Protein amounts
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The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.1
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.
I've never found percentage-based macro allocations to be rational. If I reduce my calories so that I'm in an energy deficit because I need to lose weight, my body's need for protein intake (actual intake, in grams) does not decrease. If anything, I should increase my protein if I want to have the best shot at preserving muscle. But using a percentage-based approach for my protein goal would automatically cut my protein intake (x% of y - z, where y is original calories and z is amount I'm reducing my calorie intake, is always less than x% of y).9 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.
I've never found percentage-based macro allocations to be rational. If I reduce my calories so that I'm in an energy deficit because I need to lose weight, my body's need for protein intake (actual intake, in grams) does not decrease. If anything, I should increase my protein if I want to have the best shot at preserving muscle. But using a percentage-based approach for my protein goal would automatically cut my protein intake (x% of y - z, where y is original calories and z is amount I'm reducing my calorie intake, is always less than x% of y).
Exactly this.0 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.
I've never found percentage-based macro allocations to be rational. If I reduce my calories so that I'm in an energy deficit because I need to lose weight, my body's need for protein intake (actual intake, in grams) does not decrease. If anything, I should increase my protein if I want to have the best shot at preserving muscle. But using a percentage-based approach for my protein goal would automatically cut my protein intake (x% of y - z, where y is original calories and z is amount I'm reducing my calorie intake, is always less than x% of y).
You just adjust your percentage when you adjust your calorie goal. 10-35% is a big range.
Depending on my calorie range, protein has always been between 20 and 30% of my calories, both fully within that range. Almost always 25%, which is ~1g per lb of body weight.2 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.
I've never found percentage-based macro allocations to be rational. If I reduce my calories so that I'm in an energy deficit because I need to lose weight, my body's need for protein intake (actual intake, in grams) does not decrease. If anything, I should increase my protein if I want to have the best shot at preserving muscle. But using a percentage-based approach for my protein goal would automatically cut my protein intake (x% of y - z, where y is original calories and z is amount I'm reducing my calorie intake, is always less than x% of y).
As @ExisingFish mentioned above that is why the USDA states it as percent range.3 -
ExistingFish wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.
I've never found percentage-based macro allocations to be rational. If I reduce my calories so that I'm in an energy deficit because I need to lose weight, my body's need for protein intake (actual intake, in grams) does not decrease. If anything, I should increase my protein if I want to have the best shot at preserving muscle. But using a percentage-based approach for my protein goal would automatically cut my protein intake (x% of y - z, where y is original calories and z is amount I'm reducing my calorie intake, is always less than x% of y).
You just adjust your percentage when you adjust your calorie goal. 10-35% is a big range.
Depending on my calorie range, protein has always been between 20 and 30% of my calories, both fully within that range. Almost always 25%, which is ~1g per lb of body weight.
Yep, I'm 205 lbs maintain at about 2800 calories. I take in about 180-200g protein a day or about 25 to 28% of calories from protein.1 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »The USDA guidelines say 10-35% of daily cañories from protein.
I've never found percentage-based macro allocations to be rational. If I reduce my calories so that I'm in an energy deficit because I need to lose weight, my body's need for protein intake (actual intake, in grams) does not decrease. If anything, I should increase my protein if I want to have the best shot at preserving muscle. But using a percentage-based approach for my protein goal would automatically cut my protein intake (x% of y - z, where y is original calories and z is amount I'm reducing my calorie intake, is always less than x% of y).
Your protein would not be cut if you increased the protein % of total calories.
The USDA percents give a healthy range for most people.1 -
If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.7
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.
The OP was questioning the appropriate amount of protein to consume for health reasons. The percent range provides that amount for the vast majority of individuals.
Depending on an individual's goals, their intake could be at the lower middle or higher end of what is considered the range for health purposes.0 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.
In the context of MFP, because I don't pay for premium?
Percentages help me keep everything in the context of the other macros and my calories as a whole. Yes, I have a straight protein goal based on my body weight, but I also look at it in a percentage so I can make sure it is both reasonable for my calorie goals and reasonably proportional to my other macros. If I was trying to eat 1200 calories, and I had a protein goal what I do now around 115g, it would be around 38%, which is both outside the range set by the USDA (barely, though) and outside of what I'd consider "normal" as it skews the overall macros.0 -
Examine.com has a very detailed article about protein here: How much protein do you need per day?
They also have a calculator which is helpful!1 -
KateCassie wrote: »I feeling very confused! How on earth do people eat a balanced diet without exceeding their protein daily amounts? Everything now-a-days seems to be protein enriched, but I eat quite low calories and only have eggs/chicken as protein sources and my protein count is way higher than what is recommended (.8/kg).... But people still drink protein shakes etc? Does protein increase with activity level, because everything I’m reading suggests that the average adult should only be consuming around 50-70g of protein daily.
Do you include protein from everything you consume? Or just from meat etc?
That protein amount is the bare minimum, not a maximum limit.
The best idea is to shoot for more than this.2 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.
