HOW TO CALCULATE PROTEIN NEEDS

Joanne_Moniz
Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Don't worry. Many people have difficulty calculating the correct protein for their diet because they have no idea what Lean body mass means. The formula for calculating protein requires lean body mass. Not only do they not know, they do not know how to measure their lean body mass.

The "gold standard" for measuring lean body mass is not something that most people go through.

Simply put, lean body mass is comprised of everything in your body besides body fat.

To calculate using your total weight, use the following formula:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.


Use the lower number (0.8) if you are sedentary and the higher number (1.8) if you are under stress, just recovering from an illness or you are lifting weight intensely or training for endurance.

For the average person, the amount of protein is somewhere in-between.

Joanne Moniz
The Skinny on Obesity Group

Replies

  • sarahthin
    sarahthin Posts: 221 Member
    Thank you for this info. Have been trying to figure what my mother should be eating and this will help a lot. Granted at 88 her appetite is very low, but her health tells me that she is not eating enough of the right things.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Thank you for this info. Have been trying to figure what my mother should be eating and this will help a lot. Granted at 88 her appetite is very low, but her health tells me that she is not eating enough of the right things.

    Yes--that is one of the main problems of the very elderly--fending off sarcopenia (the wasting of lean body mass). One thing that helps to stimulate appetite in the elderly is exercise. Walking, (if they are able to walk), swimming and some mild weight-lifting (using small dumbbells and some moderate body-weight exercise) has been used with success in the elderly. Eating lots of vegetables and moderate fruit helps to conquer osteoporosis through the alkalizing properties of eating both. Osteoporosis is worsened by a diet consisting of refined grains, sugar and animal protein as they are all "acid-forming" forcing the body to "rob" alkalizing minerals from the bones.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    Well, daily protein needs are going to vary based on the individual and the individual's activities and goals, but as a general rule of thumb, probably not too far off. I personally think you could do well to go higher, particularly when in a caloric deficit (i.e., losing weight).

    You can also avoid the step of converting to kgs (for those who aren't using metric) by just dividing your 0.8 - 1.8 by 2.2.

    So you get 0.36 - 0.82 grams per pound.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Thanks, Joanne. One question I have is whether you should try to estimate your lean body mass and use that number plus some amount for a healthy level of body fat as a calculation. In other words--say an obese person weights 175 pounds and she should really weigh 140 (body fat level of 22%). Her lean body mass would be the same at 140 as 175, right? So to calculate 175/2.2= 79 is probably more protein than she really needs (at 1 gram per kilo) since her proper lean weight is 140 (140/2.2= 63).

    So should she eat 79 grams or 63 grams?
  • Nov3mberMistt
    Nov3mberMistt Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks, Joanne. One question I have is whether you should try to estimate your lean body mass and use that number plus some amount for a healthy level of body fat as a calculation. In other words--say an obese person weights 175 pounds and she should really weigh 140 (body fat level of 22%). Her lean body mass would be the same at 140 as 175, right? So to calculate 175/2.2= 79 is probably more protein than she really needs (at 1 gram per kilo) since her proper lean weight is 140 (140/2.2= 63).

    So should she eat 79 grams or 63 grams?

    The thing is, at a lean weight, a woman should still have about 20% body fat. Fat is essential for protecting internal organs, and most of the tissue in our breasts is fat. So if she was 175, and her ideal weight was 140, then her body fat percentage would be at absolute minimum 10-13% at 140 lbs. You wouldn't have lean body mass of 100%, it's just not healthy, and i'm pretty sure not possible.

    http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    Thank you for this info. Have been trying to figure what my mother should be eating and this will help a lot. Granted at 88 her appetite is very low, but her health tells me that she is not eating enough of the right things.

    Coincidentally, I was thinking the same the other day about my mom. I was thinking that maybe the best thing for her would be a protein shake. There are some high quality protein powders out there and you could make the shake with something that you think she would like.
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    Thanks, Joanne. One question I have is whether you should try to estimate your lean body mass and use that number plus some amount for a healthy level of body fat as a calculation. In other words--say an obese person weights 175 pounds and she should really weigh 140 (body fat level of 22%). Her lean body mass would be the same at 140 as 175, right? So to calculate 175/2.2= 79 is probably more protein than she really needs (at 1 gram per kilo) since her proper lean weight is 140 (140/2.2= 63).

