Topic: How Much?

[FastGuppy]

So I need 40 percent of carbs and what's the other 60 percent?  Protein and fat? and how much of that do I need.

I'm 180 now and i want to keep that body weight so im guessing 3,000 calories is what i'll need daily.

[Dan Elric]

Eat good foods when you're hungry, don't eat if you're not hungry.

[FastGuppy]

that wasn't what I was looking for . . .

[Chris Salvato]

So I need 40 percent of carbs and what's the other 60 percent?  Protein and fat? and how much of that do I need.

I'm 180 now and i want to keep that body weight so im guessing 3,000 calories is what i'll need daily.

Who said you needed 40% carbs?

Calorie ratio'ing is used as a means to start a diet program.  Most people like to start with something like 40/30/30 Carbs/Fat/Protein or something similar - but this is temporary.  If this is how you want to plan your diet you should identify how much protein you need (about 1g/lb of BW a day for an athlete is a good starting point) and then plan the rest of the diet based on the ratio.  After you are done with that, you go at it for like a month -- gauge how you feel and adjust the ratios a bit.  Some people prefer less carbs, some people prefer more - same goes with fat but nearly every athlete loves higher protein - you notice improvements immediately.

[FastGuppy]

So if my goals are to increase strength, decrease body fat and maintain weight then how much fat and carbs do I need to maintain muscle mass but not lose definition?

[Chris Salvato]

Get your 1g of protein per pound of BW a day and eat whatever.

Over time, if you are stayign the same, eat less and you will lose weight.  Over time, if you are staying the same, eat more and you will gain weight.  Over time, if you are losing weight, eat more and you will stay the same or gain.  Over time if you are gaining weight, eat less and you will stay the same or lose weight.

Decrease body fat and increasing strength tend to counteract each other.  More food leads to faster recovery leads to better strength gains.  Less food leads to a higher energy deficit leads to a loss in body fat.