How much protein do you eat

[Kristin251]

I have read/ seen all the calculators and recommendations so I am not looking for advice but rather interested to see how much protein others are eating per meal and per day.

I am eating a bit under my recommended amounts but it feels right and my muscles are fine. I could of course eat more because I love it but just small amounts do satisfy me. In fact if I eat larger portions I get ravenously hungry. And by larger portions I am talking more than 3 oz at a time. At the end of the day I am eating about 35g animal protein but info get some extra plant protein.

Thanks to those who respond. I am curious what others are eating. And also do you eat it at every meal or just some?

 

[hankjam]

I have wondered about the protein side and since going low carb the meat is an important part of my food for my evening meal. BF and L are nearly always non meat. For dinner I will normally have two nights of fish, two of chicken and pork and beef with one vegi night. The amount fish: 12oz, the rest tend to be closer to 8 oz.
180cm male 70kg (150lbs)

 

[LucySW]

I eat about 80g protein a day. I'm 69kg and 5' 11", ie tall and quite skinny.

I took my levels from Jenny Ruhl's nutritional calculator, on her website.

 

[Snapsy]

I think I eat a lot of protein, but I don't protein-count in the way that I carb-count - reading all of this is making me think I should!

I eat a large number of eggs - I remember when food guidelines stated that one egg a week was recommended - well, today I had two eggs after swimming, as usual, and there's a hardboiled egg waiting for me if I get peckish during the day.
Lunch today - I'm eating it now - is a large salad and a tin of salmon - today it's a high-carb salad (there are chick peas in it) for the first time this week, as I've lost a bit of weight from not being well over the last couple of weeks and want a bit of a carb boost.
We've got a friend to supper tonight, and I've got a full-on beef stew in the slow cooker, which we'll have with caulimash and greens.
That all sounds pretty high in protein, doesn't it?!

I'm 183cm tall and weigh 69 kilos - and I'm heading over to Jenny Ruhl's website right now to see if I can work out some protein numbers.....!!!

 

[Kristin251]

I am 5'8 and 126.. JR calculator says about 45 for me and I'm close. I do still weigh my protein as it does have an effect on bs for me.
BF is always a slice of organic deli turkey 5 g
Lunch is usually salmon or poultry 7-10 g and dinner is usually 15 grams.
I could get 3 or 4 meals out of a tin of salmon lol.
I kind of started this way as a T2 after reading the Rosedale diet and he says no more than 45-60 g for all adults and no more than 15g per meal and protein should be divided between 3 or 4 meals with 4 hours in between. At that time it made a huge difference in my bs so I kept at it. I guess I just get concerned sometimes because when I was un/miss diagnosed as T1 I lost a LOT of weight and was malnourished and protein deficient. However, within 2 months of insulin I had gained my 20+ pounds back as well as all my muscle. It just still freaks me out but I don't FEEL I need more but I am also one who could always eat, sick or not. I love food but if course limit it but I am hardly starving haha.
I was wondering if I am the only one who still weighs protein. Some people have no idea how much they eat. In the end it comes out to about 16% of my calories. 4% carbs and around 80% fat but that's in avocado olive oil mayo and pumpkin seeds which are also high protein. I also prefer my largest meal at dinner but not too big or I get hunger

That's another conundrum of mine. The more I eat the hungrier I get.....

Thanks all....

 

[TorqPenderloin]

Around 200 grams per day (basically 1g per pound of bodyweight).

It does seem to cause a morning spike (presumably from what I ate the night before), but other than that I have zero negative effects.

Is that much protein necessary? Absolutely not, but meat is delicious.

 

[Snapsy]

The more I eat the hungrier I get.....

LOL!

A whole tin of salmon is an occasional treat, but I wouldn't ever be able to split it four ways - perhaps two, though! When I used to have a sandwich or a baked potato or a cheese scone or similar, with fruit, for lunch I'd have massive peaks and troughs in my glucose levels and feel rubbish for the whole afternoon. Eating as I do now - not low carb but reduced carb - protein with fat or protein with carb, not fat with carb, low carb veg with EVERY combination - suits me really really well, and apart from the last two weeks my weight has been very, very stable since I started considering my carb intake more carefully. Sugars are much much less up and down.

My protein intake has gone up, though, so I'll be checking that out - this thread has been really useful in signposting me in the right direction - thanks, @Kristin251 !

 

[Snapsy]

Hmmmm, according to the calculator I am recommended to eat 83g protein per day, if I've input my data properly (and if my body fat measuring scales are accurate, which I doubt, from what I've read about such gadgets).

Eggs, salmon and chickpeas consumed today = approx 70g protein already!

And that's not counting the beef in tonight's stew, or any of the protein in any of the many and varied veg on today's menu.

Might have to keep an eye on the protein thing.....!

