Setting up Macros for cutting

[George Pintilie]

There’s obviously a billion ways to do this. Wanted to see how you personally find your BMR and how you would begin a cut with optimal macro breakdown and how you adjust for optimal results.

[Joe]

I keep it simple. Depending how hard I’m training I set protein first at about 1.2g/lb body weight. (That’s if I’m training hard – which I always am ????)

then generally set fat at a minimum “healthy range” (there isn’t TOO much exact science on this) but I like .35-.4g/lb body weight. (As prep goes on, and I’m not at a point I can grow anymore, I generally take fat up a bit, and carbs down)

and carbs I just guesstimate based on where they’ve been off season. Honestly doesn’t matter at all – I just see what happens the first week and adjust from there. For me it’s generally around 400-500g. If I’m fat, a little less, and if I’m lean, a little more.

and honestly, that’s it. Like I’ve said, most people over think it. If your tracking perfectly, and measuring progress at least weekly, just pick a point and adjust as needed

[Spence]

When setting protein at 1.2g/lb of bw, would this be total daily macro intake accounting for grams of protein that come from all food sources (rice oats pasta etc)?
Or would you recommend hitting your 1.2g protein requirement from animal/complete protein sources and not tracking the protein from carb sources.
I usually go for total daily macros, but notice as carbs increase a little less of my protein intake is from animal / complete proteins.

[Joe]

Spence wrote:

When setting protein at 1.2g/lb of bw, would this be total daily macro intake accounting for grams of protein that come from all food sources (rice oats pasta etc)?
Or would you recommend hitting your 1.2g protein requirement from animal/complete protein sources and not tracking the protein from carb sources.
I usually go for total daily macros, but notice as carbs increase a little less of my protein intake is from animal / complete proteins.

Personally, I exclude “trace” amounts of protein from carb/fat sources. At then end of the day it’s arbitrary. Pick a method and stick with it. I would argue you would need months of structured tracking to even determine which protein amounts produced better results. (Of lets day 1g vs 1.2g/on BW – just as an example)

[Anonymous]

George Pintilie wrote:

There’s obviously a billion ways to do this. Wanted to see how you personally find your BMR and how you would begin a cut with optimal macro breakdown and how you adjust for optimal results.

If you have never figured out your maintenance calories a pretty good way to estimate this is to use the famous Harris-Benedict formula. Just google that and you’ll probably find plenty of websites with calculators or you might just do it by yourself using the given figures.

In case you don’t like maths (like myself :)) you could just basically keep a log of what you eat and based on how your weight progress make the adjustments accordingly.

[Sandy Sutherland]

Hi Joe,

If the goal is fat loss, would you expect there to be any effects (adverse or otherwise) if carb intake is lower than what is generally recommended? E.g. three quarters of what your diet planner recommends for shred (decrease 10%).

Likewise for calorie deficit, if this is on the higher side (say 750 cal deficit), would there be any effects on fat loss? If so, what would you expect them to be?

Many thanks.

[Joe]

Sandy Sutherland wrote:

Hi Joe,

If the goal is fat loss, would you expect there to be any effects (adverse or otherwise) if carb intake is lower than what is generally recommended? E.g. three quarters of what your diet planner recommends for shred (decrease 10%).

Likewise for calorie deficit, if this is on the higher side (say 750 cal deficit), would there be any effects on fat loss? If so, what would you expect them to be?

Many thanks.

No, even though I try to use the best, most evidence based, macro calculators, they are still not perfect for everyone. Just guideline. Absolutely find the place best for you.

[Sandy Sutherland]

Joe wrote:

[quote quote=16519]Hi Joe,

If the goal is fat loss, would you expect there to be any effects (adverse or otherwise) if carb intake is lower than what is generally recommended? E.g. three quarters of what your diet planner recommends for shred (decrease 10%).

Likewise for calorie deficit, if this is on the higher side (say 750 cal deficit), would there be any effects on fat loss? If so, what would you expect them to be?

Many thanks.

