Protein Low – Am I Gonna Die?!

kmsoucy457

Background:
I’m a longtime “healthy” eater with a little vanity weight to lose (10lbs). In keeping with CiCo, I know that I must exercise to put myself into a calorie deficit and lose weight. For the last month I have been doing step aerobics classes 2x per week, yoga 2x per week and 1-2 long walks/hikes per week. Before that I was doing cardio (elliptical & swimming) 1-3x per week.
The step class incorporates calisthenics, and my game plan is to start lifting once I am able to do the instructor’s full regimen of push-ups without dropping into modified. Hey, I said I ate healthy, not that I have muscle tone… Even swimming I had pretty much zero upper body strength, but now I’m almost there! Once I lose those few pounds I’m going to attempt a recomp; I wish to build muscle both for health reasons and, well, to look like the best me I can be.
I am very consistently under my protein recommendation (per MFP) almost every day. Except when I eat sushi hehe. Diary is open, feel free to peek. I have been trying, but I’m just not a big slab-o-meat eater, and I’d rather do without protein powder if possible. BUT I feel good. Every class I take I feel stronger, and I have good energy throughout the day.
Current weight 127, 5’3”, Female, 1200 cal/day for .8lb/wk loss

So on to the Questions:
Do I need to be eating more protein on my current routine to prevent muscle loss as I lose weight? I range between 50-70 grams most days, and that is with a concerted effort in meal planning on my part.
Will I need to up my protein once I start lifting to build muscle? My guess is “ya, probably”, but by about how much? Must I follow that .8g/lb rule I see popping up IF I feel like my strength is still increasing?

Please be kind; this is my first thread. That being said I am new to this, so welcome advice, questions and corrections

SueInAz

Hi! You won't die, I promise.

MFP's default protein goal is pretty low. If you aren't meeting that I think you're going to have trouble maintaining muscle now let alone building some later. The .8 grams per pound of lean muscle is a pretty good one to follow at least for now.

Keep in mind that increasing strength does not equal building muscle. You can increase strength on a calorie deficit but it's impossible (except possibly for some newbie gains) to build muscle while eating less than maintenance.

I'm sure others here can give you more specific advice than I can.

kmsoucy457

Thanks, Sue. I guess I'll just have to try harder for that protein.

jddnw

According to the CDC and WHO, the amount you indicate is plenty for a woman. I agree with their science. I think the community here overestimates protein needs.



Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

kmsoucy457

jddnw wrote: »

According to the CDC and WHO, the amount you indicate is plenty for a woman. I agree with their science. I think the community here overestimates protein needs.



Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

Aha, see this is where I'm getting confused! Before signing up here I always thought my protein intake was perfect...

jddnw

Before signing up here I always thought my protein intake was perfect...

You were right! On this question, look to authorities like the CDC, WHO, IOM, etc.

Need2Exerc1se

jddnw wrote: »

Before signing up here I always thought my protein intake was perfect...

You were right! On this question, look to authorities like the CDC, WHO, IOM, etc.

I agree with this from a health standpoint. When you start the recomp you may need more to build muscle, or at least more may make it easier to gain.

And yes, you likely will die at some point. But probably not from lack of protein.

joejccva71

The amount of protein you need entirely depends on what your goals are.

jddnw wrote: »

I think the community here overestimates protein needs.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge the "community here". There are quite a few people both men and women that have made incredible transformations.

The OP is doing well to follow the .75g to 1g of protein per lb of LBM rule to minimize muscle loss when dieting down or even create muscle on a calorie surplus.

kmsoucy457

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
I eat my highest protein meal of the day right after working out (dinner). Will that help out a little?
Discovered last night that I *almost* have a muscle on my arm , so current intake must not be too far off. I'll try for a couple more grams per day for now, then once I start eating at maintenance I'll actually have the caloric wiggle-room for more protein.

jukyu

Too much or too little won't hinder your progress. Keeping it on the higher side will keep your diet more satiating and minimize muscle loss, joejccva71's rules-of-thumb estimates are good.

jgnatca

When I could not hit my protein targets I risked hair loss and my nails got brittle. So there might be unintended consequences if you aren't getting enough protein. If you have been eating like this for a while and have not experienced these side-effects, you are likely fine.

