Too much...protein?

curlylocks224
curlylocks224 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there:

Before I ask my question, let me preface it by saying that I realize that anything, in excess, will cause weight gain. I get that - I really do.

Am I eating too much protein and, as such, seeing an increase in weight that I just cannot seem to take off?

A bit of background. I workout 6-7 days per week, mostly focused on cardio (65-75 minutes per day). Two of those days, I go back and work with a personal training and we focus primarily on "lifting heavy" for 30-minute sessions. According to my HRM, I burn approximately 600+ calories during my cardio workouts. I do not log anything further for my training sessions. I eat 1500 calories/day.

Recently, I would say the past 3-4 months, I have been somewhat addicted to (I really think that may be an accurate categorization) Quest protein bars. I went a long while with eating not quite enough protein and now, I think I may be eating too much. On any given day, I usually eat approximately 200-215 grams of protein, mostly through these Quest bars. My typical day (and by typical I really mean every day) looks like follows:

Breakfast: Coffee w/ cream (60 calories)
Quest bar (160 calories, 20 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 17 g fiber)

Lunch: Cucumber (raw, sliced, 2 cups) (35 calories)
Quest bar

Dinner: Cucumber (raw, sliced, 2 cups)
3 tbsp salsa
Egg whites (5) (85 calories)
Portobello mushrooms (sliced, 9 oz) (60 calories)

Sometimes I substitute the mushrooms at dinner in my omelette for frozen mixed veggies (3 cups, approximately 100 calories).

The rest of my 1500 calories comes from Quest bars. I know, I know.

I'm not much for meat, although I do occasionally eat chicken or turkey.

I will also admit to, in the past 4 months, having some "cheat days" or time periods, mostly focused on peanut M&Ms.

In these past 3-4 months, I have gained 7-8 pounds. Even with the cheat days, I honestly do not think I have eaten that far above and beyond my maintenance calories to prompt such a weight gain. Is it possible that the increase in protein is causing weight gain?

Or have I just really lost my marbles?

Replies

  • missashleigh92
    missashleigh92 Posts: 37 Member
    you've possibly gained more muscle weight since u have so much protein and lift heavy reguarly. maybe its just the muscle weight rather than fat? That would be my first thought anyway
  • ElectricDragon
    ElectricDragon Posts: 60 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/how-much-protein?page=1

    I think it's a little too much, try to cut the consumption of protein bars in half for a week or two and see what happens in correlation to your weight. Aim for about 100 grams of protein a day instead of 200 grams.

    Maybe also consider adding more good fats to your diet as I don't see any at all in your menu. Good fats are extremely important for weight loss as well, in my opinion equally as important as protein.

    Some ideas on what you can do to replace the 100 grams of protein bars with good fats:
    • try taking a fish oil, krill oil, or an omega-3 supplement in the morning with breakfast
    • eat more nuts: 25 to 30 grams of walnuts or almonds for lunch (make sure nuts are raw or dry roasted with no salt added)
    • include half an avocado with your eggs for dinner

    The nuts and avocado are good at keeping you feeling filled and satisfied, so you shouldn't feel hunger pains if you substitute them off for 100 grams of protein. I think it's a good trade off. Other equally good nuts are pistachios and pecans but they have a slightly higher caloric/fat count I believe when compared to walnuts and almonds, however, it might be something to keep in mind if you like more variety and to mix it up a bit.

    Whatever you decide to do good luck and all the best!
  • ElectricDragon
    ElectricDragon Posts: 60 Member
    Oh and another thing that came to mind just now is maybe also look into probiotics as well, it will aid in digestion and might promote weight loss as well.

    I personally don't eat as much dairy as I used to before my lifestyle change, so nowadays I get my probiotics through supplement/capsule form. Yogurts are the most popular way people like to incorporate probiotics into their diet, but I find they have too much carbs and sugars for my own personal liking.

    When I first started taking a probiotic supplement regularly, I felt nauseated and queezy in my tummy for the first 3 days. Which is to be expected because I was significantly changing the microbial community in my gut, but after that adjustment period I felt great. For me I feel it's been a helpful tool in my weight loss journey to some degree and I take comfort knowing I replaced bad gut bacteria with a better option.

    Just something else to consider!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    How long have you been lifting heavy? It takes awhile to build muscle. Also, you cannot be eating at a deficit to gain muscle, and 1,500 calories might be too few. You need to eat at a surplus to gain muscle.

    I think you are simply eating more calories than you think you are.

    Protein, nor any one macro or food, will make you gain weight, but more calories than what your TDEE allows will.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    You're not eating too much protein, but you might not be eating enough fat.

