IIFYM - What carb/fat/protein % should i use?

[JEDI]

it's been a while since I used IIFYM or any type of diet.
whatever settings that was in myfitnesspal.com are gone.

the girl with 6pack abs that recommends the Donut diet uses 40% carb/30% fat/30% protein.

iifym calculator (https://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/) suggests 50% carbs/25% fat/25% protein.

which to use?
does it matter?

 

[cbrunny]

What kind of physical activity do you do?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

There is no magic ratio. Everyone is different. Eat a varied diet and watch calories if you must watch something.

 

[Annisman*]

I'll drop this here for what it's worth, went from 290 down to 195 in about 7 months. I did ZERO cardio, lifted weights two to three times a week and ate about 2100 calories a day. My diet was almost entirely fat and protein. remember it's a marathon not a race. Whatever you choose do not go strictly low fat diet there are so many negatives not that it won't work.

 

[Zivic]

it's been a while since I used IIFYM or any type of diet.
whatever settings that was in myfitnesspal.com are gone.

the girl with 6pack abs that recommends the Donut diet uses 40% carb/30% fat/30% protein.

iifym calculator (https://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/) suggests 50% carbs/25% fat/25% protein.

which to use?
does it matter?

I personally shoot for
40 protein
30 fat
30 carb.

for me it's really a matter of not exceeding 3000 calories and keeping carbs under 250 grams a day. If I could do that 7 days a week, 52 wks a yr, I would be an absolute stage worthy specimen. oddly easier said than done

 

[JEDI]

What kind of physical activity do you do?

desk job
light exercise 1x/week for 20min

so more physical activity = more protein %?

 

[JEDI]

I'll drop this here for what it's worth, went from 290 down to 195 in about 7 months. I did ZERO cardio, lifted weights two to three times a week and ate about 2100 calories a day. My diet was almost entirely fat and protein. remember it's a marathon not a race. Whatever you choose do not go strictly low fat diet there are so many negatives not that it won't work.

isn't that the atkins diet?

 

[cbrunny]

desk job
light exercise 1x/week for 20min

so more physical activity = more protein %?

Well, I'd be more inclined to suggest that the type, frequency, and intensity of exercise should influence your macro decisions.

For example, many here are lifters and lifters only. And serious ones at that. For them, they prefer a heavy protein, low carb diet. Others (like me) are endurance type athletes, who don't lift at all and instead run or other endurance sportheavily. For people like us there is a fair bit of variation in what works for individuals (and based on their goals). For me, in season doing some kind of endurance sport ~15+ hrs a week, I keep a heavy carb, balanced fat & protein diet. There are biological reasons to do this. I lost 55 lbs last year - 207 to 152.

In your case, I would forget macro balance completely and eat to a calorie goal. The macros will balance themselves as you figure out how to eat to a calorie goal. Most likely your diet will end up around 50-60% Carbs / 20-30% Protein / the rest Fat.

 

[Annisman*]

isn't that the atkins diet?

It was very similar except I know there are a number of ways that it was not strictly Atkins, for example I consumed no sugar alcohol (fake sugar) that they say you can eat.

 

[deadlyapp]

This is probably the best recommendation. You don't exercise enough to care about macros. Stick to keeping yourself at your daily resting calories (or under) and run with that. If you change your exercise habits to increase lifting / muscle production or more cardio, then you can shift your macro goals around.

As it is, depending on your current weight, you're not going to be eating much with how little you exercise.

Well, I'd be more inclined to suggest that the type, frequency, and intensity of exercise should influence your macro decisions.

For example, many here are lifters and lifters only. And serious ones at that. For them, they prefer a heavy protein, low carb diet. Others (like me) are endurance type athletes, who don't lift at all and instead run or other endurance sportheavily. For people like us there is a fair bit of variation in what works for individuals (and based on their goals). For me, in season doing some kind of endurance sport ~15+ hrs a week, I keep a heavy carb, balanced fat & protein diet. There are biological reasons to do this. I lost 55 lbs last year - 207 to 152.

In your case, I would forget macro balance completely and eat to a calorie goal. The macros will balance themselves as you figure out how to eat to a calorie goal. Most likely your diet will end up around 50-60% Carbs / 20-30% Protein / the rest Fat.

 

[JEDI]

Well, I'd be more inclined to suggest that the type, frequency, and intensity of exercise should influence your macro decisions.

For example, many here are lifters and lifters only. And serious ones at that. For them, they prefer a heavy protein, low carb diet. Others (like me) are endurance type athletes, who don't lift at all and instead run or other endurance sportheavily. For people like us there is a fair bit of variation in what works for individuals (and based on their goals). For me, in season doing some kind of endurance sport ~15+ hrs a week, I keep a heavy carb, balanced fat & protein diet. There are biological reasons to do this. I lost 55 lbs last year - 207 to 152.

