How much protein as I exercise through a weight loss ?
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W_Stewart
Posts: 237 Member
I’m 55 and recently returned to the gym after years of inactivity and weight gain had me feeling weak, old and lethargic. I have about 30 pounds to lose which I am already shedding due to the increased activity and eating less crap. It’s been 4 weeks and I’m already feeling so much better.
One goal is to increase strength while losing weight. I have a good workout regiment going and getting about 2 hours a day of cardio (30 minutes), stretching (30 minutes) and weight lifting (60 minutes). How much protein should I aim for each day to ensure I’m feeding the muscle growth? I’m not trying to bulk up, just have a healthy muscle tone and strength for staying active.
One goal is to increase strength while losing weight. I have a good workout regiment going and getting about 2 hours a day of cardio (30 minutes), stretching (30 minutes) and weight lifting (60 minutes). How much protein should I aim for each day to ensure I’m feeding the muscle growth? I’m not trying to bulk up, just have a healthy muscle tone and strength for staying active.
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Replies
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Here's a reputable protein calculator:
https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/
I shoot for @ 500 calories of exercise per day, and when I do, using the MFP default of 20% protein aligns with the protein recommendation from examine. If I were completely sedentary, I'd need to bump it up to 30%.4 -
In your position (similar age, similar amount of weight to lose, exercising a lot....) I aimed for 1g of protein per pound of estimated lean mass as a minimum goal.
A rough estimate of LBM is fine for purpose.4 -
Damn, I don’t think I’m getting anywhere near what I need. I’ve reverted from my meat heavy traditional meals to eating a lot more salads, veggie type meals. I add a protein to my salads but it’s probably not enough.1
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Damn, I don’t think I’m getting anywhere near what I need. I’ve reverted from my meat heavy traditional meals to eating a lot more salads, veggie type meals. I add a protein to my salads but it’s probably not enough.
Are you still an omnivore? I add chicken breast and cottage cheese to salads, for 32 g protein and 170 calories.
(That "1/2" cup refers to the original 112 grams - 50 grams is less than 1/4 C.)
You can still get plenty of protein as a vegetarian - it might just take more work at the beginning as you learn about good sources of non-meat protein.
I have non-fat cottage cheese or non-fat / low fat Greek yogurt with lots of meals or snacks. (Nothing inherently wrong with full fat - I get plenty of fat and prefer my calories go elsewhere.)0 -
I kept track of a few days over the last week. On average I'm getting between 70 and 105 grams of protein a day, and that is with me specifically adding in some protein-centric snacks I would previously would have skipped to avoid the calories and help my weight loss. Like some apple slices with peanut butter or a yogurt or some nuts.
I switched from weight machines to a class-based high intensity workout and getting much more of a workout because of it. Definitely more sore, so remain focused on getting the right amount of protein.
Should I add in more protein? What's my target? ? I'm worried about the calorie increase that goes along with it.0 -
Menno Henselmans recently did an article about protein requirements and said there is a sweet spot, beyond which you might get better results but it's diminishing returns. Essentially the suggestion was 1.6g per kg of actual body mass (not lean body mass). I weigh 75kg, so aim for 120g of protein per day. I'm looking to recomp and it works for me.
If you like prawns or white fish, they give you a lot of bang for your buck.2 -
I kept track of a few days over the last week. On average I'm getting between 70 and 105 grams of protein a day, and that is with me specifically adding in some protein-centric snacks I would previously would have skipped to avoid the calories and help my weight loss. Like some apple slices with peanut butter or a yogurt or some nuts.
I switched from weight machines to a class-based high intensity workout and getting much more of a workout because of it. Definitely more sore, so remain focused on getting the right amount of protein.
Should I add in more protein? What's my target? ? I'm worried about the calorie increase that goes along with it.
Don't think of nuts or nut butter as a good source of protein - they have more fat than protein, and so it takes a lot of calories to get a little protein.
