PROTEIN AND CALORIE QUESTION

Hi All; I am 15 pounds from goal weight and 1 year out like us all and have lost 165 pounds. I am feeling great. My question is now I am trying to build some muscle and need to take in more protein and my surgeon is only saying 80 grams per day and 1300 calories per day. Is that what you are all being told? Let me know. Thanks you all. Craig

Hey, Craig! Sounds like you are doing a great job with your weight loss. I'm being told a pretty similar range in the protein and calorie intake from my doctor. Is there any danger in getting too much protein? And how much is too much? Don't you hate when someone answers a question with another question? I'll check back to see other responses. Denise

Denise, There's no real danger in getting too much protein, but your body can only use so much and the rest goes to waste. Linn

Craig, I haven't been given any hard and fast rules and I don't count anything so I'm probably not the best person to reply, but I'm going to anyway. Muscle really does build pretty slowly. There are calculators out there that tell you what you need to maintain your lean body mass. For me at close to 150# the amount I would need is about 60g. I wouldn't suggest taking in any more than 100g even if you're trying to build muscle. Like I said to Denise, what you don't use goes to waste. The only thing to consider then is the amount of work you make your kidneys do getting rid of what you don't use. Remember that many people on very high protein diets can be at a higher risk to get gout (one of the things they tell you to watch out for on Atkins-type diets). Linn