How Do I reach the 40-30-30 Ratio?

I thought I was balancing my foods pretty well, but looking at the analysis, my carbs are above 50%, and my proteins and fats are both just barely above 20%. What are some foods or sample menus that would help me reach the essential 40-30-30 weight-loss ratio?

40-30-30, while a great goal, is not an essential weightloss ratio.  I lose just fine on 50-25-25.  Others find higher carbs better.  Others find higher fat better.

For me, even getting to 50-25-25 was tough.  I've incorporated almonds as a snack most days (since I can't stand most other nuts; if you like it, peanut butter is supposed to be good for this).  I get at least three servings of dairy per day for protein - which is also good for calcium (which has been shown to help with weightloss; apparently, calcium deficiency interferes with fat burning and makes you crazy hungry).  I probably have one serving most days of either meat, poultry, eggs or fish.  (I don't like tofu, but it would work as a veg equivalent.)  Beans are yummy and good for protein too, but my carbs do wind up higher than 50% on bean days (which is okay with me; it all averages out).

For me, getting the fat intake up is actually much harder than getting the protein up - mostly because I don't deal well with animal fats and don't like oily/greasy foods.  Avocados are quite helpful on this front.  A few slices of avocado on Ryvita sprinkled with garlic powder is a lovely snack.  A square of good quality dark chocolate is also a nice source of healthy fat.  I also regularly eat tuna or eggs for the fat (which is why my meat/fish/eggs intake is as high as it is).

Stop eating stuff that was made in a factory.

Why don't you post a typical day's menu (including amounts), and people can see how they would "improve" it?

Clint

OK, I just started my diet on Monday, so I've only got 3 days to go by, and I'm supposed to have 1600 calories a day, but I'm doing fine at the amount I've hit so far each day ... plus, I think it's better to vary the calories, so that my metabolism doesn't get used to one amount each day.   

Monday's menu (1364 calories) ...
Breakfast: 3 nutrigrain waffles with sugar free syrup and a cup of light n healthy OJ
Lunch: a beef merlot healthy choice steamer
Dinner: 6 oz chicken breast w/light BBQ sauce, a cup each of broccoli and cauliflower, boiled, with 2 oz light velveeta cheese, and a cup of stewed tomatoes Snacks: sm. gala apple, 100 calorie pack, granola bar, can of diet dr. pepper  

Tuesday (1446 calories) ...
Breakfast: cup of grapes, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 sm. banana, 1 sm. kiwi, 1/2 container dannon light n fit yogurt
Lunch: grilled chicken salad w/light 3-cheese ranch dressing, and later, a shrimp alfredo lean cuisine
Dinner: 3 pieces smoked turkey sausage, 2 servings green garden vegetable medley, cup of tomatoes, 1/2 cup baked beans Snack: almond 100 calorie pack, diet crangrape juice  

Today was/will be ... (1532 calories)
Breakfast: 3/4 cup Vanilla almond cereal, 1/2 cup skim milk, a piece of smoked turkey sausage
Lunch: grilled chicken salad w/light cucumber ranch dressing, later I'll have a can of tomatoe garden select harvest Campbell's soup and reduced fat crackers Dinner: boca burger on 2 pieces light patato bread, a cup each of broccoli and cauliflower w/2 oz light velveeta cheese, 2 1/2 servings sliced potatoes pan-fried w/cooking spray, ketchup, 12 oz. milk
Snacks: 100 cal. pack, diet crangrape juice

Original Post by floggingsully:

Stop eating stuff that was made in a factory.

 THIS...and...Specifically, cut out more of the processed/low fiber/high sugar/low protein foods you are eating (ie: waffles, velveeta, fruit juice, granola bars, ranch dressing, sausage, etc.) and replace those foods with more whole/natural foods such as whole grains (grains as they are when they are picked, that is), lean protein sources (ie: Greek yogurt, tuna, salmon, low fat cheeses, nuts/seeds, beans/legumes) and try adding some healthy fats in small amounts (ie: olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, natural nut butters) as well as increase intake of veges. The whole fruits are a good source of carbohydrate in that they are generally high fiber, but what I see is you are relying a little too heavily on processed foods and not focussing on enough good sources of protein (specifically at breakfast).

But, overall, as you said, you just started. So, take it one step at a time and learn as mmuch as you can about healthy eating and make small changes that you can sustain over a lifetime and you will see results! :)

Wow... that is one heck of a lot of processed food.

I second the suggestion to eat less processed food, taking it one step at a time.

You should find it's a lot cheaper to eat "real" food than stuff that comes in boxes, packages and spray cans. The nutrients contained within your food will also be a lot easier to sort out; it's much clearer if you are eating fats like nuts, avocado and butter or protein from meat/beans/legumes or wholegrain carbohydrates how much of everything you are getting.

