will too much protein make you gain?

Megclark37

My roommate is arguing with me- she's trying to tell me that I'm consuming TOO much protein and that I'm just going to gain weight. :explode: I don't agree at all. If I'm working out daily- eating around 1200 calories and have 90-100 grams of protein/day.. is that TOO much? Is it even possible to have too much? It's the only thing that I found that can keep me full- any thoughts/suggestions/etc. Thanks!

Glamour60Xtreme

I believe that as long as you are still working out you are fine! Whenever i work out, i've always been told to eat more protein. So your right

AllTehBeers

I love this page and these articles. There's TONS of awesome info.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/protein-intake-while-dieting-qa.html

Lissakaye81

working out and only eating 1200 calories could make you gain, too few calories, too much protein can make you gain, too many carbs, what ever excess that you dont burn will turn into fat. You want around .8 of a gram per pound of lean body mass. figure out your body fat% and your lean mass and times by .8 and there is your daily protein.

KareninCanada

working out and only eating 1200 calories could make you gain

^^^ yep


Specifically eating more protein will not make you gain weight. Eating too many calories overall will make you gain, but 1200 calories is definitely not too many.

daffodilsoup

Too much protein will only make you gain if it comes from eating too many calories.

HotBodUnderConstruction

My roommate is arguing with me- she's trying to tell me that I'm consuming TOO much protein and that I'm just going to gain weight. :explode: I don't agree at all. If I'm working out daily- eating around 1200 calories and have 90-100 grams of protein/day.. is that TOO much? Is it even possible to have too much? It's the only thing that I found that can keep me full- any thoughts/suggestions/etc. Thanks!

If you're working out daily, and you're only consuming 1200 calories...I would say you need to increase your caloric intake. Eating more protein will not make you gain weight, as long as your caloric consumption remains under your total daily caloric expenditure. To be clear, eating more protein does not make you gain weight, it's eating more calories than you burn that contributes to weight gain.

eyesontheprize13

Great answers!

wellbert

90-100 is a good -minimum-.

bcattoes

Too many calories make you gain, whether from protein, carbs or fat. It is possible to eat too much protein. It doesn't really sound like you are eating too much if you are healthy.

JasonDetwiler

It is very hard for the body to convert protein to fat. You'll excrete the extra. You will not gain any significant amount of fat, but it will hinder fat loss if you're at a caloric surplus by going over on protein while other macros are in check.

Ainar

It's all about calories. If protein you ate does not exceed your calorie req for a day it's all fine. You ain't gain fat. All tho, you might gain some muscle if you exercise. Beginners may gain some muscle even little bit under maintenance calories. And since muscle also weights some you could theoretically gain weight...

tigersword

It is very hard for the body to convert protein to fat. You'll excrete the extra. You will not gain any significant amount of fat, but it will hinder fat loss if you're at a caloric surplus by going over on protein while other macros are in check.

It converts protein to glucose, then glucose to fat. The human body doesn't excrete protein, at least it shouldn't, as the kidneys are supposed to prevent protein from being excreted. Kidney failure and diabetes generally cause protein to be excreted in the urine, but a healthy individual won't excrete more than a few milligrams, as the protein is very easily reabsorbed by the kidneys and recycled. You may be thinking of ketones.

WendyTerry420

Your roommate is ignorant. :laugh:

JasonDetwiler

It is very hard for the body to convert protein to fat. You'll excrete the extra. You will not gain any significant amount of fat, but it will hinder fat loss if you're at a caloric surplus by going over on protein while other macros are in check.

It converts protein to glucose, then glucose to fat. The human body doesn't excrete protein, at least it shouldn't, as the kidneys are supposed to prevent protein from being excreted. Kidney failure and diabetes generally cause protein to be excreted in the urine, but a healthy individual won't excrete more than a few milligrams, as the protein is very easily reabsorbed by the kidneys and recycled. You may be thinking of ketones.

I'm trying to remember the article(s) I've read on it, but something about the amount of time and energy required to make the protein=>glucose=>fat process makes the energy balance out and basically makes it nearly impossible to gain fat mass from excess protein. Do you have those specifics readily available? I've been keeping my protein down a little lately because I'm still trying to cut some more fat before I start building again and I want to keep at a deficit.

tigersword

In general, protein keeps circulating until it's used up, and what isn't used up becomes glucose or ketones. I would say most of the time it's probably converted to glycogen rather than fat, but the pathway is still there. Very rarely is protein actually excreted on its own. It's converted into something else usable in the body, and then waste byproducts are excreted, but either way, it's getting used.

bradphil87

If you eat over your calories it could make you gain. If you don't, you will not. Same with anything