Not eating enough protein
Jenna__XoXo
Posts: 117 Member
I'm tryi ng to lose 60 pounds so I'm cutting back carbs and trying to eat more protein instead. However, I always end up over my carb goal and way under my protein goal. How do I get more protein each day?
4
Replies
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There are two ways to get more protein in your diet. Larger servings of the protein-rich foods you're already eating or adding protein-rich foods to your diet.
It's hard to be more specific without knowing how you're already eating.4 -
What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.4
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What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.1 -
Your protein goal is very high, imo. That is probably why you are going over.4
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jennamburchette2014 wrote: »My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
This is a myth. You need to eat less calories than you burn - eat in a calorie deficit. You can eat what you like, you just need to make sure you are eating less calories than you expend. What is your height and weight? What is your goal weight?4 -
As far as weight loss goes, I think higher protein is just to keep you satiated. I aim for 80-100 grams a day, and that works perfectly for me to keep me full and give me enough energy. I can't imagine eating much more than that.5
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that protein goal seems really high; especially with the lower fat that you mention - where did you get the number from? what is your goal weight (that should be a factor in determining your protein intake)5
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jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
While it is true that a calorie deficit is what matters for weight loss, a proper macro balance can help maintain muscle and for satiety. The general recommendation for protein is 0.6-0.8 g per pound of goal body weight and 0.35-0.45 g of fat per pound of goal weight. The rest fill in with carbs.
For example, if your goal weight is 150 lbs (just throwing a number out there), your protein goal would be 90-120 g and your fat goal would be 52-67 g. Based on that, I would say your protein goal sounds rather high.6 -
What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
not to derail... but she's got 60lbs to lose. When you are trying to lose more than 20lbs it's about more than just calories.
You also have to factor hunger management, emotions, habit change, dieting under stress. I really wish people would quit minimizing a process which is, for some, a complicated approach. Nothing kills a diet and motivation more than 3:30 in the afternoon the day before a big deadline and operating on 3hrs of sleep.
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Cassandraw3 wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
While it is true that a calorie deficit is what matters for weight loss, a proper macro balance can help maintain muscle and for satiety. The general recommendation for protein is 0.6-0.8 g per pound of goal body weight and 0.35-0.45 g of fat per pound of goal weight. The rest fill in with carbs.
For example, if your goal weight is 150 lbs (just throwing a number out there), your protein goal would be 90-120 g and your fat goal would be 52-67 g. Based on that, I would say your protein goal sounds rather high.
Well depends on what type of carbs you are filling it with.
are you filling it with simple carbs? Hello hunger pangs
Or are you filling it with a good balance of fiberous fruits and vegetables.
PS, .6grams of protien seems low to me. For a 200lb person That's only 6oz per day.
That's like 2 boiled eggs a day and a handful of nuts.
Unless we are talking per meal.15 -
tmoneyag99 wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
While it is true that a calorie deficit is what matters for weight loss, a proper macro balance can help maintain muscle and for satiety. The general recommendation for protein is 0.6-0.8 g per pound of goal body weight and 0.35-0.45 g of fat per pound of goal weight. The rest fill in with carbs.
For example, if your goal weight is 150 lbs (just throwing a number out there), your protein goal would be 90-120 g and your fat goal would be 52-67 g. Based on that, I would say your protein goal sounds rather high.
Well depends on what type of carbs you are filling it with.
are you filling it with simple carbs? Hello hunger pangs
Or are you filling it with a good balance of fiberous fruits and vegetables.
PS, .6grams of protien seems low to me. For a 200lb person That's only 6oz per day.
That's like 2 boiled eggs a day and a handful of nuts.
Unless we are talking per meal.
.6g protein/lb of overall weight for 200lb is 120g protein (or 480cal in protein a day); .6-.8 is the recommended range3 -
deannalfisher wrote: »tmoneyag99 wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
While it is true that a calorie deficit is what matters for weight loss, a proper macro balance can help maintain muscle and for satiety. The general recommendation for protein is 0.6-0.8 g per pound of goal body weight and 0.35-0.45 g of fat per pound of goal weight. The rest fill in with carbs.
For example, if your goal weight is 150 lbs (just throwing a number out there), your protein goal would be 90-120 g and your fat goal would be 52-67 g. Based on that, I would say your protein goal sounds rather high.
Well depends on what type of carbs you are filling it with.
are you filling it with simple carbs? Hello hunger pangs
Or are you filling it with a good balance of fiberous fruits and vegetables.
PS, .6grams of protien seems low to me. For a 200lb person That's only 6oz per day.
That's like 2 boiled eggs a day and a handful of nuts.
Unless we are talking per meal.
.6g protein/lb of overall weight for 200lb is 120g protein (or 480cal in protein a day); .6-.8 is the recommended range
Yeah I realized after the fact that I was looking at the calorie column and not the protein column.
I still maintain the TYPE of carbs used to fill the plate is important as well. While I don't have any statistical data to back up my theory, I think the remainder should be 75% from non-Starchy/non-processed plants (ie fresh fruits and vegetables) and nuts.
