Pls help me understand need for protein?
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Kdp2015
Posts: 519 Member
I have never eaten a lot of protein (have fish or quorn a few times a week but no meat, don’t like nuts seeds pulses etc) the last couple of weeks I’ve averaged 34grams a day (I weigh 154lbs at 5’10) Anyway that’s the way I’ve always eaten and have never experienced any ill effects, I feel quite strong and energetic and I’m not troubled by pain or illnesses.
Do you think people with less muscle can get away with a lot less protein or I setting myself up for future issues?
Do you think people with less muscle can get away with a lot less protein or I setting myself up for future issues?
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Your body uses amino acids (the things that join together to make protein) for so many processes. If you don't provide them through diet, your body will use itself to keep these processes going.12
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The usda recommends 15% or .8grams per kilo of bw me thinks. I like higher personally. Protein helps keep you full. I run about 1.3 per pound of bw, but I am a meat and veggie kind of guy. It's really all up to you. For muscle gain, all you have to do is hit your lucine thresholds.0
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Thanks for the reply, I read a lot about wasting away - I guess my question is if I’ve never eaten much protein how can I waste away what wasn’t there to begin with?livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Your body uses amino acids (the things that join together to make protein) for so many processes. If you don't provide them through diet, your body will use itself to keep these processes going.
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If I’ve worked that out right I need 60g a day?psychod787 wrote: »The usda recommends 15% or .8grams per kilo of bw me thinks. I like higher personally. Protein helps keep you full. I run about 1.3 per pound of bw, but I am a meat and veggie kind of guy. It's really all up to you. For muscle gain, all you have to do is hit your lucine thresholds.
Should that be based on actual or ideal weight though?
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If I’ve worked that out right I need 60g a day?psychod787 wrote: »The usda recommends 15% or .8grams per kilo of bw me thinks. I like higher personally. Protein helps keep you full. I run about 1.3 per pound of bw, but I am a meat and veggie kind of guy. It's really all up to you. For muscle gain, all you have to do is hit your lucine thresholds.
Should that be based on actual or ideal weight though?
It's .8-1.2 g per Kg of lean body mass. Protein is important not only for building lean mass but also for maintaining it.3 -
So is it very difficult to work out without an accurate idea of bf%?WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »
If I’ve worked that out right I need 60g a day?psychod787 wrote: »The usda recommends 15% or .8grams per kilo of bw me thinks. I like higher personally. Protein helps keep you full. I run about 1.3 per pound of bw, but I am a meat and veggie kind of guy. It's really all up to you. For muscle gain, all you have to do is hit your lucine thresholds.
Should that be based on actual or ideal weight though?
It's .8-1.2 g per Kg of lean body mass. Protein is important not only for building lean mass but also for maintaining it.
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Have you tried textured vegetable protein? They're dry protein crumbles that act like ground beef basically, you can use it for pasta sauce or chili etc. They're a lot less expensive than Quorn or fish.2
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Thanks for the reply, I read a lot about wasting away - I guess my question is if I’ve never eaten much protein how can I waste away what wasn’t there to begin with?livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Your body uses amino acids (the things that join together to make protein) for so many processes. If you don't provide them through diet, your body will use itself to keep these processes going.
It's probably not there because you don't eat much protein. I'd try and rectify this... Having more muscle as you get older is a good thing.9 -
Thanks I have but I wouldn’t swap it for quorn or fish, I’d rather add things if that makes sensehappytree923 wrote: »Have you tried textured vegetable protein? They're dry protein crumbles that act like ground beef basically, you can use it for pasta sauce or chili etc. They're a lot less expensive than Quorn or fish.
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
Thanks for the reply, I read a lot about wasting away - I guess my question is if I’ve never eaten much protein how can I waste away what wasn’t there to begin with?livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Your body uses amino acids (the things that join together to make protein) for so many processes. If you don't provide them through diet, your body will use itself to keep these processes going.
It's probably not there because you don't eat much protein. I'd try and rectify this... Having more muscle as you get older is a good thing.
Thanks, it’s my understanding though that to build muscle I need excess calories and strength training? I’m not really there at the moment.
I don’t actually feel like I’m lacking muscle, I work as a gardener and rarely struggle with the physical side.
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Thanks I have but I wouldn’t swap it for quorn or fish, I’d rather add things if that makes sensehappytree923 wrote: »Have you tried textured vegetable protein? They're dry protein crumbles that act like ground beef basically, you can use it for pasta sauce or chili etc. They're a lot less expensive than Quorn or fish.
