Why do we need so much protein?

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SummerFun2011
SummerFun2011 Posts: 105
in Health and Weight Loss
Just a question! I am currently getting about 60-70g of protien per day. But i see people here saying I have to eat my body weight in protein... but I don;t understand why that much? From what I have read we really do not need that much. I don't think I could honeslty get 120g a day:laugh: I love my carbs :love:
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  • fitnessgoddess17
    fitnessgoddess17 Posts: 125 Member
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    What you've read is right. everything else is myth that people keep regurgitating
  • pkarim
    pkarim Posts: 171
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    Protein is much harder for your body to break down than carbs. It also helps build muscle bc thats what muscle is made of lol and when carbs especially white carbs are broken down they are stored very easily. You will probably lose weight much faster if you eat your body weight in protein AND do some type of weight lifting :)
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    Tuna, chicken, steak, and protein powder will get you there and more. You need it to keep your muscles from melting off in your effort to lose weight. You need to keep your mucles so that they will help burn the fat. You burn the muscle off and it's harder to lose the fat.
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    What you've read is right. everything else is myth that people keep regurgitating

    I'd love for you to post your credible sources...
  • MsAmulet
    MsAmulet Posts: 36
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    Protein doesn't build muscle. Exercise does. And it's a misnomer that you must get it from meat sources.. lots of vegans out there who are well-built athletes.
  • 05saleengirl
    05saleengirl Posts: 549
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    Here is an article I found...I'd ignore all the "sales pitches" but the information itself is pretty informative. Basically, like it says, protein is what we are made of. Also, protein helps to repair your muscles from working out, helps atleast for me to keep me feeling fuller longer, because it takes more "energy" for your body to break down and process the protein you've digested. Also the amino acids are great for your health. :)

    http://www.powersupplements.com/protein.htm
  • havalinaaa
    havalinaaa Posts: 333 Member
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    You don't. Studies have shown you can do just fine on the equivalent of 2 oz of lean meat a day.

    Personally, I aim to get at least 50g a day, but don't worry about it once I hit that mark. To find your RDA (recommended daily amount) of protein in GRAMS, multiply your body weight by .36 (not .8, that would give you the RDA in MICROGRAMS)

    SOURCES! OMG!
    http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=251
    http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900
  • Kassielin13
    Kassielin13 Posts: 263
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    I have been informed by my trainer that a healthy daily serving of protein for a woman is 64g. Basically protein builds muscle, and muscle burns fat. So the more muscle you have, the more fat you are likely to burn in a workout!

    I would say it is safe to assume, that others saying, "eat your weight in protein" are trying to build huge muscles.

    From my own experience of greater protein intake, (more than 150g daily) I was building muscle to the extent of gaining muscle weight. By lowering my protein intake back down to a "healthy" amount, I have began to see the scale move down again!

    I am by no means a dr. So my knowledge, is solely based on things that have worked for me! Best of luck in your weight loss journey!
  • SummerFun2011
    SummerFun2011 Posts: 105
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    Tuna, chicken, steak, and protein powder will get you there and more. You need it to keep your muscles from melting off in your effort to lose weight. You need to keep your mucles so that they will help burn the fat. You burn the muscle off and it's harder to lose the fat.

    From what I have read on here all you need is a calorie deficit. Mfp has me at 60g... I dont get it im sorry :(

    why does so much more protein help keep muscles?
  • msdrafter84
    msdrafter84 Posts: 2
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    I starting upping my protein intake with 30g protein bars on top of what I was already taking in, and it actually made me perform on a lower level than what I normally would and it upset me. So stick to what you read. I wish I would have known that, but I do strength training too, so I don't need to build a huge amount of muscle up top because it could impair performance.
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Protein doesn't build muscle. Exercise does. And it's a misnomer that you must get it from meat sources.. lots of vegans out there who are well-built athletes.
    Well, no. Exercise builds muscle, but your body requires protein as the building materials. Vegans need protein, too.
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    Protein doesn't build muscle. Exercise does. And it's a misnomer that you must get it from meat sources.. lots of vegans out there who are well-built athletes.

    No you don't have to get it from meat sources but I'd love to see you get as much as you do from meat sources without eating all day long. Also, yes protein does build muscles. You can't build/maintain muscle if there's nothing to build it with.
  • msdrafter84
    msdrafter84 Posts: 2
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    Oh yeah, I didn't mention that I was a runner: That could make a difference!
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
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    I find that lean protein is the most satisfying. If I am very hungry, a bowl of oatmeal will fill me up, but only for a short time. A piece of fish or chicken will hold me for hours.
  • SummerFun2011
    SummerFun2011 Posts: 105
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    You don't. Studies have shown you can do just fine on the equivalent of 2 oz of lean meat a day.