Example: If you have a 1700 kCal diet, and 480 calories come from protien, you need to *try* to get 915 calories from non-starchy plants (which provide the most micro nutrients) good fats and nuts.5 -
tmoneyag99 wrote: »not to derail... but she's got 60lbs to lose. When you are trying to lose more than 20lbs it's about more than just calories.
No, it's not. It still boils down to eating less calories than you burn (assuming there is no other medical issue). We don't know her height, starting weight, or age so we don't know if 60 pounds is a reasonable weight loss goal or not. The amount of protein she is attempting to eat in a day is disproportionately high in comparison to her carb and fat goal.7 -
Your protein is set too high. Up your fats and lower the protein.3
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jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
If that protein goal helps you to feel full, that's great, but it is higher than it needs to be generally. I wouldn't struggle to reach it if I were you, but some lean sources of protein (without too much carbs) would be canned tuna, white fish, chicken breast, shrimp, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese, and protein powder.
It might help to ignore macros for a few days and just log what you feel like eating while sticking to your calorie goal. Then make a note of how you feel during those days. What foods end up being a waste of calories? Which ones kept you full for hours? Then tweak your macros from there.
I ate @ 200g of carbs per day while losing weight, I actually find most carbs (including pasta, rice, and potatoes) very filling. Other people find carbs just keep them wanting more. There are no universal truths about food satiety. So figuring out what works best FOR YOU is key! I ended up focusing on getting as close to 100g of protein as possible, exceeding the fiber goal, and sticking to my calories. The rest I ignored.
Calorie deficit makes you lose weight.
Macros and food choices affect satiety and energy levels, and are different from one person to the next :drinker:9 -
tmoneyag99 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
not to derail... but she's got 60lbs to lose. When you are trying to lose more than 20lbs it's about more than just calories.
You also have to factor hunger management, emotions, habit change, dieting under stress. I really wish people would quit minimizing a process which is, for some, a complicated approach. Nothing kills a diet and motivation more than 3:30 in the afternoon the day before a big deadline and operating on 3hrs of sleep.
But OP isn't looking to increase protein to manage her hunger, emotions, habits, or stress. She's doing it because she is under the mistaken impression that it is required to lose weight. Letting her know that weight loss happens due to a calorie deficit and she can have more carbohydrates *if she wants them* is the kind thing to do.13 -
Looks like the protein goal has been addressed pretty well. The OP can tweak their macros and come to their own conclusions now. If they do decide they want to aim for more protein, here's a handy link: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also/p16
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debrakgoogins wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
This is a myth. You need to eat less calories than you burn - eat in a calorie deficit. You can eat what you like, you just need to make sure you are eating less calories than you expend. What is your height and weight? What is your goal weight?
I am 5'10" and 208 pounds, My goal weight is around 160.0 -
tmoneyag99 wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
While it is true that a calorie deficit is what matters for weight loss, a proper macro balance can help maintain muscle and for satiety. The general recommendation for protein is 0.6-0.8 g per pound of goal body weight and 0.35-0.45 g of fat per pound of goal weight. The rest fill in with carbs.
For example, if your goal weight is 150 lbs (just throwing a number out there), your protein goal would be 90-120 g and your fat goal would be 52-67 g. Based on that, I would say your protein goal sounds rather high.
Well depends on what type of carbs you are filling it with.
are you filling it with simple carbs? Hello hunger pangs
Fruit doesn't make me hungry. You really can't generalize about what is satiating to others.Or are you filling it with a good balance of fiberous fruits and vegetables.
Fruit calories come from simple carbs, so it's a simple carb -- simple=sugar, complex=starch.
I love and eat a lot of veg, but not everyone finds them especially satiating, and some find foods like potatoes, beans, etc. to be much more so.PS, .6grams of protien seems low to me. For a 200lb person That's only 6oz per day.
It's 120 g -- how much of various foods would make that up (I assume that's what your 6 oz is getting at) will depend on the food choice.That's like 2 boiled eggs a day and a handful of nuts.
Huh? Two large eggs have about 12.5 g protein, total, and a 1/4 cup of nuts (more than a handful) is about 7.5 g, so that's a total of 20 g -- so not even close.12 -
tmoneyag99 wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »tmoneyag99 wrote: »Cassandraw3 wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »What are your carb/protein goal, and why do you feel like you need to cut back on carbs to lose weight? Losing weight is all about calories. If you are eating carbs and still under your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
While it is true that a calorie deficit is what matters for weight loss, a proper macro balance can help maintain muscle and for satiety. The general recommendation for protein is 0.6-0.8 g per pound of goal body weight and 0.35-0.45 g of fat per pound of goal weight. The rest fill in with carbs.
For example, if your goal weight is 150 lbs (just throwing a number out there), your protein goal would be 90-120 g and your fat goal would be 52-67 g. Based on that, I would say your protein goal sounds rather high.
Well depends on what type of carbs you are filling it with.
are you filling it with simple carbs? Hello hunger pangs
Or are you filling it with a good balance of fiberous fruits and vegetables.
