How important is it to hit your Protein macros?
ItsJustJams
Posts: 8 Member
So I've tracked Macros from time to time, and it is generally very effective for me. However, I've never been able to hit my Protein goals. For example, right now my goal is 163g - but even with protein powder and trying to super high protein meals, I'm still short close to 40g. I've always had this issue, and never had too many issues getting results, but I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts on this are.
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Best Answer
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I'm with the guys above. Well, most of them, mostly.
Unless you have truly unusual circumstances, or are very unusually tall and working very hard at building muscle aggressively, 163g seems like overkill. If you're an average-ish height woman, 120g-ish is probably fine.
I'm not sure what your IIFYM source is, so if you want an alternate research-based estimate from a site that doesn't sell protein supplements (or even accept that kind of advertising), try this site:
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
They'll suggest an optimal minimum, and a "based on minimal research" more speculative just-in-case number. Most of the time, that range will overlap with the rules of thumb others have suggested above. They also explain (at that link) why the calculator suggests what it does (the research basis), and at least last time I read the guide, they also say it's fine to use a realistic lower weight in the calculator if currently quite overweight.
You don't mention your demographics, but just as an illustration, I'm 5'5"/165cm, 131-point-something pounds/about 60kg this morning, athletically active, maintaining weight, not pregnant or lactating. The range it gives me is 96 to 131g per day as the optimal minimum and the "based on limited results" high if my goal was to gain muscle.
By contrast, 0.7g/pound daily would be 92g and 0.8g/lb would be 105g. (Another common rule of thumb is around 1g per pound of estimated lean body mass (LBM), which would be in that same general range for me, probably around 98g plus or minus. 1.2g per pound of LBM would be about 118g.) That's all based on my current weight, which is plenty close enough to what I consider my best weight.
In case you do happen to be vegetarian or vegan, which is probably unlikely, I'll mention that the link I suggested above has quite a nuanced discussion of protein for vegans. It differs somewhat from what was mentioned upthread. Myself, I've been vegetarian for 50+ years now, admittedly ovo-lacto so I do get a good bit of animal protein from dairy (only a little from eggs, just taste-preferences), and some from traditional soy foods like tofu and tempeh.
As a bet-hedge, I do intentionally get a bit more protein than I would necessarily choose if I were an omnivore, but not massively more . . . certainly not 30% more. I'd encourage other people relying on plant protein to hedge that bet, too, and how far to go would depend on composition of one's personal eating.
I do think protein quality and bioavailability matters a lot, but also think the discussion in that guide about how to think of it is very reasonable. (I don't seem to have any difficulty adding muscle when I put in the work on the exercise side, even at my advanced age, FWIW.) I shoot for a 100g daily protein minimum, get most of it from EAA-complete and bioavailable sources, and use some of the suggestions in that guide as well. I normally eat over 100g, maybe up to 120-ish pretty often, rarely more than 120 unless over my calorie goal.
I think all the guys above are pretty sensible on this topic. Just for full context and honesty, the differences between them and me are that (like you) I'm female (which doesn't make me smarter AFAIK
, but may give me slightly different life experiences), I'm vegetarian, and I haven't been lifting much lately (used to regularly and progressively, just lazy now) but do regularly do lots of one of the strength-y-er types of cardio (on water and machine rowing).
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Answers
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First off that's a lot or protein for just about any person, so not sure where you got that number from. I'm 6'1", 185 and I'm around that 160 mark which is primarily from animal sources but if I was a plant eater I would up that by at least 30% to around 210. I use grams per lb of lean mass and not percentage to figure out how much protein to eat and I find from .7 to 1.2 grams to work for most people.
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Hm - I got that number from the IIFYM site. I weigh a ton, so maybe that's why. lol0
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If you are trying to lose a large amount of weight, some sites suggest calculating a protein intake based upon your goal weight rather than your current weight.3
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ItsJustJams wrote: »Hm - I got that number from the IIFYM site. I weigh a ton, so maybe that's why. lol
Yeah, I would use goal weigh like @nossmf suggests and not your current weight.
