# Need help with macro ratio...



## goonieboy2008 (Jul 12, 2011)

Hi
   Im changing my diet im 225lbs right now at about 16-18% body fat i would like to keep bulking slowly without putting too much extra fat on.I figured that my daily calories should be around 3800-4000 cal. If i take in 420g of carbs, 330g protien , 85g fat would be a good ratio?  thanks


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## dsl (Jul 13, 2011)

For the record that's ~45% protein, 35% carbs, 20% fats. Next time just post the ratios so others don't have to drag out their calculators lol.

And the answer is: Maybe. The fact of the matter is that sure that is a good ratio... if your body responds better to a little bit lower carbs. Or you may be better at a 40/40/20 split or a 30/40/30 split. Have you tried any of these ratios? 

The point is that you will have to experiment to find the best ratio for yourself. Will this ratio work to start with? Sure. If you find you are gaining too much fat (and your current bf% tells me that you probably gain fat easily), you could add in a couple days of cardio to help minimize fat gain.


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## ThreeGigs (Jul 13, 2011)

Drop the protein from 330 to 240, chances are all of it isn't getting absorbed.

Q: Do you have a sedentary job, or are you active and/or walking about a lot?

If you're on your feet all day, you can drop carbs and up the fats.
But if you're sedentary (desk job), you could keep things about as they are, and use some sort of HIIT to burn the carbs off (glycogen deplete) at workouts.

I've found that keto just doesn't work for me. Low carbing does work as long as I'm doing enough cardio at a high enough intensity to burn off glycogen so my muscles are always pulling blood glucose to replenish.  I *was* avoiding fats like the plague, but then discovered that MY metabolism seems to work better with a decent balance. DSL is correct in the above post in that you're really going to have to work out what works best for you, your lifestyle, training schedule and intensity, and hard cardio or lack thereof.  I do a lot of cardio, so carbs are a must for me, I think. Took me about 3 months of experimenting to get close to being dialed in. Now I just tweak things in minor ways, and experiment with timing.


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## Marat (Jul 13, 2011)

dsl, the problem with ratios is that they don't work a lot of the time.

For instance, if I need to take in 4000 calories, the 40/40/20 ratio would have me taking in 1600 calories from protein, 400 grams. Even at 3000 calories, 40% is 1200 calories, or 300 grams. Three hundred grams is certainly manageable but both figures are still a bit higher than what I need. What happens at 5000 or 6000 calories? Do I really need to be taking in 500 and 600 grams of protein?

What if I need 1800 calories? I should be just taking in 180 grams? I'd probably be starving. 

Ratios don't work so well. Relating intake to body mass is much more effective. At 200 pound of lbm, we can set protein intake at at least 1-1.25g/lb of lbm and that would put intake at 200-250g/day is much more reasonable.


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## goonieboy2008 (Jul 13, 2011)

I have an active job (construction)  And thanks for your comments


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## dsl (Jul 14, 2011)

Marat said:


> dsl, the problem with ratios is that they don't work a lot of the time.
> 
> For instance, if I need to take in 4000 calories, the 40/40/20 ratio would have me taking in 1600 calories from protein, 400 grams. Even at 3000 calories, 40% is 1200 calories, or 300 grams. Three hundred grams is certainly manageable but both figures are still a bit higher than what I need. What happens at 5000 or 6000 calories? Do I really need to be taking in 500 and 600 grams of protein?
> 
> ...



I don't disagree with you. But the guy sounds new to planning his diet. It seems like some newbies can get so hung up on numbers and try to find the "absolute best diet ever" that they never even begin. A ratio at least gives them a place to start and provides them with a little more info than "just eat X amount of protein." I am not suggesting that everyone needs to use one ratio, but when it really comes down to it, everyone's diet is just a ratio of the three macros. Just depends on how you apply it. Kind of like that acne commercial: "What's your number?" 

@goonieboy2008
I would definitely up your carb intake. Just be consistent with what you eat and measure yourself in a couple of weeks. If you feel you are getting too fat, you can either change up the diet a bit or add in some cardio.


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