Protein Question

TXPaul

I’ve been here about a week and have been noticing on my diary that I’m always over on proteins.

Since I’m new at all this healthy living stuff, can someone explain to me the relationship between carbs, proteins, calaries, etc?

My current goal is to just eat healthier, drop a little weight and begin to excercise (slowly).

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

wftiger

You need protein to rebuild muscles that are damaged when working out. Also, protein helps keep you feeling full longer (as does fat).

You need all the macros. How many of each is hotly debated on these boards. I heavily restrict my carbs. They convert to fat easier than the rest and to me are empty calories (they provide energy but if your body does not have any it will convert the fat to energy which is what I want). If you keep your carbs smart (fruits, veggies) that is what is best. Breads, pasta, etc. are not the best carb choices you can make as they are simple carbs and not much nutrition gained from them.

If you go over on any macro it should probably be protein unless you have kidney issues then see your doctor. As most will say, it is not bad to go over on protein.

Expialidojess

The set macros on this site don't always work for everyone, and you can go in and change them in your settings. In my opinion, the default carb numbers are set too high and the protein numbers are set way too low, but what works for one person doesn't always work for someone else. Like the above poster said, make sure you're getting good complex carbs, healthy fats, and decent amounts of protein.

TXPaul

Thanks for the information. I'll keep trying to learn this stuff.

sdevan45

.37 times your weight in pounds is a good estimate for protein intake if you are not an endurance/resistance workout athlete.

KevDaniel

Well your body prefers carbohydrates for fuel, simple as that. It will look for that first and it is the easiest to convert to ATP. That being said, cutting carbs can be a good thing, especially if you are trying to lose some pounds. Proteins are builders, they are meant to rebuild your muscle after you tear it down; however, If your glycogen stores are low you can convert muscle into glucose but it has to go through the liver to be converted. Your body doesn't really dig that and it is a slower process so if you like running, or any kind of long workouts you might fatigue quicker.

If you are extremely into cardio I would say, do not cut your carbs at all. If your mainly focusing on strength or don't have a whole bunch of time to exercise then it can be quite OK to lower your carbs.

Fat is needed, usually in smaller amounts so it is not something I would ever recommend adding more of in the diet.

Just my thoughts