Protein help! 1 gram/lb seems impossible!

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  • tnloser1970
    tnloser1970 Posts: 42
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    So everywhere I look, it says that people should be aiming to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of their body weight.

    It is actually one gram of protein per one kilogram of body weight which equals out to be about 0.4 grams per pound. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, then your protein grams should be around 60 grams per day. So, you are on target.

    As a general rule, between 10 percent and 15 percent of your total calories should come from protein according to the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
  • livityliv
    livityliv Posts: 110 Member
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    Hmm...I was advised by my personal trainer that 1 gram per pound of LEAN body mass is good (AKA bones, muscle, organs but not fat). My lean body mass is 140lbs, so that's what I eat (can't imagine eating 1 gram/pound- that would be 200+g per day for me!). So perhaps get tested (I had a BodPod done) or try to calculate your lean mass and shoot for that?

    I now hit 140 a day pretty much every day, unless I'm sick or something. Breakfast is usually either a fruit smoothie with vanilla protein powder and greek yogurt or iced coffee, milk and protein powder. That usually nets me close to 50g. Not vegetarian, so my lunches and dinners often include meat but their are other ways. Barilla makes a PLUS pasta that has 10 grams of protein per serving, quite a bit more than regular pasta. Pair that with some meatless balls for a pretty protein packed meal. Light string string cheese is really good; 50-60 calories per piece and usually about 8 grams of protein. There are increasingly available granola bars with protein. I've found bread with as many as 7 grams/slice (about 100 cals per slice), throw some 2% milk cheese slices on there for a grilled cheese and you've got 20-25 grams of protein depending on the bread and cheese. I do a lot of greek yogurt too. Cottage cheese is quite high in protein too-I mix one T of salad dressing in with some cottage cheese as a dressing for salads.
  • Melolicious
    Melolicious Posts: 71 Member
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    Don't forget to count the protein in your dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens and even brocoli. I had thought the gram/pound was for serious body builders, not the average person. What's your end goal?
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Man these are some of the least helpful answers ever!! I do think the answers regarding lean body mass are correct. I'm also a vegetarian who eats fish and seafood occasionally. I am approx 126 lbs and try to eat between 80 and 100 grams of protein daily.
    So you don't think a link to an RDA chart for Health Canada is helpful? ok.
  • msacurrie
    msacurrie Posts: 144 Member
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    I am a vegetarian - get my protein from whey shakes, tofu, dairy, beans, nuts, etc. There is protein in a lot of things...but I'm pretty sure even body builders do not aim to eat 1 gram of protein for every lb they way. That sounds difficult and over thinking things. There are so many other nutrients our bodies need besides protein. MFP has me aiming for 44 g of protein daily, and I come close but rarely hit it, unless I eat back some exercise calories. I weigh 187 lbs currently - no way I could eat that much protein, even if I ate meat.
  • MariaChele85
    MariaChele85 Posts: 267 Member
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    I always thought that it was 0.8 -1 gram per pound of *lean body mass,* not total body weight? Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
    This is correct. It per lean body mass, not body weight.
    Basically you have to find out how much of your body weight is actually lean body mass, everything else besides, fat, organs, bones etc....
  • sblake204
    sblake204 Posts: 458 Member
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    Have you ever considered adding more than one scoop to your shakes?

    or maybe have a shake twice instead of once. not sure when you workout, but if you workout in the evening, do one in the morning and then again right after your workout. if you're an early morning person, do your shake in the am and then have another later in the day to replace a meal or an hr before bed.

    see how if that helps.
    you could always eat other foods containing protein like; peanut butter, edamme, hemp seeds, egg whites, tofu, other nuts (almonds brazillian nuts, walnuts, etc), Low fat yogurt and the list goes on.

    try Isopure drinks, they have 40g of protein per bottle. may not taste the best, but hey...lol
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    whey protein powder,soy protein powder, milk, lentils... i mean for vegetarians its harder to reach protein requirements but protein supplements are your best bet... and honestly you only need like .8g per lb of bodyweight its 1g to be on the safe side for primarily bodybuilders.
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
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    Vegetarians that insist that you can get plenty of protein without meat annoy the !@#$ out of me. You are obviously not one of them which is why you made that post. The simple fact is that beans, tofu, quinoa, etc. are not good sources of protein unless you're a vegetarian. You know how many beans you would need to eat to match the protein in one piece of chicken? Neither do I, but I know it's alot. Protein shakes are really the only way for vegetarians to get anywhere close to their bodyweight in grams without going over your cals.
  • Zangpakto
    Zangpakto Posts: 336 Member
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    its .8 per kg .. or .37 per lb apparently someone saw metric units and decided it was the same thing. You should be getting 10 to 35 % of your calories from lean protein

    I think I read for weight loss something like 30 protein, 30 carb and 40 fat % is good.

    However as I'm speed training at moment I'm aiming for 60% protein, 30% carb and 10% fat... Next year when add more distance to my week I'll lower protein down to maybe 40% and up carbs to 50%...
  • MariaChele85
    MariaChele85 Posts: 267 Member
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    it's called whey.
    Agree^^^
    its not that hard. Greek yogurt has tons of protien too!
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
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    Don't forget to count the protein in your dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens and even brocoli. I had thought the gram/pound was for serious body builders, not the average person. What's your end goal?

