Can't fit enough protein in?

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  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Cortelli wrote: »
    FreyasRebirth wrote: »
    For a non-athlete, the recommended minimum is 0.8 grams per KILOGRAM of body weight.

    For someone who is 150 lbs, that is like 55 grams. You can eat more than the minimum but some of the goals people have are a bit insane. If you were a serious athlete, you may need up to 1.6 grams per kg. That takes you up to a lofty minimum of 109 grams of protein (also using 150 lb for calculation). It wouldn't even represent 20% of your calories.

    Using my own numbers (as a non-athlete), my protein minimum is slightly over 10% of my 1800 maintenance calories or 12% if I'm in a small deficit. 40% is not necessary and the "Accepted Macronutrient Distribution Ranges" lists 35% as the very upper limit for protein.

    There is quite a bit of evidence that when in a calorie deficit (i.e., when actively losing weight) both those targets above would be lower than optimal if one's goal is to preserve lean mass while losing weight.

    Actually, the 1.6 g/kg is similar to the .65-.85 g/lb of healthy body weight that I've seen -- it's right in the middle, and I've seen it as a range of 1.6-2.2 g/kg too.

    I have to run now so won't post my usual Examine.com links (that have studies and other sources within), but the issue is that losing weight requires more protein for optimal muscle maintenance, and either being very active or trying to build muscle also does. From what I've read, especially if one is female and getting a bit older, like me, .8 g/lb (of a healthy body weight if one has weight to lose -- no inflated numbers because one is 200 if a healthy weight would be 130), is a reasonable choice to protect against unnecessary muscle loss at a deficit, among other things.

    (I'm tagging it on here because of the initial sentence in my post, I think you and I are basically in agreement and not meaning to imply otherwise.)

    I hate it when people focus on minimums as if that is all that is important or, worse, seem to think we are stupidly confusing kg and lb. (I do think some goals are way too high, of course, often those that are based on percentages that seem just afraid of fats and carbs, but the .8 g/lb of healthy body weight has some reasonable backing.)

    I would emphasize that it's a range of .65-.85 or similar for the optimal, so if .8 feels high it's certainly okay to be somewhat lower, but there is good reason to aim well above the minimum or RDA.

    Yes, I think we're largely in agreement; but I do favor at least 1g per lb of LBM when I am deficit, and target (but usually don't reach, 1.2g / lb LBM. I am relatively lean; I resistance train; etc. -- factors that appear to benefit from higher protein intakes.

    An older thread I keep in my bookmarks with a fair number of links: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/823505

    And another: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1158604



  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    If you struggle eating2 chicken breasts at dinner - spread it out during the day

    I did 2oz chicken for breakfast, 2.5 for lunch, shrimp for dinner (and assorted other food items that had some level of protein in it)

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