I see you eat yogurt - cottage cheese, especially low or no fat, is a decent source of protein. I add it to many meals, and also have it as a snack with fruit.
Before I make other specific recommendations I would like to know if you are still an omnivore or not.
Re your target, I'll repost what I said above:
Here's a reputable protein calculator:
https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/
I shoot for @ 500 calories of exercise per day, and when I do, using the MFP default of 20% protein aligns with the protein recommendation from examine. If I were completely sedentary, I'd need to bump it up to 30%.2 -
I am an omnivore.
I now weigh 202 lbs or 92 kg. and that examiner.com website suggests my optimal protein intake is <b>at least 110 grams/day</b>. I definitely need to add more protein although the additional snacking is going to increase my calories and I'm trying to lose weight.
I have switched from a 2 hour workout (cardio/strength machines) to a 45 minute high intensity (for me) small group workout class. This class is kicking my butt, which is great.
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specifically adding in some protein-centric snacks I would previously would have skipped to avoid the calories and help my weight loss. Like some apple slices with peanut butter or a yogurt or some nuts.
PB is absolutely not "protein-centric." It's mostly fat. Ditto nuts in general. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE peanut butter, but it's definitely not the most diet-friendly way to bump up your protein intake. The jar in our pantry is 180 cal for7g protein (meaning that out of that 180 calories, a measly 28 calories come from protein!) versus 15g fat (meaning 135 of the cals came from fat). In our pantry are also individual flavored tuna packets; one of them is 14g protein and 90cal - literally double the protein for half the calories of a serving of PB.
Depending on the particular type/style of yogurt you're eating, there very well may be room for improvement. Right now I'm looking at both a package of some flavored yogurt thing my kid likes & it's 190 calories for 10g protein, and carton of plain nonfat Greek yogurt that is 100 calories for 17g protein.
I haven't looked to see if your diary is public, but I can almost guarantee that you could significantly increase your intake without adding some ridiculous amount of calories (heck, some smart swaps could even drastically reduce your cals).
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As for yogurt - look out for Skyr or Kvarg. All high protein (generally around 15g in a single serving pot) and actually very nice.0
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I am an omnivore.
I now weigh 202 lbs or 92 kg. and that examiner.com website suggests my optimal protein intake is at least 110 grams/day. I definitely need to add more protein although the additional snacking is going to increase my calories and I'm trying to lose weight.
I have switched from a 2 hour workout (cardio/strength machines) to a 45 minute high intensity (for me) small group workout class. This class is kicking my butt, which is great.
Snacking is one option, but you could also redo your *meals* so that you spend less calories on carbs and fat and have bigger portions of lean (and thus low calorie) meat such as chicken breast. If you eat fish and other seafood, consider that as well.
How many ounces of protein do you currently add to your salads, and what is the source of protein?
If you are spending a lot of calories on salad dressing or oil, consider replacing some of that with cottage cheese or oil - you get a similar mouth feel for far less calories plus a protein bonus.0 -
I am mostly vegan. I have seen that around 50 g of protein is recommended minimum. However, fo myself, I am finding that shooting for 100 g really helps with energy and progress on fitness. I am finding g this really hard to do on a vegan diet. I need to either do a bunch of protein powder shakes, or include some yogurt, fish or chicken
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I am mostly vegan. I have seen that around 50 g of protein is recommended minimum. However, fo myself, I am finding that shooting for 100 g really helps with energy and progress on fitness. I am finding this really hard to do on a vegan diet. I need to either do a bunch of protein powder shakes, or include some yogurt, fish or chicken
What's your calorie goal?
I routinely do 100g+ ovo-lacto vegetarian, without protein powder/bars, but I have a fairly high calorie requirement. I did get close to that protein level during weight loss on 1400-1600 + exercise. I eat a lot of dairy (minimal eggs), but I think I could do it fully plant based (just don't care to - me and my Northern European genes love dairy).
