I'm considering modifying my fat/protein/carb percentages, so I was curious what you guys all do. I know there are people on here on low-carb diets, people on high-protein diets, and everything else. I'm just wondering where my current status fits with all of you, and looking for a trend to see what percentages I should shoot for.
I've been tracking my percentages for a little over a week, and I am averaging 22% fat, 16% protein, and 61% carbohydrates. How about you???
Jessica, I used to follow weight watchers at home (not online or anything, I just had the materials and did it at home). It wasn't working for me towards the end. I was starving, plateaued for about 4 months, lost my period, and my hair and nails weren't growing - big sign to me that this was not working and needed to change. I started using fitday and discovered that I was eating tons of carbs and very, very little fat (<20 g a day usually). I was doing some things right, but a lot of things wrong - eating too many carbs and also too many simple carbs, though I did know that complex carbs and fiber were important. (Disclaimer: I'm not trying to slam weight watchers in any way, I think it's a sensible program, but since I was doing it on my own I had missed their emphasis on getting in servings of healthy fats etc.) I added a lot more protein and healthy fats to my diet and overall am much more satisfied, and don't get hungry quite like I used to. And my hair and nails and all look much, much better - even my hair stylist remarked on all my "new growth".
I now shoot for 40-45% carbs, 30% protein (since I lift weights this translates into me shooting for 100g/day), and 25% fats. I don't have trouble getting enough protein usually, but I've discovered it's actually usually getting enough (healthy) fat that's key to keeping me satisfied if I'm working out intensely.
Good luck and keep us posted how things are going with this!
I was plateau'ed for months. I'd try to lose more, and I just couldn't stick with it. Finally I went back over my FitDay for the last four months and looked at the nutrient percentages. Turned out they were protein 23%, carb 42%, and fat 33% (FitDay doesn't count fiber in the carb percent). I had thought I was following the Zone, which is 30p-40c-30f, but clearly I was not. I was especially disturbed by the low protein percentage, because that's lower than just about any weight loss plan suggests for protein. 25% is the lowest I've seen.
So, for the last week I've changed how I've been eating. I'm at protein 34%, carb 35%, and fat 30%. As you can see I went a little overboard in the other direction, but that's OK. I'm moving down on the scale again.
I made a conscious decision in 2003 not to worry about it, and focus on the calorie limit itself. My food decisions tend to be healthy ones (well, when I'm on plan anyway) because it is hard to meet a calorie limit and stay satisfied eating a bunch of junk. Having said that, I'm not a huge fan of high protein diets for myself, because while they do help the satiety factor, I just feel sort of icky. Note that I can eat nothing but refined carbs for lunch and not have the crash later that a lot of people get, so YMMV. I don't EVER worry about protein percentages, but try to check once in a while to make sure I get at least 50 g/day, more when pregnant, breastfeeding, or doing heavy endurance training. That works out to something like 10-15% for me for those doing the math.
But mostly I don't worry about it. If I feel like eggs or milk I eat them. Once in a while I'll crave a steak and eat that. Every time I've checked I'm better than 50g so I mostly just trust my body to tell me about the protein. I tend to get one serving of meat a day, and about two of dairy no matter what the rest of my diet looks like. If I can get my fruits and vegetables in, I'll almost always have a good day, and if I don't, I don't.
I'm about where Mandalinn is at--I shoot for 100g of protein per day (which I have no problem achieving) and let everything else land where it falls. I pretty consistently end up at about 15% fat, 50% carbs, 35% protein--give or take 5%. My carbs are almost all whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
If I ever work my way back up to a maintenance level (I'm currently still at 1400 calories are really on the fence about whether I want to go back to maintenance or try to lose a few more insurance lbs), I would try to change out some of my carb calories for fat. 15% fat is really low and I am concerned that it will eventually cause health issues. I suspect that it is one of the reasons I am having problems with my joints (mainly my knee, but recently my elbow too).
I recently read an article from the National Weight Control Registry and, for what it's worth, they said that only 1% of the maintainers in their database (about 4,000 people that have lost an average of 65lbs and maintained that loss for an average of 5.5 years) follow a low carb diet. Most average 24% fat, 56% carbs, and 15% protein. Of course, that is for maintenance, not weight loss.
Barbara - Well it's nice to know that my current eating habits reflect the average maintainer! Most of my carbs are whole grains, fruits, and veggies too. I'm still working my way toward a whole foods diet.
Anne - I am like you, I don't have "carb crashes." My grams of protein have been between 50 and 84 for the past week I've been tracking, but on the other hand, I have had a good bit more meat than usual this week.
Megan - I have so been there with the fat being too low! I used to average 10% fat at most. I'm pretty comfortable with the amount of fat I'm getting right now. The amount reflected in my numbers is actually a little high for this week since I ate so much crap this weekend.