    Open your diary if you want people to comment on your diet.
  • theopenforum
    theopenforum Posts: 280 Member
    yep its not the protein, its the calories. Too many protein bars and you are preaching to the choir on this one ^_^

    I have been addicted to every protein bar and protein cookie under the sun so I feel you pain in the most delicious way possible lol. But yeh you are definitely taking them to excess and that is quite a penny too. Your workout isn't really conducive of serious muscle gain either at least not yet so I would just cut back on them. I take 2 a day but I'm sure I'm bigger than you. Since you have money to burn I would suggest 1-2 and spend the money you will be saving on good tasting protein powder to help you get the edge off. Also only buy what you need in quest bars never more. This is also a weight loss tip. Humans are lazy if you have to drive to get something you are less likely to go get it so in other words don't stock up. Get enough for a week or a few days and call it at that.
  • curlylocks224
    curlylocks224 Posts: 5
    I am fairly certain that I am not eating more calories than I log, unless I have really gone overboard on the peanut M&Ms. And, I'm not denying that possibility. But I have been counting calories for 12 years, and weighing everything that goes into my mouth. This is not unfamiliar territory to me. Not trying to be defensive - just putting it out there. As far as needing to open my food diary, what I set forth is exactly what I eat, every single day. I am a creature of habit (plus, I have some food intolerances, specifically celiac, as well as a soy and dairy intolerance) that limits at least some of what I eat.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I am fairly certain that I am not eating more calories than I log, unless I have really gone overboard on the peanut M&Ms. And, I'm not denying that possibility. But I have been counting calories for 12 years, and weighing everything that goes into my mouth. This is not unfamiliar territory to me. Not trying to be defensive - just putting it out there. As far as needing to open my food diary, what I set forth is exactly what I eat, every single day. I am a creature of habit (plus, I have some food intolerances, specifically celiac, as well as a soy and dairy intolerance) that limits at least some of what I eat.

    That's nice.

    Open your diary if you want effective help.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    The calories for the quest bar don't make sense. Each g of protein and carb has 4 cals. That makes 180, not 160. Plus I'm sure it has some fat as well. Double check that. If it's off by quite a bit your deficit might not be a deficit.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    The calories for the quest bar don't make sense. Each g of protein and carb has 4 cals. That makes 180, not 160. Plus I'm sure it has some fat as well. Double check that. If it's off by quite a bit your deficit might not be a deficit.

    IIRC, Quest bars have a lot of fiber. Fiber has fewer calories per gram than other carbs.
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    do you net 1500 calories a day or is it 1500 and then minus the 600+ from workouts?
  • curlylocks224
    curlylocks224 Posts: 5
    Nope, not a net of 1500 calories, just 1500 calories total. So, I guess, its 1500 less the 600 burned.
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
    I eat 2 protein bars per day and get 2-3 svgs powder per day as well. I watch all my macros pretty much .. been successful so far.
    Idk if anyone mentioned this but are you watching your carbs? Sometimes bars can raise that too high. Most ppl to some point are carb intolerant. You could watch them and aim for lower numbers in them a week or two,see if that helps??
  • shelovespickups
    shelovespickups Posts: 1
    If you are eating approximately 200 grams of protein a day mostly through quest bars, that would be 10 bars a day. That alone is at least 1600 calories. One good handful of peanut M&M's will put you over the 2000 calorie mark. You may want to re-evaluate your calorie counting.
  • WhataBroad
    WhataBroad Posts: 1,091 Member
    First off, I find this hard to believe; no weight loss, member since May, nothing filled out in profile, no pictures, closed diary and 5 posts... please!

    Second, if you aren't a troll, you are eating more than you are logging, period.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    You may have about 10lbs of poo stuck inside you from over consumption of fiber.

    I'd quit the quest bars and eat real food instead. Lower your protein consumption, and eat more fat! Use the protein bars as a treat if you need to have them...
  • retrobyte
    retrobyte Posts: 169 Member
    And, lifting heavy after 75 minutes of cardio is very counter-productive.
  • shaunap3
    shaunap3 Posts: 206 Member
    I am by no means an expert, but there are a few things I've picked up along the way.

    - The over consumption of meat protein is bad simply because of the way your body breaks it down. Something about the byproduct. Look into it more if you want. It's just a tidbit I remember from an anatomy course.
    - Also, soy protein is bad because it unnaturally messes with your estrogen levels. Over-consumption can cause a lot of problems, especially in men.
    - Whey I've heard all kinds of things about, but I know very little of what is true.
    - Plant proteins are always going to be better for you and easier to digest. Juicing is the way to go because it breaks the cell walls releasing the nutrient inside that you gut can't digest.
    - On that note, over-consumption of ANY kind of protein is horrible for your kidneys.
    - Processed "bars" are garbage. Eat real food. Period. They can load you up on unnecessary sugars/carbs which will spike your blood sugar and do all kinds of negative things to your efforts.
    - And don't over do it on the fiber. Fiber is great for a natural healthy movement of things, but over eating fiber can also do the opposite and block you up.
    - Make sure you are ACTUALLY eating what you say you are. It's easy to go over by an extra little bit here and there.
    - You may be gaining more muscle if you're doing a lot of strength training AND eating a lot of protein. Have you checked your body fat at all?
    - AND lastly, if you are sticking to the working out and eating right you SHOULD be able to have a cheat day. But you need to figure out what you're shooting for. Do you want to grain muscle or do you want to lose weight. There's a very thin line and sometimes it's all a balancing act.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    Eating too much protein is only an issue if you have kidney problems or are prone to kidney stones. That said why not eat some real food?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I am by no means an expert, but there are a few things I've picked up along the way.

