How much protein - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 05:10 PM

First of all I love this forum. It has helped me a lot and I continue to read it about 1 hour daily.

I was wondering how much protein I should be eating. I think right now maybe 40grams daily. I read somewhere I should eat like over 100 grams. I weight 346 pounds and if I need to eat that much protein how do I get it all.

And does protein help you loosing weight or it that more for muscle building.

Thanks

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 05:21 PM

Its usually broken down by this..

Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

For you it would be..
346lb divided by 2.2= 157.27kg
157.27kg x (I dont know what you are, so I'm going to go with a higher number... 1.4)= 220g of protein a day.

You can get protein from a lot of different things. I'm vegetarian and it is harder for me to get all my protein in.. I drink protein shakes. Supplement with soy protein. Also all nuts are high in protein. But you want to make sure that you are getting complete proteins. Like, Peanut butter and whole wheat bread would be a complete protein. If you google compete proteins you will get a lot of ideas!
Good Luck!

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 05:27 PM

I am a male. And 220grams really. I think I would need to eat like 10 meals daily would I not. How would I get 220grams with out getting my calories up too hih.

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 05:39 PM

Well first you need to know how many calories your body needs to function. If you don't mind me asking, How tall are you, and how much do you want to weigh?
From that information, I can look up how many calories you need daily just for the function of your body. And then we can go from there.

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 05:43 PM

Actually, if you want.. Go here.

http://nutrition.about.com/library/b...e_men_temp.htm

That will tell you what you need. Its very helpful! It will tell you how many calories you need daily to maintain, lose, if you exercise how much intake you need. It's a great reference!

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 05:46 PM

I am 5 foot7 and I weight 346 down from 371.2.
I want to weight 200 in maybe 1.5 years. Do not want to loose fast but would like to loose steady. Right now I average around maybe 2-6 pounds loss a week depending on how much snacking I do.
I do not really count calories but I think I maybe at 1500-1700 and i do 20 minutes of cardio 2 times a week and now do weights 3 times a week.

I really appreciate this.

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 05:50 PM

http://nutrition.about.com/library/b...ears=21&page=4

There you go! Click that link, and it will take you to where it breaks down everything. How many Calories you need to loose 1 lb a week. How many carbs/fats/proteins you need a day.
And congratulations on your loss!

If the link doesnt work (Which it should) Ill just copy and paste it in here for you.

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 05:51 PM

That was great thanks. But some days I only eat 1500 calories well most and i loose from 2-6 pounds weekly. Last week I lost 4.6 pounds. I only eat 3 times a day and I think I need to eat more. I did at first but felt too full during the day. But if I need that much protein I think I need to eat more meals. What do you think and again GREATLY APPRECIATED.

I would rather do it right. Maybe I am loosing too fast I do not know. 26 pounds lost in 48 days.

Thanks

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 06:00 PM

When you don't consume enough your body will freak out, ( well mine does at least) You just have to make sure that you have enough calories daily to stay healthy, or else your organs will take a hit from the lack of calories. We don't want that!

I think that everyone is different. If the way you are going right now is working then keep it up. But if you plateau. Its time to change it up. Or if you can tell there is negative effects happening you need to take in more calories. Just listen to your body.

I'm thinking that a lot of the beginning weight you lost might be water weight. So loosing that much that fast isn't bad!
Keep up the good work!

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 06:01 PM

A few more questions if you do not mind.

Have you ever seen this site
fitday.com/webfit/exerciseinfopage.html
It tells you how many calories you burn lifting weights for one hour. It said I would burn 592. Think this is true.

Also I just bought an exercise bike and it shows the calories you burn as you peddle. Are these accurate.

And is it 3200 calories less a week to loose one pound.

Again greatly appreciated.

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 06:08 PM

Sure, I like questions! Puts my Nutrition classes that I took to the test!

Hmm, I think that it might be lower than that.. But that also depends on how much you are lifting, the speed, and the reps. So it is possible it could be more or less.

They are fairly accurate. They go off your age, weight and sometimes your heart rate. I wouldn't count on that 100% to be spot on.
I bought a bodybugg a year ago. They are pricey but they work! You can wear it all day and it will tell you how much you loose. I LOVE mine. But like I said, it is pricey. Something to save up money for.

Its 3500 a week to loose 1 lb. So that is 500 calories a day to loose 1lb a week.

No problem

That's why we are here!

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 06:14 PM

Would you say that weight lifting will help me loose more weight then cardio alone. As I read you will loose calories as your muscles repair. Do they have watch types that do that too. Are they accurate.

May I ask you if you eat the 5-6 meals daily or just 3.

Thanks

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 06:19 PM

I think that lifting will help! Muscle burns fat. But you do need to do cardio too! For me personally I do cardio more than I lift. But that's just me

They have some that measure your Heart rate. But I'm not sure of many that calculate your calories lost too. If they do it will be pricey as well

I eat whenever I'm hungry.

I work retail so it's usually Breakfast, work all day eat lunch. Work.. get home around 9:30pm eat dinner. But on my days off I snack all day. No big meals usually. lol I should probably change that though.

canadacatman · 08-28-2011, 06:23 PM

Do you get all your protein and fiber and stuff you need daily. I try to but protein I have no clue how to unless I take in more calories. I am going to look for fiber cookies I think Walmart have them.

How do you get all your protein but not making your calories go up.

Thanks

TheLindsy · 08-28-2011, 06:26 PM

I don't get all of the protein I need because I am vegetarian. It's super hard for me to get all of it! You have the option to eat meat and stuff like that. Just watch the portion size. I do protein shakes, and use soy protein as well as snack on some almonds. There is protein in milk, cheese nearly everything has some protein in it.