Best nutritional breakdown for a woman.

[Audio8]

Ok, don't flame me for this people. I'm asking on behalf of a friend, but these questions don't require her to sign up and ask for herself. I will provide all the relevant info you need. If there is more that I cannot provide, then I will ask her to sign up to EF.

Anyway, my friend (a woman) is now kinda in the process of structuring her diet. She already eats pretty clean, but she doesn't know much about the carb/protien/fat breakdown, or where her maintainence cals are at. I know what's good for a guy, but not for a woman. So how would the nutritional breakdown look for a woman trying to drop fat. She trains (cardio and weights) for atleast an hour every day. Also, what would you estimate her maintainence cals to be. I know it's hard to tell without experimenting with it for yourself, but there must be a general guidline to follow for a woman. Like what, 1500 cals or something?

Stats:
-5' 7"
-145
-estimated 15-20% BF (she doesn't know)

Goals:
-to drop some fat and stay lean on an easy diet. Not any hardcore keto shit or anything.

Main Questions:
1. what is a good protien/carb/fat breakdown for a woman
2. What would be her maintainence cals (roughly)
3. How far below her maintainence should she eat

thanks ladies.
God bless

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

40% carbs/40% protein/20% fat is a good diet.

You will hear different formulas for calories, but what the one I've been hearing most often is 10 to 12 times bodyweight (lbs) for fat loss. Stick to the higher number to prevent muscle loss.

 

[Audio8]

awsome...thanks...though she's not as strict with her diet and training as you are spatterson, but i'll forward what you said to her.

anyone else have any input? Does the 40/40/20 and the 10-12X bodyweight in cals look ok for a basis?

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

Look out, Spatts just provided the form letter. But as I like to say sometimes, its trite for a reason!

 

[Gladiola]

-to drop some fat and stay lean on an easy diet. Not any hardcore keto shit or anything.

If she doesn't want to do anything too hard core, challenging, or time consuming & difficult to follow, then definitely forget carb rotation IMO!
Maintenance cals: age is a factor. Additionally what's her day job like - how active is she the 23 hours she's not in the gym?

Maintenance cals:
Personally I'm age 24, sit at a desk days (running around a lot except those 8 hours tho), 138 lbs at 5'4". Based on 1.5 years of monitoring my caloric intake - I estimate my maintenance at 1,600 - 1,800 on a day I do NOT exercise, ONE workout of cardio or weights I up to at least 2,000. I aim more like 2,200 if I'm wanting to increase lean mass.

If she wants to lose bf, I don't think she should eat *under* maintenance AT ALL! Her best bet would be to totally eliminate refined sugar & other processed hi-GI foods (pasta, bagels), & if need be, cut back on fruit - but still eat the maintenance # of cals. If that still doesn't yield results, cut back from the maintenance cals by 200 or so - don't go too low & have the metabolism slow!

I agree with 40P-40C-20F with maybe a touch more F some days (40/35/25). I find it easier to resist having my sweets if I can 'indulge' in nuts, sunflower seeds, & peanut butter.
Regarding how to track that - I highly recommend fitday.com. Although she should check up on it to be sure the info is right (i.e. my whole grain bread is 100 cal per slice, but they list bread as 75 - so I just enter 1.25 slices & then the amount of carbs is also correct).

 

[Audio8]

Re: Re: Best nutritional breakdown for a woman.

Maintenance cals: age is a factor. Additionally what's her day job like - how active is she the 23 hours she's not in the gym?

she is 20 yrs old, and very active. She is definately not the couch potato. She's always going somewhere or doing something, whether it be working, school, going to the salon, or getting waxed.

If she wants to lose bf, I don't think she should eat *under* maintenance AT ALL! Her best bet would be to totally eliminate refined sugar & other processed hi-GI foods (pasta, bagels), & if need be, cut back on fruit - but still eat the maintenance # of cals. If that still doesn't yield results, cut back from the maintenance cals by 200 or so - don't go too low & have the metabolism slow!

hi GI foods....got it.

I agree with 40P-40C-20F with maybe a touch more F some days (40/35/25). I find it easier to resist having my sweets if I can 'indulge' in nuts, sunflower seeds, & peanut butter.
Regarding how to track that - I highly recommend fitday.com. Although she should check up on it to be sure the info is right (i.e. my whole grain bread is 100 cal per slice, but they list bread as 75 - so I just enter 1.25 slices & then the amount of carbs is also correct).

I just signed up on fitday.com yesturday. I had everything all listed and saved, then I go to sign back in and everything was gone. Pissed me off considering i spent like 2 hours just typing in my daily intake.
But yeah, she just signed up on it too. hopefully her list won't crash like mine did.

 

[Gladiola]

What the hell does carb rotating have to do with a difficult and strict diet?

Hon, I think you forget how lazy the general public is Seriously, just telling ppl I count calories has their eyes popping out of their heads - no BS - & this is ppl who are taking fitness classes. Ppl don't want to put forth effort, they don't want to think & they certainly don't want to put time & energy into something that requires attention to detail & keeping track.

The general guidline of eating more carbs on days you exercise & fewer on days you don't is a great idea - but to assign guidelines based on bodyweight & run all the calculations would make most ppl run screaming from a diet plan. Ppl want an easy way out. They really do not want to think.

Think how motivated, dedicated, & meticulous you are with 'making the #'s. Now think the average person doesn't have that motivation that's in your little finger.. no wait, less than would fit on the finger nail of your little finger..... now you got the image.

I probably shouldn't be quite so negative about human nature, I know it's not good to be. BUT - for someone just starting to eat healthy, may as well start slower with something you can handle & if someone specifically states they want something easy, definitely make it more simple.