About protein and fat loss?

mstaxmam
mstaxmam Posts: 3 Member
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
While trying to lose weight is there a suggested amount of good protein numbers to stay around?
I mean as long as it is not like adding more fat in there?
I have read so many different things about protein I am confused.
I have a goal to lose like 50 lbs. I have been circuit training and doing the stairmaster apprx 50 mins at about 3-4 times a week.
Please help.
My fitnesspal is awesome for tracking calories, fat and carbs.
But I am wondering if i should erase the protein tab from my calculations because it only gives me like 40 something grams for protein and I am reading different stories that I may need more for weight loss and my muscles.
Thanks so much
Barb from Warrington Pennsylvania

Replies

  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    You can change them to what ever ratio you want!


    1. Go to "Goals"
    2. Click "Change Goals"
    3. Click "Customize Goals", then click continue

    On this page, you'll see "Daily Nutritional Goals" on the left side. Enter the calories and % values you want for carbs, proteins and fats here, then click "change goals" and it should update. If you are asking what the MFP default is, I'm not sure since I changed mine to 40%/30%/30%. When I did this, it automatically updated the goals in my food diary for me.

    I hope this helps. I've noticed that some folks have higher carbs (runners) or higher protein (weight lifters). I didn't know I could do this til recently.

    Hope that helps.
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
    I would raise your protein percentage under the custom format. Or just ignore if your numbers turn red.

    The suggested amount of protein is only like 40-50 grams a day I think according to the nutritonal tabs on food.
    I eat over 200 a day.

    You're going to see varying numbers from 1 gram per pound of bodyweight all the way down to low numbers.
    I'd shoot for bw x .8 for your grams.
    So if you're 200 pounds, I'd try to eat close to 160 grams a day. If you aren't concerned with building muscle you can drop the number, but if you aren't getting sufficient protein, when you start losing weight, it's gonna be muscle and fat.

    Your body doesn't just shed fet, it also loses muscle. High protein diets along with weight training helps to combat that.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Personal preference and what I've seen the best results from - 40/30/30 - the 40 being protein.
  • DeannaOnline
    DeannaOnline Posts: 33 Member
    It depends on your weight and other factors but I am 5'2 and weight almost 200 lbs, am 32 years old and female (and started at 42% body fat, now down to 40%)...
    My calories are around 1700 a day and they want me to get around 140 grams of protein a day (this is from both my nutrionalist and my personal trainer)

    I noticed that upping the protein does make me change body fat percent - when I just cut calories I went down in weight but my body fat % stayed the same - when I added in more lean protein I actually went down in fat % much faster!
    (I like chicken, fish, egg whites, FF cottage cheese, tofu...just a few examples I'm not a huge meat eatter)
  • leighaarch
    leighaarch Posts: 2
    Per the Mayo clinic, you should get 10 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from protein. Protein has 4 calories a gram. So for every person this amount is going to be based their target calories per day and isn't a set amount but a range. My calorie allowance per day is 1200 so my protein should be between 30 and 105. I computed by taking 1200 x 10% / 4 = 30 and then did the same for 35%. Once you figure out your range you can change your proteins to what you feel comfortable with within that range. Just keep in mind that if you eat high protein and low carbs, long term it can put stress on your other organs.
  • pkpzp228
    pkpzp228 Posts: 146 Member
    Personal preference and what I've seen the best results from - 40/30/30 - the 40 being protein.

    I agree, that's a good range. When I'm cutting I go (protein/carb/fat) 50/30/20 and for maintenance phases 40/40/20, I would stay between 20 - 35 in fat and below 60 in carbs.
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
    I've heard 40/40/20 is the way to go. Mine is closer to 45 35 20 or 40 35 25. I can't seem to get over 250 grams of protein in a day. (Eating 2600 cals a day right now)
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