The OP was questioning the appropriate amount of protein to consume for health reasons. The percent range provides that amount for the vast majority of individuals.
And a range based on grams would provide that for pretty much everyone. I see no reason to prefer percentages when you can look at grams.2 -
ExistingFish wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.
In the context of MFP, because I don't pay for premium?
Percentages help me keep everything in the context of the other macros and my calories as a whole. Yes, I have a straight protein goal based on my body weight, but I also look at it in a percentage so I can make sure it is both reasonable for my calorie goals and reasonably proportional to my other macros. If I was trying to eat 1200 calories, and I had a protein goal what I do now around 115g, it would be around 38%, which is both outside the range set by the USDA (barely, though) and outside of what I'd consider "normal" as it skews the overall macros.
If it works for you, no reason not to do it, but I always looked at just grams in the context of regular MFP. My preferred protein goal was 90+ (it's a bit lower now since I'm not at a deficit). I knew there was no harm to my health if I went over, but using grams also meant that if I had a big exercise day and added it in (when I was eating back cals), I did not have to hit 120 or whatever.
10-35% is so broad it does fit basically everyone, but you have to know more to know what works for you. Kenyan marathoners who eat lots and lots of cals because of their training typically eat around 10% protein. Someone on 1200 cals of course should not (and personally I'd consider 20% of that too low given the person is at a deficit and depending on their size), so the percentage range just seems pretty useless to me.3 -
ExistingFish wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.
In the context of MFP, because I don't pay for premium?
Percentages help me keep everything in the context of the other macros and my calories as a whole. Yes, I have a straight protein goal based on my body weight, but I also look at it in a percentage so I can make sure it is both reasonable for my calorie goals and reasonably proportional to my other macros. If I was trying to eat 1200 calories, and I had a protein goal what I do now around 115g, it would be around 38%, which is both outside the range set by the USDA (barely, though) and outside of what I'd consider "normal" as it skews the overall macros.
If it works for you, no reason not to do it, but I always looked at just grams in the context of regular MFP. My preferred protein goal was 90+ (it's a bit lower now since I'm not at a deficit). I knew there was no harm to my health if I went over, but using grams also meant that if I had a big exercise day and added it in (when I was eating back cals), I did not have to hit 120 or whatever.
10-35% is so broad it does fit basically everyone, but you have to know more to know what works for you. Kenyan marathoners who eat lots and lots of cals because of their training typically eat around 10% protein. Someone on 1200 cals of course should not (and personally I'd consider 20% of that too low given the person is at a deficit and depending on their size), so the percentage range just seems pretty useless to me.
Well if percentages don't work for you, then don't use them. Use grams. I think percentages are more applicable to the population at large, but that is just my opinion.2 -
Thread got derailed...
OP-
You are confusing a minimum for a maximum.
"The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound.
This amounts to:
56 grams per day for the average sedentary man.
46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman.
Though this meager amount may be enough to prevent downright deficiency, studies show that it’s far from sufficient to ensure optimal health and body composition.
It turns out that the right amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors, including their activity level, age, muscle mass, physique goals and current state of health. "
Go ahead and eat more protein. There is no harm in upping your protein intake unless you go ridiculously high (like decide to eat your way out of a swimming pool full of protein powder) AND ALREADY HAVE a kidney disorder.4 -
I wish MFP would either change minimums to start red and turn green once you reach them or allow users to 'select' which way that color code works. The color going red plus the low default suggestion gives a misleading impression.5
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Scottgriesser wrote: »Thread got derailed...
OP-
You are confusing a minimum for a maximum.
"The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound.
This amounts to:
56 grams per day for the average sedentary man.
46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman.
Though this meager amount may be enough to prevent downright deficiency, studies show that it’s far from sufficient to ensure optimal health and body composition.
It turns out that the right amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors, including their activity level, age, muscle mass, physique goals and current state of health. "
Go ahead and eat more protein. There is no harm in upping your protein intake unless you go ridiculously high (like decide to eat your way out of a swimming pool full of protein powder) AND ALREADY HAVE a kidney disorder.
Those minimums are also at maintenance cals.... in a deficit you need more than that, even if not active. once you throw in activity while in a deficit, doubling those numbers is a good idea.2 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »If you adjust the percentages to achieve certain raw numbers of grams, what's the point in relying on the percentages? Just get straight to the point and look at the grams.
The OP was questioning the appropriate amount of protein to consume for health reasons. The percent range provides that amount for the vast majority of individuals.
And a range based on grams would provide that for pretty much everyone. I see no reason to prefer percentages when you can look at grams.
Do what you want. I'm pretty sure the experts at the USDA use percentages for a reason.6 -
Examine.com has a very detailed article about protein here: How much protein do you need per day?
They also have a calculator which is helpful!
Is it just me or does the calculator give the same number regardless of how you answer the questions? It gives me a pretty high goal which I actually do hit/exceed most days but from everything I have read it is overkill for a person in my only sort of active situation.0
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