How much protein should I eat?

[allentx]

Hi am allen,

Help me for my weight loss here some body tell me,
How much protein should I eat?

[CuJo1992]

talk to your doctor. It is based on your weight, height, health, and other factors.

[kellykatt]

I think that a good rule of thumb for a healthy diet is to try to aim for 30 percent of your total daily calories. So your ratio for fats, carbs, and proteins should be 40:30:30 respectively.

There are calculators online that can help you to measure that if you are having a hard time with the numbers at the beginning. But once you get the hang of doing the calculation it becomes a lot easier and you don't have to think about it so much.

[ChristySmiles]

I've been told a similar ratio to what kellykatt said, but I find that this is a really hard calculation to follow. I've never been able to stick to it. Because it's based on your calories, not on actual portion size. So it's a lot of math!

[tobetinytina]

Just make sure that when you are eating proteins, you pick the right sources. It's easy to bulk up very rapidly on fat when you are trying to eat protein. They often are found in the same places.

[Penny]

Protein is a really great kind of food because it fills you up like fats do but without as many calories. Plus it is slower to digest than carbs so you keep up your energy and your fullness for way longer than if you were to eat carbs even though there are more calories in proteins than carbs. If you pick really good lean proteins then you're just sailing when it comes to dieting more healthy and effective.

[LoseItInstantly]

If you're trying to lose weight, you want to be sure you're keeping your carbs below 150g per day. Calories are not really the problem; it's energy that gets stored as fat. That may sound like I'm contradicting myself, but you have to consider that not all calories are created equal. Calories from high simple carb or sugar sources - grains and fruits in particular, although fruits actually have nutritional value that most grains are more or less devoid of - are processed and need to be used right away. If they aren't, then the sugar levels in your blood (which simple carbs break down to quickly - they have a high glycemic index) cause your insulin levels to spike. Eventually, your body becomes insulin resistant, and the sugars don't get processed well. The excess calories have to be stored if they aren't being used, so they are converted to fat. Then with the unused calories stored away and nothing to give your body more energy to use, you get hungry again quickly and the cycle continues.

Proteins and fats (yes, fats are necessary, including saturated fat. Cognitive function responds very positively to them as long as you're not overdoing it. Just be sure to use things like coconut and olive oil that are high in MONOunsaturated fats, as opposed to vegetable oils which are high in POLYunsaturateds) provide calories that are processed much more slowly since they take longer to digest. If you're working out, 1g of protein per pound of body weight is a good target, but you don't want to go beyond that for extended periods, as it can damage your kidneys if the protein isn't being put to use. If you're not working out with weights (hopefully you are), shoot for more like half to two-thirds that amount. Like Penny said above, you get more calories, but they are "released" more slowly and don't have to be burned right away. So your body gets to use the calories gradually instead of having to process them all at once. That way, there's no excess that has to be stored while they aren't being used. In other words, it's like a slow-release calorie supply, which your body uses more efficiently.

Carbs should be kept complex unless you need the quick energy. The way I handle the carb thing is like this: first, I start my morning with 4 eggs. An hour later, I hit the gym for heavy lifting. IMMEDIATELY afterward, I have a protein shake (1scoop) made with a half banana, 1/3 cup dark berries, a handful of kale, a scoop of instant coffee, and FULL-FAT WHOLE milk. The protein from the eggs provide energy slowly to last through the workout, and the carbs "bring me back from the dead" afterwards. The protein and fat from the shake satiate me for the next few hours. That's pretty much all the simple carb intake for my day. Otherwise, I get complex carbs from salad (big salad for lunch every day), and proteins until dinner.

When I started doing this, I lost 15 pounds in about 3 weeks. My b/p is 125/76, and my blood fat and cholesterol ratios are beautiful. Almonds are also good. :)

Long answer to a simple question, I know, but the answer has to have some context...