PS, .6grams of protien seems low to me. For a 200lb person That's only 6oz per day.
That's like 2 boiled eggs a day and a handful of nuts.
Unless we are talking per meal.
.6g protein/lb of overall weight for 200lb is 120g protein (or 480cal in protein a day); .6-.8 is the recommended range
Yeah I realized after the fact that I was looking at the calorie column and not the protein column.
I still maintain the TYPE of carbs used to fill the plate is important as well. While I don't have any statistical data to back up my theory, I think the remainder should be 75% from non-Starchy/non-processed plants (ie fresh fruits and vegetables) and nuts.
Example: If you have a 1700 kCal diet, and 480 calories come from protien, you need to *try* to get 915 calories from non-starchy plants (which provide the most micro nutrients) good fats and nuts.
Why?0 -
jennamburchette2014 wrote: »debrakgoogins wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
This is a myth. You need to eat less calories than you burn - eat in a calorie deficit. You can eat what you like, you just need to make sure you are eating less calories than you expend. What is your height and weight? What is your goal weight?
I am 5'10" and 208 pounds, My goal weight is around 160.
I'd aim for around .8 g/lb of your healthy goal weight, or 128 g, as others said. It's okay to go over (and somewhat under is okay too, I picked the high end of the range recommended to help protect muscle when losing weight). Beyond that, the amount of fat vs. carbs probably does not matter -- I see you are aiming for 30% fat, which seems reasonable to me.
Other than struggling with the protein/carb balance, are you feeling satisfied on what you are eating?
If you do need to increase protein and decrease carbs, I agree with the person who mentioned just adjusting serving sizes. Another thing that helped me eat more protein (although I usually ate 90-120 g, I'm only 5'3), was making sure I have some good source of protein in every meal rather than trying to get most of it at just dinner or not having it at breakfast.9 -
I try to aim for at least 30 grams of protein for my main meals and then fill the rest in via my snacks. Egg whites, meat, greek yogurt and whey are my main sources.0
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jennamburchette2014 wrote: »debrakgoogins wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »My carb goal is 134 grams protein 178 grams fat 59 grams for a total of 1780 calories. I've always heard that you need to cut calories and eat more protein to lose fat.
This is a myth. You need to eat less calories than you burn - eat in a calorie deficit. You can eat what you like, you just need to make sure you are eating less calories than you expend. What is your height and weight? What is your goal weight?
I am 5'10" and 208 pounds, My goal weight is around 160.
I'd aim for around .8 g/lb of your healthy goal weight, or 128 g, as others said. It's okay to go over (and somewhat under is okay too, I picked the high end of the range recommended to help protect muscle when losing weight). Beyond that, the amount of fat vs. carbs probably does not matter -- I see you are aiming for 30% fat, which seems reasonable to me.
Other than struggling with the protein/carb balance, are you feeling satisfied on what you are eating?
If you do need to increase protein and decrease carbs, I agree with the person who mentioned just adjusting serving sizes. Another thing that helped me eat more protein (although I usually ate 90-120 g, I'm only 5'3), was making sure I have some good source of protein in every meal rather than trying to get most of it at just dinner or not having it at breakfast.
I was just reading an analysis of studies on Menno Henselmens' website and from all the research he showed, he concluded that there is no additional MPS benefit above .75 grams per lb of body weight. His recommendation is .82 for a margin of error. Above that is preference.
As others have said, OP your understanding of macro manipulation for fat loss is not accurate.1 -
Seems like this has been well answered, but my two cents is that people are putting way to much focus on protein. I’m 6’ tall, and 229lbs male, I’ve taken up a plant based eating for health reasons only. I generally eat 80-120 grams of protein a day, depending on if I lifted weights. The rest of my diet is about 15% healthy fats, and non-processed carbs about 70%. This has not caused me to gain weight, and I have been very consistent on the weight loss journey.
When it comes to losing weight, The most important thing is to choose an eating plan that does not make you suffer, second most important is the calorie deficit. Weight loss will only sustain with both of those things.0 -
Seems like this has been well answered, but my two cents is that people are putting way to much focus on protein. I’m 6’ tall, and 229lbs male, I’ve taken up a plant based eating for health reasons only. I generally eat 80-120 grams of protein a day, depending on if I lifted weights. The rest of my diet is about 15% healthy fats, and non-processed carbs about 70%. This has not caused me to gain weight, and I have been very consistent on the weight loss journey.
When it comes to losing weight, The most important thing is to choose an eating plan that does not make you suffer, second most important is the calorie deficit. Weight loss will only sustain with both of those things.
Increased protein supports muscle retention and metabolic functions. Not only that muscle makes you looks more lean. And high protein diets have the highest compliance rate.
It also amazes me how many people assessed the OPs protein was too high without asking the most basic of questions. At 134g, the OPs protein is in a good place.
OP, you dont need to hit those numbers daily, but it is certainly not too much protein.
For sources of protein, you can do Greek yogurt, meats, fish/seafood, and or plant based proteins.0 -
OP check my log-1
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Foods like eggs and Fage yogurt are really high in protein and low in carbs.0
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