I fell off!!!

[Georgiana]

Re: I fell off!!!

Our protein needs depend on our age, size, and activity level. The standard method used by nutritionists to estimate our minimum daily protein requirement is to multiply the body weight in kilograms by .8, or weight in pounds by .37. This is the number of grams of protein that should be the daily minimum. According to this method, a person weighing 150 lbs. should eat 55 grams of protein per day, a 200-pound person should get 74 grams, and a 250-pound person, 92 grams.

This is wrong for Atkineers! We need more protein, because part of the protein we eat is used in gluconeogenesis to produce glucose for those body parts lacking mitochondria. A higher protein intake is also needed to maintain nitrogen balance and preserve lean body mass. Research has shown that low carbohydrate diets low in protein cause muscle wasting (as in starvation); this does not happen on controlled carbohydrate diets that provide adequate protein intake.

The lowest protein intake used in the studies on Atkins I've read is approximately 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight. To put this into pounds, you need to multiply your weight in lbs by 0.54431. This means that a person weighing 150 lbs should consume about 80-85 g of protein; a person weighing 200 lbs should consume about 110 g of protein; someone weighing 250 lbs should consume about 135 g.