    - The over consumption of meat protein is bad simply because of the way your body breaks it down. Something about the byproduct. Look into it more if you want. It's just a tidbit I remember from an anatomy course.
    - Also, soy protein is bad because it unnaturally messes with your estrogen levels. Over-consumption can cause a lot of problems, especially in men.
    - Whey I've heard all kinds of things about, but I know very little of what is true.
    - Plant proteins are always going to be better for you and easier to digest. Juicing is the way to go because it breaks the cell walls releasing the nutrient inside that you gut can't digest.
    - On that note, over-consumption of ANY kind of protein is horrible for your kidneys.
    - Processed "bars" are garbage. Eat real food. Period. They can load you up on unnecessary sugars/carbs which will spike your blood sugar and do all kinds of negative things to your efforts.
    - And don't over do it on the fiber. Fiber is great for a natural healthy movement of things, but over eating fiber can also do the opposite and block you up.
    - Make sure you are ACTUALLY eating what you say you are. It's easy to go over by an extra little bit here and there.
    - You may be gaining more muscle if you're doing a lot of strength training AND eating a lot of protein. Have you checked your body fat at all?

    Pretty much every word of this is absolute garbage.
  • GadgetGuy2
    GadgetGuy2 Posts: 291 Member
    Get a scale that measure %Body Fat.
    An increasing %BodyFat means you are putting on fat.
    A decreasing %BodyFat means you are putting on muscle.
  • magdalyn0
    magdalyn0 Posts: 1 Member
    If you're eating 1500 calories, and burning 500-600 working out, plus the calories you burn just being alive, your net calories are well below 1000. In other words, your body is in starvation mode, you the pounds gained are because your body is holding on to what little food it is receiving. I suggest increasing your net calorie intake significantly if you want to see any changes.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    This doesn't add up. All the protein in the world won't make you gain weight if you aren't eating at a surplus. Either you are overestimating your calories, underestimating your burn, or both. If you are truly netting 900 calories a day, there is no way you are building muscle.


    If you want help you'll have to open your diary. I would say the sample menu you gave gives me concern, but I don't want to judge without seeing the nutrient breakdown
  • shaunap3
    shaunap3 Posts: 206 Member
    Thanks for the opinion, jonnythan. My information is an accumulation of words I've gotten from other people when I had questions. It's the best I can do. You CAN eat too much protein, it CAN have negative effects on you, and eating REAL food is the best for you body. The End.
  • Gonzafitness
    Gonzafitness Posts: 76
    You aren't eating nearly enough for the amount of cardio you are doing. Eat more or slow down on the cardio. You metabolism is probably out of wack.
  • blably
    blably Posts: 490 Member
    I am by no means an expert, but there are a few things I've picked up along the way.

    - The over consumption of meat protein is bad simply because of the way your body breaks it down. Something about the byproduct. Look into it more if you want. It's just a tidbit I remember from an anatomy course.
    - Also, soy protein is bad because it unnaturally messes with your estrogen levels. Over-consumption can cause a lot of problems, especially in men.
    - Whey I've heard all kinds of things about, but I know very little of what is true.
    - Plant proteins are always going to be better for you and easier to digest. Juicing is the way to go because it breaks the cell walls releasing the nutrient inside that you gut can't digest.
    - On that note, over-consumption of ANY kind of protein is horrible for your kidneys.
    - Processed "bars" are garbage. Eat real food. Period. They can load you up on unnecessary sugars/carbs which will spike your blood sugar and do all kinds of negative things to your efforts.
    - And don't over do it on the fiber. Fiber is great for a natural healthy movement of things, but over eating fiber can also do the opposite and block you up.
    - Make sure you are ACTUALLY eating what you say you are. It's easy to go over by an extra little bit here and there.
    - You may be gaining more muscle if you're doing a lot of strength training AND eating a lot of protein. Have you checked your body fat at all?
    - AND lastly, if you are sticking to the working out and eating right you SHOULD be able to have a cheat day. But you need to figure out what you're shooting for. Do you want to grain muscle or do you want to lose weight. There's a very thin line and sometimes it's all a balancing act.


    aanhahahha, where did u get that??
  • meghanner
    meghanner Posts: 180 Member
    I'd say your not eating enough REAL food! Quest bars are highly processed junk that are ok every once in a while. Same thing with egg whites. Eat the whole egg! Eat clean healthy real food and you'll see great results:
    - Paleo diet
    - Eating Clean diet
    - or just go to the farmers market and do your groceries from there :)
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    I would say until OP opens their diary, we're spinning our tires making assumptions. I eat Quest bars daily but they are super high in fiber. Too much fiber without proper water intake would probably stop you up something awful. As far as weight gain over an extended period. My assumption is you're eating more than you think. ..

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