is it okay to go over on protein?

bobbiedr
bobbiedr Posts: 260 Member
edited October 7 in Food and Nutrition
I was over my protein by 34 (grams?) yesterday.

Is it okay? How much is too much?

Replies

  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    It's GREAT to go over on protein. :-D MFP's recommendation is really quite low. Many people on this site shoot for 100g or even more per day. There are interesting recommendations out there that are based off of activity level and bodyweight or pounds of lean body mass, and when you compare those to what MFP recommends it's quite a big difference. (I go for at least 100g per day which is pretty close to 1g per pound of lean body mass based on several bodyfat calculators that I've used online - MFP's rec is a lot lower than that, but it seems to work well for me.) You'd have to REALLY try hard to actually get 'too much' protein.
  • callikia
    callikia Posts: 226 Member
    Every body is different. I always tend to stick to a somewhat high-protein diet because that works for me (which means, yes, I almost always go over). (I've lost 110+ pounds since April 2010.) Will be interesting to see what people think, though. I thought the MFP protein goal was awfully low as soon as I joined. *lol*
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    34g protein x4 cals =136 cals. So if your calorie deficit is -500 under maintenance then yes you will be fine :)

    To much is going over your deficit in cals. If you mean too much for health reasons then get blood work done.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I also feel that MFP's protein goal is far too low. Really, going over on any one macronutrient for any one day is not going to be a problem. Neither is the occasional day over your calorie goal. It's habitually eating the same way that becomes an issue over time, whether for good or bad. Keep in mind that you can change your goals in MFP to match what works best for you.
  • italianissima
    italianissima Posts: 140 Member
    I would say don't worry about too much protein, but make sure you drink a ton of water! You don't want to overload your kidneys!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I was over my protein by 34 (grams?) yesterday.

    Is it okay? How much is too much?

    As commented, the default setting is rather low.

    But I forgot what it is. If you go into your profile settings for food to mess with what you want, what percentage of the calories is given to protein, carbs, and fat actually?
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    Also, the MFP recommendations are a default based on percentages, but you can actually go into your diary settings and CHANGE those percentages (carbs/fat/protein) to fit your dietary needs. Some people on here are doing low-carb, so they set the carb percenage lower to get a lower recommendation of carb grams per day. Some set their protein percentage higher in order to better reflect the amount they are shooting for. You can customize it if you want. It's not set in stone, it's just a starting point. :-)
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    In general, they say it should be 1g per kg of body mass. You should be safe as long are you're somewhere between 1 and 2 g of protein per kg body mass. If you find yourself consistently going over 2 g/kg, speak to a doctor and have your kidneys checked.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I was over my protein by 34 (grams?) yesterday.

    Is it okay? How much is too much?

    As commented, the default setting is rather low.

    But I forgot what it is. If you go into your profile settings for food to mess with what you want, what percentage of the calories is given to protein, carbs, and fat actually?

    The default percentages are 55% carb, 15% protein, 30% fat. I have left mine at the default and just mentally make sure I get to 100g protein per day even though my diary only recommends 52g. I don't want to lower my carb percentage b/c if I did I'd be WAY over on it every single day. LOL
  • dieseljay74
    dieseljay74 Posts: 376
    Best Macro to go over on for sure!
  • strawberrie_milk
    strawberrie_milk Posts: 381 Member
    It's completely fine. I always try to get 100+ grams of protein a day.
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
    Unless you have specific health restrictions on protein intake, going over is fine. I also generally aim for a minimum of 100 grams a day of protein.
  • Gabbahh
    Gabbahh Posts: 35
    Protein is the best thing to go overboards with.

    "In nearly all cases the best protein carb fat ratio for weight loss is one which focus on PROTEIN primarily. Let me explain:

    Protein is more satiating than carbs/fats, requires more energy/kcal to get digested and utilized by the body, AND this is very important, increases thermogenesis (body temperature), which usually is called TEF (Thermic Effect of Feeding). This means that eating 50 grams of protein is NOT the same thing as eating 50 grams of carbs or 25 grams of fats, even tho the labels states it’s the same amounts of energy/kcal. The TEF from protein is about 15-30%, carbs 6%, and fats 3%. This means that 100 calories consumed from protein in real life will be 70-85 calories, and not 100. 100 calories from carbs will be 94 kcals, and fats will be 97 kcal.

    Obviously, protein is extremely effective and helpful for all kinds of body improvements. The choice between carbs and fats is more of a personal things. Some folks feel great on carbs, some folks great on fats/KETO, some feel great with both in moderate amounts. Fats are however NEEDED for survival, carbs are not. And Omega 3 should NEVER be neglected as its extremely important for basically all variables concering the body/mental systems, honestly."

    http://gabbah.com/improve-body-composition/protein-carb-fat-ratio-for-weight-loss/
This discussion has been closed.

Categories