I read in another thread that someone is eating "too much" protein, I've seen this mentioned a few times now. How much is too much? I often wonder why Atkins is considered high protein. I don't seem to be eating "a lot" of protein. Here's a sample day:

3 slices bacon
2 eggs

2 cups mixed greens
2 oz cucumbers
1 oz grn. pepper
1 oz cheddar
1 oz blue cheese
2 oz slice turkey or grilled chix breast
2 tbs. Ranch dressing

1 string cheese or 1 oz smoked almonds

3-4 oz london broil
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 daikon
1 pat butter
1/4 mushrooms

2 mini LC homeade pb cups

Is that a lot of protein? or if anyone sees anything that jumps out please let me know.
Thanks,
Alli

You diet look great to me. I wouldn't worry about to much protien. Atkins is more of a high fat diet than a protien diet.

The problem with to much protien as I understand it, is that you body can turn it into sugars. Or something like that. Somewhere along the line I have heard that you shouldn't eat more than 3 to 4 oz at a time. But I thought that was kinda strick.

Take your weight and divide it in half. That should be your Amount for Protein. Too much can convert to Gluclose

I'm not sure where people come up with some of these things but I don't think there's any particular limit on protein intake with Atkins.

it says in the book, just don't gorge on it now i'm not sure what gorge means, but i think as long as you don't eat the whole pound of bacon in one sitting you are cool or the whole chicken for that matter, i think if your portions are reasonable you are fine =)

Controversy exists in the clinical community about the effects of protein on carbohydrate metabolism. It is true that up to 50 percent of protein consumed can potentially convert to sugar in the liver. The question of its effect on blood sugar is not clear. Clinically, we have observed that individuals who eat excess protein in an attempt to limit fat or because they do not listen to the body's cues indicating satiety go out of ketosis and slow weight loss. Your approach should be to add more healthy fats and keep protein portions to an amount that satisfies hunger but does not leave you feeling stuffed. For most individuals this is about 7 ounces per meal. However, if you find that you are hungry shortly after a meal in which you have included adequate fat and vegetables, then you can increase your protein portion by an ounce or so until you find the appropriate portion that works for you. Feel free to eat up to five servings of protein daily, but don't exceed recommended portions.

We trust you will find this information helpful. If you have additional questions regarding the Atkins Nutritional Approach, please feel free to e-mail us again, or contact our Atkins Information Agents by phone at 1-800-6-ATKINS from 9am to 5pm EST. If you would like to place an order, our Ordering Department is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and on line for your convenience. If you are calling from outside the U.S. and Canada, please reach us at 1-800-757-5324.

Sincerely,
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I can't see how the "divide body weight by 2 = grams of protein" makes sense. According to that equasion, I should eat no more than 133 grams of protein.

So far today, I have had about 125 according to fitday, and I consider my protein to be on the light side for the day.

B - 4 thin slices turkey breast, 1.5 oz colby cheese

L - 1.5-2 oz chicken breast (made into chicken salad w/ veggies

D - I am having 5 chicken wings (we all know how much meat is on them..lol), a salad w/ lettuce, cucs, crumbled bacon, and diced ham and some shredded cheddar. this will be at Ruby Tuesdays.

According to Fitday that all equals 125 g of protein. There have been many many days that I am much heavier on the meat and it has not caused me any loss problems at all.

I think the key is eat until satisfied and try to balance meals w/ protein, fat and veggies as much as possible.

I usually end up around 100 grams of protein for the day. Gosh, if I could only eat half my weight in grams, that wouldn't be much.. hmmmm.

Maybe this is your answer:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=178557

Basically you need enough to support your lean mass. The formula I have seen often is 0.6-0.9g of protien per pound of lean weight. The range is for activity level.

Atkins states in DANDR that you need adiquet protien, not excessive. As you progress through OWL your carb percentage rises, your fat percentage lowers, but your protien amount stays the same as you are only suposed to be getting adiquet amounts. In Atkins for life he adminds it to say in OWL protien should be lowered as well, I think in response to the people getting large amounts of protien in OWL.

South beach allows for unlimited amounts of lean protien.

Protien Power has a minimum amount of protien you should have daily based on your lean weight. It only has a minimum and not really a maximum.

CAD really doesn't set a max or min, it just has you always have protien with meals in order to slow the absorbtion of carbs and lessen the impact on blood sugars. The reward meal is to be 1/3 protien, 1/3 veggies and 1/3 carbs. The 1/3 is based on plate area, not on grams. I belive in CALP they did make a recomendation as to what a serving of protien should look like for complimentary meals, but suggest if you are having problems with hunger, eat more.

The summersizing diet uses food combining and won't let you have protien with fruit. I am not sure on if it limits or states anything about amounts of protien.

The Zone has very specific amounts of protien you are to eat each day. It is again based on your level of lean mass. Some of the combination foods, or foods that are considered carbs have protien as well, so you do end up getting more.

My protein intake varies from 180-225 g per day, and I find that if I eat less than 150 g, I become ragingly hungry. For me, it is protein that gives the most satiety, not fat. However, I am also doing heavy lifting and intensive cardio. Body builders (yes, most people here are not body builders) eat anywhere from 1 - 1.5 grams of protein per lb of body weight, including fat mass.

For diabetics, and the insulin-resistant are often thought of as pre-diabetic, excess protein, especially consumed at night, can cause a blood sugar spike. Aside from that, however, I think most people should be concerned with getting to little protein rather than too much.

Cheers,

Friday