This Month's.. Weekly Challenge?

In January...

I kept off the computer after 10pm

and have thus far stuck to that rule.

In February...

I tried four new plant-based protein foods.  

In March...

Nothin'

It's the 16th!  This month is half over with and I hadn't come up with a challenge for myself.  I guess I shouldn't be disappointed.  It's not like I'm sitting around eating pizza and cake.  Ok, so I've had one pizza and one piece of cake, but you know what I mean!

However, I may still redeem this month!  I was struck by a question this week - what are the optimal proportions of protein, fats, and carbs I should be eating?  I've been very interested in nutrition and how it relates to training, but I admit that I don't know much about it and it would be a very big project to undertake.  But maybe I could break it up into smaller questions and projects.

It all started with a rather interesting story from a dietician at the gym.  While I'd love to get a nutrition plan and train on my optimal diet, I know that it's unlikely that I'll stick to it for too long.  But it can't hurt to see how my current diet compares to the numbers.  That seemed manageable. 

I've surfed around on the internet and found what I believe to be a somewhat agreeable set of nutrient percentages for a "normal" person and an "endurance" athlete. 

Protein / Fat / Carbs 

(Percentage of total calories)

Normal Person

20 / 30 / 50 

Endurance Athlete

15-20 / 20-25 / 60

The difference between the above numbers, in my understanding, comes down to the metabolic level at which endurance athletes train at.  We dominate the middle range where our body thrives on carbs and fats.  We also can lower our protein intake if we increase our carbs so that our body can use the carbs as energy and use protein instead for muscle repair. 

What I'm going to do is keep track of my diet for the next 7 days...

calories, protein, fats, carbs

...and see how I compare.  

How close am I to eating the optimal proportions?

Is there a connection between those levels and 

A) how I feel after specific meals and 

B) which foods/meals I crave at certain times?

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Questions
1.  Are or have you ever been on a specific diet plan?  Do you keep track of your nutrient levels?
I've only ever tried the vegetarian and Paleo diets, but never kept track of caloric or nutrient intake.

2.  TO ANY NUTRITIONISTS, DIETICIANS, ETC. OUT THERE: Would you agree to the above percentages for protein, fats, and carbs?  
I know the internet is a sink hole for a lot of bad info.  I may be being misled or ignoring something I'm not aware of.  I would LOVE to learn what you want to inform me of, or simply discuss the idea of sports nutrition.

3.  Does anyone know of a good sports nutrition book whether it's information based or useful for starting discussions/thought processes.

4.  I am in need of Monthly Challenge ideas for the remaining 9 months of this year!  Thoughts?


Dream.  Believe.  Achieve.