Thread: Calories/Carbs/Protein/Fat

Different for pretty much everyone.

Usually (when i actually stick to my diet) i go for around 40% P, 30% C, 30% F.

But that's just me.

Originally Posted by Tough Old Man

I have found out that even at 270Lbs I only need 4000 calories to bulk. Can someone tell me what the correct ratio is for carbs,protein and fat. Is it 40% carbs/ 40% protein and 20% good fat.

a 40/40/20 is pretty much the old standby macros for bulking. however I don't think a lot of people actually need 40% carbs especially if they are not that active outside of the gym. I personally don't really like carbs and would rather increase my fats so I have to eat less of them...My range goes from isocaloric @ 33/33/33 to 40/30/30...

lam wouldn't that put a lot of excess baggage around the waist which i don't need

Only if your calories are overly excessive.

do you feel that 4000 cal's a day for someone 270 lbs and worksout 5 days a week and does cardio for 20 min's is excessive.

Originally Posted by Tough Old Man

do you feel that 4000 cal's a day for someone 270 lbs and worksout 5 days a week and does cardio for 20 min's is excessive.

all depends...4K cals is actually on the low side for a lot of people especially a 270 lber. I grow on 3500 cals at 240 lbs but there are guys here that are 160 lbs and need almost 4k cals to grow...

I am very anal these days about weight gain as keeping lean is more important to me now. so I take it slow and steady with small increases in my caloric intake...

Originally Posted by Tough Old Man

do you feel that 4000 cal's a day for someone 270 lbs and worksout 5 days a week and does cardio for 20 min's is excessive.

This is really hard to say - the amount of calories an individual needs is highly variable! It will depend on your lean mass (being 270 lb means squat if 200 of those pounds are pudge ), your exercise intensity (both cardio and weights), your other daily activities (do you sit all day?), genetics (some people have higher natural Non-exercise related thermogenesis levels - or NEAT) and lots of other things...

Best way to gauge how many calories you will need is to either:

1. The simple way: Take what you are eating now and slowly add calories until you start gaining at an acceptable rate

2. Use rough 'energy calculations' to give you a guestimation of your energy requirements... then start at that level and adjust as you see fit.

To do this your Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) can be found by using this rough formula -
Find your weight in Kg (pounds/2.2)
Find your fat mass (this is = Weight x [BF%/100])
Calculate your Fat-free mass in Kg (This is weight - fat mass)

Then - REE = (21.5 x Fat Free Mass) + 410

This is the energy you require just to 'exist'. So to that you need to roughly calculate the energy you expend in your daily activities...

To do this you use a general 'multiplier' which is -
x 1.2 = if you are bed ridden
x 1.3 to 1.4 = light activity during the day
x 1.5 to 1.6 = Moderate activity during the day
x 1.7 to 1.8 = High activity during the day
x 1.9 to 2.0 = Extremely active

Most people who work out frequently (as you do) fall somewhere between 1.5 to 1.7-ish ... you only really hit higher figures if you are doing LOTS of work (eg: full time althete type stuff).

Then, add on your dietry TEF (the thermogenic effects of eating, digesting and utilising your foods)... This is ~ (0.1 x REE) in most 'average diets' and up (0.2 x REE) in very high protein and high fibre diets (they are more thermogenic)...

So your maintainence intake should be: (REE X activity factor) + TEF

To add mass you want to increase your cals from there.



As for ratio's - I don't really like the 'ratio' method... This method does not really make sure you are getting your required macronutrients as it relys on your calorie content for measurements (eg: it can leave you deficient in some things if cals are too low, or give you a huge surplus of things if cals are too high).

I generally go by weight to calculate things -
* Protein at about 1.5g/pound = 405g for you
* Fat at a MINIMUM of 0.3g/pound (although 0.4g is better) = at least 80g for you, with 110g a better figure...

That gives you 1600 cals from protein and 720 - 990 cals from fat (depending)... Which is roughly 2300 - 2600 cals...

Carbs are then your variable - some people like higher carbs, others like lower carbs.... As you are trying to bulk, more carbs will give you an anabolic advantage. I would go for at least 1.5g/pound (so 405g, or 1600 cals).

This will give you an intake of:
405g protein = 1600 cals
405g carbs = 1600 cals
Say, 90g fat = 810 cals
TOTAL ~ 4000 cals, which in this case gives you 40:40:20 anyway.

Crikey, you got plenty time for people dont'cha, Emma-Leigh?