too much protein?

gawx
gawx Posts: 52 Member
in Food and Nutrition
i always seem to go over on my protein, i always ignored this as i thought it wasn't a bad thing but should i keep to the 56g that mfp recommends or is it okay to be over?
i am 137lb
5 ft 6
19yrs old

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,262 Member
    That's probably half of what a person should be consuming, especially in a deficit and using weight as a tool for weight loss.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    Going over on protein is fine.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I think the goals MFP sets for protein, fat and carbs aren't that great....I don't follow them at all! Fwiw I eat 190g protein a day....
  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
    You should be fine or even better off eating more. Being only 19 I'm guess you don't have any kidney/liver problems? If you do that's when you can run into problems.
  • AnAmericanGirl2
    AnAmericanGirl2 Posts: 46 Member
    I actually make it a goal to go over what MFP suggests, the more protein the better - especially if you're weight training. Plus, protein keeps you fuller longer!
  • FitMolly182
    FitMolly182 Posts: 303 Member
    "An excessive protein intake can be harmful to your liver, brain and nervous system. When you eat protein, your body produces ammonia, a toxin that your liver makes harmless, according to Medline Plus. Eating too much protein over a long period of time can cause your liver to become overworked, allowing ammonia and other toxic substances to build up in your bloodstream. This can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, a condition marked by a decline in brain and nervous system function."

    Are your settings for protein personalizd, or to what MFP defaults?
  • gawx
    gawx Posts: 52 Member
    they are set to what mfp recommends
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    "An excessive protein intake can be harmful to your liver, brain and nervous system. When you eat protein, your body produces ammonia, a toxin that your liver makes harmless, according to Medline Plus. Eating too much protein over a long period of time can cause your liver to become overworked, allowing ammonia and other toxic substances to build up in your bloodstream. This can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, a condition marked by a decline in brain and nervous system function."

    Are your settings for protein personalizd, or to what MFP defaults?


    Concern over high protein intake is warranted in people with pre-existing kidney issues but I don't believe there's evidence indicating that chronic high protein intake causes problems in people without pre-existing kidney problems.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1262767/
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    MFP's protein requirements are very low. Many people who lift are eating 1g per pound of body weight every day and lots of other people are doing 1 g/pound of lean mass. I would generally adjust MFP's settings up. Drink lots of water, too. That's important when increasing your protein intake. I eat 120-180 grams per day.
  • jamiek917
    jamiek917 Posts: 610 Member
    MFP sets them crazy low. there's no set macro distribution for everyone, but at the very least, i would say 25-30% is the total cals is a decent range

    use this calulator for a good breakdown of what you should be eating according to your goals. http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    MFP sets them crazy low. there's no set macro distribution for everyone, but at the very least, i would say 25-30% is the total cals is a decent range

    use this calulator for a good breakdown of what you should be eating according to your goals. http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    That calculator most def is awesome. Thanks for posting for everyone.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    i always seem to go over on my protein, i always ignored this as i thought it wasn't a bad thing but should i keep to the 56g that mfp recommends or is it okay to be over?
    i am 137lb
    5 ft 6
    19yrs old

    MFP calculates your protein goal as a % of your calories. this is wrong.

    your protein goal is a function of your lean body mass.

    here's how to figure it out.

    lean body mass (LBM) = bodyweight - weight of bodyfat

    once you know (or estimate) your BF%, you can figure this all out easily.

    protein goal (minimum) = 1.0g/lb of lean body mass

    if your bodyweight is 145lbs and your BF% is 36%, then your bodyfat weighs (0.36)*(145) = 52.2lbs

    therefore your LBM = 145 - 52.2 = 92.8

    and your protein goal = 1.0 * 92.8 = 92.8g =~93g

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