Is a high protein diet best?

btucker9413
btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
edited 3:43PM in Health and Weight Loss
I currently weigh 248lbs and would like to be 160 by June. Is a high protein diet the best way to achieve this? With exercise of course.
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Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    That's way too aggressive of a goal. Set MFP to lose 2 lbs per week. Eat the amount of calories it tells you. Eating more or less protein does not allow you to lose more, less calories do.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-dont-complicate-it/p1
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    That's way too aggressive of a goal. Set MFP to lose 2 lbs per week. Eat the amount of calories it tells you. Eating more or less protein does not allow you to lose more, less calories do.

    I've set it to 2lbs a week but I'm not meeting my calories. Yesterday I was suppose to have 2380 calories. I consumed 2039 calories and burned 2558 calories. Am I overdoing my body?

  • Dootzy1
    Dootzy1 Posts: 2,345 Member
    Protein is not magic, but in combination with the other important nutrients, you can eat a satisfying amount and drop weight if you are consistent.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    That's way too aggressive of a goal. Set MFP to lose 2 lbs per week. Eat the amount of calories it tells you. Eating more or less protein does not allow you to lose more, less calories do.

    I've set it to 2lbs a week but I'm not meeting my calories. Yesterday I was suppose to have 2380 calories. I consumed 2039 calories and burned 2558 calories. Am I overdoing my body?

    How did you calculate your calorie burn?
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    I calculate my exercise with this app. Brisk pace walking for 350 minutes. I'm on my feet all day from 11-9. Some times I walk at a regular pace but most usually brisk
  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
    edited January 2016
    The best way is actually not to achieve it.

    Anything more aggressive than a 1% loss per week is not healthy. There are 21.8 weeks to mid-June, so you should aim for about 199 by mid-June (deducting 1% of your weight each week, taking into account that as your weight drops, so does the amount of weight it is healthy to lose each week.)

    Eating a high protein diet generally isn't terribly friendly to your body, since it is the hardest to turn into fuel.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,

    What would be a more realistic goal for me to lose by June?
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
    Just did some quick calculations, you would need to eat ~500 calories a day to get this weight loss. EXTREMELY dangerous and unhealthy.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    I calculate my exercise with this app. Brisk pace walking for 350 minutes. I'm on my feet all day from 11-9. Some times I walk at a regular pace but most usually brisk

    If you're on you feet for work, this is party of your daily activity level. You should not be adding calories back
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    Just did some quick calculations, you would need to eat ~500 calories a day to get this weight loss. EXTREMELY dangerous and unhealthy.

    But if I eat my set amount of calories and burn off more than I consume wouldn't I be able to still lose a significant amount of weight?

  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
    What's your height/age? I put in 25y/o and 5'5" and set it at 1600 p/day. This came out with ~35-40lbs for June.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    Just did some quick calculations, you would need to eat ~500 calories a day to get this weight loss. EXTREMELY dangerous and unhealthy.

    But if I eat my set amount of calories and burn off more than I consume wouldn't I be able to still lose a significant amount of weight?

    Of weight...and muscle...and not hit your micronutrients to keep your body functioning properly. You are not burning what you think you're burning either.

  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    I calculate my exercise with this app. Brisk pace walking for 350 minutes. I'm on my feet all day from 11-9. Some times I walk at a regular pace but most usually brisk

    If you're on you feet for work, this is party of your daily activity level. You should not be adding calories back

    I don't add calories back. XXX calories allowed- XXX calories consumed= XXX calories left and I stop there. I don't eat back the calories I burned off because of exercise
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    I am 22yr old and 5'3"
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    Just did some quick calculations, you would need to eat ~500 calories a day to get this weight loss. EXTREMELY dangerous and unhealthy.

    But if I eat my set amount of calories and burn off more than I consume wouldn't I be able to still lose a significant amount of weight?

    Of weight...and muscle...and not hit your micronutrients to keep your body functioning properly. You are not burning what you think you're burning either.

    So ideally, I need to meet my nutrient goals for the day and let the rest fall into place?

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    Just did some quick calculations, you would need to eat ~500 calories a day to get this weight loss. EXTREMELY dangerous and unhealthy.

    But if I eat my set amount of calories and burn off more than I consume wouldn't I be able to still lose a significant amount of weight?

    Of weight...and muscle...and not hit your micronutrients to keep your body functioning properly. You are not burning what you think you're burning either.

    So ideally, I need to meet my nutrient goals for the day and let the rest fall into place?

    Ideally you need to not attempt losing more than 2 lbs per week, and meet your nutritional needs.
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    I am 22yr old and 5'3"

    Ok, if you eat at 1600cal you could possibly achieve a weight of ~205 by Mid June. 1800cal = ~215. I haven't added any exercise into this, so you could possibly lose more. I think it's really important that you are realistic with your goals and that you don't miss important nutrients in the quest to slim down. Remember, it took awhile to get overweight, it's going to take awhile to slim down.
  • MichelleLea122
    MichelleLea122 Posts: 332 Member
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

    Because MFP uses the NEAT method. This is part of your daily activity. If I walk a couple miles per day, I don't log it as exercise-because I do it every day. I'm lightly active and it falls within my activity level. If I take a long run (lol not gonna happen), I would add that.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    I am 22yr old and 5'3"

    Ok, if you eat at 1600cal you could possibly achieve a weight of ~205 by Mid June. 1800cal = ~215. I haven't added any exercise into this, so you could possibly lose more. I think it's really important that you are realistic with your goals and that you don't miss important nutrients in the quest to slim down. Remember, it took awhile to get overweight, it's going to take awhile to slim down.


    How are you calculating that? I don't think my goals are too outlandish, I just don't quite understand the whole calories burned part and if I'm meeting my requirements why would losing 82lbs be such a stretch? Obviously I'm new to all this. Lol
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

    The problem is that MFP GREATLY overestimates calories burnt during exercise. Most people seem to set themselves to sedentary and log purposeful exercise, not daily movement (it just seems safer? I'd rather underestimate my calories burnt, than overestimate). When logging purposeful exercise, I rarely eat my calories back and if I do, I only eat about half. YMMV
  • MsSquatAlot
    MsSquatAlot Posts: 238 Member
    edited January 2016
    AnguishLanguish wrote: »
    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,

    I just want to say this this is not true for everyone, I have lost122lbs since June of last year. I know what you mean but there was nothing dangerous or unhealthy about my weight loss. Aggressive? Yes. Unrealistic? Perhaps for some.

    I do agree with what everyone has said though - you need to make sure you're meeting your body's needs.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
    MichelleLei1 wrote: »
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    btucker9413 wrote: »
    MichelleLei1 wrote: »
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.

    Did you do this activity/work this job while gaining weight? It's part of your lifestyle. If you maintain your weight eating X amount of calories and being on your feet at work, you still have to subtract X amount of calories to lose weight. Your activity level is the same.
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