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40/40/20 Diet

Need help with some meal ideas for my diet

germanhinca
germanhinca g German Hincapie
3 Post(s)
3 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted

Hello everybody.

 

Recently I started a diet/mealplan that I hope will help me with to gain some lean muscle and lose some bodyfat. The Meal plan is the 40% prot. 40% Carbs and 20% fats. Right now I am designing my meals but I am having a little hard time finding ideas to fill the macro requirements. My idea is to eat 5 times a Day (three main meals and two in between main meals) and as I am working and studying at the same time, I would have to take my food with me to work.

 

My question to you guys is, Do you have any ideas and/or advices for me regarding meal plans, what foods to eat on each meal, how to divide my daly macros on each meal?.

 

Thanks in advance

 

PS: The only supplementation that i take is Whey Protein (WPI, WPC) to help me get my protein macros.

 

  1. Age  :   26
  2. Height:  160 cm (5'3'')
  3. Weight : 62 Kg (136 Lbs)
  4. Bodyfat % : 17% aprox
  5. Goal (Muscle Gain, fat Loss)
  6. How long you have been exercising : 6 to 7 moths
  7. Daily calories:  2410
  8. Daily macros in grams (protein, carbs, fat) :  191g, 191g, 43g (for a 1910 cal intake per day)
  9. Injuries or restrictions:  No
German Hincapie Bulking mode
Daniel_Meyer
Daniel_Meyer g Daniel Meyer
518 Post(s)
518 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: germanhinca

Hello everybody.

 

Recently I started a diet/mealplan that I hope will help me with to gain some lean muscle and lose some bodyfat. The Meal plan is the 40% prot. 40% Carbs and 20% fats. Right now I am designing my meals but I am having a little hard time finding ideas to fill the macro requirements. My idea is to eat 5 times a Day (three main meals and two in between main meals) and as I am working and studying at the same time, I would have to take my food with me to work.

 

My question to you guys is, Do you have any ideas and/or advices for me regarding meal plans, what foods to eat on each meal, how to divide my daly macros on each meal?.

 

Thanks in advance

 

PS: The only supplementation that i take is Whey Protein (WPI, WPC) to help me get my protein macros.

 

  1. Age  :   26
  2. Height:  160 cm (5'3'')
  3. Weight : 62 Kg (136 Lbs)
  4. Bodyfat % : 17% aprox
  5. Goal (Muscle Gain, fat Loss)
  6. How long you have been exercising : 6 to 7 moths
  7. Daily calories:  2410
  8. Daily macros in grams (protein, carbs, fat) :  191g, 191g, 43g (for a 1910 cal intake per day)
  9. Injuries or restrictions:  No

If it was me I would switch around your ratios to 40% protein, 40% fat and 20% carb. This would result in a greater fat loss with the same muscle gains. This split will also help you to meet your calorie requirements as you can include more fats. The fats you want to increase are your monounsaturates and MCTs. Examples of these are avacados, salmon, coconut oil, tuna, mackerel etc. I like to get a high protein and fat meal in for my breakfast with no carbs then try to get my majority of carbs post workout. This approach optimises hormonal levels for muscle building and fat loss.

Sport Rehabilitation BSc GSR Sport Rehabilitator and S&C coach at Boston United FC Super Hermanite Twitter: Daniel_Meyer99
jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Daniel_Meyer

If it was me I would switch around your ratios to 40% protein, 40% fat and 20% carb. This would result in a greater fat loss with the same muscle gains. This split will also help you to meet your calorie requirements as you can include more fats. The fats you want to increase are your monounsaturates and MCTs. Examples of these are avacados, salmon, coconut oil, tuna, mackerel etc. I like to get a high protein and fat meal in for my breakfast with no carbs then try to get my majority of carbs post workout. This approach optimises hormonal levels for muscle building and fat loss.

Totally agree with Daniel.  However, I like to spread my Carbs out throughout the day.  I do "cycle " my carbs a bit.  For example, I don't eat carbs with dinner on non-workout days - so (4) workout days a week I have carbs with dinner and (3) rest days a week I do not.  I eat a ton of fish (Salmon, Tuna) and I use Extra Virgin Coconut Oil mixed in with my rice or vegetables and I cook with olive oil.  Egg yolks are also a good source of essential fats and I eat 3 every day.  

