Protein Question

blambo61
blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
edited November 17 in Food and Nutrition
I'm 6'1" male and weigh 210. I have about 165lbs of lean body mass. I lift twice a week and run 3 times a week. I'm shooting for 150g of protein a day. I don't think that quantity is too much and should not cause me problems (kidneys) but if I eat some of it alone without other food, is that bad or should it be buffered with other foods? I work out in the morning, eat 2-scoops of whey protein in water after. Then at 1:00 pm 2 more scoops of whey protein with water, so that is 100g of protein (about 480-cals) without eating anything else. In the evenings, I eat about another 25-50g of protein (whatever is for dinner) and also have carbs and fats and probably put down another 1500-2000 cals for about 2000-2500 cals total for the day. My TDEE is about 3000-3200 cals on running days, 2600-2800 on weight days, and 2300-2500 on non-workout days. I have just done this one day and felt great. I've done a lot of 20:4 IF. Thanks for any replies.

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Eating just protein is fine.... Just make sure you're getting sufficient fat and fibre in your one meal. I would also try and get more protein from food rather than relying on supplements.
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    edited March 2017
    It's not easy getting in 150g of protein in a 4-hr eating window without supplements (is whey a supplement?). I found that if I try to do that and don't go low carb, I will have high morning fasted blood glucose levels. Since discovering that, I've been spreading the protein out during the day and eating other stuff too. I've maintained weight for a month doing that but haven't lost any so I thought I would just take the protein during the day and that is all to cut back on the calories but still eat the protein, spread out during the day, to control my blood sugar in the mornings. Eating the proteins spread out with other food did fix the blood sugar issue. I will check tomorrow after my one day of just protein during the day.
  • subcounter
    subcounter Posts: 2,382 Member
    This is completely up to you. You can take protein anytime you like really. Supplements, as their name suggests are there to help you really. If you think its a chore or difficult to eat your proteins, yeah, you can certainly drink it. I personally can down a 20 oz chicken breast easily at one sit with other stuff.

    Everyone is different so definitely do what works for you best.
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    edited March 2017
    I have no problem whatsoever eating that much chicken in a sitting or other types of protein. Problem is if I do, my morning blood sugar is high so I'm spreading it out. The whey is low carb/fat so it is getting me what I need with the least amount of extra calories. Thanks
  • mmeast44
    mmeast44 Posts: 5 Member
    Try cottage cheese. It has a lot of protein per cup.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited March 2017
    blambo61 wrote: »
    I have no problem whatsoever eating that much chicken in a sitting or other types of protein. Problem is if I do, my morning blood sugar is high so I'm spreading it out. The whey is low carb/fat so it is getting me what I need with the least amount of extra calories. Thanks

    Why don't you spread meals out throughout the day? Eat a protein/fat based breakfast (eggs or meat, greens, cooked in fat, avo, nuts etc)?

    (and yes, I'd consider protein powder a supplement...)
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    blambo61 wrote: »
    I have no problem whatsoever eating that much chicken in a sitting or other types of protein. Problem is if I do, my morning blood sugar is high so I'm spreading it out. The whey is low carb/fat so it is getting me what I need with the least amount of extra calories. Thanks

    Why don't you spread meals out throughout the day? Eat a protein/fat based breakfast (eggs or meat, greens, cooked in fat, avo, nuts etc)?

    (and yes, I'd consider protein powder a supplement...)

    I am spreading it out by eating the whey protein during the day. If I eat other stuff, I easily can go over calorie limits. The IF type of diet is much easier for me to keep calories down.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    if you go over your calories by speading food out during the day, then may examine what you are eating, and add in some high protein/low fat/carb options (shrimp, pork tenderloin, turkey breast) - but the vast majority of your protein intake is whey

    2-scoops of whey protein in water after (100g)
    2 more scoops of whey protein with water, (100g)
    dinner (25-50g of protein)
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    plus going back a week, you have NOTHING in your log - it is blank
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,430 MFP Moderator
    The potential problem you might run into is the lack of vitamins and minerals since most protein powders aren't fortified with it. There may not be anything wrong per say with doing it, but I would throw some caution.


    Also, do you have blood sugar issues? Is that why you fast? You may want to consider decreasing your fasting window to 16:8 if you are struggle to get adequate protein within that window.
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    edited April 2017
    I've done a lot of 20:4 IF. I had high fasting blood sugar in the mornings before starting IF. After IF for awhile, morning BG was normal. Then started taking protein supps in the 4-hr eating window. Then discovered morning BG was high doing that. Went LC and still took the protein and BG in mornings was good but I didn't like LC. So to get my protein in and not have high morning BG, I'm eating some of it during the day. I usually eat a large salad every day, whole grains, fruit-yogurt smoothie, whatever is for dinner, and a multi vitamin-mineral supp so I think I should be good for the micro-nutrients. I don't log food very often.

    Wed night I ate out at a Thai food place and had a lot of rice. Thurs work lunch party that I saved and ate for dinner, was a big plate full of carbs. Also ate a little pulled pork/beans/lettuce a little later. Going to bed BG was 114, this morning was 124! The day before it was 111 in the morning. The day before that when I didn't eat a lot of carbs and protein the night before it was 100 in the morning. A lot of carbs at night and protein make the BG high in the mornings.
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    blambo61 wrote: »
    I've done a lot of 20:4 IF. I had high fasting blood sugar in the mornings before starting IF. After IF for awhile, morning BG was normal. Then started taking protein supps in the 4-hr eating window. Then discovered morning BG was high doing that. Went LC and still took the protein and BG in mornings was good but I didn't like LC. So to get my protein in and not have high morning BG, I'm eating some of it during the day. I usually eat a large salad every day, whole grains, fruit-yogurt smoothie, whatever is for dinner, and a multi vitamin-mineral supp so I think I should be good for the micro-nutrients. I don't log food very often.


    Wed night ate at a Thai restaurant and ate a lot of rice and meat. Thurs work lunch party that I saved and ate for dinner, was a big plate full of carbs. Also ate a little pulled pork/beans/lettuce a little later. Going to bed BG was 114, this morning was 124! A lot of carbs at night and protein make the BG high in the mornings.

    Morning BG:
    3/31 - 124 - Fri
    3/30 - 114 - Thurs
    3/29 - 115
    3/27 - 100
    3/24 - 101
    3/21 - 99
    3/20 - 105
    3/19 - 96
    3/18 - 127
    3/17 - 103
    3/15 - 101
    3/14 - 100
    3/8 - 105
    3/5 - 104
    3/4 - 108
    3/2 - 103
    3/1 - 108
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