FitDay's Best of Series: How much protein?

[mellinahuitema]

Originally Posted by me2forever

I read that your protein percent should be 2.5 times fat. Hope I asked that right?? My fat is too high according to that... I eat low carb about 45 a day but darn it fat seems high. Since I have to eat Gluten Free (have Celiac) don't know what to do.

Apparently according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (not sure exactly what org. that is from) you should get 10-35% of your calories from protein. Fat is always a higher percentage, the recommendation is that it be 20-35 percent of your calories, with carbs making up 45-65%. You can see there's a lot of wiggle room there, most people don't have to worry about how much they get of what, it's more about how many calories you eat in total that will really make a difference to your weight.

Most people get too much protein, not that it'll hurt you at all but just that you only need a certain amount unless you are a high-performance athlete or something. I think men need more than women, but 15-20% should still do for the average person. I am a vegetarian and I typically get 15-20%. (One day when I ate 3 one-inch cubes of beef to taste test a stew I was making for someone else, I noticed that all of a sudden my protein percentage went up from 15% to 30% of an 1800 calorie diet. This is why I don't understand people other than bodybuilders or elite level athletes drinking protein shakes, if you are a meateater you already get more protein than you use anyway.)

One tip to reduce fat if you still want to, if you eat dairy, switch to low fat or fat free dairy products. I only use cheeses with the lowest fat I can find in the grocery store. I don't notice that much of a taste difference, and they add almost no fat to my diet and yet add tons of protein.

[01gt4.6]

As far as protein, I shoot for 1g per pound of total body weight. Some will say that's excessive and it should be closer to 1g of lean body mass.

It's best to take in protein with every meal, and I use whey protein after my workout.

My suggestion, if you are wanting to "tone up" is to lift weights and eat more, you will get where you're wanting to be faster than burning off muscle then wondering why your not "toned".

[Northernpt]

I used to do a gram per pound when I was bodybuilding back in the day, but your body can only absorb 25 grams during a meal. I eat about 4-5 times a day so getting over 200 grams isn't realistic for me, but I know I get enough between whey protein and chicken, turkey or fish at dinner plus a protein shake after workouts is good.

[VitoVino]

For cardio exercise, check this out:

"That translates to about 60 percent of your calories coming from carbohydrates, 25 percent from fat, and 15 percent from protein."

Above quote from "The Runner's Diet" Cool Running | The Runner's Diet

The question is, how much protein is enough? I think that depends on how much one is breaking down their muscles during exercise, so it really depends. I think the 15% figure quoted above is a little low, but I realize that getting 30% (which I had been trying to get) is probably too high. So, 20-25% protein for me seems to be what I've settled on.

[volleyballgranny]

Atkins says to calculate protein by height, not weight. A woman 5'5" (like me) should get 73-152 grams of protein per day. I thought I was doing well at about 50, but I had stopped losing. I looked this up yesterday for a co-worker, who is also 6' tall. We were amazed to see that he needed 89-186 grams of protein a day--he, too, thought he was doing well at 50. Both of us have noticed an increase in energy with an increase in protein.

73-152 grams of protein is about 16 ounces per day.
89-186 grams of protein is about 20 ounces per day.

I changed my serving sizes just a little--4 ounces of turkey at two meals and a few eggs during the day get me to the correct range. (I had been doing 2 oz servings of meat for some strange reason.) Protein shakes and bars can help, too--without adding extra sugar (carbs).

[VitoVino]

From FitDay Articles: Protein: How Much Is Too Much? / Nutrition / Proteins

Protein: How Much Is Too Much?

Our body can’t do without its daily dose of proteins. Proteins are one of the three macronutrients that the human body needs to create the hormones and enzymes. Muscle, hair, skin and connective tissue are all made up of proteins.

How Much Protein Do We Need?

Going to the gym to build up the muscles seems to have caught on with everyone. And, proteins help in building muscles. True, but how safe is it to follow a protein rich diet? The protein requirement of the body depends on many factors like age, gender and activity level. About 30% of our diet should include proteins. Ideally, as per RDA recommendations, for every pound of body weight, you should consume about 0.36 grams of proteins. Also, 15% of your total daily caloric intake should be proteins, or in 1800 calories diet you should have 270 calories from proteins.

For a person involved in endurance workouts and rigorous resistance training, the protein needs may increase since the workouts break down the muscle proteins, and have to be replaced rapidly. You could use Fitday's free online diet journal to track your food, weight loss, exercises and goals. It will help you big time!

Should Protein-Rich Diets Be Encouraged?

Even though the daily consumption on average of most Americans is more than the dietary requirements, some of the very popular high protein diets followed include Atkins and Zone. While some encourage consumption of eggs, meat and cheese, which are rich in both proteins and saturated fats, others restrict the consumption of carbohydrates, making them very unbalanced.

A high protein diet essentially cuts down on the intake of carbohydrates, with the assumption that extra calories means extra fat; it rather burn up the stored reserves of glycogens. It however does not provide the body with all the essential nutrients it needs. The high protein diets could be followed for a short duration of time, but prolonged usage is not advisable. They could lead to potential health problems.

Problems with Too Much Protein

A well planned diet, with attention to proteins, can provide the body with stamina, energy and overall well being. It would also help in building muscles and burning fat. But, medical research is yet to confirm the advantages of consuming excess proteins. On the contrary, excess proteins in the body have been cited as the main reason for ketosis. During ketosis the body uses the fat present in the body for energy. This causes mild dehydration, glucose intolerance, sleep problems, fatigue and kidney problems.

Consumption of low carbohydrates means reduced intake of fiber, causing constipation, colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and hemorrhoids. High protein diets also increase the risks of osteoporosis because of the loss of calcium. It also increases the requirement of vitamin B6 in the body to metabolize the excess protein present.

For a healthy body, it is very important to have everything - proteins, carbohydrates and fats - in the correct proportions.

[VitoVino]