Recommended Daily Protein Intake

nyujay2013

Hi All,

I just signed up for MyFitnessPal and love it! However, I am confused why their composed diet for me states 58 g of protein per day. I did set goals of losing 2 pounds per week for the next 2 months. Does this have anything to do with it? Perhaps they expect me to lose muscle as well as fat along the way?

The MFP amount seems too low for someone with my profile (I am 6' 2", 216 pounds, lift weights and exercise 4-6 times/week). I have read that an individual is supposed to consume anywhere between .37-1 g of protein per day, pending on activity.

I would like to lose fat and weight without compromising the muscle I've gained from exercising/weightlifting. Anyone encounter a similar issue? What should be my "true" protein intake? Thank you in advance!

KarenJanine

The MFP protein settings are fixed quite low. As you are lifting regularly it would generally be recommended to have 0.8 to 1.0 g protein per lb LBM which for your stats would be considerably higher than 58.

halleymw

Recommended protein intake is all over the map. One rule of thumb I recall reading recently was a gram per pound of goal weight. (this seems to be a pretty common recomendation)
Certainly 58g seems low. This little calculator from bodybuilding.com has several settings ranging from dieting to sress. 216 pounds dieting shows 75-216 g a day. Bodybuilding however shows 216-345. Quite a dfference!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbprotein.htm

Mike

Sarauk2sf

The recommendations here are far too low.

You can get a better idea of how to calculate a better amount and how to set MFP up to account for it here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

TavistockToad

MFP sets protein low, at 15%

if you are doing a lot of strength training, then you can go up to 1g per lb of bodyweight.

i custom set my macros based round this, so i am on 40% carbs, 25% protein (to get 125g) and 35% fat.

Capt_Apollo

think of that protein number as a minimum.

also, you can custom set your numbers if you are so inclined.

robin52077

1. If you're 6'2 and 216, you're too close to goal weight to be at 2 pounds per week. First change it to 1 pound per week (or better yet, HALF a pound, so you don't lose muscle as much).

2. Then, Change your macros. The default is 15%, which is pathetic. Go into Goals, Change Goals, Custom, and change it to something more reasonable like 40/30/30 or whatever you prefer.

EvgeniZyntx

Like others have stated, custom set your proteins.
We are close to the same stats (my starting weight was like yours) and I set my % protein to get 150 g. Evaluate your bf% and go from there using the link Sara posted.

Bronx_Montgomery

Don't go by MFP standards. You can adjust it yourself. Make sure you take a gram of protein for every lb of weight. Especially if you are lifter.

Firefox7275

Hi All,

I just signed up for MyFitnessPal and love it! However, I am confused why their composed diet for me states 58 g of protein per day. I did set goals of losing 2 pounds per week for the next 2 months. Does this have anything to do with it? Perhaps they expect me to lose muscle as well as fat along the way?

The MFP amount seems too low for someone with my profile (I am 6' 2", 216 pounds, lift weights and exercise 4-6 times/week). I have read that an individual is supposed to consume anywhere between .37-1 g of protein per day, pending on activity.

I would like to lose fat and weight without compromising the muscle I've gained from exercising/weightlifting. Anyone encounter a similar issue? What should be my "true" protein intake? Thank you in advance!

MFP protein is a minimum not an absolute. As you already know there is no consensus on what your protein intake should be, depends what diet/ nutrition philosophy you are following.