Why does MFP limit my protein?
nutty2chat2016
Posts: 8 Member
I thought high protein was good for you?
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Replies
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It is your protein goal is a minimum of x grams0
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My fitness coach wants me at a much higher protein level than MFP suggests. I just modified my daily goals under the goals tab.2
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It's just trying to fit the numbers to the goals you've set.
If you told it you want to eat 1800 calories and want 30% of that to be protein, it's going to say you should eat 135g of protein (540 calories).0 -
Im a nutrition dummy. I just took the defaults for everything based on my weight, activity level, and the amount of weight I want to lose. My problem is I often end up under calories and over on the macros. I guess I'm not balancing stuff well or I need to start eating more calories that don't have protein, fat, carbs, or sugar. What is that telling me? I need more vegetables, right?1
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I lost all of my weight using the default settings. I looked at protein and fat as goals (minimums) and then the carbs fall where they will.
Many say a higher protein percentage is better when losing weight, both because protein is satiating and because protein helps protect muscle while eating at a deficit.3 -
nutty2chat2016 wrote: »I thought high protein was good for you?
While in a calorie deficit consuming more protein than the MFP minimums is beneficial for muscle sparing while dieting. Look for foods that provide you with satiety, as in the right balance of protein, healthy fats and fiber rich foods. I use .8 to 1 gram protein per my body weight. Anything over that amount gets fairly expensive and not any more beneficial for your bodies needs, you can simply fill in the rest with healthy fats and carbs as you see fit.
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Mfp doesn't control what you put in your mouth - it gives you recommendations, it's up to you to decide if these fit with your goals, and personal preferences etc.
If you're going over all your macros (protein, fat and carbs) but not getting close to your calorie goal, youre using incorrect entries. All food is made up of these (or alcohols), there is nothing with calories that has no macros. Vegetables are predominantly carbs.
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nutty2chat2016 wrote: »Im a nutrition dummy. I just took the defaults for everything based on my weight, activity level, and the amount of weight I want to lose. My problem is I often end up under calories and over on the macros. I guess I'm not balancing stuff well or I need to start eating more calories that don't have protein, fat, carbs, or sugar. What is that telling me? I need more vegetables, right?
Actually, if you are high on protein, fat, and carbs, it's an issue with the macro information being wrong or just a rounding thing (and presumably you aren't far off). I'd focus on calories, first, and then work on increasing protein if it is low. The rest more depends on how you like to eat and macros don't need to be perfect.
More veg is usually good, though!0 -
Yeah, calories and macros should balance, if they aren't then the food you are picking from the database is entered incorrectly.
Macros: Protein = 4 calories per gram. Fat = 9 calories per gram. Carbs = 4 calories per gram. So in total, if your macros are in balance, your calories come out in balance.
I think what you are saying is that maybe you are eating too much of one (like carbs) and not enough of another (like protein) or some variation of that? That just takes time and practice and studying your food diary.
Start with protein. Make it your goal to hit your numbers or exceed them every day. The easiest way is to have a minimum of one serving with each meal. It can be beans, dairy, meat, seafood, tofu, protein powder, whole grains. Those are your best protein sources. Then have a vegetable with every meal. A small portion of fat is pretty necessary to process nutrients properly, so have some fat with every meal.
It takes time to learn.0 -
The macros for protein, fats, carbs are recommendations not limits. If you go over or under one MFP does nothing to you. You can also customize your goals.
Look at calories for weight loss though.0 -
I changed my protein % not longer after i signed up. 20% is too low for me, i bumped it up to 30% and try to keep that as the minimum.1
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I do realize there is no penalty for going over the macros. Lol. I'm just trying to learn how to eat right. I'm assuming if MFP is suggesting I'm eating too much protein, there is a reason. It just surprised me.
For example, here's how my day panned out for remaining nutrients:
Carbs 0
Fat -10
Protein -25
Calories -48
I'm not usually over this far, but my point is for 1200 calories, I wasn't that far over on calories, but the fat and protein are pretty far over. I've been confirming the calories on most of my choices, but not the macros. Maybe I should be double checking those too.0 -
Great read about how to set up your macros here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p10
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Zero carbs is really, really hard to do. Especially for a carb lover like me.
