Too much protein?

jenroses

I am always way over on my protein. Does anyone know if this affects my weight loss?

sportsforfun

No, it will not as long as you don't go over calories. MFP sets the protein limit way too low. It is always a good idea to go in and manually change it so you get more protein per carbs and fats.

Acg67

I am always way over on my protein. Does anyone know if this affects my weight loss?

There is no ceiling on anyone macro and you should aim for getting a certain minimum amount of protein and fats each day and then fill in the rest of your remaining cals as you please. The only time it's "bad" for you to go over in a macro is if it is keeping you from hitting you minimums in other macros (i'm leaving out that it's possible to be bad for you to consume various macros in excessively high amounts consistently)

Sublog

I am always way over on my protein. Does anyone know if this affects my weight loss?

What is your daily goal? It's likely well under what it should be anyways.

For most women - 100-120g per day is what they should aim for.

suavequeen

I just asked that question today of my peeps... I was advised that as long as they are healthy means of protein I should be good. Its good for my muscles especially since I was doing some muscle toning. To have plenty of water to help the body process the protein cause it works the liver and kidneys harder.

BobbyClerici

You can go to Goals and reset your own macro-nutritional breakdown. I go with 55% Carb, 25% protein and 20% fat - something like that.

OSC_ESD

I am always way over on my protein. Does anyone know if this affects my weight loss?

There is no ceiling on anyone macro and you should aim for getting a certain minimum amount of protein and fats each day and then fill in the rest of your remaining cals as you please. The only time it's "bad" for you to go over in a macro is if it is keeping you from hitting you minimums in other macros (i'm leaving out that it's possible to be bad for you to consume various macros in excessively high amounts consistently)

He's absolutely right ! Change your settings or ignore the numbers !

teagin2002

You can go to Goals and reset your own macro-nutritional breakdown. I go with 55% Carb, 25% protein and 20% fat - something like that.

I didn't know I could do this, I have eat 30% card, 35% Protein and 35% fat and just staring at all the red in my diary. Ty!

Hungry_Tuna

Quoted from Health.com post: http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410520,00.html

"...According to Tara Dellolacono Thies, a registered dietitian and nutritional spokesperson for Clif Bar, most women need between 50 and 60 grams of protein a day. But this isn't an exact science. The Institute of Medicine recommends .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, but here's a simpler way to break down you protein needs:

Activity level Protein needs (grams)

Sedentary | Weight in pounds X .4
Active | Weight in pounds. X .6
Competitive athlete | Weight in pounds X .75
Light body-builder | Weight in pounds X .85 "

Hope this helps.. I mean, I'm sure there are factors such as weight, sex, age that play a role in this as well. I suggest doing some old fashioned research online and compare information to find what's best for you.

Good luck!

CMmrsfloyd

I consider MFP's protein recommendation a *bare minimum*, not a limit to stay under. Protein is awesome and helps you feel full longer. It's also important for your muscles. My MFP goal is currently set at 68g (can't remember the percentage) but I make sure I get at least 100g per day based off of recommendations I've seen here about exercise and protein. Plus my midwife wanted me to get 80g per day while pregnant (building a new body i.e. baby) so I figure 100g while I'm trying to overhaul my own much bigger body isn't a bad idea. :-)

ALH1981

i am also always way over - but i work out alot... my diet is mostly protein.

I am wondering, does this mean that i will gain bigger muscle thank if i simply ate salads and veges? (i do not want this?!)

CMmrsfloyd

i am also always way over - but i work out alot... my diet is mostly protein.

I am wondering, does this mean that i will gain bigger muscle thank if i simply ate salads and veges? (i do not want this?!)

From what I see people saying on here (i.e. the ones that know a lot more about this than me LOL) it's a lot harder for women to get big bulky muslces than just working out and eating lots of protein. And it definitely doesn't happen quickly so if you got to a point where you feel it's enough, it should be easy to figure out a way to stay around the condition that you like. (well not EASY but you know a little trial and error)

ALH1981

i am also always way over - but i work out alot... my diet is mostly protein.

I am wondering, does this mean that i will gain bigger muscle thank if i simply ate salads and veges? (i do not want this?!)