    Personally, I aim to get at least 50g a day, but don't worry about it once I hit that mark. To find your RDA (recommended daily amount) of protein in GRAMS, multiply your body weight by .36 (not .8, that would give you the RDA in MICROGRAMS)

    SOURCES! OMG!
    http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=251
    http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900

    From those calculations I am getting more than enough protein then!
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    Tuna, chicken, steak, and protein powder will get you there and more. You need it to keep your muscles from melting off in your effort to lose weight. You need to keep your mucles so that they will help burn the fat. You burn the muscle off and it's harder to lose the fat.

    From what I have read on here all you need is a calorie deficit. Mfp has me at 60g... I dont get it im sorry :(

    why does so much more protein help keep muscles?

    A calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight. The goal is to lose fat not muscle. You want definition I'd imagine. The rule many go by is 1g of protein per lean pound of your current weight. Body builders often shoot for 200-450g a day but that's probably way more than needed. Your body will only use what it requires so unless you have severe health concerns you need not worry about having too much protein on a daily basis.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    We need protein for:

    Growth (especially important for children, teens, and pregnant women)
    Tissue repair
    Immune function
    Making essential hormones and enzymes
    Energy when carbohydrate is not available
    Preserving lean muscle mass
    Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

    When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they contain into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). Some amino acids are essential which means that we need to get them from our diet, and others are nonessential which means that our body can make them. Protein that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids that we need. Plant sources of protein, on the other hand, do not contain all of the essential amino acids.

    http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/macronutrients.htm

    The great thing about us is: no two people are made the same. Some need more protein, some need less. Experiment and find out what works best for YOU not for the 200 other people who are reading this or commenting on it.
  • AshDHart
    AshDHart Posts: 818 Member
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    Get 10 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from protein. Protein has 4 calories a gram. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to about 200 to 700 calories a day, or about 50 to 175 grams a day. From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/NU00200 adjust for your own calorie needs.
  • SummerFun2011
    SummerFun2011 Posts: 105
    Options
    Tuna, chicken, steak, and protein powder will get you there and more. You need it to keep your muscles from melting off in your effort to lose weight. You need to keep your mucles so that they will help burn the fat. You burn the muscle off and it's harder to lose the fat.

    From what I have read on here all you need is a calorie deficit. Mfp has me at 60g... I dont get it im sorry :(

    why does so much more protein help keep muscles?

    A calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight. The goal is to lose fat not muscle. You want definition I'd imagine. The rule many go by is 1g of protein per lean pound of your current weight. Body builders often shoot for 200-450g a day but that's probably way more than needed. Your body will only use what it requires so unless you have severe health concerns you need not worry about having too much protein on a daily basis.

    What I don't understand is why isn't 60-70g enough? Why is body weight? Like I said I read many places (not body building sites) that you don't need that much. Will I break down muscle with only 60-70g?
  • lefleri
    lefleri Posts: 9 Member
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    SOURCES! OMG!
    http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=251

    That website says, "Studies show that the healthiest diet is one that is high in carbohydrate, low in fat, and moderate in protein" Are you kidding me? That's what the FDA food pyramid triangle suggests, and that's a big reason why American's are overweight; weight-loss programs like Body for Life, AthleanX, P90X, Jillians, etc. will all challenge this idea. As soon as we started fearing fat, we started becoming fat; this is a key idea behind South Beach Diet. Fat is the fuel needed for burning weight. As soon as we accepted eating all those carbs, obesity rates have gone up ever since. (I'd also like to mention those sources are from the 90's which hasn't seen the reality of how this diet has led to obesity rates).

    Protein is the building blocks for muscle, your greatest tool to losing weight. Cardio alone will only get you so far, and as soon as you stop cardio you will either have to tighten the calories or keep doing cardio. With building muscle, and I'm talking lean muscle, not Gold's Gym steroid-look-at-me muscle, you're body's metabolism, a never-ending source to burning calories, will require more calories, helping you lose that stubborn fat even faster. Getting 120 grams of protein may be a bit too much for some people, but it's really easier to get than you think.

    If you need sources I'll see if I can find them, but just wanted to post my opinion :)

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