Generally, I agree that it would be helpful to eat less processed food. However, I tried to make some suggestions below using things that you already seem to like eating that will increase protein and fat while decreasing carbs. Also, if you are supposed to eat 1600 calories/day, eat 1600 calories/day!

Original Post by spiderphobic32:

OK, I just started my diet on Monday, so I've only got 3 days to go by, and I'm supposed to have 1600 calories a day, but I'm doing fine at the amount I've hit so far each day ... plus, I think it's better to vary the calories, so that my metabolism doesn't get used to one amount each day.   

Monday's menu (1364 calories) ...
Breakfast: 3 nutrigrain waffles with sugar free syrup and a cup of light n healthy OJ
Lunch: a beef merlot healthy choice steamer
Dinner: 6 oz chicken breast w/light BBQ sauce, a cup each of broccoli and cauliflower, boiled, with 2 oz light velveeta cheese, and a cup of stewed tomatoes Snacks: sm. gala apple, 100 calorie pack, granola bar, can of diet dr. pepper

Replace 1 of your breakfast waffles with a turkey sausage or some 2% yogurt. For snacks, instead of that 100 calorie pack and granola bar, eat 1/4 cup of almonds or other nuts and a cup of 2% yogurt or cottage cheese.

Tuesday (1446 calories) ...
Breakfast: cup of grapes, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 sm. banana, 1 sm. kiwi, 1/2 container dannon light n fit yogurt
Lunch: grilled chicken salad w/light 3-cheese ranch dressing, and later, a shrimp alfredo lean cuisine
Dinner: 3 pieces smoked turkey sausage, 2 servings green garden vegetable medley, cup of tomatoes, 1/2 cup baked beans Snack: almond 100 calorie pack, diet crangrape juice  

For breakfast, eat less fruit and more yogurt. Also, replace the Light n Fit yogurt with something that has some fat in it, like 2% fat Greek yogurt. You may even find that if you slice up the fruit into the yogurt, it won't even need sweetener. Add some olive oil to your vegetable medley. Drink water, herbal tea, or milk instead of juice.

Today was/will be ... (1532 calories)
Breakfast: 3/4 cup Vanilla almond cereal, 1/2 cup skim milk, a piece of smoked turkey sausage
Lunch: grilled chicken salad w/light cucumber ranch dressing, later I'll have a can of tomatoe garden select harvest Campbell's soup and reduced fat crackers Dinner: boca burger on 2 pieces light patato bread, a cup each of broccoli and cauliflower w/2 oz light velveeta cheese, 2 1/2 servings sliced potatoes pan-fried w/cooking spray, ketchup, 12 oz. milk
Snacks: 100 cal. pack, diet crangrape juice

At breakfast, replace skim milk with 2% milk. For dinner, just have 1 serving of potatoes. Use the extra calories to have 2 Boca burgers instead of one. Replace the 100 calorie pack with either nuts, yogurt, or cottage cheese. Drink water or herbal tea instead of juice.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the suggestions.
I eat the processed foods because in my day I don't have the time to prepare the foods myself. 
I drink the low-cal juice because before my diet, I'd drink a whole glass of regular orange juice every morning. I'll wean myself off of it eventually, but consider it my coffee for the day ... not so easy to just give it up all of a sudden. If I just throw out all the foods I love, I'll quit my diet without a doubt.
I will consider some of your suggestions and try to add them to my diet and switch out some of the processed foods.

If it's just one glass, I really don't see anything wrong with having a glass of real orange juice every day (as part of a meal so that your blood sugar doesn't spike too much).  It's only 100 cals for 1 cup and you're under on your calories anyway.

As for the time factor, there's a lot of prep you can do on the weekend or in the evenings.  Buy a big bag of nuts and take 10 minutes on the weekend or an evening to divvy them up into single servings.  Same can be done for dried fruit.  Cut up carrots, broccoli, celery or cauliflower last for ages.  When I cook dinner, I cook extra so that I can use the leftovers for lunches later in the week.  A lot of companies have invested a lot of money to convince us we don't have time to do things they want to do for us.  (Seriously, who doesn't have time to grate cheese?  It tastes so much better fresh-grated.)

I eat a ratio of about 45/30/25 and it seems to work well for me. I never eat artifical or man-made foods and try to stick to a "clean" diet.

The only way I've done it is a high protrein drink suppliment as a snack.  You can get them in vitamin stores or grocery store if they have a decent vitamin section.  They have some decent flavors, boost your protein %, and the chocalate ones satisfy my craving for chocalate at the same time.