No bread, veggies, fruits at all?0 -
nutty2chat2016 wrote: »I do realize there is no penalty for going over the macros. Lol. I'm just trying to learn how to eat right. I'm assuming if MFP is suggesting I'm eating too much protein, there is a reason. It just surprised me.
For example, here's how my day panned out for remaining nutrients:
Carbs 0
Fat -10
Protein -25
Calories -48
I'm not usually over this far, but my point is for 1200 calories, I wasn't that far over on calories, but the fat and protein are pretty far over. I've been confirming the calories on most of my choices, but not the macros. Maybe I should be double checking those too.
That looks odd. If you are over by 25g protein, that's 100 calories. Over fat by 10g, that's 90 calories. So you would be over by 190 calories if you are using entries that have the correct macros entered - so you are using bad entries.
It takes time to find good entries, many of them are wrong. How are you measuring your amounts of food? Forgive me if you've already mentioned it.
Regardless, start comparing the food entries you are using to the USDA food database:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/
As far as going over, just worry about calories for now and learn about macros as you go.
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nutty2chat2016 wrote: »Im a nutrition dummy. I just took the defaults for everything based on my weight, activity level, and the amount of weight I want to lose. My problem is I often end up under calories and over on the macros. I guess I'm not balancing stuff well or I need to start eating more calories that don't have protein, fat, carbs, or sugar. What is that telling me? I need more vegetables, right?
Alcohol. If you want calories without protein, fat, or carbs (without "sugar" is redundant -- sugar is a carb), you need to drink distilled alcohol (gin, vodka, whisky, etc.) straight or with a no-calorie mixer (still or sparkling water, diet soda). The calories in vegetables are mainly from carbs, but also usually some protein and even fat.2 -
nutty2chat2016 wrote: »I thought high protein was good for you?
It depends. Some health conditions, especially kidney issues, require you to limit it.0 -
nutty2chat2016 wrote: »I do realize there is no penalty for going over the macros. Lol. I'm just trying to learn how to eat right. I'm assuming if MFP is suggesting I'm eating too much protein, there is a reason.
It's a minimum/suggested balance. MFP is not saying you should limit protein. It's also a default, not the one best way to set up macros. MFP's protein target is quite low if you are at low calories.0 -
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Oops, read that wrong.0
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Recommended protien is .6 to .8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram of protien per kilo of body weight.
WHO has a lower number and also UK and European countries has set it lower than most of the advisories in North America.0 -
Recommended protien is .6 to .8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram of protien per kilo of body weight.
WHO has a lower number and also UK and European countries has set it lower than most of the advisories in North America.
@Gamliela
You do realise that there are 2.2lbs in a kilo?
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I suck at math. I found a website that discussed Paleo / Keto (high protein and fat with low carbs and sugar). It said that the ratio should be 45% protein, 40% fat and 15% carbs.
Here is a website that explains it: https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/page/KetoDiet-Buddy
That is what I put in my macros and MFP did the rest. on a 1400 calorie diet that works out to 158 g Protein (Impossible); 62 g fat (Doable); 53 g carbs (Usually, I am over).
Interesting facts about protein metabolism here:
https://www.muscleforlife.com/the-truth-about-protein-absorption-how-often-you-should-eat-protein-to-build-muscle/0 -
Recommended protien is .6 to .8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram of protien per kilo of body weight.
WHO has a lower number and also UK and European countries has set it lower than most of the advisories in North America.
@Gamliela
You do realise that there are 2.2lbs in a kilo?
Yes, and that is what is advised as sufficient protien.
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www.food.govuk sets protien guidlines for qdults at 55 grams per day.0
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@GamlielaRecommended protien is .6 to .8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram of protien per kilo of body weight.
WHO has a lower number and also UK and European countries has set it lower than most of the advisories in North America.
@Gamliela
You do realise that there are 2.2lbs in a kilo?
Yes, and that is what is advised as sufficient protien.
Check your maths.
This -
.6 to .8 grams per pound of body weight
Doesn't match this -
1 gram of protien per kilo of body weight0 -
The efsa, european food safety association, sets protien needs at .83 grams per kilogram of weight, not per pound of weight.0
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