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My goal in to lose weight. Do I figure protein consumption on my current weight or the weight I’d like to be?
I’m 290lbs and actually in decent shape…..not saying I don’t have fat, I do. I’ve been posting in the journals forum if you want to see my activity. I’d like to see 240lbs. Should I eat protein based on 290lbs or 240lbs? I would think 240lbs.
If you have a lot of fat, then basing protein needs on your weight might not be needed, you could base on fat free weight. I wouldn't base it on your goal weight.. but when it comes to protein intake, it's better with more than enough than less than enough, this specially holds true for cutting, since energy balance has an effect on protein (nitrogen) balance. People who lose weight with high protein intakes lose less muscle mass.
US RDA for persons doing light activity at most is 0.36g per pound of body weight per day, which would correspond to 86g per day at 240 pounds, or 104 g per day at 290 pounds.
It is known that those doing moderate to intense exercise benefit from more protein than that (often much more in the case of heavy weight training, particularly under calorie deficit conditions). The numbers you list seem to correspond to the about 0.64g per pound of body weight for endurance training, 0.82g per pound of body weight for strength and power training, and 0.91g per pound of body weight for weight loss or gain training (presumably with heavy weight training). These are not too different from what various web sites list, though there are some differences (some web sites suggest using lean body weight, rather than total body weight, since body fat has little protein requirement -- it is possible that the site in question uses 0.7, 0.9, and 1.0 g per pound of lean body weight, making the assumption of about 9% body fat).
Getting the specified amount of protein may be most difficult for those restricting calories while doing heavy weight training, since that requires a meal plan with high protein density (in contrast, endurance athletes often automatically get enough protein because they consume so much extra food that the protein adds up even with foods of average protein density). Lean meat, egg whites, and protein powder supplements may be commonly eaten by such people to increase the protein density of their food. Surprisingly, green vegetables often have a very high percentage of calories from protein -- but they have so few calories that they won't give that much protein unless you eat huge amounts of them.
I do not know how much you are overweight by. But my GENERAL rule of thumb have been 1g of protien per LBM (lean body mass). LBM is just you body weight minuse the bodyfat. You are 290 lbs and lets say you have 30% bodyfat; lbm = 290x0.7 = 203g. 203g of protien is not that much considering that even on a 2,000 calorie diet; you are still losing weight at 290 lbs.
Try keeping a food log for the next 3 days over everything you eat and serving size. You will be surprise by how much you intake and how much protein you are eating. Initially, I thought 170g of protien was hard to eat but once I kept a detailed log; 170g is easy to intake.
Wow, some conflicting points of view here. Matt says 170gs is too much and Tic says he consumes 170gs and is much lighter than me. Tic’s about 171.1 to 175.6.
Tic, I’ve been keeping a log in the journal forum, of my gym work and food intake (I’m getting better detail of the food part of things now). I’m finding the only way I can keep my protein intake up is to take a whey supplement. Please offer any advice you have there, diet or otherwise.
From what I understand the protein will turn to fat if you are not exercising and have no need for it to replenish you muscles.
I’m down to 282lbs from 290. I posted a pic in the journals forum. While most people think of my weight as obese I certainly don't think I’m. (could be denial) Anyway I need to get a handle on food intake.
Last edited by JohnnySolo; Jul. 08/09 at 11:50 AM.
the "protein turns to fat" argument is bull****. Everything turns to fat. More protein than your body can use for anabolism will be oxidised or stored as fat. Same as every other nutrient. The thing is, though, that it doesn't really come down to nutrients, it comes down to calorie balance. If you're in a deficit, eating 400g protein a day, do you think a lot of that will be turned to fat? no, you'll use it as energy because you're in a deficit! If you were in a surplus, some of it would get turned to fat, but some of your dietary fat would also get stored as fat, some (but not much, because de novo lipogenesis isn't that effective, but that's another thread) of your carbs aswell.
It's just a matter of where you get your energy. After you've got enough for substrates to protein synthesis and enough for signalling protein synthesis then you don't really need more. But no one can know exactly where that level is. So, since high protein diets don't harm you (if you're healthy) then it's better to be on the safe side. The ONLY downside is that protein is usually more expensive than carbs and fat, so eating a lot of protein over what's needed for signaling and substrates for PS might be bad for your economy.
