Protein dilemmas
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liz0269
Posts: 139 Member
I am 5'7". Currently weigh 185ish. Goal is 140ish. Set to lose half a pound a week. I have health issues that make a faster rate too hard on my body. I am estimating my LBM to be 110ish. (Completely unscientific but in my youth I weighed 115 and when I joined a fitness club I did orientation. Part of that was a caliper skin test. The lady didn't know what to do with me because I had no body fat.)
I exercise a lot. I lift heavy 2x a week, endurance cycle 2x a week and walk/run/swim the other days.
I use the sedentary setting because I am a major couch potato outside of my exercise time. I eat 1630 calories per day plus my exercise calories.
First, where should I set my percentage of protein? If I set it at 20%, my goal is 82 grams before my exercise calories. On a heavy cycling day I can burn over 1,000 calories. (3 plus hours and 30+ miles) That will give me another 50 grams of protein. But the other days my calorie burn is around 300 which is another 15 grams. Should my protein be more consistent? If so, how much?
Also, how the heck do I eat so dang much protein? I have food sensitivities to gluten, dairy, soy, legumes, oats, eggs. My protein options are meat or seafood. I am so flipping sick of chicken. How in the world can I regularly eat 100+ grams of protein without losing my mind?
Final issue is that when I try to eat higher protein, I get nauseous. But when I don't eat more than 80 grams, my muscles ache and my workouts suffer.
Thank you for the help.
I exercise a lot. I lift heavy 2x a week, endurance cycle 2x a week and walk/run/swim the other days.
I use the sedentary setting because I am a major couch potato outside of my exercise time. I eat 1630 calories per day plus my exercise calories.
First, where should I set my percentage of protein? If I set it at 20%, my goal is 82 grams before my exercise calories. On a heavy cycling day I can burn over 1,000 calories. (3 plus hours and 30+ miles) That will give me another 50 grams of protein. But the other days my calorie burn is around 300 which is another 15 grams. Should my protein be more consistent? If so, how much?
Also, how the heck do I eat so dang much protein? I have food sensitivities to gluten, dairy, soy, legumes, oats, eggs. My protein options are meat or seafood. I am so flipping sick of chicken. How in the world can I regularly eat 100+ grams of protein without losing my mind?
Final issue is that when I try to eat higher protein, I get nauseous. But when I don't eat more than 80 grams, my muscles ache and my workouts suffer.
Thank you for the help.
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Replies
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There are plant proteins you can use, myprotein has a good range 👍3
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chrishamilton894 wrote: »There are plant proteins you can use, myprotein has a good range 👍
I just checked out their site. I could try the brown rice one but the rest have legumes in them.1 -
The thing about chicken is it's like the tofu of meats. Bland on its own but it takes in the flavor of all those around it. You could cook it a million different ways. Here's a list of 100 different ways of them. You can always make substitutions is you are intolerant to anything. https://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/easy-chicken-recipes
Besides chicken, there's lean ground beef, turkey, venison, bison, elk, all sorts of different meats. And then there is seafood and fish. White fish, tuna, salmon, shrimp, squid, octopus, mussels, clams, you name it. Lots of different options.
Try to have one protein with lunch and dinner, each one should be able to get you 40+ grams, and the rest comes from protein just in every other food.
What is your diet high in now to get your calories? It seems like you have intolerances to a lot of high carb foods.4 -
There's no reason to increase your protein with your exercise calories. That's the biggest problem with using % for macros TBH. I think your initial goal is fine if you think of it as a minimum to be reached or exceeded when you can. The typical rec I see is 0.8-1g per lb of goal weight (or LBM if you know it).
Unfortunately your food sensitivities are extremely limiting for protein consumption. How sure of those are you? Have you consulted an allergist and/or a gastro specialist? Someone feel free to correct me, but it's odd for less than 80g of protein to cause muscle ache, and also to get nauseous if you are eating more but still a reasonable amount throughout the day. You mentioned health issues, so if those are what explain these issues please feel free to ignore all of this!
