How Much Protein Should I Eat

syedsaad
syedsaad Posts: 156 Member
in Food and Nutrition
According to MFP I only need to eat 56g of protein (even though that also hard for me as i dont eat meat by choice) but after reading many posts i m wondering is 56g enough for me (i m 6' tall and weight 226lbs) if not then how much should it be?

Replies

  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    Wow, I'm a 5'1'' female and it has me set at 53g of protein. It does seem quite low - I'm not sure what the right number should be, but wowie.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    The general consensus is 1g of protein per lb of LBM as a minimum target.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    MFP is set up to reflect the minimum protein requirement however many of us, as active individuals who want to maintain or build our Lean Body Mass (LBM) have set it to reflect more like 30%. As mentioned above, if you know your LBM number (total weight minus body fat %), you can custom set to 1 gram per pound of LBM.
  • syedsaad
    syedsaad Posts: 156 Member
    MFP is set up to reflect the minimum protein requirement however many of us, as active individuals who want to maintain or build our Lean Body Mass (LBM) have set it to reflect more like 30%. As mentioned above, if you know your LBM number (total weight minus body fat %), you can custom set to 1 gram per pound of LBM.

    and how do i custom set and how to find fat%?
  • nreamon
    nreamon Posts: 46 Member
    One gram per body weight but it also depends on goals... If you are working on building lean mass, etc.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    and how do i custom set and how to find fat%?

    To customize goals, go to the My Home tab, click on Goals and go to Custom.

    There are calculators online that require body measurements. However, the best way is to get measured by calipers. If you belong to a gym, they may be able to do it or you can check with your doctor to see if they have the equipment.

    ETA: I found another calculation online that says to multiply your weight in pounds by somehwere between 0.5 and 0.8. The higher numbers are recommended for those who are "involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training" so you can pick a number based on your average activity level.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    It depends somewhat on what you are doing; if you are lifting weights, the recommended level is around 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. I always try to go a little heavy on the protein and aim for a "red number" in that category. On lifting days, I push protein ... usually drink a shake and sometimes eat a protein bar. On non-lifting days, I don't push it as much. I don't sweat not getting 185 grams of protein daily, however. Remember, Protein takes more energy to process and it can be a little hard on the kidneys in large quantities.
  • IIISpartacusIII
    IIISpartacusIII Posts: 252 Member
    The general consensus is 1g of protein per lb of LBM as a minimum target.

    This works very well. If you're trying to add muscle perhaps a tad bit more but this is a good start.
  • syedsaad
    syedsaad Posts: 156 Member
    The general consensus is 1g of protein per lb of LBM as a minimum target.

    This works very well. If you're trying to add muscle perhaps a tad bit more but this is a good start.

    well rite now i m not doing any exercise :(
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    It completely depends on activity and regular needs. MFP does score low a good macro percentage for protein would be 30% of your total caloric intake. This is what you should aim for.

    If you work out often I would increase that percentage to 40% or more, if you are hardcore working out then my suggestion is 50%.

    My current Macros are 30% carbs, 50% protein and 20% fat and has thus far worked for both weight and body fat loss, and this is when I regularly maintain the macro percentages... which lately I have been really bad for so I have had a stall/small gain.
  • syedsaad
    syedsaad Posts: 156 Member
    I changed my goals to 40% carbs and 30% for protein and fats .... is that ok?
  • middle_path
    middle_path Posts: 7
    I changed my goals to 40% carbs and 30% for protein and fats .... is that ok?

    Good choice. Lots of us here use that ratio.
  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    I changed my goals to 40% carbs and 30% for protein and fats .... is that ok?

    Sure, it's a good starting point and you can always tweak it down the road if you find it's not working for you.

    Right now I'm experimenting with 40% fat, 30% carbs, 30% protein. I'm trying to find my maintenance sweet spot right now so I'm doing a lot of tweaking.
  • syedsaad
    syedsaad Posts: 156 Member
    i changed my protein level .... but not being able to achieve it as i dont eat meat ..... any ideas about how to get proteins?

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