How much protein does each meal need to keep me full?

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ladybug4233
ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
edited March 2018 in Health and Weight Loss
I am doing well with CICO but Im struggling with feeling full for a while after a meal. So I am thinking I need more protein. I am a 46 yr. old female who works out 6x a week. I do weights 3x and cardio 6x. How much protein should I aim for?

Thanks for the help,
Candie

Replies

  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
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    ladybug4233 wrote: »
    I am doing well with CICO but Im struggling with feeling full for a while after a meal. So I am thinking I need more protein. I am a 46 yr. old female who works out 6x a week. I do weights 3x and cardio 6x. How much protein should I aim for?

    Thanks for the help,
    Candie

    Without seeing your diary, the only tips to make you feel satisfied longer I can give you is that dietary fats can make you feel satisfied longer. Fats also are used to make hormones/endorphins/antibodies. If you are restricting fat intake you should consider increasing it slowly. Ask your dr first if you have medical issues.

    Protein also helps satiety, but pairing proteins up with the right amount of good fats is a one-two punch.

    Finally add foods with fiber. Start out slowly as too much fiber can also cause issues. But fiber (soluble and insoluble) is helpful against some diseases and conditions.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    How much protein are you eating now for the day? With weight training the goal is .8 to 1.2 grams per lb of lean body mass. Ideally 1/4 of it consumed 4x per day. If it's 3 not the end of the world. But that is for optimal muscle protein synthesis. Satiety is a very individual thing.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    30-50 g per meal.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,737 Member
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    Not everyone is best satiated by protein. It's protein for some, fats for others, carbs (often complex carbs like potatoes or grain) for a few, and some are satiated by volume (like low-cal fiber-containing veggies) . . . or a combination.

    For protein, I like the 0.6-0.8g per pound of goal weight formula (roughly equivalent to 0.8-1g per pound of lean body mass) as a minimum. That leads me to eat 100g minimum daily, usually more. My personal satiation formula is protein+volume, so I like to spread my protein through the day; and since I'm ovo-lacto vegetarian (who hates fake meat, protein powder, protein bars) I have to get protein from many different foods, so spreading it helps there, too.

    Bottom line, I try to get a minimum of 25g per meal, more if I can, and if I snack it's usually protein-y.

    Thus thread is super helpful if you need new protein food ideas:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
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    Fibrous food fills me better than straight protein, and adding fats in as I tend to veer low fat without intending too so much.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Once you've used the above recommendations to confirm getting minimal protein in, it could also be as simple as eating the fat and protein first, carbs last, in a meal.

    Some have a real spike of insulin, which then can result in it going too low before evening out.
    It's that dip below desired that can make you feel hungry, even though you have eaten enough.


    Then again - you mention of nothing of deficit level compared to how close to healthy weight.

    You could merely be eating too little, and the big deficit is causing what a body should do - feel hungry.
    Be concerned when that stops - body is adapting.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    ladybug4233 wrote: »
    I am doing well with CICO but Im struggling with feeling full for a while after a meal. So I am thinking I need more protein. I am a 46 yr. old female who works out 6x a week. I do weights 3x and cardio 6x. How much protein should I aim for?

    Thanks for the help,
    Candie

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    Just wondering if the hunger is due to lack of fuel, not type of fuel per se.

    Cheers.
  • ladybug4233
    ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
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    Thanks so much for all of the responses. I will open my diary. Yesterday I ate all of my calories. I don't usually do that but I was hungry and figured it was okay once. It makes me nervous eating all of my calories.
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    Fiber jumps out at me after looking at yoru diary. I would try that first. What fruits and vegies do you like? Maybe you can bulk up the volume of food while increasing your fiber.

    For example - I can eat a pint of strawberries for under 125 calories and 7 grams of fiber.
  • ladybug4233
    ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
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    bioklutz wrote: »
    Fiber jumps out at me after looking at yoru diary. I would try that first. What fruits and vegies do you like? Maybe you can bulk up the volume of food while increasing your fiber.

    For example - I can eat a pint of strawberries for under 125 calories and 7 grams of fiber.

    I would love to eat more but I have fructose intolerance so fruit and a lot of veggies hurts my tummy.
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    ladybug4233 wrote: »
    bioklutz wrote: »
    Fiber jumps out at me after looking at yoru diary. I would try that first. What fruits and vegies do you like? Maybe you can bulk up the volume of food while increasing your fiber.

    For example - I can eat a pint of strawberries for under 125 calories and 7 grams of fiber.

    I would love to eat more but I have fructose intolerance so fruit and a lot of veggies hurts my tummy.

    Oh my! I am sorry, that sucks!

    I also use egg whites to add low calorie volume to some of my meals. What veggies can you tolerate? Do you like mushrooms and can you eat them? They are low in calories and can be used to bulk a meal up.
  • ladybug4233
    ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
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    bioklutz wrote: »
    ladybug4233 wrote: »
    bioklutz wrote: »
    Fiber jumps out at me after looking at yoru diary. I would try that first. What fruits and vegies do you like? Maybe you can bulk up the volume of food while increasing your fiber.

    For example - I can eat a pint of strawberries for under 125 calories and 7 grams of fiber.

    I would love to eat more but I have fructose intolerance so fruit and a lot of veggies hurts my tummy.

    Oh my! I am sorry, that sucks!

    I also use egg whites to add low calorie volume to some of my meals. What veggies can you tolerate? Do you like mushrooms and can you eat them? They are low in calories and can be used to bulk a meal up.

    Thank you. I love mushrooms!

  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited March 2018
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    You asking us how much protein do I need to keep full is kind of like me asking you how long is this piece of string I'm holding. Sure, I could guess how much would satisfy you...but it'd just be a guess. Only real way to answer that is for you to track your macros and experiment with what splits and what types of food you personally find satisfying. If I say I find x amount of protein satiating that doest really say if you would find that satiating...it is subjective.

    As far as how much protein you should get from memory I think the RDV is something like 0.6g per pound. 0.8 to 1.2g per pound is more to support muscle if you are weightlifting but it certainly wouldn't hurt to try it out and see.

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