is myfitnesspal's nutrition info accurate? read inside..

173poundfatty
173poundfatty Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 168 lbs male 5 7 with 20 percent body fat and I put to lose 2lbs a week.
Myfitnesspal set my protein goal to 75 g a day.
However online (such as in bodybuilding forums and everywhere else), they said 1g protein per every lean body mass which should be 134g of protein for me in order to Maintain muscle while losing fat and NOT burn my muscle while doing my cardio.

So if I go with what MFP says, I think? Ill be skinny-fat when I reach my goal.
And if I go by what other people on the internet say I will supposedly keep my muscle hidden under all this fat.

What should I do??

Replies

  • kazzsj0urney
    kazzsj0urney Posts: 57
    MFP underestimates protein needs. You can alter your macros in your settings and set it to what you want.
  • 173poundfatty
    173poundfatty Posts: 2
    OK thanks. Is there a link or something to a site that would tell me the percentage of carb, protein, and fat I actually need?
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    MFP uses consensus guidelines from national health organizations. While protein needs for someone aggressively trying to lose weight are a little higher than the the consensus guidelines, bodybuilder sites tend to get into a kind of "protein porn", so I wouldn't consider them a better resource.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I agree.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I'm 168 lbs male 5 7 with 20 percent body fat and I put to lose 2lbs a week.
    Myfitnesspal set my protein goal to 75 g a day.
    However online (such as in bodybuilding forums and everywhere else), they said 1g protein per every lean body mass which should be 134g of protein for me in order to Maintain muscle while losing fat and NOT burn my muscle while doing my cardio.

    So if I go with what MFP says, I think? Ill be skinny-fat when I reach my goal.
    And if I go by what other people on the internet say I will supposedly keep my muscle hidden under all this fat.

    What should I do??

    If I were in your position I would consider getting closer to the 134g mark vs the 75g mark. This assumes that you don't have issues adhering to that intake and it also assumes that your total calorie intake is set appropriately.

    Some leisure reading:
    http://evidencemag.com/calorie-needs/
    http://evidencemag.com/dieting-protein-needs/
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    MFP uses consensus guidelines from national health organizations. While protein needs for someone aggressively trying to lose weight are a little higher than the the consensus guidelines, bodybuilder sites tend to get into a kind of "protein porn", so I wouldn't consider them a better resource.
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
    > Myfitnesspal set my protein goal to 75 g a day.

    Probably it has set your protein goal to 20% of your total calorie goal, your fat is 30% of your goal, and carbs at 50% of your goal. (Remember, fat is 9 calories per gram, protein and carbs is 4 calories per gram.) When you exercise, your earned calories adjust the goals -- they go up proportionately to these percentages.

    You can adjust this. See http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/12035-can-i-customize-my-nutritional-goals-
  • OllyJ_79
    OllyJ_79 Posts: 126 Member
    Interesting read here:
    http://www.dietitian.com/protein.html

    "According to Dr. Carol Meredith at the University of California at Davis, muscle protein synthesis decreases during exercise and nearly doubles during recovery. Research she has shows that additional protein (studies of 1.35 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day) does not increase muscle mass or strength. In addition resistance exercise like weight lifting is a powerful anabolic (building) process that improves protein synthesis (increased muscle mass).

    In fact what athletes need is increased caloric intake (60 calories per kilogram of body weight per day) which may contain protein food sources as well. One inherent problem with increasing protein from food sources, is you are probably also increasing fat content."
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Interesting read here:
    http://www.dietitian.com/protein.html

    "According to Dr. Carol Meredith at the University of California at Davis, muscle protein synthesis decreases during exercise and nearly doubles during recovery. Research she has shows that additional protein (studies of 1.35 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day) does not increase muscle mass or strength. In addition resistance exercise like weight lifting is a powerful anabolic (building) process that improves protein synthesis (increased muscle mass).

    In fact what athletes need is increased caloric intake (60 calories per kilogram of body weight per day) which may contain protein food sources as well. One inherent problem with increasing protein from food sources, is you are probably also increasing fat content."

    It's also a really expensive and not particularly efficient way to get calories.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    I'm 168 lbs male 5 7 with 20 percent body fat and I put to lose 2lbs a week.
    That is not a realistic or healthy rate of weight loss, because you're so close to a healthy weight.
    Here's a BMI chart: http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf
    A healthy weight for your height is 120 - 155, so you really only have about 15 lb to lose (as an initial goal... see how you feel when you get there).
    A better rate of weight loss would be 1/2 lb per week.
    Myfitnesspal set my protein goal to 75 g a day.
    However online (such as in bodybuilding forums and everywhere else), they said 1g protein per every lean body mass which should be 134g of protein for me in order to Maintain muscle while losing fat and NOT burn my muscle while doing my cardio.
    I'd ignore what you find on "bodybuilding forums", unless someone is also posting a link to a reputable source, such as the CDC, NIH, or a scientific study (find them via PubMed).
    Here's where you can search scientific literature via PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

    Something like these:

    "Compared with low protein diet the high protein diet was associated with better weight maintenance when individuals with greater body mass index and waist circumference were analyzed."
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24992329

    "Emerging scientific evidence suggests that a diet rich in high-quality protein is a beneficial dietary strategy to prevent and/or treat obesity."
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24645300

    "A high-protein breakfast promotes weight loss"
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24923232
    (granted, they were only studying obese Chinese adolescents)

    "reductions in total carbohydrate intake, increases in protein intake, and adoption of a Mediterranean diet seem to be more effective in inducing weight loss than reductions in fat intake"
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24911982

    "Evidence points to a higher protein intake in combination with resistance exercise as being efficacious in allowing preservation, and on occasion increases, in skeletal muscle mass with dietary energy restriction aimed at the promotion of weight loss."
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24791918

    "Diets high in protein and/or low in carbohydrate produced an approximately equal to 2.5-kg greater weight loss after 12 wk"
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15113737


    Here's a table showing the recommended daily intake for macronutrients.
    http://www.iom.edu/Global/News Announcements/~/media/C5CD2DD7840544979A549EC47E56A02B.ashx
    Page 4 has protein. For adult males, they're saying 56 g.

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