Eating Enough Protein

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Using My TDEE and my body weight, I am suppose to have 186 grams of protein per day. Does anyone know how you actually accomplish something like this? It just seems absolutely outrageous that if I don't want to burn muscle by exercising that I should be eating a 186 g of protein (that's 8 of my protein shakes a day).

Help!
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  • cmstirp
    cmstirp Posts: 51 Member
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    How did you figure your protein intake? Your best bet is to do 1g/kg body weight. I looked at your diary, and if your sticking with the 1780 calories, 186g of protein is high. You only need 15-30% of your kcals to come from protein.
  • CharBoneO
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    This TDEE calculator is telling me to eat 1g/lb of body weight, which is 186.2 g of protein per day. Will 15-30% prevent muscle catabolization? I don't want to go through the process of losing weight to lose muscle since I can't lift weights until February. Don't get me wrong, I am not super muscular or anything but I don't want to be burning muscle instead of fat.
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
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    This TDEE calculator is telling me to eat 1g/lb of body weight, which is 186.2 g of protein per day. Will 15-30% prevent muscle catabolization? I don't want to go through the process of losing weight to lose muscle since I can't lift weights until February. Don't get me wrong, I am not super muscular or anything but I don't want to be burning muscle instead of fat.

    The most common recommendations are 1g per kg of body weight or 1g per pound of LBM. Unless you're a super serious weight trainer and actively trying to put on muscle, there is probably no need to eat 1g per lb of total body weight in protein. Your body can only actually use so much of it, and the rest is wasted anyway. Plus, studies have shown that eating more than 35% of your calories as protein is where you can start to risk too much protein.

    And honestly, what keeps you from losing muscle is USING muscle, so you can eat all the protein you want, but if you aren't planning to start strength training until February, you'll still lose muscle as you lose weight.
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
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    This TDEE calculator is telling me to eat 1g/lb of body weight, which is 186.2 g of protein per day. Will 15-30% prevent muscle catabolization? I don't want to go through the process of losing weight to lose muscle since I can't lift weights until February. Don't get me wrong, I am not super muscular or anything but I don't want to be burning muscle instead of fat.

    Use 1 g per pound of lean body mass. You need to know your body fat% for this.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    This TDEE calculator is telling me to eat 1g/lb of body weight, which is 186.2 g of protein per day. Will 15-30% prevent muscle catabolization? I don't want to go through the process of losing weight to lose muscle since I can't lift weights until February. Don't get me wrong, I am not super muscular or anything but I don't want to be burning muscle instead of fat.

    If you re not lifting, you will not need quite so much. If you are not lifting however and are worried about muscle loss, I would not be at a deficit in the first place. Try to get some kind of resistance training in.

    That being said, I get over 165g a day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources
  • bekahlou75
    bekahlou75 Posts: 304 Member
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  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I think the 1 gram per lb of LBM if you are lifting and in a deficit should be achieved, in a surplus you wouldn't need quite as much.
    I will point out that you should be in a well structured strength training routine that challenges your muscles, and your deficit should not be too large, the smaller your deficit the less muscle you will lose as a % of your weight loss. So I suggest setting your weight loss goal to 0.5lbs/week and to eat back the cals burned from exercise, or most of them anyway. If you are using the TDEE method exercise cals are included, and I would suggest eating at TDEE-10 to 15% not the 20% that most sites recommend.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Eat lots of meat. Check my diary if you're wondering how it can be done. I regularly get 200g a day with no shakes. Make protein sources the main focus of your meals and you will have no problem.
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Just wondering if you like beer?

    Eat lots of meat. Check my diary if you're wondering how it can be done. I regularly get 200g a day with no shakes. Make protein sources the main focus of your meals and you will have no problem.
  • bluemaine1212
    bluemaine1212 Posts: 19 Member
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    I get my protein mainly from eggs, cottage cheese, poultry, lean red meat and fish. I also drink protein shakes and eat Quest bars. I've read you should eat 1 - 1.5 g of protein per pound of lean body mass (if you know it), and I've also read 1 g of protein for what your goal weight is if you are overweight. I don't know if its a coincidence or not, but figured either of these two ways, my protein intake is about the same.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Just wondering if you like beer?