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That’s too much. If you’re overweight figure protein in relation to your goal weight and not current body weight
What is your current weight?2 -
It's very important to hit a high protein target if you have specific needs, such as you are lifting regularly and seeking to build muscle (or maintain it during a cut), or if you are recovering from injury. With lifting, at least 0.7g per pound is good, and using target weight makes more sense than an obese weight here.
If those conditions aren't valid, then 163g is a lot, and the exact amount you're getting isn't all that important. I wouldn't necessarily say it's too much though. I mean, it's satiating, and if it fits with your diet then carry on. Unless you're lifting, the 120g you're getting is plenty.3 -
neanderthin wrote: »ItsJustJams wrote: »Hm - I got that number from the IIFYM site. I weigh a ton, so maybe that's why. lol
Yeah, I would use goal weigh like @nossmf suggests and not your current weight.
Thank you so much! I think I'm going to do that... because jesus.2 -
I'm with the guys above. Well, most of them, mostly.
Unless you have truly unusual circumstances, or are very unusually tall and working very hard at building muscle aggressively, 163g seems like overkill. If you're an average-ish height woman, 120g-ish is probably fine.
I'm not sure what your IIFYM source is, so if you want an alternate research-based estimate from a site that doesn't sell protein supplements (or even accept that kind of advertising), try this site:
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
They'll suggest an optimal minimum, and a "based on minimal research" more speculative just-in-case number. Most of the time, that range will overlap with the rules of thumb others have suggested above. They also explain (at that link) why the calculator suggests what it does (the research basis), and at least last time I read the guide, they also say it's fine to use a realistic lower weight in the calculator if currently quite overweight.
You don't mention your demographics, but just as an illustration, I'm 5'5"/165cm, 131-point-something pounds/about 60kg this morning, athletically active, maintaining weight, not pregnant or lactating. The range it gives me is 96 to 131g per day as the optimal minimum and the "based on limited results" high if my goal was to gain muscle.
By contrast, 0.7g/pound daily would be 92g and 0.8g/lb would be 105g. (Another common rule of thumb is around 1g per pound of estimated lean body mass (LBM), which would be in that same general range for me, probably around 98g plus or minus. 1.2g per pound of LBM would be about 118g.) That's all based on my current weight, which is plenty close enough to what I consider my best weight.
In case you do happen to be vegetarian or vegan, which is probably unlikely, I'll mention that the link I suggested above has quite a nuanced discussion of protein for vegans. It differs somewhat from what was mentioned upthread. Myself, I've been vegetarian for 50+ years now, admittedly ovo-lacto so I do get a good bit of animal protein from dairy (only a little from eggs, just taste-preferences), and some from traditional soy foods like tofu and tempeh.
As a bet-hedge, I do intentionally get a bit more protein than I would necessarily choose if I were an omnivore, but not massively more . . . certainly not 30% more. I'd encourage other people relying on plant protein to hedge that bet, too, and how far to go would depend on composition of one's personal eating.
I do think protein quality and bioavailability matters a lot, but also think the discussion in that guide about how to think of it is very reasonable. (I don't seem to have any difficulty adding muscle when I put in the work on the exercise side, even at my advanced age, FWIW.) I shoot for a 100g daily protein minimum, get most of it from EAA-complete and bioavailable sources, and use some of the suggestions in that guide as well. I normally eat over 100g, maybe up to 120-ish pretty often, rarely more than 120 unless over my calorie goal.
I think all the guys above are pretty sensible on this topic. Just for full context and honesty, the differences between them and me are that (like you) I'm female (which doesn't make me smarter AFAIK , but may give me slightly different life experiences), I'm vegetarian, and I haven't been lifting much lately (used to regularly and progressively, just lazy now) but do regularly do lots of one of the strength-y-er types of cardio (on water and machine rowing).
Thank you so much! I'm going to head to that site now. 1 -
I eat protein in that range and have very little trouble reaching that goal. But, it’s not for everyone.
