Extra protein?

Extra Protein isn't a big deal, especially since people don't get enough protein. Your muscles use it to rebuild overnight, so having an excess can't be all that bad. Excess carbs and fat are what you need to watch out for.

You can eat more protein. MFP is rather low in the protein allotment, 15%. A balance diet can consist of protein intake as high as 30%. So you can eat up to double the amount of protein and be fine. Many MFP users go into their profile and change the % allotted to protein and reduce fat and/or carbs.

Part of why high protien diets are big is that your body can only process so much protien before it passes it out of the body. So unlike carbs that can be converted to sugar and eventually to fat , protien is either used or discarded so it's not stored. This can lead to feeling more satisfied rather than always feeling hungry. It is ok to go over, but be sure that you are drinking plenty of water if you are taking in large amounts of protien, that much protien can be hard on your kidneys so the extra water helps.

This is what I was going to say :bigsmile:

Excellent advice above, however, make sure it is healthy protein and not bacon or 75% beef, etc. Low fat versions always.

Don't skimp on high-quality fats either. Like proteins, they have a beneficial effect, especially when dieting. Fats help moderate insulin response to carbs, plus the omega-3s are essential to metabolic function and cannot be manufactured by the body. You should consider modifying your default macronutrient percentages (if you change one, the others adjust) so that carbs are no more than 40%. You may be under your current carb limit, but that may be more than you want ideally and considering you topic question, you are likely close anyway.

Protein consumption should be 0.5 g/lb of lean mass (total weight - (total weight x % body fat)) and increased in increments of 0.1g/lb based on activity level (sedentary, light, mod, mod-heavy, heavy, elite athlete). As an example, for someone weighing 200 with 25% body fat, he would consume a minimum of (200 - 50) * 0.5 or 75g of protein and adjust up for activity level. Activity level drives the need for protein to rebuild muscle. Also, there is a desirable animal protein hierarchy that starts with fatty fish (like salmon) and goes through chicken breast, turkey breast, pork loin, and bottoms out with fatty red meats and nitrite-heavy things like bacon.

I had the same question! But you guys answered it! Im just about a week into MFP and love how easy it is to find information!! Thanks again everyone!!