If I don't get enough protein...what'll happen? page

[kalewoman]

If I don't get enough protein and my bod is in ketosis...will my bod start feasting on my muscles? Do I need to make sure I get a certain minimum of protein? Or of protein and fat combined? I hardly have any muscles as it is...I don't need my body eating up what's there!

[rphlslv]

If your liver glycogen is empty, your body will use your muscles to create glucose via gluconeogenesis. There's no way around it, you need glucose for your blood and brain. You either eat some carbs (~50 grams) or eat tons of protein to make up for that deficit.

[kalewoman]

So if you eat about 50 carbs a day, then your body won't use your muscles as fuel, regardless of how few protein and fat grams you eat?

[GrockinOut]

not exactly, about 50 grams a day will cover the energy to fuel the brain and some stuff like that, than your body will use its fat and muscle stores

[cillakat]

If I don't get enough protein and my bod is in ketosis...will my bod start feasting on my muscles? Do I need to make sure I get a certain minimum of protein?

you need a minimum of .5g protein per lb lean body mass. And that's a minimum for very inactive folks. If you're even moderately active, then .7g protein per lb LBM. And your 50-150g carbs depending on wether you're wanting to loose or maintain and how active you are.... then the rest of your cals in fat.

[kalewoman]

Thanks, okay, this is making sense. So just to clarify: I get the minimum 50g carbs, and the .5-.7g protein per pound bodyweight (depending on activity level), and that protects my muscles from being used for fuel. Correct?

Is there a minimum amount of fat I should consume? Or should we just eat however many fat grams we need to feel satiated?

[rphlslv]

Thanks, okay, this is making sense. So just to clarify: I get the minimum 50g carbs, and the .5-.7g protein per pound bodyweight (depending on activity level), and that protects my muscles from being used for fuel. Correct?

Is there a minimum amount of fat I should consume? Or should we just eat however many fat grams we need to feel satiated?

That sounds about right.

Yes eat as much fat as you need to be satiated.

[MikeEnRegalia]

^^ that's .5g of protein each day per pound of lean body mass ... unfortunately you don't need a lot of protein to maintain fatty tissue. ;-)

Personally, I eat about 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass. It helps with satiation!

[MichaelA]

Note: Carbs... c'mon, not all carbs are ok. Fiber is carbs too. you need 50 grams of GLUCOSE for the brain...

[Anand Srivastava]

I believe in slightly different, levels than what PB recommends.
.56 gms/kg/day for muscle maintainance for atheletes.
.8gms/kg/day for muscle maintainance for non-atheletes and sedentary individuals.
1-1.4gms/kg/day for muscle growth. 1.4gms/kg/day maximizes muscle growth.
Upto 2gms/kg/day will help you live on a VLC diet, by providing the required glucose from protein, and will allow heightened weight loss.
Beyond 2gms/kg/day is not recommended.

Another consideration is that the body gets used to continuously high protein level and if lower level of protein is consumed, then the body will burn muscle to obtain the protein level which it is used to.

Remember most non-industrialized tribes consume very little protein. eg Kitavans take only about 12% protein. They are not bulky, but that is because they don't do much heavy exertion.