    Yeah, typically the # is more important to muscular individuals trying to lose body fat and preserve LBM (which fits my description). Those on a surplus do not need as much protein, as your body doesn't need to use protein or muscle tissue for energy here. Also, strength training in a deficit in general can cause protein requirements to go up.

    Government regulations and recommendations are for sedentary individuals to not lose LBM.

    I'm being general here as there are lots of studies with different goals/methods that just complicate things all to heck.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    So everywhere I look, it says that people should be aiming to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of their body weight.

    It is actually one gram of protein per one kilogram of body weight which equals out to be about 0.4 grams per pound. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, then your protein grams should be around 60 grams per day. So, you are on target.

    As a general rule, between 10 percent and 15 percent of your total calories should come from protein according to the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
    This agrees closely with the Health Canada site for required daily amounts which are .8g/kg
  • bee_elle
    bee_elle Posts: 12 Member
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    Man these are some of the least helpful answers ever!! I do think the answers regarding lean body mass are correct. I'm also a vegetarian who eats fish and seafood occasionally. I am approx 126 lbs and try to eat between 80 and 100 grams of protein daily.
    So you don't think a link to an RDA chart for Health Canada is helpful? ok.

    I actually meant because everyone is just telling her to eat meat when she clearly states she is a vegetarian.
  • bombedpop
    bombedpop Posts: 2,183 Member
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    It is not necessary to hit high protein levels to lose weight, you can just follow simple cal in/out. If you only are trying to lose a few pounds, don't expect it to come off overnight. If you are working out hard/lifting weights/trying to recomp your body, you probably want to hit higher protein levels.

    Feel free to look at my diary, I don't eat meat, just fish and hit a large protein load. To do it you really have to change your conception of the 3-4 oz portion size for fish - I'll eat 7-8oz of fish for a meal. Also, greek yogurt, eggs, and if I am eating carb/veg for dinner, I'll up my protein supplement. I personally hate protein powders and use Twinlab collagen/whey blend which is taken by the tablespoon and not mixed with water. It's simple and does not cause me stomach disruption like whey powders do.

    For reference, i'm 5'9", 132lbs, 16% body fat. I aim for 106-my body weight in protein daily for the most part and don't pay much attention to grams of carb as long as I hit the protein marks.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Man these are some of the least helpful answers ever!! I do think the answers regarding lean body mass are correct. I'm also a vegetarian who eats fish and seafood occasionally. I am approx 126 lbs and try to eat between 80 and 100 grams of protein daily.
    So you don't think a link to an RDA chart for Health Canada is helpful? ok.

    I actually meant because everyone is just telling her to eat meat when she clearly states she is a vegetarian.
    ...and I'm telling her her requirements are less than she thinks and giving her link to an authority.
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
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  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Protein intake will depend largely on your caloric goals (surplus, deficit, or maintenance) as well as your training goals (exercise).

    The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States suggests 15% of calories ingested be from protein sources for the Average American.

    Keep in mind the "Average American" is not exercising or practicing caloric deficits. So, it is easier for someone that doesn't exercise and is not restricting calories to achieve their protein needs at a lower percentage of their diet.

    General consensus is that someone trying to lose weight will still need the same amount of protein as before, but have fewer calories. Keeping the base number the same while reducing calories will mean that the overall percentage of protein in the diet would go up. So, it'd be GREATER than 15% for anyone in a deficit.

    From there, those that exercise need more protein to ensure they get the materials needed for bodily repairs and muscle growth. Even if the muscles are not growing, they still need repairs from exercises. Even jogging will damage more cells than simply laying on the couch, thus requiring more protein.

    So, a person should get 25% to 30% of their calories from protein while in a deficit and exercising.

    As for the 1g per pound, it is usually suggested as 1g per pound of lean body mass, which for most, lines up almost exactly with the 25-30% ratio.
  • SleepySin
    SleepySin Posts: 168 Member
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    Unless you're a very active and leaning towards bodybuilding/competition, 1g/lb isn't necessary. An average person (works out regularly but not to the extent of a bodybuilder or competing athlete), needs 0.6g/1lb and 0.8g/lb for heavier physical activity.

    I'm vegan, following a 40-30-30 diet breakdown and tend to hit anywhere from 60-80g daily (I fluctuate between 115-117lbs) without really trying. On gym nights, I'll just supplement with a protein shake right after working out or eat a protein-rich dinner.
  • SleepySin
    SleepySin Posts: 168 Member
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    Vegetarians that insist that you can get plenty of protein without meat annoy the !@#$ out of me. You are obviously not one of them which is why you made that post. The simple fact is that beans, tofu, quinoa, etc. are not good sources of protein unless you're a vegetarian. You know how many beans you would need to eat to match the protein in one piece of chicken? Neither do I, but I know it's alot. Protein shakes are really the only way for vegetarians to get anywhere close to their bodyweight in grams without going over your cals.

    I'm vegan and do get plenty of protein... hahaha.. does this annoy you too?

    I personally don't go to beans as my primary protein source but here's tempeh vs chicken:

    http://skipthepie.org/legumes-and-legume-products/tempeh/compared-to/chicken-meatless/#nut

    I'm sure you can pull up other comparisons but you were vague on the bean type.

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