hey

I'm thinking about maybe changing my current ratios : 70% fat 30% protein (atkins induction)

to something like 60% fat 40% protein or 50% fat 50% protein


I have like 7 pounds to lose and I wanna get more muscles,
I lift weights 4 times a week and run 5 times a week.

what are your ratios?

thx

I'll have to calculate my ratios. I hadn't figured that out. It would be interesting.

I do know that I am consuming about 150 grams of protein! I've been lifting weights every day and I love it! I'm going to ask my husband to help me target some new weight exercises to target certain areas.

My husband totaled the numbers last night. (I never knew the x4 or x9.)

But, it didn't add up to 100%. 4% carbs and about equal for fat and protein.

Total 89%.

I did include items, like gum!(ha ha!), with calories, but 0 net of everything else.

How do you calculate your amounts?

I may look at it myself tonight. Maybe he didn't read my writing clearly or something.

Thanks!

My totals worked out last night. 3.7% carbs with fat in the 50s % and protein in the mid 40%.

May I ask if you are a body builder?

depends on what you mean by body builder? = professional?

no, actually, I have a few pounds of fat to lose, and i'm doing weight lifting for a few months to tone up, but .. I don't know, it's like a passion right now.

I like to read everything I see about theories in bodybuilding or nutrition or workouts or plans or whatever!

I'm even thinking about getting a certificate in personal training.

My goal is actually to have a "fitness type" body, more than a "bodybuilder that does competition" type. But who know.. maybe next year i'll have achieved my goals and by this time I will have changed my mind and wannabe a competitor !

The reason of my post, is that i'm concerned about a few things.
My current ratios are like

2% carbs
68 % fat
30% protein

(i'm on induction - atkins)

but my goal is to lose the fat I have that covers my muscles that ARE here under this fat AND also, to gain more muscles at the same time.

Seems that with atkins and induction I lost the water I had and that's it. No change in the mirror actually. i'm not less fat. it's been 4 weeks now.

I'm just wondering which ratios use the weight lifters here, to know if I should increase my protein % and decrease the fat %, or upping my carbs..

i'm even thinking about carb cycling, you know.

just doubting it's possible for me to gain muscles without any carbs.

I may do a Google search today to see. I did read on a website (protein for weight loss topic AND muscle tone), to shoot for 1 to 1.5 times your body weight.

That doesn't leave room for carbs.

I have similar goals: losing fat that is covering up muscles, although certain areas, like my arms, shoulders, and finally ABS are starting to pop out.

I've always been a runner, so this is uncharted territory for me to focus on weights and protein more.

Personal training sounds like a good area to be in right now. Booming industry.

Maybe we could independently search and see what we come up with? I'll try to search it today.

Thanks for the inquiry. It only sparked my curiousity and interest in improving!

http://www.intense-workout.com/protein_diet.html

Sorry, I don't know how to make it a direct link.

It said at least 1 gram of protein per pound of weight.

Other interesting info.

Depending on how hard you train and what your lifting goals are, your numbers will probably be very different from what other 'lifters' are doing.

I do cardio as well as a regular strength training routine as does my DH. We had been playing around with our nutrition to get the most out of our workouts. We determined that we do much better with a more moderate plan that what most 'heavy lifters' do.

Our macros work out to 30%carb/40%protein/30%fat. I think if you do a little research, you'll find that bodybuilders use macros closer to 50%carb/30%protein/20%fat. But then again, they're usually taking in over 3,000 calories per day!

Hopefully, others that are doing strict LC will offer their opinions as well.

It seems contrary to intense-workout website, but this is all new to me. Sounds like you and DH are established with this.

If body builders are consuming 1 gram of protein for their body weight, how are they making those ratios? Based on an enormous diet of other food?

BTW, I love your tag line! Fun! I'm looking forward to reaching 50 and getting back into my 30s!