In the limited window you've given, I would suggest canned/pouches tuna or salmon and frozen shrimp, both are easy to grab in a pinch and relatively low cal.0 -
Good protein target is 0.65-0.85 of a healthy goal weight. Based on that, I'd bump the protein goal a bit above the 20% number (the 20% number is good at maintenance but can be low at a deficit), but not increase it with exercise calories -- it will increase, but you can know your gram number and just focus on that.2
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I'm 5'7" and at 140-145.
My goals are set at the default of 50/30/20. For 1700 calories that is 85g of protein. I find that to be a good number amount for me.
When I add exercise sometimes I up my protein intake and sometimes I don't. It's still difficult for me to hit 85g every day, but I do try.
I think 85g is sufficient for me. I've been on that amount for a decade. Do your best, let go the rest. Where's that hug emoticon?1 -
The thing about chicken is it's like the tofu of meats. Bland on its own but it takes in the flavor of all those around it. You could cook it a million different ways. Here's a list of 100 different ways of them. You can always make substitutions is you are intolerant to anything. https://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/easy-chicken-recipes
Besides chicken, there's lean ground beef, turkey, venison, bison, elk, all sorts of different meats. And then there is seafood and fish. White fish, tuna, salmon, shrimp, squid, octopus, mussels, clams, you name it. Lots of different options.
Try to have one protein with lunch and dinner, each one should be able to get you 40+ grams, and the rest comes from protein just in every other food.
What is your diet high in now to get your calories? It seems like you have intolerances to a lot of high carb foods.
I actually try to eat high carb low fat. I feel much better that way. It's good for my GERD also. I eat a lot of rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. I will definitely check out those chicken recipes. I like how you worded that - it's the tofu of meats. Good to keep in mind.There's no reason to increase your protein with your exercise calories. That's the biggest problem with using % for macros TBH. I think your initial goal is fine if you think of it as a minimum to be reached or exceeded when you can. The typical rec I see is 0.8-1g per lb of goal weight (or LBM if you know it).
Unfortunately your food sensitivities are extremely limiting for protein consumption. How sure of those are you? Have you consulted an allergist and/or a gastro specialist? Someone feel free to correct me, but it's odd for less than 80g of protein to cause muscle ache, and also to get nauseous if you are eating more but still a reasonable amount throughout the day. You mentioned health issues, so if those are what explain these issues please feel free to ignore all of this!
In the limited window you've given, I would suggest canned/pouches tuna or salmon and frozen shrimp, both are easy to grab in a pinch and relatively low cal.
I have an autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthrits) and suspected celiac. Unfortunately, I just cut gluten without getting tested back in 2010 and there is no way I will eat it again as I get so sick. My doctor agrees with both the suspicion and not testing because of how sick I get. I have either celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. At this point, the label is a moot point.
RA is muscle wasting which is why I need high protein. I suspect the nausea is because I also have gastro issues which may affect my digestion. I'm a flipping mess. LOLGood protein target is 0.65-0.85 of a healthy goal weight. Based on that, I'd bump the protein goal a bit above the 20% number (the 20% number is good at maintenance but can be low at a deficit), but not increase it with exercise calories -- it will increase, but you can know your gram number and just focus on that.
I like that idea of establishing a set amount of protein. Maybe bump from 82 to 100 grams? I just looked back and I have been averaging 80-90. I will try bumping it up and see if that helps. I will just eat extra carbs for my exercise calories as I don't tolerate fat well.2 -
The thing about chicken is it's like the tofu of meats. Bland on its own but it takes in the flavor of all those around it. You could cook it a million different ways. Here's a list of 100 different ways of them. You can always make substitutions is you are intolerant to anything. https://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/easy-chicken-recipes
Besides chicken, there's lean ground beef, turkey, venison, bison, elk, all sorts of different meats. And then there is seafood and fish. White fish, tuna, salmon, shrimp, squid, octopus, mussels, clams, you name it. Lots of different options.