It doesn't matter which part of the day you eat your protein. Your body is pretty flexible that way.

Wade406

When was the last time you heard of someone dying of low protein? How about heart disease and diabetes (more than half of all deaths in the U.S.)? Animal protein is packaged with saturated fat, linked to those diseases. That's something to worry about, not low protein.

richln

You won't die from low protein, but that doesn't mean it is optimal. The ~1 g/lb LBM standard for training individuals is well researched and well documented, and has been for decades. Pick a random thread from the "success" section and see what they have to say about protein.

lynn_glenmont

I did take a quick look at your diary. You could add an egg or more milk to your breakfast (switch to a lower-fat milk if you feel you don't have room for the calories from more whole milk).

Also, be careful of the database entries you use. I saw an entry for *steak with your pho that only had 17 grams of protein in a 3 oz. serving, which seems awfully low (unless maybe that was the "fatty brisket" - I usually get the lean brisket and eye of round in my pho). Search for beef - [insert cut of beef here, e.g., brisket] to find accurate entries based on USDA data -- they won't have an asterisk, will indicate whether they are cooked or raw weights, and will offer a lot of options for serving size in the drop-down menu.

MakePeasNotWar

While a higher amount will help you to retain a greater proportion of muscle mass while losing weight, there are no health risks associated with your level of protein intake. I would say it might be more conducive to reaching your physique goals to go higher, but it isn't necessary for your health.

MKEgal

kmsoucy wrote:

Current weight 127, 5’3”, Female, 1200 cal/day for .8lb/wk loss

Do I need to be eating more protein on my current routine to prevent muscle loss as I lose weight?
I range between 50-70 grams most days, and that is with a concerted effort in meal planning on my part.

Will I need to up my protein once I start lifting to build muscle? My guess is “ya, probably”, but by about how
much? Must I follow that .8g/lb rule I see popping up IF I feel like my strength is still increasing?

Here's a table about macro levels, from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/1/1/T1.expansion.html

carbs, 45 - 65% of calories (4 cal per gram)
fat, 20 - 35% of calories (9 cal per gram)
protein, 10 - 35% of calories (4 cal per gram)

Having higher protein % makes you feel fuller longer, helps preserve muscle, and helps lose more weight than
(for example) a high-carb diet.

So for 1200 cal/day, if you had:
45% carb = 540 cal = 135 g
20% fat = 240 cal = 27 g
35% protein = 420 cal = 105 g

So you're currently in the healthy range for protein with only 50-70g/day, but that's about half of what you could
have and would probably have a better outcome.
When you start lifting weights, definitely aim for the upper end of the protein %, and eat at a slight surplus compared
to maintenance. It's highly unlikely you're going to gain any muscle while eating below maintenance.

Here's a body fat calculator so you can track your improvement once you start lifting:
http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

And here's info on body recomposition:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/
http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/

arditarose

kmsoucy457 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
I eat my highest protein meal of the day right after working out (dinner). Will that help out a little?
Discovered last night that I *almost* have a muscle on my arm , so current intake must not be too far off. I'll try for a couple more grams per day for now, then once I start eating at maintenance I'll actually have the caloric wiggle-room for more protein.

I can get anywhere from 110-140 grams of protein in my first 1200 calories of the day, so if you do want to up the protein, it's totally possibly with your calorie goal.

kmsoucy457

arditarose wrote: »

kmsoucy457 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
I eat my highest protein meal of the day right after working out (dinner). Will that help out a little?
Discovered last night that I *almost* have a muscle on my arm , so current intake must not be too far off. I'll try for a couple more grams per day for now, then once I start eating at maintenance I'll actually have the caloric wiggle-room for more protein.

