Body Scan Data: Why Protein is so important
qweck3
Posts: 346 Member
Each month I share my body scan data to encourage MFP members to look past the bathroom scale. Due to a promo, I now have the opportunity to scan twice a month for the rest of the year which allows me to react quicker to macro intake.
My first two weeks of the month I failed to consume my needed protein intake due to friends and business associates being in town and wanting to go to restaurants to eat. I ate way too much fat (lots of wings and not enough chicken breast etc.) and paid the price when looking at the deeper numbers although the bathroom scale would make me believe I was losing weight.
From 9/29 to 10/11:
My bathroom scale “claims” I lost 3.5 pounds but looking past that number bad things happened as my fat mass in two weeks skyrocketed 10.7 pounds up while I lost a huge 14.3 pounds of lean mass. NOT GOOD for that to happen in merely two weeks and a clear indication that I needed more protein and less fat.
From 10/12 to 10/27:
I went into correction mode and got back to pounding the protein. For the month I am down 3 pounds on the bathroom scale but not in a good way. My fat mass is actually still up 2.8 pounds overall and my lean mass still down 5.8 pounds.
I tend to harp on protein in my various replies to post on the Keto/low carb board but the numbers do not lie. The unique situation of two scans and eating more fat and less protein this month confirms that for me to keep losing fat while building lean mass I need to take in roughly 225 grams of protein a day, limit my fat to around 120 grams, consume roughly 50 grams of net carbs while maintaining my current calorie count of about 2200 calories. September was the model month for me and I'm going back to it.
Looking forward to doing two scans again in November to verify the progress and correct quickly where needed. I intend for December 16th to be the day I go into maintenance mode as I do not want to lose much more “weight” but rather build muscle.
Hope this helps.
My first two weeks of the month I failed to consume my needed protein intake due to friends and business associates being in town and wanting to go to restaurants to eat. I ate way too much fat (lots of wings and not enough chicken breast etc.) and paid the price when looking at the deeper numbers although the bathroom scale would make me believe I was losing weight.
From 9/29 to 10/11:
My bathroom scale “claims” I lost 3.5 pounds but looking past that number bad things happened as my fat mass in two weeks skyrocketed 10.7 pounds up while I lost a huge 14.3 pounds of lean mass. NOT GOOD for that to happen in merely two weeks and a clear indication that I needed more protein and less fat.
From 10/12 to 10/27:
I went into correction mode and got back to pounding the protein. For the month I am down 3 pounds on the bathroom scale but not in a good way. My fat mass is actually still up 2.8 pounds overall and my lean mass still down 5.8 pounds.
I tend to harp on protein in my various replies to post on the Keto/low carb board but the numbers do not lie. The unique situation of two scans and eating more fat and less protein this month confirms that for me to keep losing fat while building lean mass I need to take in roughly 225 grams of protein a day, limit my fat to around 120 grams, consume roughly 50 grams of net carbs while maintaining my current calorie count of about 2200 calories. September was the model month for me and I'm going back to it.
Looking forward to doing two scans again in November to verify the progress and correct quickly where needed. I intend for December 16th to be the day I go into maintenance mode as I do not want to lose much more “weight” but rather build muscle.
Hope this helps.
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Replies
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@qweck3 Thank you for sharing (both today and in the past); what do you do for higher protein and lower fat? Based on comments by you, Sunny_Bunny_ and others, I have been trying to increase my protein with minimal fat increase; but most of what I am finding has higher fat along with the higher protein (i count myself lucky when i find a 1:1 ratio).
i have looked for places near me that have dexascans or 3dfit but am not seeing them listed on those respective sites. from your experience in trying to determine the best macros, if i call different fitness/gym/nutrition locations and ask if they have RMR scans, they should have an idea of what i am talking about?0 -
Highest protein/fat ratio foods:
Chicken breast - 100g has 31g protein, 3g fat (151 calories)
Turkey breast - 100g has 34g protein, 1g fat (153 calories)
Tuna - 100g has 23g protein, 1g fat (108 calories)
Egg whites - 100g has 11g protein, 0g fat, (52 calories)
Just some ideas for you, zany2 -
sweet; thank you, @ccrdragon!
guess i will try to figure out more things to do with chicken breast0 -
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thank you @23rochelle230
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Protein powder has a very high protein:fat ratio... especially if you get zero carb or very very low carb.
In addition to boneless/skinless chicken breast, most fish is also high protein:fat.0 -
thank you0
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@ccrdragon really hit the foods I tend to target. I also look for sales on lean ground chicken. The key thing is to get the lean version. Lean turkey is pretty good ratio wise as well. Sams club has a very fair price on these that I buy in bulk.
@zanyterp More and more crossfit gyms are buying these fit3d machines or the competitor versions so that is another place that could have them. I've heard of people getting scans done at hospitals but I'd imagine that would be pricey.
My workouts are on the extremely active level. I do crossfit 3 times a week, hot power yoga once and a class or two of yin for muscle recovery. Because of this I have to maintain pretty high levels of protein to feed the muscles.
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