In your case, I would forget macro balance completely and eat to a calorie goal. The macros will balance themselves as you figure out how to eat to a calorie goal. Most likely your diet will end up around 50-60% Carbs / 20-30% Protein / the rest Fat.

This is probably the best recommendation. You don't exercise enough to care about macros. Stick to keeping yourself at your daily resting calories (or under) and run with that. If you change your exercise habits to increase lifting / muscle production or more cardio, then you can shift your macro goals around.

As it is, depending on your current weight, you're not going to be eating much with how little you exercise.

thx.
the 1x/week gym for 20min is 2sets of squats, bench press, and (row or lats).
I figure I hit all major muscle groups with that quick routine.

stick with 50% carbs/25% fat/25% protein recommendation from iifym site?

 

[cbrunny]

thx.
the 1x/week gym for 20min is 2sets of squats, bench press, and (row or lats).
I figure I hit all major muscle groups with that quick routine.

stick with 50% carbs/25% fat/25% protein?

If you want. I guess. I say don't track macros but fill your boots.

 

[edro]

I try to hit 33/33/33.
I tend to always be short on fat and high on carbs.
I usually end up around 20 fat, 30 protein, 50 carbs.

 

[BW86]

When trying to gain weight I shoot for 50c, 25f, 25p
When trying to lose weight I shoot for 20c, 40f, 40p

 

[JEDI]

If you want. I guess. I say don't track macros but fill your boots.

if you're not that active, it doesn't matter where the calories come from?
Why?

 

[cbrunny]

if you're not that active, it doesn't matter where the calories come from?
Why?

because a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. If you're not active they're all basically the same. Your body is a pretty neat machine - it can convert energy in one macro to a different macro as it needs to. It just doesn't happen instantly.

As an example, lifters like protein because when they lift they damage the muscles. Muscles are made of proteins, so if you give your body protein immediately when you're done working out your body doesn't have to change, say, fat into proteins. Endurance athletes don't do as much damage to the muscles - their workouts tend to deplete carb stores within the cells, so when they're done working out they refuel with carbs.

A typical weekend warrior type that doesn't have a serious fitness goal or doesn't work out often simply doesn't need to take these extra steps because the repair process is minimal due to infrequent/less intense exercise. Even if you eat protein right after your one lift session a week, which is totally ok to do imo, that doesn't mean the rest of your diet also needs to change to suit.

So It's not that you shouldn't track macros. Its just that there really isn't a point unless you need to. A calorie is a calorie.

 

[mike8675309]

I lost 30 lbs with a 80-10-10 (C-F-P) diet give or take a few percent.
What matters more than the percentages is what you are eating to make those percentages. Reduce your processed meals, increase your intake of whole foods including fruits, vegetables and grains, decrease your intake of dairy, beef, and eggs.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I lost 31 lbs (SW: 183; EW: 152) on 2079 calories, split 32/36/32 (C/F/P) regularly eating pizza, potato chips, steak, eggs, milk and ice cream. It's not what you eat but how much you eat. My cholesterol, blood pressure and resting heart rate all dropped as a result of the weight loss even though I was eating "bad" food.

 

[CalebRockeT]

Yeah, I agree with blackdogdeek. If your primary concern is weight loss, the most important thing is staying around your caloric goal and consistently being in a deficit. For me, it's definitely easier to do while eating exclusively healthy "whole" foods, but if you're able to swing sneaking some treats and junk food into your day, good on ya.

 

[mike8675309]

Yeah, but it is much easier to stay in a calorie deficit while being satisfied eating Potatoes and beans than pizza, steak, and burgers, some of the more calorie dense foods.

 

[blackdogdeek]

The thing about calorie dense foods like pizza, steak, burgers and ice cream is that they keep me satisfied for hours. And, because I wasn't restricting entire food types, it was easier for me to stay on the diet. I was able to maintain my deficit from April until about October/November when I started my bulk.

 

[Kaido]

it's been a while since I used IIFYM or any type of diet.
whatever settings that was in myfitnesspal.com are gone.

the girl with 6pack abs that recommends the Donut diet uses 40% carb/30% fat/30% protein.

iifym calculator (https://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/) suggests 50% carbs/25% fat/25% protein.

which to use?
does it matter?

Use that calculator for your goals:

https://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

3 goals available:

1. Weight loss
2. Maintenance
3. Weight gain

So first question is, what is your goal right now?