[kookiemonster]

Ever since I became a vegetarian (still eat dairy), weight loss has slowed to a crawl. My excersising has increased quite a bit and I am eating enough calories to compensate but I read somewhere that lack of protein will slow weight loss anyway. How many grams a day do I need? And can you get it without meat?
help!

[LLV]

If you're still eating dairy, that's a good thing, because dairy has protein. Milk, cheese, eggs, etc. Eggs are an excellent source. There's also cottage cheese, that's got a good amount of protein as well.

Other sources are nuts and beans. Peanut butter and also some types of vegetables.

You might also want to try soy products. I eat "meatless" chicken nuggets and burgers all the time, that are made from soy and vegetable protein. Some of the brands out there are pretty yummy, you just have to experiment to find the ones you like.

I'm personally not vegetarian, but I don't eat much red meat. I eat mostly chicken and fish. I pick the soy products because they're lower in fat and better for you than red meat.

[jrnyc]

Unless you are eating only vegetables, it's doubtful that you are not getting enough protein. I did a very quick research and you need around 70 grams a day.

What you must do as a vegetarian is make sure you eat a varied array of foods: seeds, nuts, whole grains, etc.

You also need to make sure you are getting all your vitamins and an adequate number of calories.

Another reason the weight loss is slower is that you are getting closer to your goal weight.

Good luck.

[Kelly_S]

This may help you

Protein does not build muscle! Excess protein is converted to fat, not muscle, and the by-product of broken-down protein -- urea --
must be excreted in the urine. hence too much protein can lead to increased urination and dehydration. Most proteins -- hamburger,
cheese, and eggs -- also tend to be high in fat and can (not always but can) increase the chance of long-term healthy problems like
heart disease and cancer.

Athletes require more protein than their sedentary counterparts because it is needed to repair war and tear the well-trained muscles
undergo during a workout.

The average person needs about .8 grams of protein per kilogram or .4 grams of protein per pound.

Protein powders do not give an extra edge in building muscles -- muscles grow by being used or trained with resistance exercises like
weight training.

Filling up to too much protein is easy to do when taking or using protein supplements and the excess will be converted to fat. Amino
acid supplements or enzyme pills are no better. The are broken down in the digestive tract and absorbed similarly to protein. Since
amino acids compete for carriers to be absorbed into the blood, overdoing one type of amino acids can lead to problems longer term by
causing a deficiency in absorption of other amino acids.

[LLV]

I think she was just concerned that her weight loss may be slowing down due to a reduced intake of protein. That I don't know. I don't think that would have anything to do with it, although eating enough protein DOES help in preventing muscle loss along with fat. If you don't eat enough protein, you could lose muscle as well. But then I'm no expert. I just know the best thing to do is balance your foods, making sure you get enough of particular nutrients but not overdoing it. Your body needs protein, yes. But overloading yourself with it isn't necessary.

Also, protein shakes would be a good idea for those who don't get enough protein from their diet alone.

[shananigans]

Are you overdoing the cheese? Low-fat cottage cheese and skim mozzarella are fine in moderation, but I'm pretty sure cutting dramatically back on my cheese and egg consumption has helped immensely in weight loss and just overall feeling better. As a vegetarian from an omnivorous family I was mostly replacing meat with cheese and eggs, and that’s not healthy. Now that I’m heading towards a more vegan diet I’m getting a lot of my proteins from leaner vegetable sources, like beans and legumes and soy products, both imitation meat and diary. Hope that helps.

[srmb60]

I'm a firm believer in eating more protein than is conventionally recommended. Protein has satiety value. That means it leaves you filling full. I'm also a firm believer in protein powder as a low calorie, low fat source. I use whey and soy.

[LLV]

Originally Posted by SusanB

I'm a firm believer in eating more protein than is conventionally recommended. Protein has satiety value. That means it leaves you filling full. I'm also a firm believer in protein powder as a low calorie, low fat source. I use whey and soy.

Yes, but be careful with TOO much. Too much protein overworks the kidneys.

