Too much protein?

Jmariemiller
Jmariemiller Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I keep going over my protein allowance and I am not eating that much. After plugging in my exercise today it says I have like 1100 calories left to eat. I do not feel like eating anymore and haven't been hungry once all day. I've lost 5 pounds but can't seem to go any lower. My co worker told me I am too skinny but I still have chub in certain spots that I am working on (belly and thighs) and I can not seem to get rid of it. I have naturally larger thighs due to the way I am built and years of horseback riding. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Replies

  • heatherloveslifting
    heatherloveslifting Posts: 1,428 Member
    There are lots of people here eating 30-40 percent of their calories from protein. MFP has that set pretty low. Most recommendations I see say 1 g/ lb of lean body mass. I have been trying hard to get to 30% protein lately and almost never make it, so I highly doubt you're getting too much! ETA maybe go look up the group "in search of a road map" for a good estimate of calories to eat.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    I'm curious but if it's saying you have 1100 calories left to eat, what is your net calorie goal? The leaner you are, the slower the rate at which you use calories from fat as fuel. Thus, you shouldn't be assuming a sum deficit from both eating less and exercise that is unnecessarily large as one only has a limited amount of calories from fat you can burn in a single day.
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    Don't worry about going over your protein. MFP sets it pretty low anyway and it's good for you.

    As for eating back exercise calories, that's up to you. If you're stuffed and can't eat anymore today, let it be. So long as you're giving your body enough fuel you'll be alright. And the weightloss, how often are you weighing and when are you weighing? Try weighing once a week or even once a month in the morning right after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking. Make sure your scale's calibrated.

    Your coworker, that's their opinion. If you're honestly trying to get into better shape and a healthier weight (and I mean actually healthy, not eating disorder "a stick is a healthy weight" healthy) then that's all that matters. A lot of people get told they're too thin or need to stop when they don't need to or don't want to for logical reasons.

    And you can't spot reduce. Your mentioned areas are the hardest to lose in because of what the fat's trying to protect. In your thighs, it's certain veins. Your stomach, your internal organs. They take time, especially if you don't have a lot to lose to begin with, but as long as you stick to a good workout routine and good eating habits it'll happen.
  • Jmariemiller
    Jmariemiller Posts: 22 Member
    I get high workouts from my job, I am a grocery store checker and stocker, mostly stocker and we work 4 hours straight hardcore, then lunch and then four more hours again. It's hard work with lots of lifting and running around and I am sweating and my pulse is high all night. I just don't feel like eating all the calories it tells me to. I just didn't want to go into starvation mode like some people here talk about and then having it stall me out.

    I weigh once a week when I wake up for the day. My daily goal is set at 2866 calories, I had it set to lower than that but was too hungry all the time.

    Mostly in my stomach area it's all extra skin from pregnancy, it really bothers me but the only way to get rid of it is to have it cut off as in a tummy tuck. Since I can't afford that I think I am stuck with a flabby stretched out stomach. I have a large frame for a woman anyway and according to the BMI I should weigh like 145 but that's an unhealthy weight for me due to frame. I am 5'9" and my goal weight is 155 that I want to get to.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    On average men should get around 56g of protein and women 46g. So I guess it depends on how much you weigh. I don't see why people here eat 100g of protein, alot of people here believe the myth that protein is the secret to weight loss. I don't know why.
  • Jmariemiller
    Jmariemiller Posts: 22 Member
    It has me set at 96 g of protein and today I ate 100.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Let's talk about the infamous "starvation mode." Unless you are currently below 12% body fat, you are likely not experiencing it. People have correlated the wrong physiological responses to Starvation Mode while chronically engaged at a severe calorie deficit (50%). Your body will continue to utilize calories from fat as long as you do not go under that above mentioned threshold. Nor does your body start holding on to fat at such a percentage.

    What does happen, however, is that your Resting Metabolic Rate plummets primarily due to a decrease in lean body mass (muscle and water). Thus, the rate at which you burn calories from fat declines to the point where one thinks it is no longer utilizing fat. It can drop as much as 40%, as in the case of the Minnesota Experiment, and few others that have duplicated such a study. Others, such as mentioned in the following link, have also extended the research into the lasting effects on energy expenditure (RMR) during weight recovery (returning to maintenance calories).

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8696417
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    ...alot of people here believe the myth that protein is the secret to weight loss. I don't know why...
    Because some of us understand that adequate protein intake is key to preservation of lean muscle mass. 56g is nowhere near adequate for a man - especially one who engages in strength training and has any appreciable muscle mass - unless he weighs about 100 lbs. Most recommendations are somewhere between 1g/lb. of lean body mass and 1g/lb. of bodyweight - and even significantly more than that for people who are in a caloric excess and trying to gain muscle mass ("bulking").
    ...I don't see why people here eat 100g of protein...
    100g? I'm currently at 195g, with about 600 calories left to eat today. I'll end up well over 200g.
  • Jmariemiller
    Jmariemiller Posts: 22 Member
    Mostly I just want to eat healthier. I still treat myself to little tidbits each day because I can't quit cold turkey. I still have my coffee and do really enjoy pumpkin spice lattes but I'll probably forego them because they are like 500 calories and I have issues with dairy but can't quite seem to quit eating it. I've greatly cut back though.

    I've been reading the book, "The Beauty Detox Solution" and she's really got some good ideas on how to eat. I followed her method for two weeks and never felt better! But it's hard to eat that way when your family is not supportive and will not eat what you eat and ending up making two meals at all mealtimes really sucks.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    ...alot of people here believe the myth that protein is the secret to weight loss. I don't know why...
    Because some of us understand that adequate protein intake is key to preservation of lean muscle mass. 56g is nowhere near adequate for a man - especially one who engages in strength training and has any appreciable muscle mass - unless he weighs about 100 lbs. Most recommendations are somewhere between 1g/lb. of lean body mass and 1g/lb. of bodyweight - and even significantly more than that for people who are in a caloric excess and trying to gain muscle mass ("bulking").
    ...I don't see why people here eat 100g of protein...
    100g? I'm currently at 195g, with about 600 calories left to eat today. I'll end up well over 200g.

    I said average. I have also read it's actually around .36g of protein for each pound of body mass. Not one for one. Also, preserving muscle mass in itself doesn't make people lose weight. Sure building muscle can help burn more calories, but I see people on here DAILY chugging protein shakes doing no lifting of muscle bearing exercises. Personally speaking, hyping up my protein did nothing for muscle increasing or weight loss for me and I was doing some lifting. If anything I got fatter because I was up on fat intake even eating the leanest meats and cheeses.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Mostly I just want to eat healthier. I still treat myself to little tidbits each day because I can't quit cold turkey. I still have my coffee and do really enjoy pumpkin spice lattes but I'll probably forego them because they are like 500 calories and I have issues with dairy but can't quite seem to quit eating it. I've greatly cut back though.

    I've been reading the book, "The Beauty Detox Solution" and she's really got some good ideas on how to eat. I followed her method for two weeks and never felt better! But it's hard to eat that way when your family is not supportive and will not eat what you eat and ending up making two meals at all mealtimes really sucks.

    When I lived with my parents my mom had a rule "you eat what there is or you don't eat or you make your own food"

Categories