Why do we need to count PROTEIN??

 so..i have not counted protein or looked for foods high in protein at all.  My surgeon says i need to count protein wen i lose alota weight and start making muscle or something like that!!!  but everyone on here says count.....


any input is greatly appreciated!!

Maybe this will help   from webmd.com   (http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/high-protein-diet-weight-los s)

High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss

 

 

High-protein diets have become a popular way to lose weight because emerging research has hinted that protein may be able to satisfy hunger better than either fats or carbohydrates.

What Studies Show

Participants in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported greater satisfaction, less hunger, and weight loss when fat was reduced to 20% of the total calories in their diets, protein was increased to 30%, and carbs accounted for 50%. The study participants ate some 441 fewer calories a day when they followed this high-protein diet and regulated their own calorie intake.

Another study, reported in the Journal of Nutrition, showed that a high-protein diet combined with exercise enhanced weight and fat loss and improved blood fat levels. Researchers suggest that higher-protein diets help people better control their appetites and calorie intake.

Diets higher in protein and moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise are often purported by experts to reduce blood fats and maintain lean tissue while burning fat for fuel without dieters being sidetracked with constant hunger.

Researchers don't understand exactly how protein works to turn down appetite. They surmise that it may be because a high-protein diet causes the brain to receive lower levels of appetite-stimulating hormones. It may be due to eating fewer carbs and/or the specific protein effect on hunger hormones and brain chemistry.

More research is needed before experts can make sweeping recommendations that people boost the protein in their diets, according to the American Dietetic Association.

How Much Do You Need?

We need protein at all stages of life, for a variety of bodily functions. It's the major component of all cells, including muscle and bone. It's needed for growth, development, and immunity to fight off infections and protect the body.

The Institute of Health's Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations allow for a wide range of protein intake - anywhere from 10% to 35% of total calories - for normal, healthy adults. For example, on an 1,800 calorie diet, you could safely consume anywhere from 45 grams (that's 10% of calories) to 218 grams (35%) of protein per day.

However, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 56 grams a day for men and 46 grams a day for women. Most Americans have no problem getting this much, but would struggle to take in enough protein to make up 35% of their calories.

That said, is it possible to eat too much protein? There are no dangers associated with higher intakes of protein - unless you have kidney disease.

To get the potential weight loss benefit, experts advise aiming for around 120 grams of protein a day. If you want to increase your protein intake, do it slowly over the course of a week.

To be on the safe side, check with your doctor before adding large amounts of protein to your diet.

Hi:
I just saw my nutritionist tonight, and was told in no uncertain terms to eat more protein and that it had to come from meat, fish, chicken, cheese, eggs, tofu, etc.

Bread with protein does not count. I need 60 grams of protein a day and I only had about 45 or so. She said that protein is important to build muscle and help with strength and energy.

Especially at my age, (61) I have to be conscious of not losing muscel. Now the research shows that even after working out, protein must be eaten within one hour to maintain strength.

So now my little diet tracker has to be set for 60 grams of protein per day!

Yikes, not even sure I can eat that much, but I need to show some results in the next two weeks!

Cheers!


Mary

In a nutshell, you need 60-80 gr of protein daily.  If you don't track it and focus on getting it in first, you could become protein deficient.  Your muscles are protein, your heart is protein and your hair and nails are protein based.  Too little protein and you lose muscle mass, heart muscle and your hair loss could be excessive.
If you are 50% fat now and lose muscle your fat % could increase to 55%, 60% or more....do you want to risk that??

As others have been kind enough to post, there are recommendations for protein.

To make it a little simpler, you said you hadn't looked for foods high in protein at all.  These foods are rather simple, not a whole lot of mystery to it.  Foods high in protein are chicken, fish, lean meats, cottage cheese, greek yogurt.  And of course there are protein drinks which usually have anywhere between 15 and 30 grams of protein per serving, depending on which you choose. 

Search for protein in the search function and maybe you'll get more information to help you out.

Good luck!

One good way to go about it is to google high protein foods and pick what you like. Personally I think it's better to get your protein from food. I hardly drank any protein drinks mostly cause they are nasty and because once I could have mushies I could get most of it by food only.

 i was saying my surgeon says dont count protein yet!!  wait till i lose more weight!!!  why wud he say that if everyone else says to count?