    Eat lots of meat. Check my diary if you're wondering how it can be done. I regularly get 200g a day with no shakes. Make protein sources the main focus of your meals and you will have no problem.

    I've been known to dabble in fine brews from time to time.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Eat lots of meat. Check my diary if you're wondering how it can be done. I regularly get 200g a day with no shakes. Make protein sources the main focus of your meals and you will have no problem.
    What would you suggest for those folks on a budget that makes large amounts of meat cost-prohibitive, or who have ethical qualms (which I'm loathe to debate) about eating animal flesh?
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    I have a problem getting protein myself so eat a tablespoon of peanut butter or eat a hard boiled egg at breakfast every morning........
  • cmstirp
    cmstirp Posts: 51 Member
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    This TDEE calculator is telling me to eat 1g/lb of body weight, which is 186.2 g of protein per day. Will 15-30% prevent muscle catabolization? I don't want to go through the process of losing weight to lose muscle since I can't lift weights until February. Don't get me wrong, I am not super muscular or anything but I don't want to be burning muscle instead of fat.

    Stick with 1g/kg body weight. You don't need any more protein than that unless you're a serious body builder. As someone else said, eating a lot of protein won't save much lean body mass if you're also not doing any resistance training while losing weight.
  • jenna762001
    jenna762001 Posts: 27 Member
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    It can be done. I guess your daily calories goals can make a difference. Hard to get 186 grams of protein plus balance on only 1200 calories. :)
    I eat anywhere from 1600 to 2000 calories a day (gross, not net) and manage from 100-150 grams of protein. I only take one scoop of whey immediately after CrossFit a few days a week, all other protein comes from food sources and that should be the goal. Suppliments are just that... suppliments. My protein comes from eggs/ egg whites, chicken, non fat Greek yogurt, skim milk, cottage cheese and extra lean cuts of beef plus the protein found in the vegetables I eat and a bit in grains too. It definitely requires some discipline to get your macros lined up right. Ive done it enough now that its not too much trouble, but in the beginning it can take a bit of planning. To get my protein that high, I shoot for 50-55% carbs, 25-30% protein, and 15-20% fat. Example: today I had 294 grams carbs, 153 protein and 42 fat. That put my macros right in check at 54%, 28%, and 18%. This was with 2075 calories. As long as you make the calories count, it works. :)
  • kcritter77
    kcritter77 Posts: 162 Member
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    1 gram per pound of "lean body mass". Not total body weight. For example, if you weigh 186 and are at 25% body fat, you would eat 140 grams of protein. If you eat meat, lean meat will give you more protein bang for your calorie buck.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
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    Eat lots of meat. Check my diary if you're wondering how it can be done. I regularly get 200g a day with no shakes. Make protein sources the main focus of your meals and you will have no problem.
    What would you suggest for those folks on a budget that makes large amounts of meat cost-prohibitive, or who have ethical qualms (which I'm loathe to debate) about eating animal flesh?

    Eggs
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Just changed to 35% protein yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I love meat, but not that much of it. It was harder than when I was on 1460 a day to lose weight. Ate egg whites for breakfast. I made hummus for later. Not will to eat a 300 cal bar when now on 1960 cals a day until I get a good workout routine. Post workout protein shake I got is pretty low in cals, 124 for 23g of protein, and taste pretty good.

    Need to start getting my Fish back on the screen before he completely disappears, but for the right reasons, and 22.3% body fat sure as hell isn't it. Lol
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Here are a couple of blog posts I did a while back that cover determining TDEE and macro percentages. I think you have it set wrong, so do this math and see how much you really need.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainingWithTonya/view/bmr-rmr-eer-and-tdee-formulas-262109

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainingWithTonya/view/setting-macros-270342
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
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    You can always aim for .08 to 1g/per pound. Your daily intake should be between 20-30% of your daily calories.

    I would lower that if you think its too high.

    Just my opinion =)