Too much protein

bojigirl4
bojigirl4 Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
I am a bit confused......I just started MFP (again) and it says I am eating way too much protein....... My problem is I'm hungry ALL the time and I thought protein was the way to go, along with some fiber. It looks like all of the greek yogurt and protein shakes actually may be hurting me? Any ideas? Thanks much!

Replies

  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    I am a bit confused......I just started MFP (again) and it says I am eating way too much protein....... My problem is I'm hungry ALL the time and I thought protein was the way to go, along with some fiber. It looks like all of the greek yogurt and protein shakes actually may be hurting me? Any ideas? Thanks much!

    Nothing wrong with a lot of protein as long as you are not exceeding your calorie goals.
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    MFP's default protein level is the minimum required for sedentary individuals to maintain a neutral nitrogen balance.

    Basically, it's a minimum.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    I agree with Matt. I just ate 235 grams of protein yesterday. A little high for me, but not anything I worry about as being excessive.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    You probably need to go into your settings and change the macros (protein, fat, carbs) to be more in line with your macro consumption goals.

    Or, you could just ignore the "red" in the protein category and treat it as a good thing when you exceed your minimum. You don't have to overdo it or anything (aim for .7 - 1 gram lean body mass).

    You can google how to calculate a rough estimate of lean body mass. There are many, many calculators online. Once you have that number, just multiply it by a number anywhere between .7 and 1, and that's the number of grams to eat a day.

    To give an idea, I weigh 129 pounds, and my bodyfat percent is roughly 20-21%, and lean body mass is roughly 106 pounds. I aim for a minimum of 100 grams per day. It's easy to hit for me with chicken, very lean pork, lean beef, fish, legumes, plain non-fat greek yogurt, and milk products. I sometimes add protein powder, but it's very rare. I add it more as a treat because it's delicious in yogurt.
  • scadgirl20
    scadgirl20 Posts: 134 Member
    Protein is ok. You don't want to go over things like calories, sodium, fat, sugars, etc. I don't worry if I go over protein or fiber. I try to watch the rest though
  • tjphelps73
    tjphelps73 Posts: 171 Member
    My Opinion - Does MFP have your carbs set at 55%? Mine did and that is way too high as it caused me to be hungry. It was ok at the beginning of my journey as I was training myself to eat properly but then I learned fast I needed to adjust my macros.
  • misifer
    misifer Posts: 114 Member
    35% protein is about as high as you should go according to the USDA (range is 10-35% for adults over 19). MFP sets yours to 10% by default. Try upping your stats to 40% carb, 30% protein, and 30% fat.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    35% protein is about as high as you should go according to the USDA (range is 10-35% for adults over 19). MFP sets yours to 10% by default. Try upping your stats to 40% carb, 30% protein, and 30% fat.

    I wouldn't trust the USDA farther than I could throw it.
  • StrongAndHealthyMommy
    StrongAndHealthyMommy Posts: 1,255 Member
    I used to watch my Sodium.... but now I dont really care about it... I'm just concern of being within my calorie goal and making smart choices with my meals
  • StrongAndHealthyMommy
    StrongAndHealthyMommy Posts: 1,255 Member
    35% protein is about as high as you should go according to the USDA (range is 10-35% for adults over 19). MFP sets yours to 10% by default. Try upping your stats to 40% carb, 30% protein, and 30% fat.
    30% is nothing!!!

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