Going over your protein goal

mrobinson0805
mrobinson0805 Posts: 28
in Food and Nutrition
I was wondering if anybody knew if it's bad to go over your protein goal for the day. I generally go over in that area each day. I'm under all the others, just protein. I do eat chicken, greek yogurt, egg, and sprouted grain each day and they are all loaded with protein. I just didn't know if it's bad for me to be doing this.

Replies

  • jnav813
    jnav813 Posts: 6
    I've always had this problem. It's a bit weird that MFP gives such low targets for protein and such high ones for fat/carbs. For example, my protein goal is only 63g at 180 lbs. I've always seen that 1g per 1 lb of weight was ideal for building muscle and half that for general health. Overall calorie ratios should be no higher than 50% carbs, 40% protein, 10% (healthy) fats for building lean muscle.

    So basically, MFP cuts my allowance of protein into a third of what I should expect. Even if I don't want to bulk up on muscle, I would expect an allowance of at least 90g protein per day.

    I would say that so long as you keep a good ratio of carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats somewhere in the area of what was mentioned above, you should be just fine on going over. Your diet seems healthy enough, anyway. Good luck!
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Unless you have a physical condition that contraindicates it (kidney disease for example) going over on protein is fine... recommended even.
  • seebeachrun
    seebeachrun Posts: 221 Member
    Nothing wrong with going over your protein, especially if you are balancing the rest and exercising. When I had a trainer he told me to eat half a protein bar about an hour before my training sessions to get the most out of the weightlifting I was doing.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    It depends on what you consider "going over", what your workouts consist of, and what MyFitnessPal has set for your protein intake each day.
    For me personally, I do weight training 4 days a week and cardio 3 days. Using my weight, height, and activity type/level to calculate my protein needs, I should be getting about 140 g per day, and originally MFP had me set at only 60. So I wasn't even getting half of what my body needed to regenerate muscle tissue as well as perform other bodily functions.

    I strongly suggest that you calculate your personal needs rather than just go off of what MFP has set for you by default. I've found after calculating my own needs that many of the defaults MFP had set were incorrect for me based on my type/frequency of workouts. After going in and setting my own goals for each day, my weight loss and muscle tone greatly improved within a month.

    If you have some time to sit down and calculate some real numbers for yourself, I HIGHLY recommend that you read this article- http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/
    It not only gives you formulas to figure out your own personal numbers for fats, carbs, proteins, sugars, etc., but it also gives detailed descriptions about what each of these nutrients do for your body, and what not getting enough/too much does to your body.

    It also suggests supplements/vitamins that are great for your body (I personally started taking the fish oil supplement that he suggests to help get more Omega-3's.)

    Hope I could help! =)
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    The article I suggested above is a bit lengthy- but if you can find the time to sit and read through it and figure out your numbers you'll be set. Worked awesome for me. You'll also understand a lot better how everything works with your body.
  • dansls1
    dansls1 Posts: 309 Member
    I want to know what you guys are eating to go above protein without going over on carbs or fat. I'm still struggling to get my protein percentage up where I want (without breaking down and buying protein powder to put into yogurt or something like that).
  • jesss5885
    jesss5885 Posts: 187 Member
    I'm having the same "problems"

    my calories/carbs/fats are in line, but protein is consistently over what MFP has suggested.
    the general consensus is that you should be eating 1 gram of protein for each lb you weigh
  • TheReese1206
    TheReese1206 Posts: 238
    I ALWAYS surpass what MFP suggests. MY goal is to have between 150-170 in protein daily!!!!
  • Ritzbrit
    Ritzbrit Posts: 211 Member
    I started boot camp a few weeks ago with a group of ladies and our personal trainer talked about protein. Protein repairs the body. Eat it especially after working out. She also said that MFP tends to set the protein goals too low. You can never have enough protein!
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I do protein shakes after my workouts (within a half hour) every morning, and I mix it with light soy milk instead of water to get a little more along with some calcium and soy.

    The key is to get a protein powder with low fat, sodium, and sugar. I always tell people to stay away from the fancy proteins that are advertised towards women (muscle milk and muscle milk light, for example). These types of powders are not only expensive, but they include a lot of sugar and sodium. This is in part due to the fact that they focus on making it taste good, in turn adding more ingredients that you don't need in a protein powder. They also direct you to use two scoops to get the same protein in one scoop of some other brands- leading you to consume double the calories and buy it more frequently.

    Optimum Nutrition makes good powders, I use their double rich chocolate gold standard whey protein. Tastes like chocolate milk when mixed with vanilla light soy milk (or almond milk). They have tons of flavors to choose from. You can also get unflavored proteins that you can mix into smoothies if you find the flavors of protein powders unappealing.

    Before I started using protein powder I always thought that it was for those huge guys at the gym trying to bulk up, but after doing my homework I realized that it helps enormously with muscle repair after working out. I've been doing a shake after each workout for the last two months and (not to sound like it miraculously changed my life) I can see more definition than when I was weight training without it, especially in my arms.

    Protein powders aren't the only option, you can always go with a meal of chicken breast with some brown rice (or some other combination meal of carbs & protein) after a workout, I just find that the protein is more convenient, especially since I work out at 5:30 am everyday, I don't really feel like coming home and cooking before work, let alone chowing down on chicken and rice for breakfast. I'd rather save that for dinner.

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