Is a high protein diet best?

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  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Just did some quick calculations, you would need to eat ~500 calories a day to get this weight loss. EXTREMELY dangerous and unhealthy.

    But if I eat my set amount of calories and burn off more than I consume wouldn't I be able to still lose a significant amount of weight?

    Of weight...and muscle...and not hit your micronutrients to keep your body functioning properly. You are not burning what you think you're burning either.

    So ideally, I need to meet my nutrient goals for the day and let the rest fall into place?

    Ideally you need to not attempt losing more than 2 lbs per week, and meet your nutritional needs.
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
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    I am 22yr old and 5'3"

    Ok, if you eat at 1600cal you could possibly achieve a weight of ~205 by Mid June. 1800cal = ~215. I haven't added any exercise into this, so you could possibly lose more. I think it's really important that you are realistic with your goals and that you don't miss important nutrients in the quest to slim down. Remember, it took awhile to get overweight, it's going to take awhile to slim down.
  • MichelleLea122
    MichelleLea122 Posts: 332 Member
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    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

    Because MFP uses the NEAT method. This is part of your daily activity. If I walk a couple miles per day, I don't log it as exercise-because I do it every day. I'm lightly active and it falls within my activity level. If I take a long run (lol not gonna happen), I would add that.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    I am 22yr old and 5'3"

    Ok, if you eat at 1600cal you could possibly achieve a weight of ~205 by Mid June. 1800cal = ~215. I haven't added any exercise into this, so you could possibly lose more. I think it's really important that you are realistic with your goals and that you don't miss important nutrients in the quest to slim down. Remember, it took awhile to get overweight, it's going to take awhile to slim down.


    How are you calculating that? I don't think my goals are too outlandish, I just don't quite understand the whole calories burned part and if I'm meeting my requirements why would losing 82lbs be such a stretch? Obviously I'm new to all this. Lol
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

    The problem is that MFP GREATLY overestimates calories burnt during exercise. Most people seem to set themselves to sedentary and log purposeful exercise, not daily movement (it just seems safer? I'd rather underestimate my calories burnt, than overestimate). When logging purposeful exercise, I rarely eat my calories back and if I do, I only eat about half. YMMV
  • MsSquatAlot
    MsSquatAlot Posts: 238 Member
    edited January 2016
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    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,

    I just want to say this this is not true for everyone, I have lost122lbs since June of last year. I know what you mean but there was nothing dangerous or unhealthy about my weight loss. Aggressive? Yes. Unrealistic? Perhaps for some.

    I do agree with what everyone has said though - you need to make sure you're meeting your body's needs.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.

    Did you do this activity/work this job while gaining weight? It's part of your lifestyle. If you maintain your weight eating X amount of calories and being on your feet at work, you still have to subtract X amount of calories to lose weight. Your activity level is the same.
  • allaboutthefood
    allaboutthefood Posts: 781 Member
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    That is a lot of weight to lose, in such a short amount of time. You need to find your balance, for my I find high fiber high protean keeps me fuller longer. But if could be different for you, just keep eating in a deficit, meet your goals and exercise to keep your body and mind healthy and the pounds will start shedding away, maybe try to set small goals for now.
  • antennachick
    antennachick Posts: 464 Member
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    Slow and steady wins the race...I have been up and down weight wise all my life and I found when I took 6 months to lose 30 pounds I actually didnt gain it right back. Now since you want to lose over 50 pounds then the start of your wieght loss at 2 pounds per week might not be to much. Just dont get discouraged if youb dont reach the goal of 2 pounds per week...remember its also a lifestyle change .
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    The problem is that MFP GREATLY overestimates calories burnt during exercise. Most people seem to set themselves to sedentary and log purposeful exercise, not daily movement (it just seems safer? I'd rather underestimate my calories burnt, than overestimate). When logging purposeful exercise, I rarely eat my calories back and if I do, I only eat about half. YMMV[/quote]

    I never eat my calories back. I don't see the point in that. I'm like fitness illiterate though so of course I'm clueless. Okay, so don't log daily activity, only log what I do extra that's out of the ordinary?
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,

    I just want to say this this is not true for everyone, I have lost122lbs since June of last year. I know what you mean but there was nothing dangerous or unhealthy about my weight loss. Aggressive? Yes. Unrealistic? Perhaps for some.