    So should she eat 79 grams or 63 grams?

    79 You want to calculate it on the current body weight minus the fat. Think of it like this. How much protein does my body need without the fat? The amount of grams I would eat would depend on how active I am. If all I did was sit around watching tv all day, then I would not need as much protein as someone who was working and going to the gym and lifting weights, putting on muscle 3 times a week or someone who was body building. They would need more.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member

    a woman should still have about 20% body fat.

    i thought anything over 14% was perfectly healthy for a woman?
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    When we join mfp, the macros (the protein, the fat, the carbs) are set for you depending on the information YOU input.

    So, mfp uses a formula and determines the amount of protein. If that protein amount is incorrect, it throws off the carbohydrate number and the fat number. It is important to have that figure as close to accurate as you can get it because those 3 categories are what you should be looking at to give your body what it needs. That is why we are now being told it is less about quantity and more about quality (assuming that we keep those 3 categories full of healthy food and most healthy food has not been altered. It does not come in a package)

    This is how to lose weight and this is how to maintain it.
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    Well, daily protein needs are going to vary based on the individual and the individual's activities and goals, but as a general rule of thumb, probably not too far off. I personally think you could do well to go higher, particularly when in a caloric deficit (i.e., losing weight).

    You can also avoid the step of converting to kgs (for those who aren't using metric) by just dividing your 0.8 - 1.8 by 2.2.

    So you get 0.36 - 0.82 grams per pound.


    Yes; thank you.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    When we join mfp, the macros (the protein, the fat, the carbs) are set for you depending on the information YOU input.

    So, mfp uses a formula and determines the amount of protein. If that protein amount is incorrect, it throws off the carbohydrate number and the fat number. It is important to have that figure as close to accurate as you can get it because those 3 categories are what you should be looking at to give your body what it needs. That is why we are now being told it is less about quantity and more about quality (assuming that we keep those 3 categories full of healthy food and most healthy food has not been altered. It does not come in a package)

    This is how to lose weight and this is how to maintain it.

    MFP sets your macros to 50% carbs, 30% fats, 20% protein by default which is not enough protein for many. You can manually set your macros to any combination you want. I have mine set to 40/30/30 which decreases my carbs and increases my protein. This is a fairly common general setting recommended setting. Those following a low carb diet will have manually set their carbs to a lower percentage and adjust fats and protein accordingly.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    When we join mfp, the macros (the protein, the fat, the carbs) are set for you depending on the information YOU input.

    So, mfp uses a formula and determines the amount of protein. If that protein amount is incorrect, it throws off the carbohydrate number and the fat number. It is important to have that figure as close to accurate as you can get it because those 3 categories are what you should be looking at to give your body what it needs. That is why we are now being told it is less about quantity and more about quality (assuming that we keep those 3 categories full of healthy food and most healthy food has not been altered. It does not come in a package)

    This is how to lose weight and this is how to maintain it.

    Absolutely, positively 100% false. You can fulfill your macros and see results with any type of food that meets those macro requirements. I am talking about macros and macros only, not micronutrients, before anyone tries to move the goal posts in that direction.
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    When we join mfp, the macros (the protein, the fat, the carbs) are set for you depending on the information YOU input.

    So, mfp uses a formula and determines the amount of protein. If that protein amount is incorrect, it throws off the carbohydrate number and the fat number. It is important to have that figure as close to accurate as you can get it because those 3 categories are what you should be looking at to give your body what it needs. That is why we are now being told it is less about quantity and more about quality (assuming that we keep those 3 categories full of healthy food and most healthy food has not been altered. It does not come in a package)

    This is how to lose weight and this is how to maintain it.

    Absolutely, positively 100% false. You can fulfill your macros and see results with any type of food that meets those macro requirements. I am talking about macros and macros only, not micronutrients, before anyone tries to move the goal posts in that direction.

    I suppose that depends on what kind of results... The end result of a weight loss reduction plan can be done 2 ways, healthy or unhealthy. Both can be done in the same amount of time... but what really is the end result with an unhealthy approach?

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