 

[Brunneria]

Remember when calculating protein not to count the weight of the meat/fish/eggs.

You are looking at the grams of protein in the meat/fish/eggs.

So while the average egg weighs 44g, it only has around 6g protein in it. The rest is water fats and carbs.

Makes a HUGE difference when you are calc your protein intake!!!

Personally, I can't tell you how many g protein I eat - I never bother to work it out. I usually have around the following each day:
B: nil (coffeencream)
L: 2-3 eggs in a slice of crustless quiche, or a blob of mozarella, or a tin of salmon with mayo
D: the equivalent of a large pork steak, or a large chicken breast, quite possibly with grated cheese, or a couple of strips streaky bacon, or similar on top.

Now that I have my Freestyle Libre I can map out EXACTLY whether I have had too much protein (or not) by whether I get a flat topped bg peak at around 2.5-3.5 hours. If I do, then the protein portion was maybe a bit generous. If not, all is well with the world.

 

[Snapsy]

That's cool - I'd counted 18g for my 3 egg total, plus label packaging for the salmon and chickpeas.

Not sure I will be counting protein for every meal forever, like I do with carbs, but this thread has made he want to gauge how many grammes of protein I'm eating at the moment so I know by how far to moderate downwards.

 

[Kristin251]

That's why I still weigh protein. Way to easy to under estimate and i also want to get enough. MOST adults only need 4-6 oz protein according to all the new studies and more is not better. I also had kidney stones so I need to keep an eye on it there too.
I do a LOT of bulk cooking and freeze in 10 g portions. Easy to have one, one and a half or two. Then I have all kinds of options everyday. I love cold salmon so many kinds of that. Chicken, turkey, turkey herbed meatballs, lamb, beef etc

Snapsy, you might be amazed how flat bs will be with moderating protein. I don't count or weigh carbs anymore because I eat pretty much the same all the time. When I first started weighing 15 g it seemed so measly and thought I could never do it but I actually feel a lot better.
On average, cooked fish is 6.5-7 g per ounce, cooked red meats 7 and light poultry 8.5. Using 7g per ounce of leaner proteins and 6 for fattier COOKED is a good average. You might be very surprised how much you are eating. I sure was

Torq, funny you say that about morning spikes as protein in the morning will spike me faster than anything. I used to just eat guac and celery for BF for that exact reason. Now I have that small deli turkey but I need the mayo or I will spike. I can eat more protein as the day goes on without spiking.

Brunneria, I see you don't eat BF..must fasting or some other reason like morning spike? As T1 I can't fast in the morning anymore. Loved it when I did though..

 

[Kristin251]

I'm also curious on the vegetarian thread where they get all their protein while staying low carb. Unfortunately for me soy and dairy are out and beans too starchy but it doesn't SEEM they get a lot of protein. Perhaps it's over rated?

Maybe those lidt bread things.

 

[Brunneria]

Yes, soy and whey are out for me too. And pulses spike me. So vegetarian will never work for me.

 

[Kristin251]

Do you eat cheese/dairy? I would love to but another no go. I'll have a bite here and there if it's around but that too will spike me. Or even more so make me insulin resistant

 

[Brunneria]

I am wonderfully fine with cream, butter and hard cheese (they have almost all the whey removed), but i cannot cope with milk, yoghurt, or soft cheeses where the whey remains.

Have you tried coconut yog? It is wonderful.

 

[Kristin251]

Lucky you. I love cream, cream cheese etc but no way with those. I can eat some hard cheese and better with yellow and fake ( queso) I love Brie and will lay the consequences occasionally. I can eat butter too. Wonder why cream works for you? That is one of the worst for me.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I eat far more protein than most of you. I have an egg for BF and alternate days during the week another 2 for lunch. On other days I have a small 105g tin of salmon (3 or 4 in total in a week). I eat meat every night in one form or another, liver once a week. I have a fillet steak most Saturdays about 120g. I also eat hard cheese but not every day.

I was under the impression the amount of protein we eat is only relevant if we already have some form of kidney disease. If our kidneys are in good shape, as mine are, then no worries, and that older ladies such as myself need it. Is this incorrect?

Cream and butter are fine for me, and I eat a lot of butter.

 

[Kristin251]

Does the steak weigh 120 g or is it 120 g pure protein? Big difference.

Over eating protein can certainly raise bs as well as excess protein is not good for us for other reasons, not just kidney.

 

[Brunneria]

What reasons?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Does the steak weigh 120 g or is it 120 g pure protein? Big difference.

Over eating protein can certainly raise bs as well as excess protein is not good for us for other reasons, not just kidney.

I'm not that dumb - of course I know the difference between the weight of the food and the amount of protein contained in it. My steaks weigh about 120g.

Do you have evidence for your statement "other reasons?" Particularly for older people.