Another Protein Question

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susanmarnold
susanmarnold Posts: 142
in Food and Nutrition
Lately I have tried to really focus on protein intake and make sure I get enough... between 120-140 g / day (I eat around 1650 calories a day). For me this has been very difficult. I do not enjoy my food as much when I am so focused on such a high protein intake. I can normal get my protein to 100 g easily when I am just eating my new normal (and healthy) way.

I currently carry around 120 pounds of lean mass (per body fat percentage). I have had the same pounds of lean mass since I started my weight loss journey (started at 233 pounds with 48% body fat and am now at 195 with 38.5% body fat). So, I am not gaining or losing muscle. This is the same course I want to continue with. I feel that at my goal weight of 145 pounds if I maintained that 120 pounds of lean mass, I would be more than happy with the around 17% of body fat.

I do cardio in addition to strength training (the only reason I have not lost muscle)! Currently I am doing ChaLEAN Extreme with Turbo Fire on the side.

So, my question is... Should I really be focusing on such a high protein intake? Do I need 120-140 g to maintain that muscle or is that to try to gain more muscle? What would your suggested protein intake be for me?

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Replies

  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    if you've only got 120 lb of lean body mass, then you only need 120g MAX, and most sources list the recommendation as .7-1g/pound of LBM, so you could scale back to 100g protein and be just fine.

    don't stress, cut back on the protein, and enjoy your meals. :)
  • susanmarnold
    susanmarnold Posts: 142
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    if you've only got 120 lb of lean body mass, then you only need 120g MAX, and most sources list the recommendation as .7-1g/pound of LBM, so you could scale back to 100g protein and be just fine.

    don't stress, cut back on the protein, and enjoy your meals. :)

    Thank you! It is nice to hear that the 120 g should be my maximum and not my minimum as I had been thinking. Ahhh... I am changing my PM snack for the day! LOL! 100 g is just so much easier for me to achieve!
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    if you've only got 120 lb of lean body mass, then you only need 120g MAX, and most sources list the recommendation as .7-1g/pound of LBM, so you could scale back to 100g protein and be just fine.

    don't stress, cut back on the protein, and enjoy your meals. :)

    Thank you! It is nice to hear that the 120 g should be my maximum and not my minimum as I had been thinking. Ahhh... I am changing my PM snack for the day! LOL! 100 g is just so much easier for me to achieve!

    honestly - this part is so much more important than the math, science, numbers, whatever.

    if you aren't ENJOYING yourself, you're not gonna stick to it! so feel good about that 100g of protein and don't give it a second thought! :)
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    If it's not working for you then try something else, especially if you're not enjoying your food. It's not a sustainable eating plan if you are eating junk you don't enjoy. If decreasing the protein actually makes you enjoy your food give it shot, you might also lose some weight. It's a gross misconception here on MFP that people need to only look at protein, not complete nutrition of their meals or that they "need" far more than they really do. Normal weight people don't eat a crapload of protein from my experience.

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