PROTEIN

JaenaM
JaenaM Posts: 251 Member
edited October 2 in Food and Nutrition
im in the red on protein almost everyday.., can u get too much of it? is that bad? Always thought lots of protein was good...

Replies

  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    The default setting for protein on MFP is pretty low, so going into the red is fairly easy. And while it is good to get a higher amount of protein than the default, do be cautious be too much excess protein can be metabolized into fat just like too much if any nutrient. :)
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
    I asked this a while back and everyone says protein on here is too low
    A lot of them change it
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    Nope! I can GUARANTEE almost no one on MFP gets too much protein. How many grams do you eat a day? 1x your bodyweight in grams = good for weight loss, 2x = good for body building but not necessary, anything more will just be peed out. HUGE amounts over this can cause protein sweats and damage to your kidney.

    Edit, yes, MFP default setting is WAAAY!!! too low. Make it 30% until you're used to that, and 50% is even better. Increase your protein at the expense of carbs, your body makes good use of fats.
  • sonjalucia
    sonjalucia Posts: 120 Member
    How does one change it?
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    How does one change it?

    My Home > Goals > Change Goals > Custom Settings

    From there you can change the ratio of carbs to fat to protein. I recommend 40/30/30 for starters, and slowly increase protein as you get used to it! It's not the same for everyone, but most people benefit from a high protein diet.
  • Mguilmot
    Mguilmot Posts: 232 Member
    How is your ratio compared to your entire intake ? Mine is set on 35%, and sometimes I still go over the amount :)
    It is really difficult to really eat an unhealthy amount of protein, unless you will eat/drink multiple protein shakes a day. I take 3 shakes a day, and I'm still in the healthy zone (I do weight training, so I can use the extra protein), so don't worry too much about it. :)
  • TexasNurseMom78
    TexasNurseMom78 Posts: 897 Member
    Nope! I can GUARANTEE almost no one on MFP gets too much protein. How many grams do you eat a day? 1x your bodyweight in grams = good for weight loss, 2x = good for body building but not necessary, anything more will just be peed out. HUGE amounts over this can cause protein sweats and damage to your kidney.

    Edit, yes, MFP default setting is WAAAY!!! too low. Make it 30% until you're used to that, and 50% is even better. Increase your protein at the expense of carbs, your body makes good use of fats.

    1 gram protein x your body weight daily intake? Really? Than I should eat over 200g/day? Imposible to do that and stay in my calorie range... Not sure where that calculation came from...
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    Nope! I can GUARANTEE almost no one on MFP gets too much protein. How many grams do you eat a day? 1x your bodyweight in grams = good for weight loss, 2x = good for body building but not necessary, anything more will just be peed out. HUGE amounts over this can cause protein sweats and damage to your kidney.

    Edit, yes, MFP default setting is WAAAY!!! too low. Make it 30% until you're used to that, and 50% is even better. Increase your protein at the expense of carbs, your body makes good use of fats.

    1 gram protein x your body weight daily intake? Really? Than I should eat over 200g/day? Imposible to do that and stay in my calorie range... Not sure where that calculation came from...

    It's a very common formula actually. You can get away with less because you are heavy (no offense) and especially if you aren't doing strength training, but protein has the least calories of all the macro nutrients and 30% is expended just digesting it, and is overall great for health and weight loss. I'd definitely try to eat 100g a day. :-)
  • lovelyiskey
    lovelyiskey Posts: 44 Member
    it seems normal to me. we don't need a lot of meat in a day. If you're working out hard then your required protien goes up, just be sure to balance it out through out during the day and right after workouts.
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    it seems normal to me. we don't need a lot of meat in a day. If you're working out hard then your required protien goes up, just be sure to balance it out through out during the day and right after workouts.

    When you eat your meals is not very important at all actually, your body takes a long time to repair and protein takes a long time to digest and be distributed. Just get that protein in your body :P
  • sonjalucia
    sonjalucia Posts: 120 Member
    Thanks Sugarbone!
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
    Just make sure you drink lots more water than your 8x if this continues, that'll protect your liver
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    Nope! I can GUARANTEE almost no one on MFP gets too much protein. How many grams do you eat a day? 1x your bodyweight in grams = good for weight loss, 2x = good for body building but not necessary, anything more will just be peed out. HUGE amounts over this can cause protein sweats and damage to your kidney.

    Edit, yes, MFP default setting is WAAAY!!! too low. Make it 30% until you're used to that, and 50% is even better. Increase your protein at the expense of carbs, your body makes good use of fats.

    1 gram protein x your body weight daily intake? Really? Than I should eat over 200g/day? Imposible to do that and stay in my calorie range... Not sure where that calculation came from...

    The formula is actually "LEAN Body Weight" - so the weight that is not fat...... e.g I weigh 99 kgs - of which my lean body weight is 77 kgs - so 196lbs - so I can eat up to 196 g of protein a day....

    I also believe the formula is 0.7 to 1g of protein per lean body weight....

    Under Primal Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss section " By meeting average daily protein requirements (.7 – 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight formula),"

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/
  • sonjalucia
    sonjalucia Posts: 120 Member
    Russell.... sorry, but I'm confused about how more than 8x of water is required in order to potect one's liver. Can you please explain?
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    I guess it depends on what you're going for, it's a very general formula but usually people don't eat enough anyways. Various sources will all suggest 1 per lb, or 1 per lb of lean mass, or .7-1.2 depending on your goals - I find it simplest to say 1 per lb then link some sources.

    tl;dr, eat a lot of protein. And drink a lot of water, or you'll have a hard time pooing lol.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Agree with what others say about MFP's low protein default settings. I have changed mine to 40% carb, 30% fat, 30% protein as I was advised to follow a balanced diet based on my body type (I'm athletic build & quite muscular). To answer your question, generally speaking, sans MFP's settings, it depends on your body's needs. If you're aiming to build muscles then protein surplus is a must but otherwise just stick with the limit. In my case, I up my protein intake more on my weight lifting days. Too much protein are bad for your kidneys.
  • JaenaM
    JaenaM Posts: 251 Member
    Wow thanks for all of your answers; most helpful!!!
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