Anyone doing a high protein diet?

[BrassicaBabe]

Seems like a better board to ask this than the weight loss ones?!🤷‍♀️

I'm 50. Lots of exercise (running, weights,etc). But I've piled on a stone in the last year. 4lbs last week on holiday. That 4lbs is showing NO SIGN of "one week on, one week off"! 🤬

Low Carb isn't what I want although it used to work well for me. I don't really want to count calories (although it might come to that!). I don't want to restrict too much because then I don't have the energy to run 😞 BUT I'm desperate to lose weight.

Meal planning for high protein isn't coming naturally to me. Any tips or books anyone can recommend? Any words of wisdom at all?

Would something like the 5:2 work at all? To increase your protein, have something with protein at every meal and snack. Nut butters, eggs, fish., dairy, pulses, meat.

I eat high protein but to build muscle rather than lose weight. I top up with protein shakes (made with power, the pre made ones a variable in quality). Protein rich snacks eg fage yogurt, cottage cheese, baby bels. Protein puddings, bread etc. Plus every meal I eat more protein, so extra fish in a sandwich, extra mince in a bolognaise, extra chicken etc.
I read a good ratio (that I don't stick to as I'm not trying the lose weight) is if the 10 x the protein in grams is more than the calories, eg 20g protein to 200 cals.

I eat what most people would probably think is a highly protein diet. I prioritise protein at each meal. So breakfast will be scrambled eggs (I use a mix of liquid egg whites and whole eggs), lunch always contains chicken of some description, in the evening I usually have fish. If I’m travelling or fall short of my target I use protein powder.

I track my food in mfp, but generally I go for a 40/35/25 (protein/carbs/fat) macro split.

I was surprised at the recommended amount of protein (120g!) I should be eating for weightloss, and TBH, I struggle to do it (I wouldn't manage it without protein shakes) - I'd say it's a toss up between low-carb and high protein as which is the most awkward to manage.

I'm only a few days in though, so I can't comment on how it works, I'm mainly doing it because I realised how little protein I'd been eating, and felt that that was probably going to affect how much benefit I got from exercise, and thought it was worth a try to do a bit of a re-feed for a while and see how it goes.

What is with this obsession with protein?!? OP, why do you believe 'high protein' (whatever that means) will help? Are you aware of what protein is and how our body processes it? Outside of serious sports/weight training, we just do not need to worry about the levels of our consumption, and certainly don't need to be worrying about how much we can cram into our day.

I'd recommend listening to a Zoe podcast on the topic, the transcript of which is here:

joinzoe.com/learn/podcast-should-i-eat-more-protein.amp

I find basing my meals around a protein and loads of non starchy veggies keeps me full for fewer calories. Check out Scott Baptie for high protein low calorie recipes

I focus on protein first but also lift a lot of weights. It is, IMO, the easiest way to manage weight

I find high protein, low carb does get the weight off - albeit slowly (I'm 61) but I don't think it's the protein in itself, more the fact I'm not eating much carb! (I keep to under 80g a day- but not keto)

I'm vegetarian, hate eggs and don't really like synthetic meat substitutes so I rely on protein powder. I'll have a shake for breakfast as I don't really get time to eat, then add it to soup for lunch and will have a PHD protein bar as a snack. Evening meal is usually a lentil or bean/veggie combination of some kind with lots of veggies and a small serving of wholegrain rice.

Low carb just doesn't work for me (type 2 diabetic on metformin) as I get so constipated but keeping protein levels up seems to work well.

Me too. And I train to lift heavy twice to 3 times a week.

I also try to limit my food consumption to a window of 8 hours a day.

Why do you think low carbing isn't for you @BrassicaBabe, given that it has worked for you previously - and it's also a way that you could increase your protein.

I loved it @BIWI You know I did 🥰. In so many ways. Im 50 now. From starting LC in 2017 until at least 2021/22 I was the happiest I'd been with my weight ever. EVER.

But two things happened.. I was running longer distances (and dying on my arse) and peri menopausal hit. Peri meant that what used to be one week of "off LC" no longer meant 1-2 weeks off, but 6 months to get back!

I simply could not run long distances on LC. I could die by the side of the road spot on 2 hours when my glycogen stores depleted. My MH was impacted (or at least pissed off 🤣) by reading about (men!) running ultra marathons on bacon and a slice of cheese when I couldn't.

Dying on my arse so regularly made me do more research into sports nutrition. And all of this combined in a nice hell of a personal crisis about august last year and massive over eating. Research led me to feeling that LC wasn't best for me long term. (Renee mcgregor a lovely sports nutritionist)I started weight lifting alongside running but weight was piling on. I HATE calorie counting. I HATE my weight. But I can't dispute that I can run further without crashing and that I'm building muscle (which should help in time with weight). But I HATE my weight. I hate that restricting calories mean that I cannot do the exercise that I want to. But I also HATE trying to count every squirt of tomato purée which goes into a family meal.

OK - but is it your weight that the scales are telling you, or what you look like?! All that exercise is bound to make you more muscley, so you probably will be weighing more - but what do you look like naked? (I don't really want you to answer that!)

Oh man! I SO wish I could ignore the scales. I'm VERY ready to. But the inches do not lie!

Put on weight...put on inches...started weight lifting...put on more inches!

Hope that if I can find a why to shift the fat you might see the muscles hiding underneath. 🙄 But at the moment I can't fit into the clothes I could wear this time last year.

I'm stronger. Ive got amazing strong legs. I've got muscles in my arms and back. I've got a great arse for the first time ever 🤣 but the tummy and hip fat makes me miserable.

If I restrict carbs I can see/feel the impact on my training.

I want the best of both worlds xx

I SO WANT to be someone who can run a marathon on LC. I do believe it's possible. But I've tired it and it's not possible for me xx

Sounds like you might benefit from a nutritionist alongside the exercise to figure out what you need to do both? One who specifically combines exercise and nutrition, for example apollonutrition.co.uk (j just know this one from a podcast not experience). If you want to get stronger alongside losing weight it's harder but not impossible and might mean a matter of juggling both for a while which is why buying in expertise might help.

@sexnotgenders I was going to recommend the same info about protein! Seems recommendations for daily protein levels were never right for the bulk of the population. Hence the average American eats twice the daily amount they need. And my going high protein, unless you're a very serious athlete, you're just piling on calories.

Have a read of this book @BrassicaBabe - it might give you some insight/inspiration. Drs Phinny and Volek have been researching low carb diets amongst endurance athletes for some time now.

Here's an actual link to the book

And they have a website too

Do you like tofu? I blend silken into pasta or curry sauces. Scramble it with veggies. Eat babybels, edamame and broad beans etc but I still struggle to hit protein goals as a veggie.

@sexnotgenders, thanks so much for that Zoe transcript. (I'm so impressed that Zoe company Podcasts finally taught me something useful !)

I added up my daily protein intake a few times. It seemd well lower than RDA. I wondered why I was so healthy in spite of that: now I know why. 😸 All the high protein meal plan suggestions make me feel queasy, just thinking about them. Wouldn't suit me. And I'm uncomfortable with HP as a dietary pattern for ecofreak reasons. Nice to understand why what I do works so well for me.