From what I see people saying on here (i.e. the ones that know a lot more about this than me LOL) it's a lot harder for women to get big bulky muslces than just working out and eating lots of protein. And it definitely doesn't happen quickly so if you got to a point where you feel it's enough, it should be easy to figure out a way to stay around the condition that you like. (well not EASY but you know a little trial and error)

haha but now im addicted to the excersise so its a double edged sword!

Scarlett_S

I want to know what you are eating! I am trying to get in 120-150 of protein per day and I NEVER do.....

kimibunny

Protein is good for you, you should try and go over the MFP number every day if you can. I generally try and go over for fiber and protein while staying under for carbs.

cygnetpro

I want to know what you are eating! I am trying to get in 120-150 of protein per day and I NEVER do.....

I go over, also. Like yesterday-- my diet was filled with things like Greek yogurt, veggie omelette, and hummus (in addition to a ton of veggies and fruit, etc.). I would rather err on the side of going a bit over on protein than my old habits-- going over on carbs (and not good carbs, let me add).

Sublog

Understand that while you don't NEED 100g of protein per day, it certainly helps in two departments while you are dieting.

1. First and foremost.. Protein is very satiating. It fills you and keeps you full
2. It is muscle sparing! - This allows you to retain more muscle when you diet down thus improving your body composition and appearance.

On a tertiary note - protein has a higher TEF than other macros. Meaning that your body uses 20% of its protein intake digesting and processing protein. Protein has an actual calorie content closer to 3.2kcal per g than due to this affect.

In short, when dieting and working out - aim for 1g per lb of lean body mass! It's best.

AdAstra47

You would have to eat insanely high levels of protein for it to have any bad effects. Worry about going under: your body not only uses it for fuel, but also to repair & build your muscles. But don't worry about going over the "recommended" levels. My doctor has been prescribing a low-carb, high-protein diet for decades, some of his patients have been eating like this for 20 years with no bad effects.

How much *you* should have really depends on your individual metabolism. My doc did some tests on me and recommended I eat my calories as 65% protein, 30% fat, 5% carbs. That dietary change has been the way I've lost over 55 lb in 9 months. I eat 250-300g protein per day. But every body is different, you just have to figure out what works for you.

Good luck!

KriscoOil

bump - this seems to be a popular subject today!

ashnm88

For most women - 100-120g per day is what they should aim for.

Where did you read that? I read around 0.36g per pound you weigh.

jmehere

How do you feel? If you are eating excessive amounts of protein everyday and feel tired a lot, you might be pushing your kidneys too hard. Before I was a vegetarian (lacto, ovo), I consistently ate way more protein than recommended minimum. Not a hard thing to do, I know. Now that I'm a vegetarian, it's different. I almost always get the minimum I need and a lot of times go over a bit. But nothing like before where I was getting double and triple the necessary protein. Personally, I feel better without the protein overload. And it's surprising how much protein some veggies and whole wheat breads have.

peaceinside

BUMP!

wonca

Thanks for starting this topic.. I just changed my %. I really didn't want to eat 30% fat anyhow.

jenroses

WOW! Thank you all for your replies! All VERY helpful!

CMmrsfloyd

How do you feel? If you are eating excessive amounts of protein everyday and feel tired a lot, you might be pushing your kidneys too hard. Before I was a vegetarian (lacto, ovo), I consistently ate way more protein than recommended minimum. Not a hard thing to do, I know. Now that I'm a vegetarian, it's different. I almost always get the minimum I need and a lot of times go over a bit. But nothing like before where I was getting double and triple the necessary protein. Personally, I feel better without the protein overload. And it's surprising how much protein some veggies and whole wheat breads have.

I can't speak for anyone else but I feel better than I have in years. I'm sure a huge part of that is losing 27 lbs and exercising and eating better, not sure if the amount of protein has a big affect on how I feel or not but it's definitely not hurting my general state of being. :-) Might be different for different people.

RAFValentina

Shouldn't be harmful but a lot of meats and eggs also contain significant amounts of cholesterol so just watch that carefully! Great sources of protein without too much bad cholesterol are beans!!!

