Protein

[Stefanie]

I know that we should be aiming for 30% protein, but how many grams of protein should we be getting. I researched it online a little bit and one site said that you should divide the weight you want to be by 2.2 and then multiply that number by .8. That would give me a goal of about 49 grams of protein to eat per day. Another site said that you should multiply your body weight (in pounds) by .37 and that will tell you how much protein you need, which would mean I should get about 83 grams a day. Which is right? Should I even be worried about this? I don't eat massive amounts of meat. I normally eat my veggies first and then eat my meat until I get full. Or I mix everything together, but it's not normally a large portion of meat. According to my fitday, I have been averaging 50-60 grams a day. Is this enough?

[SunnySmile501]

It depends a lot on how active you are, weight and your age, but 49 grams is not near enough. The 83 grams MIGHT be enough, but that is only a guesstimate. If you do heavy exercise, then your protein needs go up.

You get protein from other sources, such as cheese and dairy, but your best sources are still meat and whole eggs. Eggs are near perfect in their balance of fat and protein. Veggies have some protein, but it is incomplete protein.

Dr. Atkins said that you should eat 6 ounces of meat at a meal, or a similar amount of eggs and meat combination. This, of course, is a one-size-fits-all recommendation, and does not take into account of whether you are a five foot, small frame woman or a six foot, large frame man.

[kibskix]

i've never really worried about it as long as i eat a little protein with at least 2 meals a day. but i've started working out a lot more, and i'm wondering if i need to up my protein. what happens if you dont up your protein when you start working out more? i'm finding the more i work out the more hungry i am, -but- the less i want meat. or if i want meat, i just want chicken. its weird!

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by kibskix

i've never really worried about it as long as i eat a little protein with at least 2 meals a day. but i've started working out a lot more, and i'm wondering if i need to up my protein. what happens if you dont up your protein when you start working out more? i'm finding the more i work out the more hungry i am, -but- the less i want meat. or if i want meat, i just want chicken. its weird!

I you are working out strenuously, as I know you are, if you are not eating enough protein, your body will start breaking down muscle tissue for energy. This is very counter-productive.

This is one of the reasons that people that are gym rats on low calorie diets bulk up with fat if they stop dieting and exercising. They have actually lost muscle (which burns way more calories than fat) along with fat, and when they stop exercising, the fat comes rushing back, but not lean body mass.

You need quality protein at every meal, along with quality fat.

[kibskix]

thanks sunny! i just got done with my first workout today actually. i plan on grilling chicken wings for lunch, and i'll get in some beef for dinner. i'll have to go look up some recipes for it, lately i just dont want cow for some reason. maybe steak instead of ground beef...

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by kibskix

thanks sunny! i just got done with my first workout today actually. i plan on grilling chicken wings for lunch, and i'll get in some beef for dinner. i'll have to go look up some recipes for it, lately i just dont want cow for some reason. maybe steak instead of ground beef...

I have never been a big beef eater, but I am now trying to have it at least five days a week. I am having to get creative with my burgers and roasts. I marinate and grill London broil a couple of times a month. I am making ground beef into taco meat and making taco salads and yesterday I made up a big batch of homemade sloppy joes--I am freezing it in single servings. I make up all my spice mixes, so I know that tdon't have sugar or corn syrup. Then there is chili without beans. It's cold and rainy here for the next few days.

Do you eat eggs? They have a great protein-fat balance and have nutrients not found in other meat sources. I used to maybe eat a dozen eggs a month, mostly in recipes, but now I eat about 3 dozen a week. My cholesterol has never been better.

[kibskix]

ive been eatin 3 eggs in the mornings but thats about it.i tend to get really sick of eggs if i eat too many so ive been trying not to over do it

[Stefanie]

Ugh. I went back to my fitday and am getting nowhere near the 30% of protein on average, either. It's more like 15-20%. I do eat eggs pretty much everyday, but I think my problem is I don't like cooking meat. It grosses me out and normally if I cook it, I don't want to eat it. I guess I better change that mindset or I'm going to be in trouble.

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by Stefanie

Ugh. I went back to my fitday and am getting nowhere near the 30% of protein on average, either. It's more like 15-20%. I do eat eggs pretty much everyday, but I think my problem is I don't like cooking meat. It grosses me out and normally if I cook it, I don't want to eat it. I guess I better change that mindset or I'm going to be in trouble.

I don't mind cooking meat (I love to cook and am in the middle of writing a cookbook), but I can't touch it. My brother keeps me in boxes of food handling vinyl gloves and I have very good spatulas and tongs. Truth is, I can't stand to touch any food with my fingers. I can't touch a raw steak while I am preparing it to grill, but can eat it medium rare. That makes no sense to even me.

Poultry is even worse for me. I use up a bunch of the gloves while preparing a chicken or turkey for baking. No way I am touching raw poultry. I don't eat it rare, though.

Things that make me a little sick to cook and eat right away, I make and put up for the next day or freeze for later.

I had to change my mind-set about a lot of things, but if I want to be a success at Atkins, then I had to bite the bullet and just do it. I didn't eat butter, mayo, sour cream or cream cheese before Atkins--now I love them all. If you had told me five years ago that I would lick butter or mayo off a knife, I would have told you that you were crazy--right after I threw up my guts!

[kibskix]

Its not so weird sunny, I hate having food touch my face. back in the days when i actually ate pizza, i'd either tear it into pieces or eat it with a knife and fork. same with hamburgers and you'd be hard pressed to get me to eat chicken wings or ribs that i couldnt tear apart first. i just remember my dad eating ribs and having grease all over his face and not knowing it. yuck!