how bad is being over on your recommended protein level?

Marig0ld

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

:laugh: I'm screwed!!!

Chokis

if you are looking to build muscle 1.5 gms of protein per pound of body weight. if you are looking to maintain, 1 gm of protein per pound of bodyweight. if you are looking to lose, eat sensibly!!

I disagree with that. It all depends on your level of activity and what kind of exercise you do. If you do any strength training, you need to eat more protein. If you're trying to lose weight (to lose fat, and not muscle), you need to increase your protein.
Higher protein is better.

Elf_Princess1210

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

Say whom??? Considering a lb is thought to be 3500 calories and a 1 g of protein is about 4 calories???

I call bs. I have been consistently over my protein and have lost almost a whole pound this week.

thistimeismytime

It's not bad, it's GREAT!! MFP has their protein settings pretty low. I aim for 150 gm/day, but I do lift heavy weights, so that's more protein than many women my size prefer. Don't worry at all about going over, I'd give yourself a pat on the back instead. :flowerforyou:

lottiefrancis

this is all awesome guys, thank you

bathsheba_c

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

Say whom??? Considering a lb is thought to be 3500 calories and a 1 g of protein is about 4 calories???

Pretty sure he was trolling

I refer to these people as "jacktards" - substitue the J and A for an F and U

I thought it was funny.

tmauck4472

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

Example: 154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day

Calculating Protein as a Percentage of Total Calories

Another way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. To do this, you'll need to know how many calories your body needs each day.

RonSwanson66

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

I'm pretty sure this was an intentional joke

You're so wrong! You can eat as much as you want! Your body can only handle so much protein. You just pee out the rest, unlike carbs.

Unfortunately, this wasn't (although the assertion is equally laughable).

tmauck4472

Calculating Protein as a Percentage of Total Calories

Another way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. To do this, you'll need to know how many calories your body needs each day.

First, find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is by using a BMR calculator.

Next, figure out how many calories you burn through daily activity and add that number to your BMR. This gives you an estimate of how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.

After you've figured out your maintenance calories, next figure out what percentage of your diet will come from protein. The percentage you choose will be based on your goals, fitness level, age, body type and metabolic rate. Most experts recommend that your protein intake be somewhere between 15 and 30%. When you've determined your desired percentage of protein, multiply that percentage by the total number of calories for the day.

Example:
For a 140lb female, calorie intake=1800 calories, protein=20%:
1800 x .20 = 360 calories from protein. Since 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, divide protein calories by four:
360/4 = 90 grams of protein per day.

No matter what your calculations are, remember that there are no magic foods or supplements that can replace the right training and the right diet. The foundation of any program, whether your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, is a combination of strength training and a healthy diet that includes carbs, with a balance of protein and fat.

jtintx

if you are looking to build muscle 1.5 gms of protein per pound of body weight. if you are looking to maintain, 1 gm of protein per pound of bodyweight. if you are looking to lose, eat sensibly!!

I disagree with that. It all depends on your level of activity and what kind of exercise you do. If you do any strength training, you need to eat more protein. If you're trying to lose weight (to lose fat, and not muscle), you need to increase your protein.
Higher protein is better.

^^ I agree

HkprettyInPink

How do you calculate what your daily Protein intake should be? I really want to cut most of my carbs out and figure out what my protein should be.. Thank you..

Sarauk2sf

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

Example: 154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day

Calculating Protein as a Percentage of Total Calories

Another way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. To do this, you'll need to know how many calories your body needs each day.

^^this.

People are often confusing the 1g per kg of body mass as, in the US, we use lbs for weight, but grams for the target. This works out to be approx. 0.45g per lb at the low end and approx. 0.8g per lb at the top end.

Brunner26_2

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

I'm pretty sure this was an intentional joke

You're so wrong! You can eat as much as you want! Your body can only handle so much protein. You just pee out the rest, unlike carbs.

Unfortunately, this wasn't (although the assertion is equally laughable).

It was a joke. I actually saw someone on here claim that extra protein calories don't count because you just pee out what you don't use.

Erica27511

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

This explains why I gain 18lbs a day!!!
*smack head* DOH!

momma3sweetgirls

I always aim to have my protein and fiber 'in the red'. Meaning, I purposely eat more than the recommended fiber and protein. Research (Google) calculators that will help you determine how many grams of protein you need for your size and you can always adjust it in MFP.

Lynn_SD

Funny, I was just about to adjust my protein intake. Looks like the default MFP settings are for protein intake being only 15% of total caloric intake.

ARDuBaie

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

No necessarily.

The amount of protein you should eat depends on how much and what type of exercise you are doing. If you are doing general exercise which does not break down muscle, like weight lifting, women general should eat anywhere between 55 and 65 grams a day. If you are working out hard, maybe using the elliptical and burning 500 or more, you may want to increase that. If you are weight lifting, you will want over 100 grams a day.

I eat around 100-120 grams a day, but I am weight lifting three times a week.

In the end, how much you eat depends on what kind of activity you are do and how often.

A calorie is a calorie, although some foods are better for you than others. Protein is good for your body because it is a building block for the cells.

Since weight gain is due to too many calories in versus what is burned, where the calories come from does not matter. Thus, you will not gain a pound for every gram over.

714rah714

For every gram you are over, you will gain a pound.

More like two pounds

roddi7997

MFPs numbers are way too low..i more than double the recommended protein every day. If you want to get leaner you need to up your protein intake...saying extra protein will cause you to gain weight is like saying that if you drink more than your recommended 8 glasses of water will cause you to gain weight

holliph

just so everyone is aware there is such thing as too much protein! it is called rhabdomylosis. Here is a link that will explain more about it. It is extremely painful. I went through this last summer I thought I had refractured my femur bone when we got airborne. Longest most painful flight for me. I was in the hospital for weeks and crutches for months again! What my orthopedist thought caused it? My high protein diet along with my cross fit workout routine and excessive running (especially in extreme elevation we were at Big Bear California for a week). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001505/

So please be careful and always consult with your doctor if you are ever in doubt!