Protien! >:-[

JStarnes

Is is bad that I ALWAYS go over on my protein?! Don't bother looking at my diary :blushing: I've not logged in weeks. But today I'm starting fresh & have been wondering for a while if it was bad for me to continue to go over on protein - I know its bad to go over on my sugar/sodium/fat on a regular basis but what about Mr. P?!? :huh:

jessmomof3

You can reset your goals on here and change your ratios. I personally eat more protein than MFP recommends because I run, lift weights, and it works for me. Eating 60% carbs never works for me. Play with the ratios and find out what works for your body!

mamacindy81

I hope some one answers this question for you because I've been wondering the same thing?

PJilly

I think MFP sets the carbs (and fat) too high and protein too low. I set my fat servings to 25, my carbs to either 45 or 50, and my protein to either 30 or 25.

bethany_jurries

If you are working out a lot more protien is not a bad thing or even carbs. On your down days try hard to not go over in either. Protien is not bad you will bulk up fast and it is not always what slender bodies want. The program is set up for someone who does nothing all day long. If you are going over by a little it will not hurt just do not go over by like 20 thats a no no.. at that point you will have gone over your calories. In your diary settings you can look at what you want displayed add sodium it will help you make wise choices too. Hope this helped! Good Luck!

chgudnitz

If you are working out a lot more protien is not a bad thing or even carbs. On your down days try hard to not go over in either. Protien is not bad you will bulk up fast and it is not always what slender bodies want. The program is set up for someone who does nothing all day long. If you are going over by a little it will not hurt just do not go over by like 20 thats a no no.. at that point you will have gone over your calories. In your diary settings you can look at what you want displayed add sodium it will help you make wise choices too. Hope this helped! Good Luck!

No No No. If women go over on their protein they are NOT going to bulk up fast. There are hormones that come into play when talking about bulking up. Women on average do not have the testosterone to bulk up.

Do what the person before said and adjust the preset ratios to match what you typically consume. Going over on the low amount of protein is fine, you are likely (unless you are over all around) way under in something else to compensate. Protein is important for feeling full and rebuilding muscle, something that will help your metabolic fire going in the long run.

Best of luck, enjoy your protein.

iRun4wine

I go WAY over on protein consistently. I have blood sugar issues, and I find that it helps me keep my blood sugar from dropping because it takes longer to digest. I have protein bars and shakes on a daily basis, and eat a lot of protein-rich foods, too like peanut butter, eggs, milk and yogurt. I think you have to experiment and find what works best for you. :flowerforyou:

jessmomof3

If you are working out a lot more protien is not a bad thing or even carbs. On your down days try hard to not go over in either. Protien is not bad you will bulk up fast and it is not always what slender bodies want. The program is set up for someone who does nothing all day long. If you are going over by a little it will not hurt just do not go over by like 20 thats a no no.. at that point you will have gone over your calories. In your diary settings you can look at what you want displayed add sodium it will help you make wise choices too. Hope this helped! Good Luck!

No No No. If women go over on their protein they are NOT going to bulk up fast. There are hormones that come into play when talking about bulking up. Women on average do not have the testosterone to bulk up.

Do what the person before said and adjust the preset ratios to match what you typically consume. Going over on the low amount of protein is fine, you are likely (unless you are over all around) way under in something else to compensate. Protein is important for feeling full and rebuilding muscle, something that will help your metabolic fire going in the long run.

Best of luck, enjoy your protein.

Thank you!!! :flowerforyou: Yes, women will not bulk up from eating too much protein. That is a myth!

JStarnes

Well, I've almost doubled my suggested daily intake today. :blushing: I've not had any issues losing weight so far - just 3 plateaus in the last 10 months but other than that I can't really tell that going over is doing anything good or bad. :huh:

chgudnitz

Well, I've almost doubled my suggested daily intake today. :blushing: I've not had any issues losing weight so far - just 3 plateaus in the last 10 months but other than that I can't really tell that going over is doing anything good or bad. :huh:

It won't hurt you.

kokonutmama

I do think there are problems (health and otherwise, but I'll address only health) with eating too much protein, and what most people think a "good" amount is more than is actually the recommended mean. Besides things like Ketosis and "Rabbit Starvation" from WAY too much protein and not enough carbs, be aware that animal protein can make your blood acidic, robbing your bones of calcium. MFP sets protein at 15%. The ranges of recommended protein intake from the various health-monitoring organizations is 10-15%. However... If you're cutting calories to loose weight, trying to build muscle, or healing from an injury, my marginally educated opinion is that it's OK or even good to have a little more protein than 15%.