For you *and* the OP (@W_Stewart), this is a great thread:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
It links to a spreadsheet with many, many foods in order by protein efficiency, i.e., most protein for fewest calories. As a vegan, you'll need to scroll past the mostly meaty/fishy things near the top, but there are plant sources in there lower down.
For anyone short on protein, but especially us veg*an folks, think in terms of finding foods you like in virtually every dietary role (mains, sides, grains, bevs, snacks, etc.) that have at least a little protein, in addition to the "one big central protein" idea for each meal/snack. Fully plant-based, things like seitan (if not needing gluten free), tofu, tempeh, other legumes = your friends in the starring main-dish roles, assuming you can enjoy eating them.
Just my opinions, always, of course.1 -
I'm 47, and recently returned to the gym as well, and I think you are worrying FAR too much about protein. You are probably not a bodybuilder. We are middle aged people, hoping to lose some fat, build some muscle, for general health.. so we don't feel old, and lethargic.
If you fill in the settings, they will give you a goal for protein. Put in slightly active. you don't have to be exact, If you think.. I need more to gain muscle.. I'm weightlifting, not working the stair-climber!! then figure out what the RDA is for you, and simply add 10-20%.. so 56 grams for the average male.. or whatever some calculator tells you is the minimum.. add 20%.. say 11gms.. and you are at 67 gms of protein. Pre-track, and eat enough protein to get that, and see if it's enough.
Excess protein, simply gets pissed away. I eat no carbs, and 175 gms of protein today.. WELL beyond the amount needed, but I won't get any more muscles than I would, once I have consumed the maximum needed.
The amount of stress you would need to be doing to your muscles to necessitate a significant increase of protein needs, is more than you are likely doing. So if you eat 75gms., a little might be wasted, and passed in your urine. The body only uses what it needs. So you need enough for basic body function, minimum, and a little more maximum, if you are trying to build muscle, but that range is pretty small, and does not vary widely enough to make worrying about whether you eat 55 or 75 gms., based on how you work out daily.
You are turning something simple.. a few extra grams of protein, since you are trying to build muscle, into a science experiment, where you factor out grams of protein, based on daily amounts of exercise. Just eat enough protein, to have it available when the body needs it. Pick a number, and stick to it daily. As close as you can get, but don't obsess about it, and measure out what is supposed to be every day. That turns eating into a chore, and the truth is, most of us can see good results by losing some fat, and adding some muscle, simply by eating healthier, and doing light workouts. If in 3 months, you think the problem is not enough protein.. add another 10% then, but realize that unless you are lean now, most of your results will be better if you lose fat, more than building muscle.. unless you are planning on being a bodybuilder, and need MUCH larger amounts of protein, based on stress on the muscle, NOT based on calories burned.
Good Luck in reaching your goals!0 -
Thanks for all the input. I'm feeling like sticking closer to RDA recommended nutrition levels should provide what I need. But here is one aspect of it that continues to confuse me.
So conceptually I'm in the camp of eating back my logged calories, but I can't help but notice how much increased protein that equates to. My daily pre-exercise goals show 87 grams of protein which seems about right if you average out all the feedback you can research.
But then when I add in my morning workout (strength training + cardio) and then some other exercise like a hike or mountain bike ride MFP increases my daily calories, thereby increasing my protein to 131.
So on one hand I know those increased calories have to come from somewhere, but that level of protein sounds high according to many of the recommendations I've read. Not dangerous or anything, but recommendations I've read suggest someone my age and strength training goals (just toning, not bulking up like a weighlifter) only needs in the 70's to 80's.
So if I don't need that much protein...what am I to think about the idea of eating my exercise calories?0 -
RDA to avoid nutritional deficiency for the general population is very different to trying to eat an optimal amount for someone in a caloric deficit and also exercising.
Be careful what type of goal you are actually researching, to avoid a deficiency or to be the most advantageous to you and your situation.
