Can't fit enough protein in?

lauraJaneNB wrote: »

Each day my protein % seems too low. I just can't seem to make the levels recommended. Any tips? I'm trying to eat two chicken breasts for tea but am stuffed half way through!!!! I'd eat more nuts. It trying to not go over the top on fat...

lauraJaneNB wrote: »

Each day my protein % seems too low. I just can't seem to make the levels recommended. Any tips? I'm trying to eat two chicken breasts for tea but am stuffed half way through!!!! I'd eat more nuts. It trying to not go over the top on fat...

DasItMan91 wrote: »

How much protein are you trying to get at? You are doing 0.8 grams per body weight right?

Does anyone know how to reset my calorie goal?

MeganAM89 wrote: »

Most days I make a smoothie using protein powder. One scoop gives me 20 g which generally tops me off.

I do this, too. You can use milk and even a spoonful of peanut butter to add more protein.

I'm not ashamed to admit that on leg day, I'll take my smoothie into a hot bath and eat it while I soak my legs.

If you open up your diary, we can help more but off the top of my head, I would try to build my meal around the protein. Add in the carbs and fats as you please, but if you build the meal around the protein, it may be easier to reach your goal.

DasItMan91 wrote: »

lauraJaneNB wrote: »

Yes I am trying the 0.8h per pound. Which would make me 116g. I am meeting 80-90 daily. Megan maybe I should try a smoothie to top it up.

Believe me, you don't need alot of protein anyway. That's a misconception. For my body weight, I only need like 73 grams of protein....which ain't a whole lot. One time my protein goal was 215 which is waaaaay too much. Protein is overrated but it's good for helping losing weight because it keeps you full longer and thus less likely to eat often.

I was thinking the same thing. I just have a hard time believing anyone who isn't competitive in some sport or other would really need that much protein. That is A LOT of protein.

LAWoman72 wrote: »

DasItMan91 wrote: »

lauraJaneNB wrote: »

Yes I am trying the 0.8h per pound. Which would make me 116g. I am meeting 80-90 daily. Megan maybe I should try a smoothie to top it up.

Believe me, you don't need alot of protein anyway. That's a misconception. For my body weight, I only need like 73 grams of protein....which ain't a whole lot. One time my protein goal was 215 which is waaaaay too much. Protein is overrated but it's good for helping losing weight because it keeps you full longer and thus less likely to eat often.

I was thinking the same thing. I just have a hard time believing anyone who isn't competitive in some sport or other would really need that much protein. That is A LOT of protein.

You don't necessarily have to be competitive...if you're a pretty active person you're going to need more. The RDAs are minimums for general health and aren't optimal for active individuals. I'm not a competitive athlete, I'm a recreational athlete...but I still train hard and still break my body down pretty good with my training...I usually get around 0.6-0.8g per Lb of body weight...usually on the lower end, but it's still more than the sedentary RDA.

For a non-athlete, the recommended minimum is 0.8 grams per KILOGRAM of body weight.

For someone who is 150 lbs, that is like 55 grams. You can eat more than the minimum but some of the goals people have are a bit insane. If you were a serious athlete, you may need up to 1.6 grams per kg. That takes you up to a lofty minimum of 109 grams of protein (also using 150 lb for calculation). It wouldn't even represent 20% of your calories.

Using my own numbers (as a non-athlete), my protein minimum is slightly over 10% of my 1800 maintenance calories or 12% if I'm in a small deficit. 40% is not necessary and the "Accepted Macronutrient Distribution Ranges" lists 35% as the very upper limit for protein.

FreyasRebirth wrote: »

For a non-athlete, the recommended minimum is 0.8 grams per KILOGRAM of body weight.

For someone who is 150 lbs, that is like 55 grams. You can eat more than the minimum but some of the goals people have are a bit insane. If you were a serious athlete, you may need up to 1.6 grams per kg. That takes you up to a lofty minimum of 109 grams of protein (also using 150 lb for calculation). It wouldn't even represent 20% of your calories.

Using my own numbers (as a non-athlete), my protein minimum is slightly over 10% of my 1800 maintenance calories or 12% if I'm in a small deficit. 40% is not necessary and the "Accepted Macronutrient Distribution Ranges" lists 35% as the very upper limit for protein.

Wow, kg. v. lbs. - this makes a BIG difference.

Geez people, be careful with what you read and then incorporate into your body.

OP, this could mean you don't have to choke down as much protein as you thought - good news!

For those who do eat a lot of protein, I'm not saying that's bad. I'm saying, if people are doing this calculation entirely incorrectly (by double), well...yeah. We need to tighten that up a bit. (IMO.)

Personally, I find protein fills me up really well and helps me with my hunger. I work out and I lift but it's not really heavy lifting. I am otherwise quite active - when I'm not working on my comp sitting on my butt, like now, LOL. I find if I get in 50g of protein in a day (at 154 lbs.) I'm a happy, healthy-feeling camper. Often I'll get more than that, though, just because I like chicken and will eat it more than once in a day...I may get 60, 65-ish, even 70 grams. I can't imagine needing more than that. This has got to be a very individual thing...again, IMO.

Cortelli wrote: »

FreyasRebirth wrote: »

For a non-athlete, the recommended minimum is 0.8 grams per KILOGRAM of body weight.

For someone who is 150 lbs, that is like 55 grams. You can eat more than the minimum but some of the goals people have are a bit insane. If you were a serious athlete, you may need up to 1.6 grams per kg. That takes you up to a lofty minimum of 109 grams of protein (also using 150 lb for calculation). It wouldn't even represent 20% of your calories.

Using my own numbers (as a non-athlete), my protein minimum is slightly over 10% of my 1800 maintenance calories or 12% if I'm in a small deficit. 40% is not necessary and the "Accepted Macronutrient Distribution Ranges" lists 35% as the very upper limit for protein.

There is quite a bit of evidence that when in a calorie deficit (i.e., when actively losing weight) both those targets above would be lower than optimal if one's goal is to preserve lean mass while losing weight.

Actually, the 1.6 g/kg is similar to the .65-.85 g/lb of healthy body weight that I've seen -- it's right in the middle, and I've seen it as a range of 1.6-2.2 g/kg too.

I have to run now so won't post my usual Examine.com links (that have studies and other sources within), but the issue is that losing weight requires more protein for optimal muscle maintenance, and either being very active or trying to build muscle also does. From what I've read, especially if one is female and getting a bit older, like me, .8 g/lb (of a healthy body weight if one has weight to lose -- no inflated numbers because one is 200 if a healthy weight would be 130), is a reasonable choice to protect against unnecessary muscle loss at a deficit, among other things.

(I'm tagging it on here because of the initial sentence in my post, I think you and I are basically in agreement and not meaning to imply otherwise.)

I hate it when people focus on minimums as if that is all that is important or, worse, seem to think we are stupidly confusing kg and lb. (I do think some goals are way too high, of course, often those that are based on percentages that seem just afraid of fats and carbs, but the .8 g/lb of healthy body weight has some reasonable backing.)

I would emphasize that it's a range of .65-.85 or similar for the optimal, so if .8 feels high it's certainly okay to be somewhat lower, but there is good reason to aim well above the minimum or RDA.