Too much protein?

sam_the_girl
sam_the_girl Posts: 53 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been consistently eating too much protein and not even on purpose. Today I am over about 20 grams and have had a couple other days with the same thing this week. I exercise everyday and today after doing the P90X arm and shoulder video I felt like I should eat something with a bit of protein in it so I had tilapia. I feel I eat really healthy, alot of fruits vegetables, hardly any meat except seafood/fish. Is this something that might be a problem? I have been losing weight and I am under my calories, carbs, pretty close on to the recommended amount for fats but my fats come from things like almonds, olive oil, avocados. That dang protein though makes me go way over!

Replies

  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    MFP recommended macros are very low on protein. You can customise them.
  • chicbuc
    chicbuc Posts: 616 Member
    How much is too much? I eat about 140 grams per day. 120 on a low day.
  • Willowana
    Willowana Posts: 493 Member
    My doctor told me to eat protein with every meal. He even recommended EAS Advantedge protein shakes. He told me that it will keep me full longer and prevent binge eating. It has helped tremendously. So, I'm ALWAYS over in the protein department. I try to keep plenty of fruits and veggies there in the mix, but I haven't seen any research that says this is bad for you.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    MFP estimates for protein are extremely low so I wouldn't worry about it. You'tr probably actually low on protein. They say about 1gr of protein for each pound you weigh
  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
    how much is too much? if you are following p90x then you need the protein. i think mfp estimates protein way too low
  • djames92
    djames92 Posts: 990 Member
    change your macros to 25 or 30% for protein and you shouldnt have a problem
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    MFP sets protein too low. To set your macros, check out this link: 

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets 

    Also, it's hard to have too much protein. 

    "It has been observed that the human liver cannot safely metabolise much more than 285-365 g of protein per day (for an 80 kg person), and human kidneys are similarly limited in their capability to remove urea (a byproduct of protein catabolism) from the bloodstream. Exceeding that amount results in excess levels of amino acids, ammonia (hyperammonemia), and/or urea in the bloodstream, with potentially fatal consequences,[1] especially if the person switches to a high-protein diet without giving time for the levels of his or her hepatic enzymes to upregulate. Since protein only contains 4 kcal/gram, and a typical adult human requires in excess of 1900 kcal to maintain the energy balance, it is possible to exceed the safe intake of protein if one is subjected to a high-protein diet with little or no fat or carbohydrates. However, given the lack of scientific data on the effects of high-protein diets, and the observed ability of the liver to compensate over a few days for a shift in protein intake, the US Food and Nutrition Board does not set a Tolerable Upper Limit nor upper Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for protein.[2] Furthermore, medical sources such as UpToDate[3] do not include listings on this topic." 

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation
  • GlowingBonesAndRedSatin
    GlowingBonesAndRedSatin Posts: 32
    However much you weigh, or hope to weigh, is how many grams of protein you should consume a day. If you want to weigh 150lbs, eat 150g/day. Good luck.
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    Make sure to have a high fiber diet too if you want to eat high protein or YOU WILL EXPLOAD
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    Yeah I was going to ask what you have set as your protein % too. I upped mine to 25% (MFP had it at 15%) and have been doing great with that. I don't always hit 25% but that's okay. I feel 20-25% is ideal for me. The extra 5-10% has helped me manage my hunger better, & like you, I don't really eat meat/ red meat, & get my fats from good healthy sources (nuts, avocados, olive oil, etc.)
    I also track my fiber & aim for 25g/ day.

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