UponThisRock

It will probably do you more good than harm

zviolinick

You would have to eat insanely high levels of protein for it to have any bad effects. Worry about going under: your body not only uses it for fuel, but also to repair & build your muscles. But don't worry about going over the "recommended" levels. My doctor has been prescribing a low-carb, high-protein diet for decades, some of his patients have been eating like this for 20 years with no bad effects.

How much *you* should have really depends on your individual metabolism. My doc did some tests on me and recommended I eat my calories as 65% protein, 30% fat, 5% carbs. That dietary change has been the way I've lost over 55 lb in 9 months. I eat 250-300g protein per day. But every body is different, you just have to figure out what works for you.

Good luck!

5% carb is a virtually keto diet, which is extremely unhealthy especially if you exercise...

kedwardspcm

If you want to be lean and fit - eat your body weight in grams of protein every day. Women cannot get buff and bulky without the assistance of chemicals. If you look any Victoria Secrets Super Models diet (not bulky or buff physiques), or read any health and fitness nutritional articles, you will soon discover that protein is your friend and its how the lean and mean look the way they do. With out adequate protein, you have little to support your lean muscle mass. You may be skinny, but you will also be skinny fat. Who wants to be skinny fat?

kedwardspcm

For most women - 100-120g per day is what they should aim for.

Where did you read that? I read around 0.36g per pound you weigh.

Great article

First off, for those who still may not be aware, protein is the number one food, in fact maybe the number one “thing” you can put in your mouth to safely achieve fat loss. I’ve been following the research on this for almost 15 years. Not only because bodybuilders and other athletes have been cutting carbs and increasing protein to get lean for decades but because scientific studies started to support this strategy over 10 years ago.

The reason for protein’s fat loss effects are that it: 1. Increases metabolic rate more than carbs or fat 2. Decreases hunger more than carbs or fat 3. Maintains muscle when dieting greater than fat or carbs (and more muscle means a higher metabolic rate and a lower calorie requirement)!

A little more recently, there have been a number of studies showing that whey protein in particular has stronger effects on appetite than other proteins. A review of scientific studies conducted at the University of Toronto on whey protein’s effects on hunger, concluded that it decreased food intake more than other foods, other proteins and versus placebo. It also found that whey’s specific proteins and peptides are “bioactive”, leading to satiety (decreased hunger). Moreover, it showed that whey protein affects hormones and other bodily functions that decrease hunger.

But that’s just hunger, what about the actual results you can get from whey protein? Good question...A study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that whey protein outperformed both carbohydrates and soy protein – resulting in research subjects losing five more pounds of body fat and a loss of one inch around their waists respectively!

But isn’t whey protein for gaining muscle? Yes, and studies in which subjects used a whey protein supplement show significant gains in muscle and strength but when dieting, whey protein “spares muscle”, so you lose more fat and less lean mass!

The authors of a study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism stated that research subjects using whey protein “lost significantly more body fat and showed a greater preservation of lean muscle”.

Finally, if all that weren’t enough, a very recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that whey protein may help maintain fat loss even in without restricting calorie intake!

So there you have it folks...and as I said, there are plenty more studies where those ones came from showing further support for most or all of the effects mentioned above. So really, whether you’re bulking, cutting up, trying to recover from exercise or for general health, whey protein is one of the best foods to reach for, as well as being convenient to prepare and relatively cheap!

Top_Bankster

Take a look at this article on the Gatorade Sports Science Institute website.

http://www.gssiweb.com/Article_Detail.aspx?articleid=602&level=3&topic=2

Many athletes and people in general eat way too much protein. More protein is not better it is just a waste. According to this article, scientific studies show that an athlete (keep in mind these are people who need the most protein) should only consume 1.7 grams of protein for each kilogram of body weight (use google to do the conversion) because that is the largest amount their body can make use of. Just for reference that means if you weigh 150 lbs you only need to consume 116 grams of protein at the most. I read about another study that shows some athletes can make use of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight...but even so that means you'd only need 136 grams if you weigh 150lbs.

The moral of this post is you do not need to flood your body with protein. These numbers are for people who do endurance and strength training. If you are a regular person or someone who is just trying to lose weight you need to eat a lot less protein.

Happy exercising everyone! :-)