Percentages, Calories, and Grams?

kirby1dog G.
on 3/5/09 2:09 am
Hello,
   I get so confused about these relationships and I seem to have lost the decoder pin (if I ever had it).  I have been following some recent threads on what percentage of daily calories ought to be for protein, fat , and carbs.  I see the debate between formulas (40-30-30 vs 25-25-50) is intense but not central to my interest right now.  I'm having trouble with the math!  I'm 5 months out so I've been focused on protein and water and limiting sugars (I dump).  The rest took care of itself.  Now I'm using a Track3 handheld (which I love) and suddenly I don't know how to figure out what percentage of my calories is in fat if my daily fat intake was say 32 g.  In fact, why does my tracker give me Total calories but then all the rest in grams?  Here's yesterdays food report:
Cal = 1039, Carbs = 95 g, fat =32 g, fiber = 31 g, sod = 2243 g, pro = 95 g.  How do I relate that to a formula?  Am I getting 40-30-30 or 40-40-20 or whatever??  My nifty Track3 allows me to set goals and then i could peek at any point in the day and see how I measure up.  I know I want to get 85 g or more of protein everyday.  But I don't know what percentage of my calories this is.  OK I'm rambling.  You get it already.  Thanks so much for any replies and help.  Treading
Brenda Bean
on 3/7/09 7:54 am - Okemah, OK
Hi i am very new to this... lapbanded on 1-22-09.   but this is what I have sat down and figured out.   and this is my plan no one elses but it works for me.  I am diabetic so i can not have a lot of carbs and that has to figure in to my diet.   I chose 1200 calories a day or less but essentially 1200 calories... but I have broken them up as follows... 50% have got to be in Protein... 25% in carbs and 25% in fat grams... one Protein gram and One carb gram = 4 calories.   One fat gram = 9 calories.   so when I am putting everything down on my food journal... I try to keep the the balances like this.    1200 calories = (600 calories) 150 grams of protien + (300 calories) 75 grams of carbs + (300 calories) 34 grams of fat....

the carb amount is usually too much for me... so I adjust that to keep around 45 - 55 grams of carbs.   I try to stay around 30 grams of fat and at least 80 - 150 grams of protien... My calories right now stay around 900 to 1100 calories a day...



 Look at me I have lost 61 lbs... God Is great...                      
 

wendy_fou
on 3/8/09 1:44 pm - AR
Protein = 4 calories per gram
Fat = 9 calories per gram
Carbs = 1.2 - 4 calories per gram (they vary depending on the TYPE of carb it is)

To get your percentages, you'd do this:

(protein grams x 4) / total calories = % calories from protein

(fat grams x 9) / total calories = % calories from fat

100 - % calories from protein - % calories from fat = % calories from carbs

(You have to do the carb percentage that way to get a TRUE carb percentage unless you want to sit down and analyze every carb you ate to determine whether or not it was a 1.2 calorie per gram carb or a 4 calorie per gram carb.  That is next to impossible, even for a numerically anal person like myself.  This is the most numerically accurate way I have found to track the % calories from carbs number.)

So using your numbers for yesterday,
calories = 1039
protein = 95 grams
fat = 32 grams
carbs = 95 grams (you didn't mention whether or not this was net or gross, but it doesn't matter - the % will work regardless of whether or not you net out your sugar alcohols and fiber)

% Protein =
(95 x 4) / 1039 = 37%


% Fat =
(32 x 9) / 1039 = 28%


% Carb =
100 - 37 - 28 = 35%
kirby1dog G.
on 3/9/09 6:14 am
Why thank you Brenda and Wendy!
   Indeed, it was the 1 g protein = 4 calories part that I had forgotten.  And Wendy, the detail on the carbs (1.2 - 4 cals/g) was news to me and very helpful.  I am very focused on carbs right now since they are giving me so much trouble and, boy oh boy,  I can  testify that all carbs are not the same!!! 
   This is great.  I have set up my tracking device and now I really can see how I'm doing as the day goes along.  Fantastic.  Thank so much for the replies.  Treading
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