Google "Dangers of too much protein" for a lot of online articles on the subject.

All of that being said, I'm always for what works for an individual body. If protein helps you keep your blood sugar under control better then I wouldn't tell you to cut protein and throw your body out of whack. Also, it's important to note that I'm a shmuck who only knows what I read online and everything I write needs to be taken with that grain of salt :ohwell:

chgudnitz

Please note that the dangers of to much protein are talking about people that consume purely protein, are on a 0 carb plan, or are into extreme bodybuilding and consume massive amount of it.

Someone that is eating 130 - 140g of protein a day and weights 170 pounds is not consuming to much. It will be processed just fine and not lead to any unhealthy side effects.

JStarnes

I do think there are problems (health and otherwise, but I'll address only health) with eating too much protein, and what most people think a "good" amount is more than is actually the recommended mean. Besides things like Ketosis .....

I had issues with "spilling protien" in my urine when I was prego with my son - or so my midwife told me. I never really understood what it was or why it happened - but I know they kept a very close eye on it the whole pregnancy. I ended up being induced because of life threateningly (is that a word?!) high BP (like the put me in a dark room in the hospital in a padded bed for fear of seizures) which I guess went hand-in-hand with the keytones in my urine?! Idk...

Anyway... I don't think I'm going over enough to cause harm - was just curious is all.. Thanks for everybodys responses. :flowerforyou:

JStarnes

Please note that the dangers of to much protein are talking about people that consume purely protein, are on a 0 carb plan, or are into extreme bodybuilding and consume massive amount of it.

Someone that is eating 130 - 140g of protein a day and weights 170 pounds is not consuming to much. It will be processed just fine and not lead to any unhealthy side effects.

Wow - I doubled MFP's suggested intake & am only at 80 something - and I weigh 176 so I guess I'm doin just fine.

jessmomof3

Wow - I doubled MFP's suggested intake & am only at 80 something - and I weigh 176 so I guess I'm doin just fine.

Here's a way to figure out your base protein recommendations (I just studied and took my Personal Training Exam from AFAA). The RDA recommendation for adults is .8 grams of protein for each kg of body weight.

Take your weight x .45 to get your weight in kg.

176 x .45 = 79.2

Then take that 79.2 x .8 = 63g a day

HTH!!

JStarnes

Wow - I doubled MFP's suggested intake & am only at 80 something - and I weigh 176 so I guess I'm doin just fine.

Here's a way to figure out your base protein recommendations (I just studied and took my Personal Training Exam from AFAA). The RDA recommendation for adults is .8 grams of protein for each kg of body weight.

Take your weight x .45 to get your weight in kg.

176 x .45 = 79.2

Then take that 79.2 x .8 = 63g a day

HTH!!

It does!! Thanks for that calculation - so I'm still over but at least i'm not doubling it.

dothompson

I wouldn't worry about it. It's very hard to get too much protein unless you exceed your calories.

This is how I look at it.

I consider the calorie, sodium, and fat numbers in MFP to be maximums. I really try not to exceed them.

I consider the fiber and protein numbers to be minimums. I really try never to be below them.

JStarnes

I wouldn't worry about it. It's very hard to get too much protein unless you exceed your calories.

This is how I look at it.

I consider the calorie, sodium, and fat numbers in MFP to be maximums. I really try not to exceed them.

I consider the fiber and protein numbers to be minimums. I really try never to be below them.

That's a good way to look at it! - never thought of it that way. Thanks! :flowerforyou:

Azdak

It's not necessarily bad--it is often just pointless. Protein assumes a position of almost mythical importance in some people's minds. I'm not exactly sure why--I suspect a lot of it has to do with the fact that marketing and selling protein in various forms--whether it's beef products, egg products, cheese products, or the various protein supplements--is a multibillion dollar industry and so there are thousands of marketing people feverishly at work to hype the demand.

Protein is one of those things where, if "X amount" is enough, "X+y amount" is not better. For example, protein does not "build muscle". Training builds muscle. Protein is one of the building blocks, but it does nothing by itself. If protein intake is adequate, consuming more protein will not "build more muscle". Protein is not a particularly efficient form of energy, although it is a versatile source.