No, even though I try to use the best, most evidence based, macro calculators, they are still not perfect for everyone. Just guideline. Absolutely find the place best for you. [/quote]

Thank you. Could lower carb intake/too high calorie deficit etc. be a reason for minimal/lack of significant fat loss? Or if I am definitely in a deficit, what could be limiting/prohibiting fat loss?

[JayA]

For individuals like myself who are in the 280lb range, would our protein intake be per lb BW or lean mass?

[Joe]

JayA wrote:

For individuals like myself who are in the 280lb range, would our protein intake be per lb BW or lean mass?

If you’re going by lean mass, you can calculate 1-1.2g per lean mass

[Joe]

Sandy Sutherland wrote:

[quote quote=16520][quote quote=16519]Hi Joe,

If the goal is fat loss, would you expect there to be any effects (adverse or otherwise) if carb intake is lower than what is generally recommended? E.g. three quarters of what your diet planner recommends for shred (decrease 10%).

Likewise for calorie deficit, if this is on the higher side (say 750 cal deficit), would there be any effects on fat loss? If so, what would you expect them to be?

Many thanks.

No, even though I try to use the best, most evidence based, macro calculators, they are still not perfect for everyone. Just guideline. Absolutely find the place best for you. [/quote]

Thank you. Could lower carb intake/too high calorie deficit etc. be a reason for minimal/lack of significant fat loss? Or if I am definitely in a deficit, what could be limiting/prohibiting fat loss? [/quote]
Depends on current training, recovery demands, bloodwork/hormones. In and of itself, no.

[Robert Snair]

Hi Joe, I am a relative beginner and have only been training for a little more then a year.  When I started this journey, I was 317lbs and 45% body fat.  Fast forward, I am 230lbs and 25-30% body fat.  I was using a full body split, but recently changed to and upper, lower split for all the reasons you mentioned in your videos.  I have put on around 15lbs of lean muscle mass.  When I started, I was eating 2150 calories.  At present I am eating 1835 Calories, 161G of protein, 184 carbs, and 51 fats.  I have been loosing on average 2 pounds a week over the past 3 months.  Given everything I have been reading about fat loss and muscle retention, I have not changed things as 2lbs a week is in the acceptable range for my size and body fat percentage.   My recovery is fine, I try to do all the correct things, in terms of meal timing, sleep, stress control, water intake etc…  I recently took a one week cutting break and raised  my calories to my TDEE.  I did not gain any weight through the week, but my body fat dropped.  I took this as confirmation that at present my calories were where I needed them to be.

 

Looking for any suggestions around my macros and my fat loss journey.  I suspect as I get leaner and I build some muscle (hopefully), I will need to increase calories and macros.

Sorry for the long question

Thanks

Robert S

[Joe]

Robert Snair wrote:

Hi Joe, I am a relative beginner and have only been training for a little more then a year.  When I started this journey, I was 317lbs and 45% body fat.  Fast forward, I am 230lbs and 25-30% body fat.  I was using a full body split, but recently changed to and upper, lower split for all the reasons you mentioned in your videos.  I have put on around 15lbs of lean muscle mass.  When I started, I was eating 2150 calories.  At present I am eating 1835 Calories, 161G of protein, 184 carbs, and 51 fats.  I have been loosing on average 2 pounds a week over the past 3 months.  Given everything I have been reading about fat loss and muscle retention, I have not changed things as 2lbs a week is in the acceptable range for my size and body fat percentage.   My recovery is fine, I try to do all the correct things, in terms of meal timing, sleep, stress control, water intake etc…  I recently took a one week cutting break and raised  my calories to my TDEE.  I did not gain any weight through the week, but my body fat dropped.  I took this as confirmation that at present my calories were where I needed them to be.

 

Looking for any suggestions around my macros and my fat loss journey.  I suspect as I get leaner and I build some muscle (hopefully), I will need to increase calories and macros.

Sorry for the long question

Thanks

Robert S

Maaaan! Amazing work. My advice right now is to keep doing what you’re doing. What “works best” for nutrition, is always found by people who actually, accurately track their food. Stay patient, keep busting your ass, and any questions, let me know!

[Author]

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