My problem lately, which inspired my post, is that I have been way too hungry. I know it's partially that I didn't plan 1000 calories for before 5pm, but I feel like something else is going on too. The few days this week where I had something with meat in it for lunch I felt much fuller during the afternoon (OTOH, the meat dishes had more cals too). I eat a very high-fiber diet so I don't think that's the issue.
I think my ideal ratio would be 20/20/60 (with 60 being the carbs). That seems like it would be enough protein to keep me fuller, enough fat to keep me healthy, and enough carbs that I could actually stand to eat my food. The fact is . . . I don't like protein all that much. We're also trying to cut down on how much meat we eat for various reasons -- DH is concerned about his cholesterol, I'm concerned about the humane treatment of the animals, humanely treated animal meats cost waaaay more than supermarket meat, we're trying to cut our grocery budget....
And my digestive system doesn't handle beans all that well. So I usually get most of my protein from dairy and grains. I just can't imagine eating any more meat or dairy than I already do, which is where I'm struggling.
Jessica, we've always sounded similar to me with how we eat, and what we like to eat. I also get virtually all my carbs from fruit, veggies, and whole grains, too and a few carbs from light yogurt.
Have you looked at how much fat you're getting in with that 1000 calories before 5 PM? Another problem I had was that I wasn't getting enough fat in earlier in the day, and would wind up ravenous. I added 1 oz. raw nuts to my food - usually eat 1/2 as an AM snack, 1/2 as afternoon (this upped me to 1000-1100 cals by 5PM) and felt much fuller.
Let's see... have you tried higher-protein grains, e.g. quinoa, lentils? Eggs? Egg whites for DH's cholesterol? For my egg salad, I will mix 1 yolk with several whites to get enough of that yolk taste in. Even throwing away some of the yolks, eggs are pretty cheap (or feed some to your dog, they make their coat really shiny!). Have you tried tofu or seitan? Veggie crumbles, veggies burgers, etc. which I believe are mostly made of soy protein? Do you feel the same way (dislike and have ethical concerns) about things like tuna fish, anchovies, smoked oysters? These are canned, so less expensive than say fresh chicken. I assure you oysters & anchovies aren't advanced enough to feel pain, though there is still the question of the ethics and political consequences of some fisheries practices. I'll try to think of more cheap/humane/less "meaty" protein sources this weekend...
Maybe you could check out the vegetarian forum to look for suggestions for non-meat protein sources.
Do any of the thyroid drugs you're taking have hunger as a side effect? Have you been getting less sleep lately? Under a lot more stress, at work or at home?
Just tossing out some ideas that pop into my head...
Thanks for the advice Megan! I'm not sure how much I get early in the day but I am guessing it isn't that much less than I get at dinner. I usually have dinner leftovers for lunch, in approximately the same portion sizes. My breakfast is invariably cereal and skim milk (cold cereal, hot cereal, muesli, etc). The only way I would be willing to modify breakfast is to use lf milk instead of skim, but then I'd be adding a good bit more calories. Cooking in the morning is totally out. Most of my snacks throughout the day are fruit. I used to bring yogurt too, but lately I've been bringing string cheese instead, plus since I've been so hungry I've been bringing various stuff like cereal, popcorn, bread, etc.
Actually eggs from pastured free-range vegetarian-fed chickens from a local producer are $4/dozen. :P (They're really good though!) I don't like egg yolks, but I do like whites. On the other hand, I don't like eggs all that much in general! I need to find more dinner recipes that use them.
We do use tofu occasionally (used to use it more, but nowadays I am too lazy to wait for it to drain). I could come up with all kinds of excuses -- DH hates quinoa, lentils take too long to cook, I don't like tuna, anchovies, or oysters . . . Veggie burgers we eat sometimes, but it doesn't really fit with my attempt at a whole/natural foods diet (except black bean burgers, those are good!). Usually if I'm allowed into the Morningstar Farms freezer section I come away with corn dogs, in any case, which isn't particularly healthy!
I guess the trick is that it has to be a protein that is quick and easy to cook without making a big mess. This usually means ground chicken and boneless skinless chicken breasts. The thing is that whenever I'm preparing something from a recipe, the recipe usually has a good amount of protein. But there are several times a week where I just don't feel like cooking, and dinner becomes pasta and sauce or cereal or something equally easy (PB&J, etc).
I have so many excuses. I should just suck it up and stop being so lazy about cooking. I don't think any of my drugs would make me hungry . . . My best guess is maybe that I haven't been exercising much lately.
<lurker pops up head and looks around, decides that it is finally time to speak up and say hello and offer her 2 cents>
I'm a LONG time lurker over here and I wasn't really sure I was ready to call myself a maintainer yet since I have only been maintaining for a few weeks now. But, I liked this question and I am enjoying seeing the varied responses.
I am still eating 30/30/40 (f/p/c - food calorie balance - after I subtract the red wine) and it seems to be working well for me. I did not eat enough protein or fat when I was at my high weight. Adding both into my diet has made a world of difference. Upsetting that ratio causes me to gain - regardless of which number I increase/decrease. That being said, I definitely think our bodies are different and that the perfect numbers for me will not work for everyone.
