[srx600]

I have seen most of the nutrient ratios that you guys eat and I really don't understand them. The body's primary source of energy is carbs and everyone's carb intake is way low. Your body can only use so much protein for you LBM and is an inefficient energy source. I am talking if you are not on anabolics. I am an endomorph and tried 40/40/20 and couldn't really gain much muscle on a bulk. I bumped up the carbs to 45% and ran a 45/35/20 and am having better results. How are you guys getting great gains without many carbs? I really can't seem to do it. I upped the carbs and am not as lean, but I am actually gaining more muscle now and have better overall energy and wellbeing.

[Gutterpump]

By upping your carbs, have you increased overall calories? This could be why. Also, your body can be using carbs more for energy, allowing more efficient use for your protein to build muscle. Some people even go higher on the carbs than you've gone, with great results. It's all up to the individual but I think 40/40/20 is a good reference point.

[srx600]

I weigh 185lbs and I was taking in like 275+grams of protein and I dropped the protein to 250g and upped the carbs to make up the difference.

[Nitrox]

Originally Posted by srx600

I have seen most of the nutrient ratios that you guys eat and I really don't understand them. The body's primary source of energy is carbs and everyone's carb intake is way low. Your body can only use so much protein for you LBM and is an inefficient energy source. I am talking if you are not on anabolics. I am an endomorph and tried 40/40/20 and couldn't really gain much muscle on a bulk. I bumped up the carbs to 45% and ran a 45/35/20 and am having better results. How are you guys getting great gains without many carbs? I really can't seem to do it. I upped the carbs and am not as lean, but I am actually gaining more muscle now and have better overall energy and wellbeing.

Carbs aren't necessarily the body's primary source of energy, that is more of diet situation. However you could call carbs the body's preferred fuel since it can be used all intensity levels whereas fat and protein are not that great at high activity levels.

If you could not gain weight on your previous diet then your body was not seeing enough available energy. As you said protein is inefficient - about 25% of it is lost to conversion. By decreasing your protein and upping your carbs you effectively increased available energy by subbing a more efficient energy source for another.

Alternatively you could have kept your macros the same and simply upped your total calories to make up for the protein inefficiency.

Macro ratios will have some impact on what kinda of gains/losses that you will make but overall energy balance is by far the most important factor. You cannot gain weight (not counting water) if you have a net energy deficient and you will not lose if you have a net surplus.

[ReaperX]

I am an Endomorph as well and about as endo as you can get. Here's my ratios:

p/c/f

Bulk: 45/45/15
Maint: 40/40/20
Cut: 45/30/25