Protein or no Protein

hey there,

from what I've heard, you're meant to have 1g for every pound of lean mass. So I weight about 140lb and eat at least 100g (~3oz) of protein a day. I don't eat lots of red meats, so find it easier to get my numbers high enough with a protein shake, and maybe another after exercise.

It is up to you and what you have, but keep in mind that the recommendation by MFP is quite low so don't ever eat under that number if possible.

Also, I see you're middle aged. Have you talked to your Dr about your weight loss goals? They may be able to give you some good advice as well and tell you what foods you really need at this time (menopause etc some time soon I am assuming).

ETA: I should probably read the other responses first....Angel nailed it, as usual.

hey there,

from what I've heard, you're meant to have 1g for every pound of lean mass. So I weight about 140lb and eat at least 100g (~3oz) of protein a day. I don't eat lots of red meats, so find it easier to get my numbers high enough with a protein shake, and maybe another after exercise.

It is up to you and what you have, but keep in mind that the recommendation by MFP is quite low so don't ever eat under that number if possible.

Also, I see you're middle aged. Have you talked to your Dr about your weight loss goals? They may be able to give you some good advice as well and tell you what foods you really need at this time (menopause etc some time soon I am assuming).

Hey, jessicalysenk, recent research suggests that it is closer to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight...so your weight of 140 lbs would about 100 grams of protein, which is pretty much right on the money for what your eating.

Now, protein powers well generally help and not hinder your progress unless you have some sort of a dietary restriction (like allergies). A few key things:

- people that benefit most from protein are the people new to resistance training and people who chronically and excessively resistance train (i.e. bodybuilders).
- there are 2 keys types of proteins, isolates and concentrates - isolates are generally more expensive, more processed and have a protein distribution more representative of what your body needs; while concentrates are less expensive, less processed and are just the byproduct of cheese production
- the 3rd type if protein is casein, its a protein made from milk that is slow absorbing, some people are allergic to it
- protein is best used after a workout because you muscles can absorb the protein more easily from you bloodstream, the 'magic window' seems to be about an hour
- when mixed with carbohydrates (like in a fruit smoothie), protein synthesis in your muscles is enhanced because the body metabolizes the carbs first. which allows the muscles to absorb more protein
- using more then 1 scoop of protein (~25g) is unnecessary unless you chronically and excessively train (i.e. bodybuilder); this is because after a dosage of about 25g, the body begins to metabolize the free floating protein from the blood, not use it for muscle synthesis
- finally, the best flavor of protein is, hands down, vanilla

Hope i helped!

I have the same question, are considering to use proteine supplements. I like to get it through my food, but I don´t always get enough. I have been reading a lot. Here´s a simple page that shows the basics. http://greatist.com/fitness/protein-supplement-nutrition-guide

Protein is a good thing and I agree with the comments about 1 g per lb of lean body mass. However, when you are start taking in that much, you really need to be lifting and working your muscles. Also, people who have kidney function issues are supposed to be careful about how much protein they take in because a high protein diet can make things worse. BTW, my dad found out his kidneys were only functioning at 30% recently and he had no idea.

Nothing wrong with getting in 100 g of protein per day, but if you are thinking of going past that, it may be a good idea to visit with your doctor first just to make sure that there isn't any reason not to. Just one guy's opinion.