Being a vegetarian for 26 years, it has been hard to get enough protein sometimes. Lentils, garbanzos, hummus, turtle beans, tempeh, seitan, soymilk, tofu, veggie burgers and like products, peanut butter (or other nut butters), low-fat cheese (string, Laughing Cow) all figure prominently in my diet and are less "beany" than some of the alternatives.
EDIT: Jessica (you were posting while I was typing)- I love my rice cooker. Combining grains and precooked beans or lentils with a wonderful sauce - then setting the timer is a lifesaver some days. I come home, cook up some veggies - and dinner is served. I also cook lentils, beans and the like in big batches and freeze them - easy to thaw and add to dishes. I'm with you on the black bean burgers - they are GOOD! The tomato basil are also great! You can easily add the burger crumbles or TVP to pasta sauce - or even some canned beans. Tempeh is also good with pasta.
Last edited by CountingDown; 08-15-2008 at 04:39 PM.
I don't know my percentages too well, but I watch my carbs for diabetes reasons, and for me, that seems to be 40-45% of my diet (160 grams). I also count calories and let the two factors, calories and carbs, drive the food choices. So, I eat a lot of green vegs, low fat dairy, non-meat protein, and also lower calories meats and fish. Keeps the carbs in line and the protein up. I stay feeling satisfied.
Getting enough fat is a problem for me, and I've been trying to up it a bit by adding peanut butter, avocados, some olive oil, etc.
Before I started losing I ate pretty much a total carb diet. I was hungry all the time. My nutritionist advised me to cut down the carbs, add protein, and all would work out. Surprsingly enough it has.
I love my slow cooker. I make a lot of stews and soups in it and freeze for later if needed. I no longer have my son to cook for (he ate for 3 people...), just my husband and me, and I don't feel like making meals as much as I used to, and my husband is in this weight loss thing too, so we have similar aims as far as our diets. This way I can cook at my convenience (or the nice little crockpot does it all for me!) and get the nutrients I need.
I found I functioned better with more calories for breakfast than I had been having in the past, including protein. I also have a mid morning protein snack if I do not eat lunch early, and a protein snack in the afternoon without fail. can even be a half can of tuna in a pinch. The protein keeps me going and I do not get hungry or "fussy" as my family describes it.
paperclippy: I was pretty pysched to read that info about the percentage of carbs in maintainers' diets from the NWCR, since my diet is 50% carbs.
I don't know that you need to suck it up and cook more, maybe you just need to change your go-to meal when you don't feel like cooking. It's pretty easy to throw a chicken breast or fish fillet in the broiler then top it with pasta sauce, salsa, or guacamole once it is done. Serve it with a side of refried beans, chili beans, or frozen veggies and you've got yourself a meal and, if you line the broiler pan with aluminum foil and heat the veggie side on the serving plates, less cleanup than for pasta. Or the next time you make those chicken burgers you liked, make a double batch of the patties and freeze the extra (either before or after cooking) and then you've got something easy to take out of the freezer on nights that you don't want to cook.
In terms of plant-based protein, you might try textured vegetable protein (TVP) or textured soy protein (TSP). I recently purchased some TVP; it's super easy to reconstitute (just add boiling water) and it basically takes on the flavor of what you add it to. You could add it to the sauce you serve over your pasta and you'd never know it was there. I added it to stir fry (I replaced half the meat called for in the recipe with TVP to cut the calories a bit); I couldn't taste it at all but I got an extra 12g of protein per serving with it in there.
Jessica, a quick drive by post here, since an idea sprang to mind. I sometimes add non-fat dry milk to stuff to boost the protein a bit (especially coffee these days but it works with just about anything you cook or can dissolve it in). Doesn't help with the fat, but it is something if you are looking for another option.
I also take fish oil supplements to help with my omega 3 to omega 6 ratios, since DH hates any type of seafood and so I only see fish when I'm out. There isn't enough oil in them to help balance macroscopic fat intake though.
Anne
Last edited by AnneWonders; 08-16-2008 at 11:10 AM.
Another possible protein source for you might be Ilene's protein pancakes. They are more dairy and eggs, but they don't taste like dairy and eggs--they taste like pancakes to me (perfect for someone like myself who likes carby snacks). I get four normal sized pancakes out of Ilene's recipe and they come in at about 50 calories each with 5g of protein. I eat them with fruit, NF cream cheese, or fruit preserves on top. You could make up a big batch and stick them in the freezer.
fat/protein/carb percentages
Most of my carbs are whole grains, fruits, and veggies too. I'm still working my way toward a whole foods diet.
We're also trying to cut down on how much meat we eat for various reasons -- DH is concerned about his cholesterol, I'm concerned about the humane treatment of the animals, humanely treated animal meats cost waaaay more than supermarket meat, we're trying to cut our grocery budget....
but it works with just about anything you cook or can dissolve it in). Doesn't help with the fat, but it is something if you are looking for another option. 