Try to have one protein with lunch and dinner, each one should be able to get you 40+ grams, and the rest comes from protein just in every other food.
What is your diet high in now to get your calories? It seems like you have intolerances to a lot of high carb foods.
I actually try to eat high carb low fat. I feel much better that way. It's good for my GERD also. I eat a lot of rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. I will definitely check out those chicken recipes. I like how you worded that - it's the tofu of meats. Good to keep in mind.There's no reason to increase your protein with your exercise calories. That's the biggest problem with using % for macros TBH. I think your initial goal is fine if you think of it as a minimum to be reached or exceeded when you can. The typical rec I see is 0.8-1g per lb of goal weight (or LBM if you know it).
Unfortunately your food sensitivities are extremely limiting for protein consumption. How sure of those are you? Have you consulted an allergist and/or a gastro specialist? Someone feel free to correct me, but it's odd for less than 80g of protein to cause muscle ache, and also to get nauseous if you are eating more but still a reasonable amount throughout the day. You mentioned health issues, so if those are what explain these issues please feel free to ignore all of this!
In the limited window you've given, I would suggest canned/pouches tuna or salmon and frozen shrimp, both are easy to grab in a pinch and relatively low cal.
I have an autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthrits) and suspected celiac. Unfortunately, I just cut gluten without getting tested back in 2010 and there is no way I will eat it again as I get so sick. My doctor agrees with both the suspicion and not testing because of how sick I get. I have either celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. At this point, the label is a moot point.
RA is muscle wasting which is why I need high protein. I suspect the nausea is because I also have gastro issues which may affect my digestion. I'm a flipping mess. LOLGood protein target is 0.65-0.85 of a healthy goal weight. Based on that, I'd bump the protein goal a bit above the 20% number (the 20% number is good at maintenance but can be low at a deficit), but not increase it with exercise calories -- it will increase, but you can know your gram number and just focus on that.
I like that idea of establishing a set amount of protein. Maybe bump from 82 to 100 grams? I just looked back and I have been averaging 80-90. I will try bumping it up and see if that helps. I will just eat extra carbs for my exercise calories as I don't tolerate fat well.
I think 100 is great if you can manage it. I do the same where if exercise is extra high I'll typically add in more carbs.1 -
I agree with the suggestions for figuring out a set amount of protein based on your weight or lean body mass.
Does your legume food sensitivity include peanuts? If not, you might want to look into a defatted peanut flour (similar to PB2, but without the added sugar). The brand I use, Protein Plus, has 16 g of protein in a 110 calorie serving. I looked for tree-nut and seed based protein powders, but I didn't see any that really had much protein for the calorie hit.
I saw a beef-based protein (Equip Beef Paleo Protein, chocolate flavor) with 24 g of protein per 100 cals.
Other than that, my only suggestion is to expand beyond your "meat and seafood" beyond chicken.2 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »I agree with the suggestions for figuring out a set amount of protein based on your weight or lean body mass.
Does your legume food sensitivity include peanuts? If not, you might want to look into a defatted peanut flour (similar to PB2, but without the added sugar). The brand I use, Protein Plus, has 16 g of protein in a 110 calorie serving. I looked for tree-nut and seed based protein powders, but I didn't see any that really had much protein for the calorie hit.
I saw a beef-based protein (Equip Beef Paleo Protein, chocolate flavor) with 24 g of protein per 100 cals.
Other than that, my only suggestion is to expand beyond your "meat and seafood" beyond chicken.
Sadly I can't have peanuts either. I will look at that beef one. A lot of times the protein powders that I can have are so stinking expensive they're not worth it.
I have been focusing on chicken because I am trying to eat low fat also. I think I have to pick my battles and protein is winning.0 -
There are lots of low fat meat options besides chicken: turkey breast, lean beef, pork chops and loin, and of course many seafood options (shrimp, for example).3
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