Would I lose muscle if I ate my maintenance calories, but didn't eat enough protein?
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AnthonyX150X
Posts: 293 Member
I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
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Replies
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Are you planning to? If so...why?0
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you need about .4g*[your bodyweight] every day to hold your gains. If you weigh 165lb, you need to be eating at least 66g/day (assuming you're pretty sedentary). You won't gain anything eating this little protein, but you won't lose either. If you eat all of your daily calories in fruit (or other foods that have no protein), you will lose some muscle mass.1
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Loaded question you lose and gain muscle everyday- Here's the thing protein maintains muscle but without carbs you don't have the optimum energy to create muscle fat helps with the hormones and absorption of nutrients which is also very important. Eat a balanced diet and workout with some intensity and you will be fine given your diet isn't to out of the ordinary and your goals aren't to build a lot of muscle. Good luck if you want a more detailed answer post up some numbers on Fats carbs and protein you do take in.0
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Michael190lbs wrote: »
Who knows!0 -
AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.
There's a thread on it somewhere....0 -
Found it: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/37211275/#Comment_37211275
OP - I suggest you see your doctor and get a referral to a dietitian and for help with your depression.
Also, studies show that exercise is effective for mild to moderate depression, and can help with severe depression as well. Many times I have to force myself to exercise, and am always glad I did. As soon as I start, I'm fine.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.
I think the lowest day I have ever logged was around 8% and that was a day when I was travelling, didn't have much access to my typical foods, and had one meal that was just french fries, ketchup, and a salad of iceberg lettuce. 5% is so low.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.
I think the lowest day I have ever logged was around 8% and that was a day when I was travelling, didn't have much access to my typical foods, and had one meal that was just french fries, ketchup, and a salad of iceberg lettuce. 5% is so low.
I've never got under double figures... I can't imagine how you'd manage 5% at all. I wish OP would open his diary, just for my curiosity!0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.
I think the lowest day I have ever logged was around 8% and that was a day when I was travelling, didn't have much access to my typical foods, and had one meal that was just french fries, ketchup, and a salad of iceberg lettuce. 5% is so low.
I've never got under double figures... I can't imagine how you'd manage 5% at all. I wish OP would open his diary, just for my curiosity!
A fruit heavy diet would do it. We were playing around with this in the other thread, and just potatoes and butter would end up too high in protein. About half potatoes, half bananas, plus some butter hit the macros about right on. I'm not saying it's that, but lots of fruit--most starches and veg will be higher in protein.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.
I think the lowest day I have ever logged was around 8% and that was a day when I was travelling, didn't have much access to my typical foods, and had one meal that was just french fries, ketchup, and a salad of iceberg lettuce. 5% is so low.
I've never got under double figures... I can't imagine how you'd manage 5% at all. I wish OP would open his diary, just for my curiosity!
In his 80/15/5 thread he says he eats mostly fruit and chocolate, but is going to discuss this with his doctor.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »AnthonyX150X wrote: »I was wondering if I was eating enough calories to maintain my weight, but wasn't consuming enough protein that my body needed. Would I still remain the same weight if I were eating my maintenance calories or would weight loss (muscle loss) still occur regardless of calorie intake?
I've lost muscle whenever I stopped strength training, regardless of my calories or protein intake. Do you lift weights?
If your protein is truly only 5%, why? I have vegan friends who get more than that.
I think the lowest day I have ever logged was around 8% and that was a day when I was travelling, didn't have much access to my typical foods, and had one meal that was just french fries, ketchup, and a salad of iceberg lettuce. 5% is so low.
I've never got under double figures... I can't imagine how you'd manage 5% at all. I wish OP would open his diary, just for my curiosity!
In his 80/15/5 thread he says he eats mostly fruit and chocolate, but is going to discuss this with his doctor.
Fruit and chocolate... makes sense I suppose!0 -
Are you planning to? If so...why?
I'm not planning to, but my protein intake has been low lately and I was just curious if I would lose muscle even though I am in maintenance. I thought the only way to lose any kind of weight whether it be fat or muscle, was to be in a calorie deficit, but I have been wondering for a long time if muscle loss would still occur with an insufficient amount of protein in my diet.0 -
Judging from your profile picture, it seems you already lost all your muscles.1
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In maintenance and without lifting, you need .8 g/kg body weight' to preserve the muscles you use. At a lower intake of protein, your body will get the protein it needs from tissues inside you. Do yourself a favor and make certain to eat up to your protein budget. Eating over your protein budget won't hurt.0
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you would lose muscle, but you wouldn't lose weight. (as muscle breaks down, energy is released, creating a surplus since your question assumes you're consuming maintenance calories. Surplus is stored as fat.)1
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have you spoken to a doctor yet about getting some support for your eating disorder?1
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »you would lose muscle, but you wouldn't lose weight. (as muscle breaks down, energy is released, creating a surplus since your question assumes you're consuming maintenance calories. Surplus is stored as fat.)
^^this0
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