help! how much protein do i need for weight loss?

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kaigausista
kaigausista Posts: 62 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm new to MFP and everything else that has to do with calorie counting etc. I just want to know how much protein I'm suppose to be taking daily for weight loss. Was hoping if someone could calculate it for me as I have no idea how to do this. I don't know if age matters but I'm 30yrs old, I currently weigh 197lbs and I'm doing Insanity for workout. oh and yes... height: 5'3 and I take between 1400-1500 cal a day.

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  • indescribablesin
    indescribablesin Posts: 57
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    A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Eat under your caloric limit and you will lose weight, whether those calories are mostly carbs or fats or proteins. However the ratio of FAT to MUSCLE loss will lean much more heavily on the fat if you eat more protein, and muscle gain will be much easier. I try to eat above 30% of my calories in protein. Each gram of protein has 4 calories, so to get how many grams of protein you should eat, take your caloric intake, divide by 10, times by 3, and divide by 4.

    e.g. If you wanted to eat 1700 cals a day, you should go for 127.5g
  • tracym22
    tracym22 Posts: 107 Member
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    Thanks for this, i've been wondering about the protein as i don't think 48g day is right
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    MFP sets your daily limit, so just go by that.
    Some of us who are at this a while - especially guys, up protein to account for muscle growth.
    You're new, so forget all that and 99.9% of what you hear some "experts" blabbing on and on about.
    Follow MFP macro recommendations.
    It's simple.
    Good luck to you:flowerforyou:
  • s_bell2012
    s_bell2012 Posts: 27
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    I've been thinking the same about the protein ratios. I am struggling to keep to ratios that MFP suggests and I am always over on the protein and under on the fat. carbs are around what MFP suggests. I seem to be losing weight and gaining more muscle definition so what i am doing is working but just wondered if MFP is wrong?
  • AllyBooMommyof2
    AllyBooMommyof2 Posts: 171
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    Here's the equation for finding how much protein you need. http://www.livestrong.com/article/343966-how-to-calculate-protein-rda/
  • kaigausista
    kaigausista Posts: 62 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your help!
  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
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    As a bare minimum I'd say MFP is fine, I enjoy around 30% of my calories from protein.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Eat under your caloric limit and you will lose weight, whether those calories are mostly carbs or fats or proteins. However the ratio of FAT to MUSCLE loss will lean much more heavily on the fat if you eat more protein, and muscle gain will be much easier. I try to eat above 30% of my calories in protein. Each gram of protein has 4 calories, so to get how many grams of protein you should eat, take your caloric intake, divide by 10, times by 3, and divide by 4.

    e.g. If you wanted to eat 1700 cals a day, you should go for 127.5g

    You really think that eating 1200 calories of carbs will have the same effect, in the long term, as 1200 calories of protein, or fat, or a mixture of the two don't you?

    Forget the number of grams/calories and start looking at the human metabolism. Yes, the first law of thermodynamics applies (energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed) but the macronutrient content has a huge effect on how those calories are used and what effects they have on the body, especially for the long haul.

    The sooner we all move past the simplistic view that 'a calorie is a calorie is a calorie' and treating all this like a simple maths problem the sooner we can progress.

    So, protein ...

    Regarding protein, the body can only process so much but the limit is higher than most of us will eat. Also, the body can only effectively process so much protein in one meal. Your limits will vary, we are all individuals and do not respond equally well to a 'one size fits all, you will lose xxxx lbs by creating a deficit of blah calories' diet.

    If we did then most of us could make it happen because most of us do really want to lose weight and we stick to the limit and exercise regularly. We can do maths, we have handy calculators, it should be a cakewalk (without the cake).

    And hey, guess what, it doesn't work.

    For the record I also agree with at least 30% protein of my intake but I believe the fat/carb composition of the rest of my diet is critical and it certainly matters for me.

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/protein_2.htm

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