Macronutrient Ratio

Once you have determined your most favorable daily caloric intake for weight gain, the next step is to break up these calories into the right ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat and consume foods...

Once you have determined your most favorable daily caloric intake for weight gain, the next step is to break up these calories into the right ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat and consume foods in the proper combinations at every meal.

Ideal ratio

The perfect macronutrient ratios for weight gain are 30% protein, 55% carbohydrates and 15 % fat. While carbohydrates may have to to be reduced on a maximum fat loss program, if you want to gain muscular bodyweight, then natural, unrefined complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk, or approximately 2/3 of your calories at every meal. Complex carbohydrates are your body’s favored energy source. A fairly high carbohydrate intake is vital to maintain high energy levels for hard training. Carbohydrates are also protein sparing; they put a stop to the breakdown of lean muscle mass for use as energy. Carbohydrates are not fattening as long as you select natural, unrefined complex carbohydrates over processed, simple sugars. One-third of your total daily calories or around 30% should come from protein. Disregard the fact about the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA’s) of 12-15% of daily calories from protein. The RDA’s do not account for increased requirements for strong training and muscular weight gain. It is only a nominal standard for maintaining health, not for achieving optimal performance, strength and growth. A 15% protein diet may be enough for a normal man, but it is completely inadequate for someone who is training hard. Fats should almost always be kept below 20% of total daily calories, with the ideal amount being about 15%. There is no reason to ever go on a high fat diet just for gaining weight. Excess fat in the diet is easily stored as body fat and also increases possibility of cardiovascular diseases. All fats are not bad. Attempting to eliminate all fat from your diet can actually slow down muscle growth, decrease strength and decrease energy levels. A low-fat diet is much better for growth than a non-fat diet.

To know that you’re getting your calories in these ratios, the most exact way to measure nutrient ratios is to follow a menu generated by a computer spreadsheet. However, you can easily put into a table your macronutrient ratios with a calculator and a simple formula. Take your total caloric consumption for the day and multiply it by the desired percentage of each macronutrient. Then, divide the calories from each macronutrient by the calories content of all.

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