Protein

eyeshinebright
eyeshinebright Posts: 51 Member
in Food and Nutrition
There's a lot of conflicting information out there about how much protein we should be eating each day.

My primary concern is how much protein we should eat to preserve muscle so that my body isn't chipping away at it during a calorie deficit.

Is 1g per kg the standard? Many places say 1g per lb of body weight but that seems like too much.

Replies

  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    The scale I saw was .6-1g per lb of body weight
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    The RDA for adequate protein for most adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of ideal weight. That's about 46 grams of protein per day for non-pregnant, non-lactating women and 56 grams for men.

    Dietary Reference Intakes: Macronutrients

    The recommendation I've seen for optimal protein (especially if body building or losing weight) is 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass or 0.8 grams per pound of your ideal weight (middle of normal BMI).

    Personally, I aim for about 70 grams per day which falls between adequate and optimal but works for me.
  • eyeshinebright
    eyeshinebright Posts: 51 Member
    Interesting about the intake for ideal body weight. Thanks!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Protein is important during the weight loss phase so that you do not lose as much muscle as would otherwise.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited May 2016
    The minimum requirement for a sedentary woman is about 46 grams a day.
    Keep that number in mind.
    My goal is 70 grams a day.
  • eyeshinebright
    eyeshinebright Posts: 51 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Protein is important during the weight loss phase so that you do not lose as much muscle as would otherwise.

    Yes, that is my concern, which is why the RDA seems pretty low.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    eyeshinebright wrote: »
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Protein is important during the weight loss phase so that you do not lose as much muscle as would otherwise.

    Yes, that is my concern, which is why the RDA seems pretty low.

    The RDA is aimed at the "average" person. Not someone consuming a calorie deficit.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    eyeshinebright wrote: »
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Protein is important during the weight loss phase so that you do not lose as much muscle as would otherwise.

    Yes, that is my concern, which is why the RDA seems pretty low.

    To preserve muscle as much as possible during a deficit, the RDA is not ideal. .65-.8 g/lb of goal (healthy) weight is generally enough.

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