 

You don't want to drop your carbs too low (I would not go under 100 grams) or your body will go into starvation mode and slow your metabolism down.  MCT fats like Coconut Oil get converted to energy in the liver like carbs so they can be used as an alternative fuel source.  You only need 1 or 2 tablespoons a day.  I would change your macros to 191g P, 120g C, and 100g F for a total of 2144 calories.  Doing a 0 carb/high fat Ketogenic diet is very hard and is best used right before a show to get extra ripped.  

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
germanhinca
germanhinca g German Hincapie
3 Post(s)
3 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted

Daniel, Jmboiardi thank you very much for your help. I did not know about the differences between MCT and LCT fats untill now that you mention them, thanks I am learninig very much. I knew about the 0/carb diet and I have read how hard and extreme it is for the body that is why I decided to do it slowly and also because I want to make "eating clean" a habit and a life style and not a one time thing.

 

I was actually thinking about cycling my carbs and not spreading them evenly over the 5 or 6 meals of the day but I was reading about taking advantage of the Catabolic - Anabolic metabolic pathways and how to take advantages of them when it comes to nutrition. However I am still a little bit  confused about when they happen, why they happen and what exactly happends during each pathway. I guess I will just keep reading =).

 

Thank you both again =)

German Hincapie Bulking mode
Daniel_Meyer
Daniel_Meyer g Daniel Meyer
518 Post(s)
518 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: germanhinca

Daniel, Jmboiardi thank you very much for your help. I did not know about the differences between MCT and LCT fats untill now that you mention them, thanks I am learninig very much. I knew about the 0/carb diet and I have read how hard and extreme it is for the body that is why I decided to do it slowly and also because I want to make "eating clean" a habit and a life style and not a one time thing.

 

I was actually thinking about cycling my carbs and not spreading them evenly over the 5 or 6 meals of the day but I was reading about taking advantage of the Catabolic - Anabolic metabolic pathways and how to take advantages of them when it comes to nutrition. However I am still a little bit  confused about when they happen, why they happen and what exactly happends during each pathway. I guess I will just keep reading =).

 

Thank you both again =)

Well carb cycling by definition is having high carb days then low carb days and this can be beneficial for cutting purposes however I have never found it beneficial for me.

The metabolic pathways you are referring to relate to nutritional and exercise impact on hormones. When you exercise you create a catabolic response which relates to molecular breakdown and energy loss such as the decrease of muscle mass. Nutrition therefore impacts on this catabolic process reverting it to an anabolic process. The main way in which this is done is by an insulin response. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that is used to shuttle nutrients (glucose, amino acids and blood fats) into muscle and fat cells. When you eat food insulin is elevated. In terms of muscle growth this means that nutrients will be shuttled into the muscle cells which will be used to repair the muscle causing growth. However, nutrients will also be shuttled into the fat cells which will create an increase in body fat percentage. As bodybuilders we want to increase the shuttle of nutrients into muscle cells but not so much fat cells. This can be done by manipulating insulin known as increasing insulin sensitivity. Here are some methods of increasing insulin senitivity:

  • Exercise - more specifically resistance training
  • Increase your intake of omega 3
  • Limit your carbohydrate intake to low or medium levels. I suggest a 20% carbohydrate intake focusing on mainly fibrous carbs 

To maintain a high insulin sensitivty we only want to excessively stimulate insulin in certains periods throughout the day as chronic elevation can decrease insulin sensitivity. In a practical application this would mean consuming the majority of your carbs post workout with protein and fat as this will create an insulin response which will be more encourged to shuttle to nutrients into the muscle cells to encourage muscle growth.

 

Working alongside the insulin response are other anabolic pathways. The mTOR pathway relates to the activation of muscle protein synthesis. A way in which to enhance the effects of the mTOR is to consume leucine post workout. Leucine stimulates receptors which enables the mTOR pathway causing protein synthesis. We can make further use of consuming leucine by adding into our post workout shake. This will mean that the insulin response will be high which will encourage all the lecuine to be shuttled into the muscle cells which will further encourage protein systhesis.

 

This is how I take advantage of these anabolic pathways in my post workout shake:

  • 45g of whey protein
  • 50g of maltodextrin
  • 5g of leucine
  • 5g nutrigreens

I hope this helps! The science is pretty confusing but the practical applications are quite simple :)

 

Sport Rehabilitation BSc GSR Sport Rehabilitator and S&C coach at Boston United FC Super Hermanite Twitter: Daniel_Meyer99
germanhinca
germanhinca g German Hincapie
3 Post(s)
3 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted

wow thanks daniel, it actually solved most of the doubts I had regarding this metabolic path ways. I did not know much about the roll of the insulin hormone in the organism, I guess that is why it is recomended to eat several times a day (between 5 to 6) instead of eating 3 huge meals?