Higher protein is muscle sparing, a small calorie deficit is muscle sparing - a big deficit and a miles away from optimal protein intake is making a totally avoidable mistake.
Yes eat back exercise calories (just like every sensible diet method including TDEE calcs and trackers also have you do), but percentages really aren't a great way to think of protein needs when you have a variable daily intake.
e.g. I don't need to eat a whole cow on days I cycle all day....
In your fifties you should regard muscle as a precious resource to be nurtured rather than risked.
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I kept track of a few days over the last week. On average I'm getting between 70 and 105 grams of protein a day, and that is with me specifically adding in some protein-centric snacks I would previously would have skipped to avoid the calories and help my weight loss. Like some apple slices with peanut butter or a yogurt or some nuts.
I switched from weight machines to a class-based high intensity workout and getting much more of a workout because of it. Definitely more sore, so remain focused on getting the right amount of protein.
Should I add in more protein? What's my target? ? I'm worried about the calorie increase that goes along with it.
You're protein-centric snacks aren't really protein-centric. Peanut butter and nuts are a primary source of healthy fats and are more calorie dense for small amounts than a reasonable serving of fish, chicken, pork chop, or other lean source of protein.
- 4 oz cooked chicken Breast (around 6 oz or so raw so a good size serving):
~ 184 calories
~ 34.45 grams protein
~ 3.97 grams total fat
- 1 oz Almonds
~ 164 Calories
~ 6.03 grams protein
~ 14.36 grams total fat (most of which are heart healthy mono and poly-unsaturated fats)
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter (a tiny little serving...I have to have 2 to even bother)
~ 94 Calories
~ 4 grams protein
~ 8 grams total fat
I find things like nuts and peanut butter to be great options for increasing the amount of healthy fats in the diet and also beneficial in helping people reach their calorie targets if they're having problems reaching them...they aren't a particularly grand source of protein though.
Also keep in mind that the RDA for protein is a minimum to avoid deficiency and assumes a more or less inactive person. If you're exercising a lot, training, just really active, etc one would want to consume more, particularly in a calorie deficit to help preserve muscle mass and repair. I personally don't buy into needing the copious amounts like 1 gram per Lb of bodyweight that you see all over the place. 1 gram per Lb of LBM is the top end of what I've reputably read as meaningful intake depending on training. I don't usually get there either, but I get quite a bit more than the RDA. I average generally around .6 to .7 grams per my maintenance body weight of around 180 Lbs...so usually between around 110-125 grams per day. I have some days that are higher but that's been just fine for me.2 -
Thanks for all the input. I'm feeling like sticking closer to RDA recommended nutrition levels should provide what I need. But here is one aspect of it that continues to confuse me.
So conceptually I'm in the camp of eating back my logged calories, but I can't help but notice how much increased protein that equates to. My daily pre-exercise goals show 87 grams of protein which seems about right if you average out all the feedback you can research.
But then when I add in my morning workout (strength training + cardio) and then some other exercise like a hike or mountain bike ride MFP increases my daily calories, thereby increasing my protein to 131.
So on one hand I know those increased calories have to come from somewhere, but that level of protein sounds high according to many of the recommendations I've read. Not dangerous or anything, but recommendations I've read suggest someone my age and strength training goals (just toning, not bulking up like a weighlifter) only needs in the 70's to 80's.
So if I don't need that much protein...what am I to think about the idea of eating my exercise calories?
What you get for increases is based on whatever you have your macro percentages set to.0 -
I agree. That would set your (the OP) target at about 150g. Deficit + older + strength training means you need the high end of recommended ranges.In your position (similar age, similar amount of weight to lose, exercising a lot....) I aimed for 1g of protein per pound of estimated lean mass as a minimum goal.
A rough estimate of LBM is fine for purpose.
This doesn't need to result in many calories. Protein shakes, tuna, chicken breast, etc..
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