Protein, carbs and fat

mariondot6731
mariondot6731 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi
I’m 63 yrs old and on 21g protein a day and I can’t remember what fat and carbs are but don’t always get my protein every day because I keep thinking I will put on weight and not loose it. I mostly do walking every day and run sometimes but rubbish at that 🤔 I also got arthritis in both knees and under active thyroid.

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,841 Member
    Is that a typo? 21 grams of protein is extremely low, way too low.
    Standard on MFP is 20% of your calories from protein, but even that might be too low if your calorie goal is low too. It's more useful to look at protein in absolute numbers, for example using this calculator:
    https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/

    More protein doesn't make you gain weight, weight gain comes from consuming too many calories (regardless of whether they come from protein, fat or carbs).

    I didn't see an actual question in your post, was there something you wanted to ask?
  • twh601
    twh601 Posts: 3 Member
    It would help to know a bit more about the type of diet you are choosing. I’m a 64 year old newly retired nutrition research scientist. I mostly work with cancer survivors for whom we typically recommend a Mediterranean diet which is more balanced as opposed to fat/protein heavy low carb particularly for people over 60. This means fats like olive oil that are rich in omega 3 and heart protective.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,226 Member
    Protein is very, very important . . . especially for people our age. (I'm 66.) Unlike for young people, for us it can be important to spread the protein through the day. Here is an authoritative source for that information, with details about needs for people around our age:

    https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(13)00326-5/fulltext#tbl4

    I'd encourage you to hit your MFP protein minimum daily. Like protein, fats are also an essential nutrient (in the technical sense that our body can't manufacture them from other nutrients so we need to eat some). Carbs can be more flexible, because they're not "essential" in that same sense. I'm not saying "don't eat any/many carbs", or "eat lots of carbs" . . . just that they can be flexed, within reason, paying attention to energy level and appetite, in order to get enough of protein and fats, which are "essential nutrients".

    Fiber is a carb, and considered an essential nutrient, but (oversimplifying a bit) its calories are not absorbed by the body.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,226 Member
    Protein is very, very important . . . especially for people our age. (I'm 66.) Unlike for young people, for us it can be important to spread the protein through the day. Here is an authoritative source for that information, with details about needs for people around our age:

    https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(13)00326-5/fulltext#tbl4

    I'd encourage you to hit your MFP protein minimum daily. Like protein, fats are also an essential nutrient (in the technical sense that our body can't manufacture them from other nutrients so we need to eat some). Carbs can be more flexible, because they're not "essential" in that same sense. I'm not saying "don't eat any/many carbs", or "eat lots of carbs" . . . just that they can be flexed, within reason, paying attention to energy level and appetite, in order to get enough of protein and fats, which are "essential nutrients".

    Fiber is a carb, and considered an essential nutrient, but (oversimplifying a bit) its calories are not absorbed by the body.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,226 Member
    edited March 2022
    Duplicate post
  • Unknown
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  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,226 Member
    joshbeach618 wrote: »
    You should be getting way more protein. A carnivorous diet will ensure this. This has been shown to improve all autoimmune diseases and cure arthritis. Check out dr ken berry or dr Anthony Chaffee on YouTube. They're highly educated on the subject

    Optional. I get plenty of protein as . . . gasp! . . . a long-term vegetarian (47+ years). Various eating styles can provide adequate protein, foster good health. Carnivore is one of those, potentially, but not the One True Way. Nothing is the One True Way.
  • scubar1
    scubar1 Posts: 1 Member
    Any thoughts on where I could find a spreadsheet showing the Macronutriant values for common foods? I know the data is in the myfitnesspal app but it's a pain to look up info for each individual food item. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you gave. (I've already tried Googling it and thought that it might already exist somewhere.)
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    Here's a thread with a spreadsheet that might be what you're looking for.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also/p1

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