I was suggesting it in addition to the Quorn and fish- just meant that those items can get kind of pricey to rely on for protein so tvp could cover the days you're not eating those.0 -
Oh I see thanks, coat isn’t what puts me off, generally on my low protein days I need more convenience style foods but I’ll look into tvp again, it’s been a while since I’ve used it.happytree923 wrote: »
Thanks I have but I wouldn’t swap it for quorn or fish, I’d rather add things if that makes sensehappytree923 wrote: »Have you tried textured vegetable protein? They're dry protein crumbles that act like ground beef basically, you can use it for pasta sauce or chili etc. They're a lot less expensive than Quorn or fish.
I was suggesting it in addition to the Quorn and fish- just meant that those items can get kind of pricey to rely on for protein so tvp could cover the days you're not eating those.
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*cost0
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Do you think people with less muscle can get away with a lot less protein or I setting myself up for future issues?
I believe that you are setting yourself up for future issues in a roundabout way. My train of thought:
- having "less muscle" and doing nothing to attempt to increase muscle means that you are likely not doing any resistance exercise
- resistance exercise (e.g., lifting weights, bodyweight exercise, etc.) increases bone density
- bone density decreases significantly once you hit menopause, best to start out with it in as good a place as possible
- decreased bone density can lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis, which lead to fractured and broken bones (around 50% of women experience this)
- hip fractures have been linked to increased mortality, both in the short and long terms
- weak bones = increased frailty = decreased quality of life
The USDA protein recommendation quoted above is not for people who train (meaning lift weights.) It's for your average everyday person, who is likely to end up with weaker bones than those who do train. You aren't even hitting that level of protein and that is problematic IMO.22 -
Thank you, that’s really helpful. My mum has osteoporosis and I certainly don’t want that. I will try and make more of an effort, I just needed to really understand why it was important.Do you think people with less muscle can get away with a lot less protein or I setting myself up for future issues?
I believe that you are setting yourself up for future issues in a roundabout way. My train of thought:
- having "less muscle" and doing nothing to attempt to increase muscle means that you are likely not doing any resistance exercise
- resistance exercise (e.g., lifting weights, bodyweight exercise, etc.) increases bone density
- bone density decreases significantly once you hit menopause, best to start out with it in as good a place as possible
- decreased bone density can lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis, which lead to fractured and broken bones (around 50% of women experience this)
- hip fractures have been linked to increased mortality, both in the short and long terms
- weak bones = increased frailty = decreased quality of life
The USDA protein recommendation quoted above is not for people who train (meaning lift weights.) It's for your average everyday person, who is likely to end up with weaker bones than those who do train. You aren't even hitting that level of protein and that is problematic IMO.
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Protein is used to build and repair your hair, skin and nails, along with other structures in your body. Oh, and your heart is a muscle. A young body can cope with a lot of crappy conditions, but as you age and all the systems in your body age, the ability to make up for poor nutrition diminishes. That's why women are encouraged to get lots of calcium and vit D when they are young to build strong bones, because as you get into your 40's your bones will thin, and the more you start out with, the less damaging that loss is. Just like you can eat a crap diet in your 20's and not feel the effects, but as you get older you find yourself at a disadvantage because of it. All the hens come home to roost as you move thru your 30's and 40's
I know plenty of women in their 40's and 50's who ate the typical low protein diet food of the 1970's and 1980's who have thinning hair, brittle nails, lack of endurance, and are desperately trying to build muscle now so they don't end up frail and helpless.12 -
Cool thanks, I’m on it!!!1
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Getting enough dairy has helped me with protein goals. Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt and is available in convenient serving sizes. Eggplant also has protein and is delicious.1
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Oh I see thanks, coat isn’t what puts me off, generally on my low protein days I need more convenience style foods but I’ll look into tvp again, it’s been a while since I’ve used it.happytree923 wrote: »
Thanks I have but I wouldn’t swap it for quorn or fish, I’d rather add things if that makes sensehappytree923 wrote: »Have you tried textured vegetable protein? They're dry protein crumbles that act like ground beef basically, you can use it for pasta sauce or chili etc. They're a lot less expensive than Quorn or fish.
I was suggesting it in addition to the Quorn and fish- just meant that those items can get kind of pricey to rely on for protein so tvp could cover the days you're not eating those.
Reduced fat string cheese and hardboiled egg whites are both convenient ways to get more protein without adding a lot of calories. I was veg for five years so I understand it's sometimes difficult to increase protein without also increasing fat or carbs so it can be hard to balance when calorie-counting.1 -
Oh yeah, I'll add that quick and relatively inexpensive protein sources I rely on are eggs, greek yogurt, canned tuna, and string cheese. I also find lentils are a great addition, although not as quick obviously!3
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