Protein ratio... how important?

Koko M.
on 7/6/11 1:43 am - Albany, CA

Morning, all.

I wanted some feedback on this please, if any of the resident sages have a minute.
I'm using fitday.com to monitor my eating. I understand that many post-WLS are given a 50/25/25 target for percentages of daily calories from protein/carbs/fat. Or something similar.

So my question: how important is that? If I keep my protein intake at >70 grams a day, and I keep my total calories at about 1000, does it matter how those proportions actually turn out? I love fruit, and lately, because I'm really focusing on trying to hit that ratio, I'm hardly eating any. Fruit just jacks up my ratio pie chart, due to the carbs. But I'm not having trouble with the calories or the daily protein, so really, does it matter if I'm coming in more like 40/40/20 on protein/carbs/fat?

I don't eat simple carbs, fwiw. No breads, no rice, no refined sugar or potatoes, etc.

Thanks in advance...

Koko

HW-291 :: 1st WLS consult-281 :: Surgery-263 :: GW-154 :: CW-151 :: In my dreams - 138

H.A.L.A B.
on 7/6/11 1:54 am

RNY on 05/14/08

it depends on the person and what carbs/ fat you are consuming, IMO.
For me - the ratio is important - if I do not get enough fat - I have a hard time (no pun intended) with BM. Also - too many carbs - if I am not exercising - and I may start carb cravings. In my case - not only how many carbs - but what type of carbs. Some - even in small amounts will make me crave more and more carbs. Other - will not do that.
But if I get too many carbs in one day - I want them and more the next and the next, and the next.
For me there is carb level that after I cross it - I start gaining weight. Even if my calories are relatively low. And it is not only total carbs for a day - but carb qty - ratio at every meal. I just can't "afford" have a meal/snack that is carb only (like fruits as a snack).

If you want to include fruits - how about trying to cut other carbs? i.e. I choose whey isolate with virtually no carbs, then add fruits.
No milk - (way too many carbs) but I use unsweet almond milk (40 cal per 8 oz and only 1 gr carbs).

But - I hope you do not count fiber - fiber shall not be counted as carbs. Or is you do - count only half of it. i.e food with 18 carbs but 10 fiber - I count as 8 carbs.

Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG

"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"

"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."

Koko M.
on 7/6/11 2:57 am - Albany, CA

RNY on 09/08/10

"But - I hope you do not count fiber - fiber shall not be counted as carbs. Or is you do - count only half of it. i.e food with 18 carbs but 10 fiber - I count as 8 carbs. "

Really? You subtract the fiber from the carbs?
Because that would massively shift the whole carb ratio fruit problem...

Koko

HW-291 :: 1st WLS consult-281 :: Surgery-263 :: GW-154 :: CW-151 :: In my dreams - 138

H.A.L.A B.
on 7/6/11 4:17 am

RNY on 05/14/08

Yeap. Fiber is the extra. This is the carb that is legally free... It helps your BM. And creating bulk. You really do not digest that or can use for energy. Even Atkins - in their diet do not count fiber.
But - do count the SA - some of us gets affected by that (I know i do). They are worth less maybe 60% of the carbs..
i.e. this how that goes for me:
food:
carbs 20 gr, fiber 5gr, SA 5gr, = 20-5-3 = 12 carbs net...

But since I noticed that the SA affect me - I avoid them as much as I can.

Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG

"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"

"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."

Koko M.
on 7/6/11 4:27 am - Albany, CA

RNY on 09/08/10

Thanks!

So for instance, an apple has 19.1 carbs and 3.3 fiber, so it's actually only 15.8 carbs, right?

I wonder if the fitday log is counting that way...

(... uhm... SA?)

Koko

HW-291 :: 1st WLS consult-281 :: Surgery-263 :: GW-154 :: CW-151 :: In my dreams - 138

H.A.L.A B.
on 7/6/11 8:14 am

RNY on 05/14/08

I do not think they do... they count all carbs - but I think they are otions to display the fiber. The only thing you then need to do it to substruct them.
The number are approximation anyway. so the apple is probably 16-25 carbs, with 2-6 gr of fiber (with or without skin, what type of apple, how dry it is... etc.)

Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG

"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"

"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."

Paul C.
on 7/6/11 5:02 am - Cumming, GA

RNY on 07/16/10

I was just reading an article that touches on this today.

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/5-Calorie-Myths-You -Should-Know.htm?cmp=17-1-902

For me I do focus on Protein except before I workout or race and then I have some carbs before and after. The article talks mainly about how the calories of each are burned.

Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04

Koko M.
on 7/6/11 5:57 am - Albany, CA

RNY on 09/08/10

Paul, that was exactly the kind of info I was looking for. Thanks!

I'm going to continue eating protein-forward, try to keep the average daily calorie intake at around a thousand, and not stress so much about the carbs that might come from eating my hi-fiber fruits and vegetables.

Koko

HW-291 :: 1st WLS consult-281 :: Surgery-263 :: GW-154 :: CW-151 :: In my dreams - 138

Paul C.
on 7/6/11 6:07 am - Cumming, GA

RNY on 07/16/10

I focus on NET Carbs. That being said remember not all fruits are created equal, some fruits have a lower fiber content so you will absorb more of the carbs, unfortunately for most people Bananas are a perfect example of this and one reason so many endurance atheletes rely on them pre and post race.

Koko M.
on 7/6/11 6:30 am - Albany, CA

RNY on 09/08/10

Then it's fortunate for me that bananas went the way of avocados, post-op. Something about the density sits wrong with my pouch, and I get queasy and burpy, so no big loss there.

I'm mostly big on apples, and strawberries. Right now the summer fruit is in, so I'm cutting up necatarines and putting them on, in and around everything, while the fun lasts. My riskier love is the grapes. Not much fiber, and a lot of fructose, so I treat them like candy, and find them just as dangerous. So easy to eat more than you intend to.

Thansk again!

Koko

HW-291 :: 1st WLS consult-281 :: Surgery-263 :: GW-154 :: CW-151 :: In my dreams - 138