I do it for two reasons: I’m very very active, and protein satiates me and keeps my hands out of the high calorie snack foods.
You’ve got to decide how you feel with high protein versus not.
My advice- based on my own personal experience, which may not be worth two toots to you;
1.) what’s your daily calorie goal? If you’ve selected super low calories (say, under 1400 unless you’re very very short) then of course you’re not going to make a high protein goal. I average 2400-2800 calories per day, so of course I have room for high protein. I have to be about 1900-2000 to hope to reach those levels of protein you mention, though.
2.) when I was well over 200lbs I was so overwhelmed by learning to log, learning substitutions , learning to weigh food in metric, if I’d factored in macros too at the early stage, I would have thrown up my hands and quit.
It’s a learning curve. Worry about macros later. For me, getting off a shedload of weight was far more important than hitting a macro goal. And as I learned to eat less and eat quality, the macros started to come into focus on their own, anyway.
Give yourself some grace and don’t go cliff diving into all of it at once in the first few weeks, or even months.
My diary is open if you want to look, and is usually logged several days in advance. You can send a friend request and once accepted, message me if some of the entries are puzzling. (Dessert with the buttermilk is typically a homemade ice cream. Crazy long list of dinner ingredients to night is homemade oil-free nachos).
TLDR: focus on getting the weight down before you worry about macros or protein.3 -
an easy starting measurement is to measure your height in centimeters- apply that number to grams, and you have a pretty good start for daily protein goal
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springlering62 wrote: »I eat protein in that range and have very little trouble reaching that goal. But, it’s not for everyone.
I do it for two reasons: I’m very very active, and protein satiates me and keeps my hands out of the high calorie snack foods.
You’ve got to decide how you feel with high protein versus not.
My advice- based on my own personal experience, which may not be worth two toots to you;
1.) what’s your daily calorie goal? If you’ve selected super low calories (say, under 1400 unless you’re very very short) then of course you’re not going to make a high protein goal. I average 2400-2800 calories per day, so of course I have room for high protein. I have to be about 1900-2000 to hope to reach those levels of protein you mention, though.
2.) when I was well over 200lbs I was so overwhelmed by learning to log, learning substitutions , learning to weigh food in metric, if I’d factored in macros too at the early stage, I would have thrown up my hands and quit.
It’s a learning curve. Worry about macros later. For me, getting off a shedload of weight was far more important than hitting a macro goal. And as I learned to eat less and eat quality, the macros started to come into focus on their own, anyway.
Give yourself some grace and don’t go cliff diving into all of it at once in the first few weeks, or even months.
My diary is open if you want to look, and is usually logged several days in advance. You can send a friend request and once accepted, message me if some of the entries are puzzling. (Dessert with the buttermilk is typically a homemade ice cream. Crazy long list of dinner ingredients to night is homemade oil-free nachos).
TLDR: focus on getting the weight down before you worry about macros or protein.
Thank you so much!!! I don't know why, but it wouldn't let me send you a friend request, because your account is private. Would you mind sending me one?0 -
Hobartlemagne wrote: »an easy starting measurement is to measure your height in centimeters- apply that number to grams, and you have a pretty good start for daily protein goal
Um. Maybe that works for men, or some people, don't know.
I posted above what the various rules of thumb suggest for me, plus what the research-based calculator suggests, too.
Those range from 92 to 131 grams daily, with the last one the "may maximize improvements in body composition in individuals who perform regular exercise, based on limited evidence" high end from the linked calculator, with 118g the high end among the others.
I'm 165 centimeters tall. Nothing except this height-in-centimeters idea is suggesting anything near 165 grams.
I think it wouldn't be unusual for a 165 centimeter man who is fairly muscular but not necessarily body-builder style (IOW a moderately short, fairly slim, but generally athletic man) to weigh 165 pounds and be a good weight about halfway into the overweight BMI range, fitting the 1g/pound (of healthy weight) suggestion of 165 grams daily, especially if losing weight and lifting.
