Question about protein!!

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staciejunruh
staciejunruh Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you think it's important to keep your nutrition goals pretty close every day? I have found that it helps me lose when my protein is high! I don't meet all the goals everyday but I try to keep my protein higher then my fat! Just was curious what other people's thoughts were on this!!.

Replies

  • ColinsMommaOC
    ColinsMommaOC Posts: 296 Member
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    There are more calories per gram of fat than per gram of protein (9cal/1g fat and 4cal/1g protein if I remember correctly) So you can generally eat more volume if you are aiming for higher protein.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    I generally treat my protein goal as a floor and try not to go too crazy with fat because of the 9 calories per gram. Carbs fall wherever carbs fall.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I have had success aiming for equal amounts (in grams) of fat and protein, and filling the rest of my calorie needs with carbs.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
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    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    I generally treat my protein goal as a floor and try not to go too crazy with fat because of the 9 calories per gram. Carbs fall wherever carbs fall.

    I know that my body really doesn't use more than 90 grams of protein, so that is my goal. My limits for fat have more to do with calories than a certain goal. I am aware of dietary cholesterol due to having had high cholesterol and not a good balance. I watch my carbs (45-65 per meal or snack) as I am pre-diabetic and trying to keep it that way via diet and exercise. I try to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish. My diet composition is more for health as weight loss is all about the calories.
  • staciejunruh
    staciejunruh Posts: 10 Member
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    So what I understand from some of you here is that calories are calories no matter what they are.. So if what you want to eat that day happens to be 60% fat & very little protein that's fine as long as you don't go over your calorie deficit..? I have found that I don't lose as well on day like that as days when my protein is a good 25-30%. But maybe I'm the only 1 like that!:) it's interesting how everyone's diet is so different!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    My dietitian had one goal for me post-surgery. I had a target amount of protein to get daily. This was to prevent unintended side effects of extreme weight loss on a VLCD diet (one of the consequences of bariatric surgery). If I had not got enough protein in I very well may have suffered hair loss (or heart muscle loss). Funny, but people usually freak over the hair loss. So I am sure to mention that.

    So the habit was established and I stick with it. I make sure I make my protein minimums daily.

    For weight loss, it's the total calories a day that matter. So @staciejunruh , it may seem that people are following different "rules" for weight loss, but the total calorie count is king.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
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    Yes... a calorie is a calorie since a calorie is a unit used to measure energy. That does not mean that the micronutrient content is the same but that is not key to weight loss. What is key is calories in less than calories out (CICO) or staying in caloric deficit for weight loss.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    staciejunruh wrote: »
    So what I understand from some of you here is that calories are calories no matter what they are.. So if what you want to eat that day happens to be 60% fat & very little protein that's fine as long as you don't go over your calorie deficit..? I have found that I don't lose as well on day like that as days when my protein is a good 25-30%. But maybe I'm the only 1 like that!:) it's interesting how everyone's diet is so different!
    Calories are calories for weight loss. That gets said over and over and over. If people still want to keep "understanding" that it also applies to body composition, I'm not sure what else can be said to change that.

    I almost never go under on protein. That's what yogurt and protein powder are for, if I have a day that's higher in carbs and fat.

  • staciejunruh
    staciejunruh Posts: 10 Member
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    Ya I understand the calories in calories out! Totally makes sense! I have been using this app for a long time and have lost 50lbs! Mainly I was just wondering if it was just in my head that it's easier to lose when I have more protein in my diet!
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    edited October 2015
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    If protein keeps you fuller longer, it might not be in your head if it causes you to eat less. If you eat the same number of calories, it's probably almost all in your head.
  • Montepulciano
    Montepulciano Posts: 845 Member
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    I find eating protein is not about losing weight, but about feeling full and having more energy. Everyone's body is going to be a bit different in the sense of what number is right for you. Find the balance that works for you.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Look at protein as a minimum. Remember protein and fats help with satiety.
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
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    Montepulciano wrote: »
    I find eating protein is not about losing weight, but about feeling full and having more energy. Everyone's body is going to be a bit different in the sense of what number is right for you. Find the balance that works for you.

    +1

    For ME, it's important to go a bit heavy on protein as it makes me feel full and it helps me stay within my calories. For ME, I would be extremely hungry on less protein. I typically average around 120-130 grams per day. So easier to eat fewer calories when I have more protein.
  • staciejunruh
    staciejunruh Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks for all your helpful comments! I understand it a little better now! Basically if protein keeps you fuller and there for helps you eat less then yes it helps!
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    Yes! I think of my protein goal as the base of a teeter totter... It's my main goal each day. Carbs & fats sit at either end of the teeter totter. If I stay within my calorie range, 'carby' days are naturally lower in fats, and 'fatty' days are naturally lower in carbs. I don't pay much attention there but I do notice I do more lower carb days on average. Just my food preferences.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    I eat very little fat, a ton of carbs and some protein. Sometimes I work very hard, trying to get more protein into my body. Other times, I don't care about the protein goal because I'm too sick of eating food I don't want to eat just to meet the goal.

    I don't even try to meet an inflated, excessive protein goal and I still don't meet it, usually.

    I spend a lot more time working on micros than I do macros.

    Fiber hangs out longest in the stomach, so many people will feel full for longer period if they have a high-fiber meal, but some people feel that fat or protein helps the stay full for a longer period of time. You have to play around with different foods and see what works for you.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    edited October 2015
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    staciejunruh wrote: »
    So what I understand from some of you here is that calories are calories no matter what they are.. So if what you want to eat that day happens to be 60% fat & very little protein that's fine as long as you don't go over your calorie deficit..? I have found that I don't lose as well on day like that as days when my protein is a good 25-30%. But maybe I'm the only 1 like that!:) it's interesting how everyone's diet is so different!


    Well, a sustained low protein diet would lead to severe malnutrition, but a single day of low protein isn't harmful.

    It's a mostly true approximation that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, but not wholly accurate. Remember, a calorie is a physical measure of food energy, not a measure of biologically available energy. For example, fiber isn't fully digested (it is partially digested by bacteria in your intestines, which then produce fatty acids that your body can absorb) so only some of the calories from that fiber are actually available for your body to use. Protein contains energy, but it actually requires energy to break it down, so you only get a net gain of about 75% of the energy contained in the protein (although, since the rest is released as heat, your body might slow down other thermogenic mechanisms and conserve energy that would otherwise be spent). Protein and fat also have other biological uses besides just being metabolized for energy. And not every gram of every macronutrient has exactly the same calorie amount. For example, fat being 9 calories per gram is an average number, not an exact measure that applies to each and every gram of fat we consume.

    That said, it's the best approximation that we have. The body is very complicated and trying to figure out the exact net amount of cellular energy gain from a particular amount of food consumed really isn't possible.

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