Protein Calculators Inaccurate Based on Being Fat

[Dee1904]

Just wondering if when we are trying to calculate our protein requirements if we should be basing it on our ideal weight and not being overweight.

After all you only have so much lean body mass on you no matter how overweight you may be.

I know for me if I calculated my protein requirements at current weight x 2.2 and then divided by .8 I would supposedly have to be eating 72 grams of protein and I cannot lose on that it is just too high and is about 13-14 ounces of protein a day.

However on 44 grams a day which is approximately my ideal body weight I would be able to lose. Even adding a bit more grams of protein in.

How many stalls are caused by calculators for BMI, protein requirements, etc with faulty theories and information?

Just something I have been thinking about today.

[piratejenny]

A lot of the instructions I have seen for calculating protein requirements do use lean body mass...and have instructions for calculating that, too!

IDK about the online calculators, though...if they're going by total weight & not lean, then that could mess people up.

[Maryo]

Many many years ago, when I first started dieting, I read that you should calculate protein/calorie/etc. requirements based on your ideal weight, because you don't need to "feed" your fat. That's what I've always done. I've noticed that most of the online calculators and information I've seen lately seem to go on total body weight, but it doesn't make sense to me. Yes, it takes more energy to lug around excess pounds, but not so much that protein or calorie requirements should be based on total weight.

[Dee1904]

Thanks you guys for clearing that up for me. Yes I have seen the calculators base the protein requirements now on total body weight and I agree you do not need to feed your fat.

[CarolynF]

I found the minimum requirements for protein on the web:

Infants require about 10 grams a day.
Teenage boys need up to 52 grams a day.
Teenage girls need 46 grams a day.
Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
Adult women need about 46 grams a day.

If a person doesn't get enough protein, it is not a good thing. I think adult women can add more protein to this number and still be fine..It's a balance.

[nanberrycritter]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

I found the minimum requirements for protein on the web:

Infants require about 10 grams a day.
Teenage boys need up to 52 grams a day.
Teenage girls need 46 grams a day.
Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
Adult women need about 46 grams a day.

If a person doesn't get enough protein, it is not a good thing. I think adult women can add more protein to this number and still be fine..It's a balance.

Keep in mind that those are MINIMUM requirements to sustain life, not optimal health.

[CarolynF]

That is exactly right...Minimum..minimum..Most women should add 15 or 20 grams to that, especially if they are exercising..

[nanberrycritter]

Heck, I doubled it and then added another 15 to 20 grams. And I'm growing muscles without exercising. I was seriously weak and fat from decades of minimal protein.

[tiggy_oz]

Originally Posted by piratejenny

A lot of the instructions I have seen for calculating protein requirements do use lean body mass...and have instructions for calculating that, too!

IDK about the online calculators, though...if they're going by total weight & not lean, then that could mess people up.

I'd do what jenny said to really know.

Despite a fair proportion of my body being fat, I also have a lot of additional muscle than a non overweight person. It takes a fair whack of muscle to lug this body around . So if I was to calculate it on ideal weight I think the numbers would come up to small and I would end up not taking in enough protein to maintain my current muscle. I'm a BIG fan of keeping this muscle cos I'm gonna look brilliant once the fat cover dissapears

[Dee1904]

I have heard when you are heavier that you actually increase bone mass but I have never heard of muscle mass being increased by being overweight. I guess if you are losing 1-2 pounds a week decreasing protein is not necessary but once your weight loss stalls it is something that should be considered.

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by Dee1904

I have heard when you are heavier that you actually increase bone mass but I have never heard of muscle mass being increased by being overweight. I guess if you are losing 1-2 pounds a week decreasing protein is not necessary but once your weight loss stalls it is something that should be considered.

Yes, you definitely have more muscle mass when you are overweight. It won't feel like more, but you need more just to drag extra weight around. It's pretty apparent when you are 100 pounds or more overweight.

When I was 232, my LBM was 110 pounds. Now at 132, it's 93 pounds. I feel stronger than then, simply because now I'm carrying 38 pounds of fat instead of 123 pounds of fat. But actually have lost a certain amount of LBM by volume/mass. There is also a certain amount of lean body mass also used to feed the fat...extra veins and water and so forth in your system.