The Best Macro Ratios For A Lean & Muscular Physique
In this post, I want to talk about the best macronutrient ratios to promote a high functioning, lean and muscular physique. Now interestingly enough, in the fitness industry, the common theme is to single out and demonize fats or carbs.
Yet, this completely overlooks the importance of both of these macronutrients in supporting health, training, dietary adherence and hormonal functioning. Not only is cutting out either fats or carbs, unenjoyable and unsatisfying. It also has negative consequences.
In fact, the research is clear that both fats and carbs play an insurmountable role in hormonal functioning. Go low in fats, testosterone drops. Go low in carbs, testosterone drops.
The Best Nutrition Protocol
The best protocol is to include a solid balance of fats and carbs, while hitting your bodies protein needs. Now interestingly enough, our protein needs are not as high as most people would have you believe.
Most of the research points to 0.82g of protein per pound of bodyweight (1.8-2g per kg of bw), as being the absolute maximum needed to support muscle growth and muscle retention on a diet.
When I stopped going high in protein, when I stopped trying to cut out carbs… Finally I seemed to lean down, so much easier. Sticking to the diet was way more enjoyable… And my testosterone levels shot through the roof.
Many people believe it’s unrealistic to maintain high testosterone levels at a low body fat. Well interestingly enough, I maintain around 6-7% body fat, and my testosterone levels are quite high.
Balanced Meals for a Great Physique
In Kino Chef, I deliberately emphasized meals and recipes that had a solid balance of fats and carbs while providing sufficient protein.
This is the strategy that has allowed me to hit a very solid condition with ease, and while maintaining absolute satisfaction and a healthy sex drive to boot.
In the past, low fat or low carb diet plans absolutely made me miserable, in more ways than one! I’m super proud of the recipes in Kino Chef and how it all came together.
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Hey Greg,
For a long time I was a very fat kid, but eventually I decided that life wasnt for me. So to lose the weight I went on a good diet and did a lot of cardio and ended up working my way to marathons and lost the weight. Then I got into lifting weights and put on a bit of muscle while staying pretty lean, im somewhere in between 6-8 percent bod fat. However I still have never been able to get rid of the little bit of skin at the bottom of my stomach. I am 5 foot 3 inches and 133 lbs, I really like the weight I am at as I think it provides me with a good amount of muscle but I still do not see that great definition in my abs. Do i need to get more lean? Or what do I need to do here?
P.S I am starting intermittent fasting today
It’s not about what weight you like. It’s about how you like to look. you need to lean down more.
Hey Greg,
I am around 200 lbs and using Aggressive Fat Loss program. I have calculated that my protein intake should be 0.82 x 200 = 164 grams of protein. How do I divide up my carbs and fat macros?
Jason
Hey Greg,
I am around 200 lbs and using Aggressive Fat Loss program. I have calculated that my protein intake should be 0.82 x 200 = 164 grams of protein. How do I divided my carbs and fat macros?
Jason
email me at greg@kinobody.com
Hey Greg!,
So I am 18 years old, have around 20% bf, and have been working out 3x week (5×5 strength training, 6 exercises total, body splits (chest tris, back bis, and then 3rd day legs shoulders), eating in a caloric deficit, having coffee in the morning, and counting macros( 200g carbs, 120 prot, 60 fat) and cals (2050 to maintain but I am eating at 1700-1800 cals a day) but I cannot seem to be losing weight or inches off my waist, belly, and torso :/ Any tips or ideas you can help me with? Btw I love your blogs and programs! Your approach to working out 3x and IF sounds amazing.. just wish it would help me here :( Anyways, thanks man :)
-Raj
Not Greg but maybe I can help.
It is really simple. If you don’t see progress after being consistent for at least 2 weeks(fat loss is not linear!) then you are either overestimating your TDEE(calculators are just estimating) or underestimating your caloric intake. Keep in mind that you can’t track everything 100% accurately(because even the food labels are not really accurate). But that doesn’t really matter as long as you are consistently off. The key is to always track the same way so that you can adjust your diet. So let’s say you don’t see any progress (Keep in mind that your weight also fluctuates from day to day because you don’t just measure fat with your scale. If you want you can measure yourself daily and look at the 7-day average) for 2-3 weeks then you cut 200-300 calories and see where it goes. Repeat that until you are loosing weight. This is really all you need.
Hope it helps and good luck!
Flea
Pick up the Aggressive fat loss program, you actually could be eating at maintenance. that’s why you have lose any fat yet.
Hey Greg,
I don’t have access to heavy dumbells and I am trying to decide on a variation that will allow to me break through an incline bench press plateau with the hope of coming back to it and making further gains in future.
Have you any suggestions regarding variations? I thought about just changing to flat bench press but I’m not sure how well that carries over. Any advice would be a big help thanks!
hey greg, minor detail… when you say 0.82g/lb of goal bodyweight do you mean total protein [incidentals included] or protein from meat/supplements? for instance, say i’m 145 aspiring to be 160. 0.82 of 160 is 131, so i’d aim for ~130g of protein from meat?
Total, but you should try and get the majority of it from high quality sources such as meat/whey.
great, thanks.
from anything. including traced proteins from some carbs