Yes, 1g per lb of bodyweight is what I found too. But not more than that. 1g is like already for intense weight lifter! I read that 0.8g / lb is good. That's what I'm gonna use.

I just established my new diet. It's gonna be a CKD (cyclical ketogenic diet) . here's my plan :

during ketosis : 1100 cals / Monday thru saturday
33% protein (92g)
5% carbs (15g)
63% fat (74g)

during carb loading : 2200 cals / sunday
16% protein (86g)
71 % carbs (390g)
13% fat (33g)

Now I still have to figure out my workout plan, and try to make it as intensive and efficient as I can.

I am learning a lot from this website, and further research.

Is the CKD diet for a competition on one day? Marathoners carb load in preparation for a big race. Is the carb loading for a race of some kind?

How are you planning to use it? I do think the 1100 cal. in ketosis will definitely aid in weight loss and toning.

I'm devising a plan for two weeks to ditch a couple hundred calories (weight loss has stalled). I haven't figured out my ratios yet, but the carbs will be lower, like under 6 probably.

I think CKD's can be used for a lot of various reasons actually.

In my case, I decided to jump from basic induction to a CKD as I figured out it is IMPOSSIBLE physically to gain muscles without ANY carbs.

CKDs are a way to lose fat during the week as you're on ketosis, and replenish your glycogen stores on your carb up day (that you do right after a full body workout).

I had already tryied a CKD a few month ago and lost 7 pounds in 6 weeks. Went from 115 to 108 (which is hard you know, to lose fat when it's the last pounds to be really lean!).

+ I think psychologically it helps to have one day where you can eat oats meals, pasta, and rice and bread... even if it's controlled, it still breaks the monotony.

athena, can you tell me again your goal? fat loss? muscle gain? how many pounds to lose?

Marie:

I've always been a runner, so my initial goal was to drop weight so I felt better running, then add in more miles.

I think I started my monthly cycle, early, today. Maybe I should reserve freaking out about this not working.

I had a good 3 miler this AM.

Right now I'm wavering on 1190 calories and 26 carbs (including 1 cup of wild blueberries and 2 Tbsp. of PB!)

OR

1060 calories and 14 carbs

I'm thinking the 1190 calories and 26 carbs may looks healthier if I want to start focusing on running more.

What do you think? I could use some feedback right now.

Thanks.

Athena11 - How do you sustain your running on that low amount of calories and carbs? I don't run with regularity, but if I don't consume a higher percentage of carbs, I just "die" after a light jog! Also, I see better recovery after doing weights with much less soreness when the carbs are a bit higher. I'm not saying you should 'trash' Atkins, but your endurance could probably be improved if you played with your macros a bit.

I'm at 115 lbs. now and I am easily able to sustain my weight while consuming close to 1500 calories per day while doing 2 days cardio and 3 days weights. According to my figures, my BMR alone without any exercise equates to 1200 calories! By the time I add in my exercise, my calories top off at 1920!! Your calories by comparison look extremely low. Perhaps your body has just adjusted to the lowered amount. I found (after much trial and error) that it is extremely important to first match your input to your output and go down from there in order to sustain your muscle mass while losing weight.

I don't know a whole lot about the CKD plan, but I can tell you that with my sensitivity to carbs, loading up on one days worth of carbs at a 66% macro as Marie2006 suggests, would immediately send me on a carb bender. I guess I just perfer a more moderate approach. Are you considering the CKD plan as well?

Not very long distance. How far do you run? I used to run long distance, so this isn't very momentous for me.

So the macros are the different percentages for carbs, protein, and fat?

I'm considering modifying my amounts a bit. Before I started this venture though, I was either going to opt for a slow 2 lb. maximum weight loss plan with exercise, or a more aggressive approach. I'm glad I chose the latter, but now I'm stuck and need to push past the last pounds.

I'll probably drop the calories by about 200 (down to about 1250) and increase the carbs to about 25-28 and see what happens. I do like the higher protein consumption and weight training I've added. That aspect has been new to me.