TBAB protocol for fat loss, questions about macros

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
1

Jordan,
Thank you for providing your time, this resource, as well as the helpful information in your TBAB article.

After reading TBAB several times, I’ve decided I’m going to get my nutrition dialed in with the goal of losing some fat. Current stats:

33/Male
5’11"
225lbs (20lbs gained over past 12 months))
39" at umbilicus
Training: Advanced Novice LP (DPT for past 3 months after NTDP for 6 months before that, throughout this whole time making solid progress and not stalling)

As you suggested, using MFP I tracked my calories for a week, eating as I typically would. That week of data shows averages of:

Non-training days: 2600kcal
Training days: 3100kcal

Tracking food for the first time was eye-opening. My macros were terrible. (Lots of variance, but generally extremely high carbs and fat, way too low protein. I’m quite suprised my training hasnt been worse.)

Using the TBAB numbers for fat loss, my goal kcal/macros would be:

kCal: 2571
P: 280g
C: 225g
F: 60g

I’ve tried to hit these macros (with single ingredient foods) for the past week, in which my training has been productive and I have not felt under-fed at all. However the hardest macro to stay under is Fat–I find myself close to going over by dinner time, while I typically have more carbs and protein left over than I desire to consume.

Question 1: Do these numbers look optimal for fat loss? (if not, what should be adjusted?)
Question 2: For fat loss would I likely have sub-optimal results if I were to decrease protein and/or carbs a bit, while upping fat commensurately (for the sake of compliance/satiety)?

Thanks again for your help!

2
  1. I would remove 50g of protein from your intake
  2. Maybe, but mostly due to the higher your fat intake, the higher your “unaccounted” fat is gonna be (most likely). Fat is tracked imprecisely most of the time and the bigger the fat macro, the bigger the variance in my experience,
3

I will bring protein down and not touch fat/carbs, and see how it goes for a few weeks. Thank you for the insight.

4

All my stats (age, weight, height and waistline) were within a couple percentage points of yours 6 weeks ago when I started my diet (strangely my age and height are still pretty close :p)

I tracked my macros for a bit before I started dieting and found I had been consuming 120-150 grams of fat per day. I got quite a shock when I calculated my fat macro target via TBAB and I knew I would drive myself crazy if I tried to hit it consistently right away.

What I did was make just a couple of changes the first day (switched from 2% milk to 1% and reduced the amount of butter I slather on my carbs). Even from that alone I was surprised how much closer I got to my target. Then I was able to gradually reduce it until now where I am hitting my number more consistently and my training has improved. I also have to eat more carbs than I care to, especially since I’m not allowed to slather them in butter. Well, I could, but I choose to eat fatty meats instead because if I was only allowed lean protein then I would have to eat more of that than I care to :slight_smile: