protein alternatives and how much is neede?

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ebhrivera193
ebhrivera193 Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Well, losing weight is already difficult as it is but I want to limit meat and milk as I'm already tired of the same food... I'd like to know what other healthy alternatives exist that will provide protein for my macros. I'm rather confused about the required grams of protein for bodyweight. I weigh 220lbs...does that mean I need to consume 220 grams?? How is that possible with a daily calorie goal of 1600? Should I just consume 145 grams since thats my goal weight? Hmmm this is all so confusing. Lol

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  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    edited November 2014
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    ebhrivera193 wrote: »
    Well, losing weight is already difficult as it is but I want to limit meat and milk as I'm already tired of the same food... I'd like to know what other healthy alternatives exist that will provide protein for my macros.

    Lean meats and dairy are good sources of protein, but if you want to mix it up a bit, try vegetarian protein sources like beans, peas, quinoa, chickpeas, tofu, nuts and seeds.

    I'm rather confused about the required grams of protein for bodyweight. I weigh 220lbs...does that mean I need to consume 220 grams?? How is that possible with a daily calorie goal of 1600? Should I just consume 145 grams since thats my goal weight? Hmmm this is all so confusing. Lol

    That high a goal is largely a myth fuelled by the bodybuilding community. Most scientific research indicates that you don't have to go that high. Somewhere around 0.8g of protein per pound of lean muscle mass is a good rule of thumb, though YMMV. You can calculate your lean muscle mass by getting an estimate of your body fat %. So, for instance, if you're 220 pounds with ~35% body fat, then that's about 140lbs of lean muscle. 140 x 0.8 = 112g of protein, or 450 calories from protein, which is a fairly decent guideline. (You can do more or less depending on your goals and preferences. But it's a start.)
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    There are many different guidelines, unfortunately. The easiest one I've seen to calculate is .5 grams per pound of body weight. Endurance athletes and bodybuilders need more. It also depends on your body. I do better with more protein (more energy, more stable energy, weight-loss, weight maintenance), but I do not have a good metabolism (hypothyroid), so I'm not the best benchmark.

    Personally, I eat a lot of protein powder (different blends--have a couple for meals, one for my workouts) and soy (along with lots of chicken and some red meat--Trader Joe's 96% lean ground beef). I also lift heavy most days and want to give my body what it needs to repair itself.

    Soy (processed or whole) can be tricky for women--you might want to check with your doc about ways it could/could not impact your health. There's some peer-reviewed literature about a possible link between the phyto-estrogens in soy and breast cancer. There's also literature about staying away from soy if you're hypothyroid, but that did not ring true for me.

    I logged religiously and added more protein before I found the optimal amount. It takes time to figure out what fuels your body best. And the macros can change as your body does.

    Just be patient regarding results and track what you're doing so you know what works and what doesn't! This is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. :smiley:

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