It isn't that there are zero average-ish height women (say 5'3" to 5'6", 160-167.6 cm) who'd be a really good weight at 165 pounds, but such a woman would be very unusually muscular, well above average muscle, below average body fat percent.
I have a higher than average muscle mass for women, lower than average body fat at a weight in the lower 130s pounds (around 60 kg) - not bragging, because it isn't stellar.
Among women in the US, overall average body fat percentage for women is around 40%. (Yes, average USA-ians are overfat for best health). We'd expect a woman of my height/weight here to have maybe 32-39% body fat, which is above the top end of a desirable range according to most methodologies. (Estimating in various ways, my BF% is in the mid to upper 20s, probably a point or two above 25% right now, so low end of the desirable range, but not down in the fitness range generically . . . but maybe closer to fitness level if age is in consideration, because I'm old, 69.)
Bottom line: It's going to be a statistically quite unusual woman who truly needs 165 grams of protein daily as her minimum, if 165 centimeters tall. Not impossible, but rare. Also hard to fit in the calorie goals most common for women of that size who are pursuing weight loss, unless quite active.
I'm skeptical that daily protein grams = centimeters of height is a good rule of thumb for typical women. This is where that "life experience" thing comes in that I mentioned up-thread, I think.0 -
ItsJustJams wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »I eat protein in that range and have very little trouble reaching that goal. But, it’s not for everyone.
I do it for two reasons: I’m very very active, and protein satiates me and keeps my hands out of the high calorie snack foods.
You’ve got to decide how you feel with high protein versus not.
My advice- based on my own personal experience, which may not be worth two toots to you;
1.) what’s your daily calorie goal? If you’ve selected super low calories (say, under 1400 unless you’re very very short) then of course you’re not going to make a high protein goal. I average 2400-2800 calories per day, so of course I have room for high protein. I have to be about 1900-2000 to hope to reach those levels of protein you mention, though.
2.) when I was well over 200lbs I was so overwhelmed by learning to log, learning substitutions , learning to weigh food in metric, if I’d factored in macros too at the early stage, I would have thrown up my hands and quit.
It’s a learning curve. Worry about macros later. For me, getting off a shedload of weight was far more important than hitting a macro goal. And as I learned to eat less and eat quality, the macros started to come into focus on their own, anyway.
Give yourself some grace and don’t go cliff diving into all of it at once in the first few weeks, or even months.
My diary is open if you want to look, and is usually logged several days in advance. You can send a friend request and once accepted, message me if some of the entries are puzzling. (Dessert with the buttermilk is typically a homemade ice cream. Crazy long list of dinner ingredients to night is homemade oil-free nachos).
TLDR: focus on getting the weight down before you worry about macros or protein.
Thank you so much!!! I don't know why, but it wouldn't let me send you a friend request, because your account is private. Would you mind sending me one?
I sent you a friend request. Don’t get too excited. The only thing that does nowadays is let you send a private message. MFP eliminated the friends “newsfeed” in June. 🤬
For future reference (since not too many of us are friending these days), the add friend button is almost invisible.
You’re more than welcome to message me, but I’m just a senior chick who likes her protein, not a dietician.
Admittedly, I fell down on the job today. Could only eat half the planned chicken nachos, mainly because I noshed on the leftover chips while the nachos were in the oven. 🤦🏻♀️0 -
That reminds me, in case it wasn't obvious: I'm also not a dietitian, just an interested amateur. There was a tiny bit of sports nutrition education when I was going for rowing coaching certifications some years back, but not much.
I'm also willing to diary share via friend request if you wish, but I think Springlering62 would be more useful for you, since I'm a vegetarian who eats weird things, and she's more normal.
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I do about 100 grams a day.. sometimes I’m at my macro , sometimes a lil over or under. I track weekly.. as long as I’m in the ball park it’s good for me.
If I want a boost.. I sip on some bone broth, it’s another 10 grams per cup.0 -
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