There's really no value in adding even more protein to the RDA, since protein cannot be stored in the body and the excess is eliminated in urine and feces.

Even with something 'good', there is a such thing as too much.

[srmb60]

The trick is ... I can't find anyone who will tell me how much is too much. Has anyone ever found that written down somewhere by a reputable source?

[LLV]

Originally Posted by SusanB

The trick is ... I can't find anyone who will tell me how much is too much. Has anyone ever found that written down somewhere by a reputable source?

I've looked and the only thing I've found, so far, is this...

How much protein do we need? Most Americans get more than enough protein in their daily diets. The average adult needs 8 grams of protein per 20 pounds of body weight. This equates to 45 to 70 grams of protein daily for most adult females and males, respectively. Yet, we generally consume twice that much.

Digesting lots of protein takes calcium. Eating a high protein diet for a few weeks will not affect your bone strength. However, eating a high protein diet for a long time may increase the risk of weakening bone. High protein diets should be used with caution, if at all. If you are overweight you do not necessarily need more protein. Some athletes feel they will perform better and increase their muscle mass if they follow a high protein diet. However, this has not been proven in scientific studies.

When people start consuming too much protein (over 2.0 g/kg/d), the extra protein can become a stressful stimulus for the kidney. This is even more of a concern as we get older and our organs are less efficient and effective.

Very high levels of dietary protein have also been correlated with increased urinary calcium excretion. The loss of calcium through urine could potentially be harmful for bone turnover, with the added risk of osteoporosis. Finally, protein requires vitamin B6 in order to be metabolized and ultimately utilized in the body. Very high levels of dietary protein increase the requirement for this B vitamin.

Actually, protein intakes above 20% are not recommended based on current research, even for weight lifters. High protein intakes stress your kidneys and do not result in greater muscle gain.

I haven't found anything yet that tells you how much is too much.

[LLV]

Also, here's a link that may help a little. Hope the link is okay to post.

http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/ar...ch-protein.htm

[Meg]

There have been some recent studies in the news that suggest that a higher protein diet is better for fat loss. For example:

... several new studies have shown that diets that have moderately high levels of protein can lead to weight loss that targets fat and spares muscle, said Donald Layman, a professor in the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

While all low-calorie diets lead to weight loss, recent research has shown that not all calories are created equal, Layman said at the meeting. For example, one new study looked at two groups of dieters: one with a high-protein regimen — 125 grams of protein and 171 grams of carbs — and one with a high-carbohydrate regimen — 68 grams of protein and 246 grams of carbs. Both groups were also required to exercise.

At the end of four months, people who ate more protein lost more weight — 22 pounds versus 15 pounds. Further, people on the high-protein diet had lost more fat and less muscle than the group on the high-carb diet.

Another important finding: higher levels of protein may also help dieters stick with their plans.

You can read the complete article here. Somewhere in my messy file cabinet I've got some other articles.

That study focused on 125 grams of protein per day for its higher protein level. Interestingly, for the past five years I've regularly eaten between 120 and 150 grams of protein/day -- works for me!! (keep in mind that I lift weights and do a lot of exercise)

[LLV]

I average between 50-65 grams of protein per day. Not because I'm trying to eat that exact amount, that's just the way it ends up. Sometimes it's a little more than that, maybe up to 70-75 grams. So according to the RDA, I'm getting what my body needs. I honestly think anymore than that would be overkill.

I'm not disputing the fact that excess protein doesn't help with weight loss. It's very possible that it does. And someone with normal functioning kidneys shouldn't have to worry about the excess because what isn't used is expelled through normal bodily functions. But as we age we're not able to handle an over-abundance of proteins like we could when we were younger.

[srmb60]

I did find somewhere that 2.5% of the general population cannot tolerate more than 70 gms per day. I assumed that was folks with impaired kidney function already.

[Kelly_S]

"The average person needs about .8 grams of protein per kilogram or .4 grams of protein per pound."

is what the average person needs. It does come from a reputable source. I got it from a textbook from my studies for Reg.Dietcian/Cert.Nutritionist.