How many protein shakes is too many?

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I'm just curious. I have two a day, but when I need 150ish g of protein a day, it's hard to get it from just food.

Any thoughts?
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  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    I'm just curious. I have two a day, but when I need 150ish g of protein a day, it's hard to get it from just food.

    Any thoughts?

    It's fine. It's not too many unless it's driving you over calories. Protein is GOOD :-D Now that I'm back from my work trips, I could have up to 5-6 scoops a day on some days to drive the protein up. What brand is your protein, (Ex. how many carbs and etc are in per scoop)
  • beduffbrickie
    beduffbrickie Posts: 642 Member
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    I'm just curious. I have two a day, but when I need 150ish g of protein a day, it's hard to get it from just food.

    Any thoughts?

    Thats a good intake, I know what you mean, I started drinking protein shakes a few weeks ago, got sick of eating a whole chicken a day to keep my protein intake up! it says on my protein tub take 2-4 servings a day, so as long as its not a complete subitute for food, I would say 150ish is good, if your lifting as well!
  • lessac
    lessac Posts: 105 Member
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    I'm pretty surprised by the amount of protein people devour in MFP. I don't think you 'need' 150 grams but that's probably just me. At least please make sure you're not prone to kidney diseases before going all the way pro.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    I'm pretty surprised by the amount of protein people devour in MFP. I don't think you 'need' 150 grams but that's probably just me. At least please make sure you're not prone to kidney diseases before going all the way pro.

    Depends what you are doing daily. If you are lifting and building muscles you most definitely need a high level of protein. Protein also makes you feel fuller longer than carbs and fats. Protein is the building block needed for growth in our bodies.

    They say on average to take your weight times 1.5 for protein for ideal daily consumption while cutting, and 2.0-3.0 when bulking.
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
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    should be getting 1.0-1.2x bodyweight when maintaining and if ur cutting or bulking 1.5+x bodyweight... i drink 3-4 shakes at 60g of protein in each..
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    I'm pretty surprised by the amount of protein people devour in MFP. I don't think you 'need' 150 grams but that's probably just me. At least please make sure you're not prone to kidney diseases before going all the way pro.

    Huh?
  • HarlCarl
    HarlCarl Posts: 266 Member
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    For what it's worth, I saw/read a study that reports your body just passes anything over 20g of protein in a short amount of time. Dont consume it all at once. I dont remember the time frame and I dont plan on searching for the information to add to this post.

    * Don't quote me on this information. I am not a doctor....just ask my wife. She always says I have no patience! :noway:
  • krypt5
    krypt5 Posts: 243 Member
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    I'm just curious. I have two a day, but when I need 150ish g of protein a day, it's hard to get it from just food.

    Any thoughts?

    It is fine even if you meet your protein exclusively with protein powder.
  • lessac
    lessac Posts: 105 Member
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    Depends what you are doing daily. If you are lifting and building muscles you most definitely need a high level of protein. Protein also makes you feel fuller longer than carbs and fats. Protein is the building block needed for growth in our bodies.

    They say on average to take your weight times 1.5 for protein for ideal daily consumption while cutting, and 2.0-3.0 when bulking.

    Yes, but I don't think she is getting ready for the olympics. And I do believe this 'your weight times n grams' is hugely misunderstood due to metric and imperial system confusion.

    That said I'm no way anti-protein or anything. I just think in most of the examples I see on forum (which belonged to people with medium exercise rates) the amount of protein mentioned were usually far above the the metabolically needed level.
  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
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    I would suggest amping up your shakes a bit. For example, you can make a smoothie: protein powder, greek yogurt, egg whites (get the carton, they are pasturized so no worries about uncooked egg product), skim milk and maybe a banana or something for texture...that right there is over 60 grams of protein and you're getting it from multiple sources.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    For what it's worth, I saw/read a study that reports your body just passes anything over 20g of protein in a short amount of time. Dont consume it all at once. I dont remember the time frame and I dont plan on searching for the information to add to this post.

    * Don't quote me on this information. I am not a doctor....just ask my wife. She always says I have no patience! :noway:

    This is wrong.

