Protein intake

Protein timing is mostly myth. Just get your daily target in, whenever. That's the most important thing.

There's no downside to what you're doing there, OP. It just isn't necessary.

I don't get protein within 30 minutes of rising. I couldn't even if I wanted to. (I'm hypothyroid, need to take the meds for it after I get up, then wait at least 30 minutes before eating.)

I agree with others that protein timing mostly isn't a big deal, and that the key thing is to get very adequate total amounts of protein over the course of the day . . . with one exception. There are reasonable research suggestions that aging people (maybe 50 or 55+, but certainly 65+) do better if protein is spread throughout the day, because many of us metabolize it less efficiently as we age. (I'm 68. You're probably younger. This is a run-down of the evidence for older folks: https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(13)00326-5/fulltext)

I do find that a solid breakfast with plenty of protein does help me manage hunger/appetite, personally. I don't use protein supplements. I don't think there's anything wrong with them, I just don't find them as tasty or satisfying as regular food, so I stick with regular food. As a long term (50 years) vegetarian, quite a lot of my protein comes from dairy (which I love) or traditional soy foods. (I also don't like faux meats, so I avoid those, too.)

I believe in setting protein (and fats) goals in grams and as minimums to reach or exceed. My protein minimum is a round number just above 1g per pound of my estimated lean mass. I often exceed it by a good bit. I've had no indication that I'm getting too little protein: Over a period of years eating this way, strength and muscle mass seem to be behaving as I'd expect given my activity levels.

The link below has (IMO) a good protein guide, and an associated research-based protein needs "calculator". This is not a site that sells protein supplements, diet/exercise plans, or anything of that sort. Their business is analyzing and summarizing nutritional research in consumer-understandable forms. A lot of information is available free at their site, presumably to give people an idea of what they offer.

https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/

Curmudgeonly comment: Maybe I'm an old crank, but I feel like the more viral a thing is, the more likely it's flawed in some way (in large measure because often someone somewhere is boosting the idea for profit, if only the profit from selling internet ads).

I don't like the 30-30-30 idea because I do think we need a certain minimum of protein (and fats).

If a person eats too few calories, they're potentially not going to get enough protein at 30% of calories. If a person can healthfully eat lots of calories, then they don't necessarily need as many as 30% of calories to be protein: Protein tends to be one of the more expensive nutrients, and excess protein is just expensive energy. (It's theoretically possible for too much protein to be a bad thing in at least some cases, but most healthy people won't hit that level.)

It seems likely that someone healing (from surgery or whatever) may need extra protein, but I don't know how much extra. Eighty milligrams doesn't seem like much extra at all. I'm just some random idiot on the internet, but it seems like the amount extra needed would vary depending on the surgery, like if they crack my chest open to jimmy my heart, maybe lots; if they just do some small surface or laparoscopic procedure, maybe not as much. But what do I know?

Protein should be figured in grams and not percentages of your overall calories. Protein timing unless you’re a hard-core bodybuilder doesn’t really matter just as long as you get your target amount in every day.

Hobartlemagne wrote: »

cheryljm94 wrote: »

I also read that when you've had surgery. You need to bump up your daily protein to eighty milligrams per day to help you heal

that's 8/100ths of one gram. Your post-surgery recovery diet should be what your doctor tells you.

most doctors have no clue regarding nutrition

You're aiming for 100% perfection for what one study calls the average person.
Nothing wrong with that.
But we're individuals.
I don't eat as much protein as many people push. But my favorite foods are meat, fish, milk, butter, yogurt etc., so I do get a lot of protein. The older I get(I'm 74), the more important it is to me to get an adequate amount early enough in the morning to carry me through the day.
But you're not me. And you're probably not the average person in the study you read.
Start where you are. Do better. Aim for what makes you healthy and happy 😊.

You have to remember 1st that this is not a 1 type fits all scenario. The large majority of people will absorb less than 20g protein per meal. There's a reason why meat heads like me eat more than 5 times a day. Protein powders have less absorption as well. If you are fasted for more that 7 hours or so overnight there is no known issue with consuming protein 1st thing. I've eaten the same bfast for over 7 yrs now with no issues. As I mentioned at the start, you have to do whats best for you. This means experimenting daily and weekly. Start off a little at a time and track the best you can with the app. Give it at least a week at a time to see how you adjust. This will take time so be patient. Don't overcomplicate the basic principles of what your goals are.