    I do agree with what everyone has said though - you need to make sure you're meeting your body's needs.


    Please be my coach!!! Lol. I don't feel that I'm being unrealistic... I need to be held accountable and driven to meet all my physical and nutritional requirements
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    You walk briskly for 6 hours.

    Yes, I work double shifts

    I wouldn't count your work as exercise.

    I thought any amount of exercise counted. A calorie burned is exactly that, no matter if it's something you do daily out something new?

    It's activity level. Make your activity level active (maybe lightly active if you want to start conservatively) or get a Fitbit, which is usually really accurate for walking-related stuff.
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
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    OK, I have since gone to this calculator: http://ratfactor.com/fat-loss-calculator I put your stats in and set you as lightly active (since you do walk at work). If you wanted to lose 82lbs by June, you would need to eat ~574 calories a day. You could lose ~40lbs if you ate ~1600 calories a day, ~50lbs if you ate 1386 calories a day, ~55 if you ate 1259 calories a day. Of course if you are exercising, you will have a greater loss (if you're not eating all of your calories back).
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.

    Did you do this activity/work this job while gaining weight? It's part of your lifestyle. If you maintain your weight eating X amount of calories and being on your feet at work, you still have to subtract X amount of calories to lose weight. Your activity level is the same.
    arditarose wrote: »
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.

    Did you do this activity/work this job while gaining weight? It's part of your lifestyle. If you maintain your weight eating X amount of calories and being on your feet at work, you still have to subtract X amount of calories to lose weight. Your activity level is the same.

    No, I was a stay at home mom for 4 months. I just started working again 2 weeks ago. My daily routine before was light housework and sitting on the couch. This is the most I've moved around in about 7 months
  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
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    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,

    I just want to say this this is not true for everyone, I have lost122lbs since June of last year. I know what you mean but there was nothing dangerous or unhealthy about my weight loss. Aggressive? Yes. Unrealistic? Perhaps for some.

    I do agree with what everyone has said though - you need to make sure you're meeting your body's needs.

    That's why I specifically mentioned the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian. Just out of curiosity, were you at a higher starting weight than OP?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.

    Did you do this activity/work this job while gaining weight? It's part of your lifestyle. If you maintain your weight eating X amount of calories and being on your feet at work, you still have to subtract X amount of calories to lose weight. Your activity level is the same.
    arditarose wrote: »
    To be honest, I really don't think you should be counting this walking as exercise. Although you are on your feet from 11-9, unless you are truly moving nonstop, you're probably not burning much. On top of that my fitnesspal tends to overestimate calories.

    I think people tend to overcomplicate everything. The best diet to achieve your goals is one that is sustainable and that you enjoy.

    I'm trying to find a happy medium where my diet and exercise is balanced. I guess I don't fully understand because I thought it didn't matter whether you did something daily or something new that it was still calories burned, if that makes sense.

    Did you do this activity/work this job while gaining weight? It's part of your lifestyle. If you maintain your weight eating X amount of calories and being on your feet at work, you still have to subtract X amount of calories to lose weight. Your activity level is the same.

    No, I was a stay at home mom for 4 months. I just started working again 2 weeks ago. My daily routine before was light housework and sitting on the couch. This is the most I've moved around in about 7 months

    So then set MFP to active or lightly active.
  • btucker9413
    btucker9413 Posts: 40 Member
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    That is far too aggressive and unrealistic. The only way you will achieve this (without the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian) is by eating in an extremely unhealthy manner. Your calories would be so low, it would be dangerous. Protein is good for satiety, but it will not see you reach your goal in this period of time. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm being unhelpful, but I don't want you to do anything that will potentially harm you in the long run,

    I just want to say this this is not true for everyone, I have lost122lbs since June of last year. I know what you mean but there was nothing dangerous or unhealthy about my weight loss. Aggressive? Yes. Unrealistic? Perhaps for some.

    I do agree with what everyone has said though - you need to make sure you're meeting your body's needs.

    That's why I specifically mentioned the supervision of a Doctor/Dietitian. Just out of curiosity, were you at a higher starting weight than OP?


    What is OP?