    Tge downside to getting the majority if protein intake from powder is that you miss out on tge mountains that you would get from whole food sources. If tge rest if your diet is fairly balanced, it should be fine though.
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
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    For what it's worth, I saw/read a study that reports your body just passes anything over 20g of protein in a short amount of time. Dont consume it all at once. I dont remember the time frame and I dont plan on searching for the information to add to this post.

    * Don't quote me on this information. I am not a doctor....just ask my wife. She always says I have no patience! :noway:

    ive heard it multiple times.. and its a myth... took a PT course and its common sense... your body when cutting or bulking you need 1.5-2.0x bodyweight so lets take ronnie colemen or jay cutler.. both are bodybuilders and they weight on their bulk or pre-cutting around 275-300... so 275x2 is 550g of protein so if they were to go by the rule that you can only diegest 20g's of protein over lets say 30min-1hr they would need to have 27.5 meals of 20g protein.. and that would mean no sleep as they would have to eat 20gs every couple min lol get my point? :)
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    For what it's worth, I saw/read a study that reports your body just passes anything over 20g of protein in a short amount of time. Dont consume it all at once. I dont remember the time frame and I dont plan on searching for the information to add to this post.

    * Don't quote me on this information. I am not a doctor....just ask my wife. She always says I have no patience! :noway:

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Doesn't matter, drink up!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    For what it's worth, I saw/read a study that reports your body just passes anything over 20g of protein in a short amount of time. Dont consume it all at once. I dont remember the time frame and I dont plan on searching for the information to add to this post.

    * Don't quote me on this information. I am not a doctor....just ask my wife. She always says I have no patience! :noway:

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
    Options
    For what it's worth, I saw/read a study that reports your body just passes anything over 20g of protein in a short amount of time. Dont consume it all at once. I dont remember the time frame and I dont plan on searching for the information to add to this post.

    * Don't quote me on this information. I am not a doctor....just ask my wife. She always says I have no patience! :noway:

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/

    scanned over it quickly n seems like a good/real read!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Are you a body builder? If you are only interested in building muscle go for it!:drinker:
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    Depends what you are doing daily. If you are lifting and building muscles you most definitely need a high level of protein. Protein also makes you feel fuller longer than carbs and fats. Protein is the building block needed for growth in our bodies.

    They say on average to take your weight times 1.5 for protein for ideal daily consumption while cutting, and 2.0-3.0 when bulking.

    Yes, but I don't think she is getting ready for the olympics. And I do believe this 'your weight times n grams' is hugely misunderstood due to metric and imperial system confusion.

    That said I'm no way anti-protein or anything. I just think in most of the examples I see on forum (which belonged to people with medium exercise rates) the amount of protein mentioned were usually far above the the metabolically needed level.

    Maybe, but again, protein makes you feel fuller longer. Thus on a forum where a majority of people are trying to lose weight a protein is going to be beneficial in that right a long.

    I will say, weeks where I don't get a ton of protein (ex. last couple weeks) because I'm on the road, my lifts and gains aren't the same as weeks I cram the chicken and protein powders. Recovery, Strength gain, and heck even pump I get is driven by the amount of protein I take in.

    As for proteins, your body breaks them down into Amino Acids, then will cram as much Amino Acids into your body it can then after that it will turn the AA into Urea and will excrete it. You don't pass protein, no matter what the protein will be broken down.
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    I'm pretty surprised by the amount of protein people devour in MFP. I don't think you 'need' 150 grams but that's probably just me. At least please make sure you're not prone to kidney diseases before going all the way pro.

    Depends what you are doing daily. If you are lifting and building muscles you most definitely need a high level of protein. Protein also makes you feel fuller longer than carbs and fats. Protein is the building block needed for growth in our bodies.

    They say on average to take your weight times 1.5 for protein for ideal daily consumption while cutting, and 2.0-3.0 when bulking.

    Who is "they"?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Protein is not only for building muscle it's also for maintain muscle while losing. But, what I've read is that you only need 1 gram for every pound of lean body mass (even while bulking). I weight 150 with a body fat percentage of about 25%. That puts my minimum at only 115. I often go way over that though. I usually only do one a day and get the rest from food.

    OP, what kinds of foods are you eating that you are having a hard time? I drink a lot of milk and have eggs for breakfast often. These help a lot.