Protein!!

sweetbn

So as of early last week I decided to try to eat more protein. I did this mainly because I was always hungry and I thought it might help me in my weight loss (have lost .5 pounds in about a month). I am consistenly over my calories due purely to hunger. I can noticably see my muscles getting bigger so I am not too concerned about the scale so much as I was the fact that I was always hungry and always eating too many calories therefore not losing weight.

Anyway there is still a significant portion of my body that as a thick layer of fat on top of the muscle. I am planning on tackling this after my 5k next weekend by starting P90X in addition to my running. I am hoping that this will help tone some muscles and hopefully get rid of the layer...

My question is the protein I am getting... is there a such thing as too much?! I have put in my meals up to 4PM today (its only 10 so I haven't actually eaten it all yet) but I am already over 4 grams with 500 calories to go in the day! I was planning on a small pasta and chicken dinner tonght too which will add more...I think I let MFP set the protein goals so I am curious if there is too much... One day last week I went over by 50 grams of protein!!!!

PS If you look at my food diary don't chastise me too much for the weekend. :blushing: I am trying to be better with my calories.

rybo

MFP protein level is set really low. If you are weight lifting and exercising alot, bumping up your protein is a good idea.

sweetbn

How low? What should be a good number?

I'm not really doing any weight lifting so I just want to make sure I'm not freaking my body out with all the excess.

khskr1

Ditto! I looked at your protein level and would say that you need to bump it up. 50 is too low. Most nutritionist's I have spoken with (and what I personally believe), you should be getting a minimum of 65-70 grams a day without working out. I would say you are right on track!!

tralalara

I try to have 20 gr per meal and have 2 snacks with about 10 so I'm set for 90 gr per day. I'm usually a little under but I think this is a better protein level. I do feel it's important to not have TOO much at one meal, like a 16 oz steak or something. Your body can not use it and will store it for later. I try to stay around 3 oz meat per meal.

stc004

I just started running last Sept. (about 3-5 mi per day, 2 or 3x a wk). Although I have been trying to stay around 1200 calories, I would do the same as you and after about 3 or 4 days of doing good would cave in to the hunger and basically have not been able to lose any weight. I started adding P90x routines 2 or 3x a wk in addition to running 5 days a week. The P90x nutrition guide suggests 5-7 servings of protein a day. I started doing that last week- I am eating about 100 grams of protein a day!- and I am so full I can barely make myself eat 1200 calories. You can change the percentage of calories you want to be protein under goals...P90x recommends 40% I think during the first "fat shredder" phase. I have now lost 5 lbs in 3 wks not to mention quite a few inches:)

SKCFisher

I take 1g per body weight pound. But that's to build muscle and try to off set the low carbs. I was going 1.5g a lbs but I could not eat that much. It seems to be working for I'm trying to cut the fat and keep the muscle. I start the P90X next week and will try to keep my high protein low carbs and see if that works. I do not know much but hope this helps a little.