Protein grams

[Lisa Wagner]

I am trying to lose 30 - 35 pounds. What's a good rule of thumb for the amount or protein that I need while cutting carbs? I have read 3 things, 1 gram for each pound of body weight, 1 gram for each pound of lean body weight, and 1.5 grams for each pound of body weight.

Which is correct for trying to lose weight? I currently do cardio 5-6 times a week for 45 minutes and I weight train 4 days a week.

Thanks
Lisa

[MsFit]

Originally posted by Lisa Wagner
I am trying to lose 30 - 35 pounds. What's a good rule of thumb for the amount or protein that I need while cutting carbs? I have read 3 things, 1 gram for each pound of body weight, 1 gram for each pound of lean body weight, and 1.5 grams for each pound of body weight.

Which is correct for trying to lose weight? I currently do cardio 5-6 times a week for 45 minutes and I weight train 4 days a week.

Thanks
Lisa

Just as you can eat too much carbs or fat, you can eat too much protein. If your goal is weight loss you should consume enough to maintain muscle. If you are just beginning your diet you can start off on the higher in of 1.25-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass and make deductions from there weekly or bi-weekly. Deductions will come from all macronutrients, not just one or the other. Also, rotating carbs will help.

Off season I eat approximatley 1.5-1.75 grams of protein per pound of lean bodymass. As I diet down I shave a little off each macro and by the time the contest comes around I'm on approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.

Don't jump into dieting with both feet, take it in phases. Start off with "x" amount of calories that allows you to deduct each week. Start your cardio off on the low end and work your way up. If you carry all your eggs in one basket, you'll break them all. Always have something to fall back on when a plateau hits.

[Lisa W.]

Based on 1.5 grams per lean body mass, this works out to be about 150 grams of protein. My lean body mass is 101 pounds. Does this sound about right for protein?

How many calories, carbs and protein do I need to lose 30-35 pounds. I currently do cardio 5-6 times a week for 45 minutes and I weight train 4 times a week.

Thanks
Lisa