Draglist's Journal, 25 June 2024

Good call. When I track my food, I’m forced to pay attention to the cals and protein and it reminds me that certain things just have a better protein to cal ratio. Shrimp, egg whites, fat free Greek yogurt are in while other higher cal things like cheese and mayo are out even though they’re fine on keto. 

Right.  

There is no one-size-fits-all diet as you well know. I tend to think that we should listen somewhat to body type recommendations. If you are a mesomorph and active you need a lot of protein. If you are a true athlete you can carb load and get away with it. My body doesn't tolerate a lot of calories or carbs at my age but I get a minimum of 10,000 steps every day and usually more. At 72 I still do a lot of physical labor. Although I am carrying around a lot of fat I didn't have that until after menopause. I was the skinniest girl in school but had big muscles back then due to sports. I did horrible when I was a vegetarian and ended up in the hospital and my German doctor told me that I was to be a meat eater. I have more muscle mass than my doctor as he well knows. My friend is who is a dietitian said she has not measured a female with more muscle mass. My husband says I have more muscle mass than him now that he is sick. So my point is that there are a lot of people who have been successful on a diet that was right for them. You have to find your own path. For me calories matter and so do carbs and protein. If I have those right my fat can land wherever. I am not meant for Keto or Carnivore or Vegan or Mediterranean or any number of other diets. High Protein, High fiber works for me. If I eat on plan I feel best and lose weight. But then it's hard to be on plan and when you are older being a certain weight isn't a good enough reason any more. Besides the skinniest people are often the old ones to die first. Calories do matter. Protein matters. Carbs matter. Fiber matters. Remember too that you won't burn any fat as long as any alcohol is still in your system.  

Hey Bill, I used to chase protein like I was a young body builder trying to bulk up. I found it hard not to gain weight. My blood liver numbers also became elevated. When I cut my protein consumption to levels that were still higher than recommended for most men, things improved. I'm a 71 year old man and have come to learn to not expect my body to respond the same way it did in the past. It's not over, it's just a small adjustment and all good. Good luck!!! 

My personal opinion, based on what I've seen, is that while protein is important, the levels a lot of people chase these days may be unnecessary. I have the same thing -- when I prioritize protein, I tend to gain weight and no, I'm not gaining muscle mass. I'm trying to get mine up to about 18-20% of intake, but I did just fine and dandy on 15%. I know there are a lot of differing opinions out there on this topic. If you want to see a rant about how people are consuming excess protein, look up Dr. Christopher Gardner on YouTube. It's pretty funny. He's a nutrition researcher at Stanford 

I've seen a LOT of low carb docs saying not to chase the protein and that we are NOT going to waste away. Just heard Dr Bikman say that too. I for sure don't chase it or I'd still be huge! Time to cut! You got this. I think you are just surrounded by amazing opportunities to eat fantastic food! You are fortunate 🥳 

Super 

Thank you for the insightful comments, everyone! After all was said and done, I ended up eating cottage cheese and chicken today and got to 171 grams of protein. Good call on the alcohol getting burned first, Tish. I'm ducking that reality, but I do overconsume. Cheers to all. 

Oops, I forgot to subtract the chicken bones. I always weigh the full dish and then subtract the dones. So I did 153 grams of protein today and 1963 calories. But a third of that will be red wine as I push through a writing assignment.