 

thaks again. I will keep reading about it :)

German Hincapie Bulking mode
Daniel_Meyer
Daniel_Meyer g Daniel Meyer
518 Post(s)
518 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: germanhinca

wow thanks daniel, it actually solved most of the doubts I had regarding this metabolic path ways. I did not know much about the roll of the insulin hormone in the organism, I guess that is why it is recomended to eat several times a day (between 5 to 6) instead of eating 3 huge meals?

 

thaks again. I will keep reading about it :)

Well the 5 - 6 meals a day protocol was used to keep metabolism elevated so you burn more calories however, we now know that it has no such effect and the amount of meals you eat is irrelevant as long as you get your macronutrient intake for your day. I think the most important thing to take away here is how carbs can be used as a tool to grow or how they can be detrimental to your composition. One thing you need to maintain is a high protein intake (1.5g per lb of bodyweight) as this will create growth. You then play around with your fat and carb intake to fill your macros. If you take in x amount of carbs and you notice you are putting on fat then its a good idea to decrease this number and up your fat intake. For example when I need to lean up I stay low carb (150g max) and then high protein with moderate/high fat. Now I'm looking to build muscle I have added in a few more carbs as hopefully my insulin sensitivty has improved therefore I will gain more muscle and not put on fat. You need to play around with the macro numbers and see how you respond; one protocol will not fit everyone!

Sport Rehabilitation BSc GSR Sport Rehabilitator and S&C coach at Boston United FC Super Hermanite Twitter: Daniel_Meyer99
Mds5150
Mds5150 g Matt Smith
21 Post(s)
21 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: September 9, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Daniel_Meyer

Well the 5 - 6 meals a day protocol was used to keep metabolism elevated so you burn more calories however, we now know that it has no such effect and the amount of meals you eat is irrelevant as long as you get your macronutrient intake for your day. I think the most important thing to take away here is how carbs can be used as a tool to grow or how they can be detrimental to your composition. One thing you need to maintain is a high protein intake (1.5g per lb of bodyweight) as this will create growth. You then play around with your fat and carb intake to fill your macros. If you take in x amount of carbs and you notice you are putting on fat then its a good idea to decrease this number and up your fat intake. For example when I need to lean up I stay low carb (150g max) and then high protein with moderate/high fat. Now I'm looking to build muscle I have added in a few more carbs as hopefully my insulin sensitivty has improved therefore I will gain more muscle and not put on fat. You need to play around with the macro numbers and see how you respond; one protocol will not fit everyone!

I've spent most of this afternoon fine tuning my macros for lean muscle growth. I wish I had read this forum post first. Thanks for your info even if it wasn'to my post :)

Abaas
Abaas g ahmed abas
108 Post(s)
108 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: April 4, 2015
Posted
Posted By: Daniel_Meyer

Well the 5 - 6 meals a day protocol was used to keep metabolism elevated so you burn more calories however, we now know that it has no such effect and the amount of meals you eat is irrelevant as long as you get your macronutrient intake for your day. I think the most important thing to take away here is how carbs can be used as a tool to grow or how they can be detrimental to your composition. One thing you need to maintain is a high protein intake (1.5g per lb of bodyweight) as this will create growth. You then play around with your fat and carb intake to fill your macros. If you take in x amount of carbs and you notice you are putting on fat then its a good idea to decrease this number and up your fat intake. For example when I need to lean up I stay low carb (150g max) and then high protein with moderate/high fat. Now I'm looking to build muscle I have added in a few more carbs as hopefully my insulin sensitivty has improved therefore I will gain more muscle and not put on fat. You need to play around with the macro numbers and see how you respond; one protocol will not fit everyone!

Hi daniel i just want your help when i tried to eat low carb 100-150gm carn and raise my fat 50-60 gm fat i felt myself with low energy lvl and always hungry although i eat alot of protein 200-230 gm protein

 

Iam 22 years 182 cm in height 88kg with 14%BF currently i train 4 days aweek with 3 days 15-20 min HIIT cardio

 

So what u suggest for my diet and workout as im trying to lean and get my abs show

 

 

 

 

 

nancy001
nancy001 g nancy lee
1 Post(s)
1 Post(s) Gender: Female Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2019
Posted

For those unaware, the GM Diet plan does have amazing benefits in helping you lose weight in a healthy way by consuming a balanced diet, keeping up the hydration levels and even indulging in some exercises throughout the day.

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