I can get anywhere from 110-140 grams of protein in my first 1200 calories of the day, so if you do want to up the protein, it's totally possibly with your calorie goal.

Yes, definitely possible, but most of my cravings/desires tend towards anything but protein (carbs fat SUGAR), so I doubt that my mouth will be satisfied, even if my belly is Perhaps I should just suck it up and buy some protein powder to sneak into my breakfasts (almost always oats, smoothies, chia pudding).

kmsoucy457

MKEgal wrote: »

kmsoucy wrote:

Current weight 127, 5’3”, Female, 1200 cal/day for .8lb/wk loss

Do I need to be eating more protein on my current routine to prevent muscle loss as I lose weight?
I range between 50-70 grams most days, and that is with a concerted effort in meal planning on my part.

Will I need to up my protein once I start lifting to build muscle? My guess is “ya, probably”, but by about how
much? Must I follow that .8g/lb rule I see popping up IF I feel like my strength is still increasing?

Here's a table about macro levels, from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/1/1/T1.expansion.html

carbs, 45 - 65% of calories (4 cal per gram)
fat, 20 - 35% of calories (9 cal per gram)
protein, 10 - 35% of calories (4 cal per gram)

Having higher protein % makes you feel fuller longer, helps preserve muscle, and helps lose more weight than
(for example) a high-carb diet.

So for 1200 cal/day, if you had:
45% carb = 540 cal = 135 g
20% fat = 240 cal = 27 g
35% protein = 420 cal = 105 g

So you're currently in the healthy range for protein with only 50-70g/day, but that's about half of what you could
have and would probably have a better outcome.
When you start lifting weights, definitely aim for the upper end of the protein %, and eat at a slight surplus compared
to maintenance. It's highly unlikely you're going to gain any muscle while eating below maintenance.

Here's a body fat calculator so you can track your improvement once you start lifting:
http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

And here's info on body recomposition:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/
http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out!

kmsoucy457

Yea t

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

I did take a quick look at your diary. You could add an egg or more milk to your breakfast (switch to a lower-fat milk if you feel you don't have room for the calories from more whole milk).

Also, be careful of the database entries you use. I saw an entry for *steak with your pho that only had 17 grams of protein in a 3 oz. serving, which seems awfully low (unless maybe that was the "fatty brisket" - I usually get the lean brisket and eye of round in my pho). Search for beef - [insert cut of beef here, e.g., brisket] to find accurate entries based on USDA data -- they won't have an asterisk, will indicate whether they are cooked or raw weights, and will offer a lot of options for serving size in the drop-down menu.

Yea that Pho steak is really confusing! I get the pho tai, so it comes super rare and cooks up more in the broth. I do think looks lean, but that could be the pre-cook on it... I'm usually OK identifying cuts of meat, but that there is a mystery. I erred on the side of over-counting calories with that entry, knowing that it was probably the wrong cut. If you can figure it out do let me know, because I eat it once every couple of weeks!

kmsoucy457

5iii wrote: »

When was the last time you heard of someone dying of low protein? How about heart disease and diabetes (more than half of all deaths in the U.S.)? Animal protein is packaged with saturated fat, linked to those diseases. That's something to worry about, not low protein.

There has been a lot of debate about this in the last five years or so. Since the properties of food are now known to change as we ingest it, the age-old conception of "eating fat makes you fat" is being challenged. My apologies for being too lazy to reference the actual research, but it is out there, and I think worth a read. I'm not sure what to think about it myself, so just aim for moderation.

Either way I'm not much of a carnivore. I'll eat beef in my favorite takeout, and OD on ham during major holidays, but am only ever really tempted by bacon Hence my worries about protein intake, though I am conscious of finding it in other sources. I also ate waaaaay too much overcooked chicken breast as a child, courtesy of my well-intentioned mother. It might have scarred me.

I'm not truly worried about dying. Sarcasm is a second language to me.