CarolynDiets
Sat, Feb 27, 2010 18:02
 Unrated
Protein
I think using the percentages can be misleading, especially regarding protein. The body needs a certain amount of protein to keep the immune system working, to build muscle, to repair itself, and so forth. It needs a certain amount of carbohydrates to fuel the brain, which will not use protein or fat for fuel.

If you get more protein than you need, the body either excretes it or converts it to fat to use for fuel. If you get less protein than you need, you will eventually find yourself sick or unable to recover from your workouts. So ideally, you want to get enough protein to stay healthy and build muscle. The figure I most often see is a range of .8 to 1.1 grams per kilogram of lean body weight.

Once you know how much protein you need, you can determine how many calories you want to eat a day and get your percentages from that. Then you can flex the fat and carbohydrates to your personal taste.

For example, I need somewhere in the range of 74-110 grams of protein. I'm eating a vegan diet (which means lots of carbohydrates from grains, beans, fruits and vegetables). So I prefer to limit my fat. That way I get more food to fill my stomach. If I were someone who needed more fat, I'd change the balance. Ultimately what is going to work best for you is something designed around your life, your desires, and your dislikes. As long as you get some carbohydrates for your brain and enough protein for your muscles and immune system, you'll be fine.

Carolyn

del_lizagill_2283996 del_lizagill_2283996
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 04:03
 Unrated
Protein, Carbs & Fat
Hi all , i love suggestion of ldevany .
I am agree with him.
Thanks.

CHAKA CHAKA
Fri, Mar 5, 2010 10:03
 Unrated
depends
i think the answer depends on where you are now and what your goals are. lo carbs/high protein is good for weight loss if you have high body fat. if you are already lean, then you end up burning muscle instead of fat and your metabolism will slow down.

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