The debate is always over "how much is enough", and there is no definitive answer. The established RDA is, I believe, 0.7 g per kg of body weight. There is support in the literature for a level of 1.4-1.6 g/kg body weight among endurance athletes; power lifters and bodybuilders often claim they need 2.0 g/kg body weight or more, but I have not seen much support for those levels in peer-reviewed literature. Like most nutritional studies, it is difficult to control for all the variables, so the sample sizes tend to be small and the research parameters pretty tight. That means that studies must be replicated a number of times, using different groups, activities, etc, to gain a more in depth understanding. Any article or "recommendation" that is based on 1 or 2 studies might be interesting, but it is in no way definitive. There is also a "protein culture" in some sports that makes it difficult for those in the sport to question "tradition", so that tends to give an authoritative "echo" to the anecdotes.

Protein intake plays a number roles for those trying to lose weight:

1. Promotes a feeling of satiety, making it easier to eat less.
2. Helps deliver energy at a slower rate, making it easier to eat less frequently, or controlling hunger pangs between meal.
3. Helps conserve Fat Free Mass (lessens the loss of FFM) for those on low calorie and very low calorie diets.
4. For those who are diabetic or insulin-resistant, helps control blood sugar levels.
5. Can help in the recovery from extended and vigorous exercise sessions (emphasis on extended and vigorous).
6. Some people emphasize the thermogenic effect of protein--i.e. because it's more complex, you expend more energy digesting it. I'm not sure I agree that it is important, but I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other. (I personally am wary of what I consider "gimmicky" eating plans because I don't think they are practical, but that is a personal opinion, not a scientific one).
[Feel free to add more if you think I have left anything out]

Since a minimum amount of protein is necessary, it stands to reason that, as your total caloric intake decreases, your total percentage of calories will increase. Let's look at some numbers.

I am going to choose an intake of 1.0 g per kg of body weight as our "recommended" amount. That's more than the RDA and more than enough most likely to keep just about everyone on MFP in positive nitrogen balance. An 80kg individual would then need 80 g of protein per day. At 4 Calories per gram, thats 320 Calories/day from protein. If you were following a 1200 Calorie/day diet, that would be roughly 27% of calories from protein. At 1500 Calories/day, it would be 21%. At a maintenance level, that would be about 15%.

You would be hard-pressed to convince me that anyone on this site, in the absence of a specific physical or medical condition, needs significantly more than 1 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Maybe it might help with appetite control, but it would be difficult to prove that scientifically (as opposed to auto-suggestion or a placebo effect). If anyone has documented evidence (not personal anecdotes), I would certainly be interested in seeing it. This is certainly not a closed issue.

Let's say you do have some disposable income and a burning desire to give it to the folks at GNC or wherever, what's the downside? I don't know that it is that much. In my student days (aka "The old days" or "the dawn of time"), the medical establishment overstated the potential health hazards of excessive protein intake (Kidney failure!!--kind of like the mother in the Christmas Story movie warning about the BB gun putting your eye out). I think most studies have shown that, even at 2.0-2.5 g per kg, there is no substantial health risk (other than an increased tendency toward dehydration, which is pretty easy to offset). I think if you let your carbohydrate level get too low, it can impair your fitness performance, but that also depends on how much, what kind, and how intense your workouts are. Again, protein is not an efficient source of fuel for workouts. It plays an important role in longer-duration workouts (e.g. greater than 60-90 min), but it should not be the main fuel for aerobic exercise.

I would say for the average person, the main downside of excessive protein is just spending money for supplements that are probably unnecessary. It is also possible that, especially for those on a restricted calorie diet, excessive protein intake can lead to an unbalanced diet, crowding out other foods that can provide essential nutrients.

Azdak

Also keep in mind that MFP, when setting up recommendations, needs to follow established consensus guidelines set by national professional or government health organizations. Those guidelines do not pertain to people on weight loss programs. So you have the ability to modify anything you want, but, for liability reasons, the default needs to be based on the accepted guidelines for the general public. It would be foolish of the site operator to do otherwise.

iRun4wine

Be careful and cautious about what you Google. Google can be a good tool, but be sure you're looking at the source- where is the article from, who is it sponsored by, etc. I'm sure you can make a case either way about anything under the sun from legitimate to outrageous by using Google.

Like I said, it can be a good tool, but be aware and be smart when it comes to what you're looking at. That's the blessing and the curse of the internet. Anyone can publish anything they want and call it "official research" and publish it on a website that looks very official.