Is there a limit to how much protein I can take in one sitting before it's wasted?

Kitty Paws

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Reta has left me with almost no appetite, but in the morning I'm able to drink a glass of milk with 3 scoops of protein powder mixed in, which comes to about 75g of protein. Then in the afternoon I can manage 50g from chicken and fish, bringing me to 125g. Honestly, that's about the only way I can get protein down. On days when I skip those 3 scoops in the morning, I only end up with 50g of protein for the whole day. I realize this isn't perfect, but at least it's something rather than nothing, right?
 
If you aren't particularly big or heavy, then 125 grams of protein is a decent quantity. Guidelines generally suggest 1g/kg of body weight daily, and for those shedding pounds with GLP medications, 1.5g/kg of ideal body weight each day. So unless your ideal body weight exceeds 83kg — which could happen if you're tall and muscular, though it's not very probable — you're meeting your protein needs. As for the proof behind eating more protein, it isn't exactly conclusive; anything above 1g/kg/day is likely sufficient. Does consuming the bulk of it at breakfast mean some is wasted? Possibly? Your body simply breaks protein down and turns it into amino acids, then further degrades them to supply energy; they can't truly be stockpiled except through building additional tissue or muscle. However, your body can produce most amino acids as needed, apart from the essential ones, since humans have lost the enzymes required to synthesise those.

From my perspective, your method is actually great for keeping hunger in check throughout the day. A large protein hit like that in the morning will curb hunger for several hours (equivalent to 375g of lean meat), far more than other calories would, and you get the added benefit that 20% of the calories in those 75g of protein are burned up during protein metabolism. So rather than 75 x 4 kcal/g = 300 kcal, you're left with 240 kcal, and you get to consume a bonus 60 calories that don't count metabolically. If you'd prefer to feel hungrier during the day, then having less protein in the morning might do it, but typically when you're trying to lose weight, you want as little hunger as possible.
 
It really comes down to what you mean by 'waste'.

The more recent consensus seems to be that hitting your total protein for the day matters more than spacing out specific sized doses every few hours (or at least, that any advantage from the latter is marginal).

I'd back what lessthanhalf said. Combined with what a glp1 does, it works really well for satiety, especially when paired with a few grams of fat (from the milk, or maybe some cheese) for satiety and gallbladder/ pancreatic health.
 
frizzle-fry said:

Protein powder has honestly been a huge help in my case too. Without it, hitting my protein target would be impossible.
Something I've been doing lately: I add ultra filtered milk, which packs an extra 6 grams of protein per serving, along with liquid egg whites, so my shake gets a boost without extra scoops — and then I have two shakes.
 
For most people, your approach is fine. If the goal is maximizing muscle protein synthesis, the ideal pattern is regular triggers — spaced every 3-4 hrs — of roughly 30g-40g of Protein.

That said, when it comes to protein, overall intake for the average person is clearly the top priority.
 
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