[kwyckemynd00]

Okay, I was just going over a diet (another that I wont go through with *sigh*) and got to thinking...

Well, most people calculate macro ratios...that is, they will have a percentage of their total calories from each of the three major macronutrients. On top of that, many people eat different amounts of food on different days. For example, more cals on training days then non-training days, etc.

However, why do we need to vary things like fat and protein based off of our caloric increases? Protein and fat are not primary sources of energy (not so much dietary fat anyway), so why should we vary it?

What I'm saying is, should we just base our protein and fat intakes off of our LBM, and let carbs take care of the rest of the cal intake, and let it be the only macro that varies on a day to day basis.

For example, say I need 3200kcal to cut on workout days, and 2700 on non-workout days. I'll give my body .65g/kg of fat and 3.3g/kg of protein on both types of days. However, I'll vary the carbs.

So, no matter what day of the week it is, for protein and fat we'll have this:

100kg* 3.3g protein/kg = 330g protein
100kg* 0.65g fat/kg = 65g fat
That's a consistent 1905 calories day to day.

This would mean that I have different cal requirments left over from day to day, which can be filled with carbs. So, I would need 324g carbs on a training day and on a non-training day I'll need 198g carbs.

Makes sense to me, and it would actually make eating much easier for me. I hate changing fat and protein intake.

Insight appreciated.

[bpmartyr]

Not only is that a good idea, many people do just that and get great results from it. I am just too lazy to change calories based on activity so I just eat the same every day and hope by the end of the week it will all balance out.

[Rage (SoCal)]

Excellent idear. I'm going to give that some thought.

[kwyckemynd00]

Oh yeah, I just re-read and forgot to state something...hehe..basically, I meant to ask somewhere in there if there was a good reason for increasing fat and/or protein intake on workout days, rather than just timing the deliveryof those nutrients appropriately.

thx for the response bpmartyr...I knew it wasn't "original", I just wanted to discuss it a litle bit

[bpmartyr]

Originally Posted by kwyckemynd00

thx for the response bpmartyr...I knew it wasn't "original", I just wanted to discuss it a litle bit

I know bro, just gettin the discussion rollin.

[GTOman]

I'm working towards leaning out right now and I do exactly that, vary the carbs which also varies the calories depending on energy requirements. It works great, since the first of the year I've lost ~10 lbs. and from what I can tell it's all fat and I've had no plateaus. In my case it works out to 300g Protein, ~50g Fat, and 300g Carbs (W/O days), and 150g Carbs (Non-W/O days).

[CROWLER]

Originally Posted by bpmartyr

Not only is that a good idea, many people do just that and get great results from it. I am just too lazy to change calories based on activity so I just eat the same every day and hope by the end of the week it will all balance out.

Same here.


CROWLER

[Rage (SoCal)]

Originally Posted by kwyckemynd00

Oh yeah, I just re-read and forgot to state something...hehe..basically, I meant to ask somewhere in there if there was a good reason for increasing fat and/or protein intake on workout days, rather than just timing the deliveryof those nutrients appropriately.

thx for the response bpmartyr...I knew it wasn't "original", I just wanted to discuss it a litle bit

Well, I believe this would be a variable but in general I couldn't see a particular reason for it. I like your ideas behind carbs and their important role. Especially if one is not bulking, it may not be all that beneficial to rev up protein and fat on workout days.

It's always best to listen to your body though. But, yea...I think upping the carbs on workout days and other things constant isn't a bad way of doing things.

[jonny21]

Excellent topic. Although I am far from a nutrition guru I have often thought about this. I figure my needs daily depending on my LBM and my activity for the day (using MET's). I then add them for the week and divide by 7, spreading out the calories evenly. I have thought about changing up/down depending on the expenditure for the day. I have not done this because I started thinking that the actual day that my needs are increased is not the day I need the calories, but the 24-36 hour period after. I am not sure of the validity of my thinking but I do know most of the repletion and tissue repair occurs in that time range. IMO the day after a heavy exercise day is just as important as the day of even if that day is an off day from exercise.

Definitely going to follow this thread.

[kwyckemynd00]

Originally Posted by jonny21

I am not sure of the validity of my thinking but I do know most of the repletion and tissue repair occurs in that time range.

You could darn well be on in that regard. I know John Berardi does that with his diets. He doesn't change the kcal intake according to day, he just keeps it at maintenance level (with respect to workout days) and says the calorie surplus as a result of not working out a few days a week and keeping the same kcal intake will lead to gains. E.G. 4000kcal needed for maintenance cals (factoring in all daily expenditure), and 3200kcal on days where no workout take place. You workout 5x/wk and off 2, that would yield a 1600kcal surplus for the week.

That's where you were going with this right?

[jonny21]

Originally Posted by kwyckemynd00

That's where you were going with this right?

Yup, up/down depending on goals.

[Farmboy]

Originally Posted by kwyckemynd00

Oh yeah, I just re-read and forgot to state something...hehe..basically, I meant to ask somewhere in there if there was a good reason for increasing fat and/or protein intake on workout days, rather than just timing the deliveryof those nutrients appropriately.

thx for the response bpmartyr...I knew it wasn't "original", I just wanted to discuss it a litle bit

If I remember correctly. If too little proteins are consumed the body will break down muscle tissue for metabolic needs. Same applies if too many carbs are taken in and not enough protein.

[Rodja]

I generally only keep my protein intake the same throughout a diet. On training days my carbs are higher(300g) but on non-training days, my fat intake increases by about 10-15g from 45g to 55-60g. I usually increase the fats for satiety purposes but I also like to increase my EFAs because I generally do not feel as drained and to decrease any possible catabolism.

[Mulletsoldier]

I put on fat very easily with a higher carb split and conversely lean mass really easily as long as my protein remains my highest macro. I do the same as you with calories on rest days and such, protein fat basically stay the same but I limit carbs, I just cut out a cup of pasta when I don't train..I get pretty decent results using this method

[jmh80]

I can only offer that Bobo presented in a thread somewhere on here that it was benificial to change cals around.

I think his reasoning was that you require more cals on leg day than chest day, so why would you eat the same amount.

[Farmboy]

Originally Posted by jmh80

I can only offer that Bobo presented in a thread somewhere on here that it was benificial to change cals around.

I think his reasoning was that you require more cals on leg day than chest day, so why would you eat the same amount.

I remember that thread. He said" Eating the same thing everyday is pointless" The next day I changed my diet but slipped back into my old habits. Now that you remi