Also, a protein intake of like 1.4-2.0 g/kgbw isn't even pushing it. A lot of studies and reviews say that's where you need to be to not be in a negative nitrogen balance if you're training hard.(of course, nitrogen balance isn't the perfect method, but it's what we've got)
So, economy being the negative thing with a higher than needed protein intake, let's look at the positive. If you're trying to lose weight: protein is the major saturing nutrient in your diet. So it will be easer to not overeat. Also, protein has a higher thermic effect than any other nutrient, so a lot of energy goes into digesting it, making it easier to lose weight, if that's your goal.
I respect Matt182 a lot from his responses to other people's question. You are very knowledge fello and am interested why you'd suggest that 170g of protein is too much for someone who is 290 lbs? I am not flaming, just curious about your insight bud.
To the OP, I'd LOVE eating roasted chicken. I buy a whole roasted chicken from Sam's Club (or Costco) for like $5 and eat half a day without the skin or as little skin as possible. I think a whole chicken have roughly 350g of protein but I might be off. If I am alone, I might even use a napkin to dab away the fat like I would on a slice of pizza.
Another great source for me is cottage cheese (about 33% more protein for same amount of calorie but 3x the sodium) or milk (milk has more calories but easier to consume). Pick your poison. I know a few guys that cannot stand the taste of cottage cheese. When I first started out 2 years ago, I'd had to drink whey and casein supplement to add more protein but over period of like 6 months, I learn to adapt and adjust my taste buds and diet to more lean protein. As you can tell, I am a single guy who like to eat heathly on the fly for cheap so my taste bud sacrificed a tad.
As for you taking whey, I'd suggest that you might only want to take that postworkout and rather eat cottage cheese or take Casein. They are both slower digesting protein. Even more advisable is to eat more fiber and slow digesting carbs.
Once you can control the MACRO calorie issue and have an overall calorie defeciet management, then start keeping track of grams of protein/carbs/fat that you intake to help you adjust which diet is best for YOUR lifestyle. Myself personally, I cannot deal without carbs and even on a low carb diet, I struggle to do daily function. Other folks who adhere to atkins diet (which I do not like or suggests) extremely well. Figure out what works for you bud.
As for the grams of protein intake, I am just suggesting 170g on rough calculating on what I generally know. I might be completely wrong for you but that is what worked for me. You will probably lose weight even eatin 100g of protein but might be losing a lot of muscle mass as well though.
Good luck bud and I am sure you already read the stickies. If you have not, they are extremely helpful and useful.
1) make sure that your overall macro calories is in defeciet of 3,500 per week to lose 1 lbs and 7,000 for 2lbs.
2) If I recall right, it's 4 calories per gram of protein so eating 170g of protien would only constitute 680 calories from diet.
3) A diet should not be viewed as a sprint but rather a lifestyle change. If you eat like someone who is 200 lbs, eventually you will be 200 lbs!!! Time is on YOUR side.
4) Remember to take a diet "break" every 21-25 days at your level, I think.
I respect Matt182 a lot from his responses to other people's question. You are very knowledge fello and am interested why you'd suggest that 170g of protein is too much for someone who is 290 lbs? I am not flaming, just curious about your insight bud.
I cannot speak for Matt182 but he might hold the old school view presented in the food pyramid - eating a tonne of carbs and low fat.
My goal in to lose weight. Do I figure protein consumption on my current weight or the weight I’d like to be?
I’m 290lbs and actually in decent shape…..not saying I don’t have fat, I do. I’ve been posting in the journals forum if you want to see my activity. I’d like to see 240lbs. Should I eat protein based on 290lbs or 240lbs? I would think 240lbs.
As much as I love and respect, Matt182, ignore his comment on protein. A friendly disagreement.
Matt182, this is absolutely no disrespect to you. I mean well, just disagree in "terms of" basic principles of weight gain/weight loss.
In contrast, pay attention to the amount of calories you are consuming, and the amount of grams of macros (Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats) within the calories you are allowing. Keep it simple; however, keep educating yourself, and when the time comes the four items I mentioned (Calories, Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats) "are the one's to manipulate" dependent on your feedback, and goal position.
Trust me, when I tell you these four items are in deed the cornerstone of your personal fitness success.
You have free time? Uh.....I thought I heard a yes.
If not, make it.
Below are some quality articles written by Lyle McDonald, on Protein requirements, Nutrition variables, and other information reference Protein.
I respect this persons opinion, and its a time well spent reading his articles:
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