Question 1

What happens if I don’t hit my protein goal?

Accepted Answer

If you don’t hit your protein goal, several things can occur, depending on your activity level and overall diet. Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, particularly if you exercise regularly. Insufficient protein intake may result in muscle loss, decreased strength, and slower recovery from workouts (10).

In addition, protein plays a key role in satiety and metabolism. Therefore, not consuming enough protein may lead to increased hunger and potential weight gain due to overeating. It’s essential to balance protein intake with your caloric and nutritional needs to support overall health and fitness goals.

However, there is a big difference between missing your protein goal by a few grams and consistently getting too little protein. You don’t need to be too precise, as long as you’re close to your target most of the time.

Question 2

Should I count calories or just protein?

Accepted Answer

Whether you should count calories or just protein depends on your specific health and fitness objectives. Counting calories can be helpful if you aim to control weight, ensuring you consume fewer calories than you burn for weight loss or helping maintain a balance for weight maintenance (11). However, it’s not required and isn’t healthy for everyone.

Focusing on protein is crucial for muscle maintenance and growth, especially if you’re active or trying to build muscle. Ideally, a combination of both approaches is recommended: monitor your total caloric intake to manage your weight while ensuring sufficient protein intake to support muscle health and satiety. If this feels overwhelming, there are strategies to reduce calories and increase protein intake without counting calories or grams.

Question 3

Will I gain weight if I eat 2,300 calories?

Accepted Answer

Whether you gain weight by eating 2,300 calories a day depends on your individual caloric needs, which are influenced by factors such as age, sex, weight, height, and activity level. For some, 2,300 calories may be a maintenance level, while for others, it may lead to weight gain. Highly active individuals or those with a higher metabolic rate may maintain or even lose weight at this intake level.

Conversely, sedentary individuals may gain weight if they consume more calories than they burn (12). It’s important to tailor your caloric intake based on your personal energy expenditure and health goals.

If you’re vegan, check out our High-Protein Vegan Foods guide for healthy protein-rich plant-based foods.

Question 4

What is a 90/30/50 diet?

Accepted Answer

The term “90/30/50 diet” does not correspond to a widely recognized or standardized dietary plan. It may refer to a specific meal plan or macro distribution tailored to an individual’s needs or goals. Typically, such ratios can be used to describe macronutrient distribution—for example, 90 grams of protein, 30 grams of fat, and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.

However, without specific context, the exact meaning of a 90/30/50 diet can vary. It’s advisable to customize any diet plan based on personal nutritional requirements and objectives, possibly with the guidance of a registered dietitian.

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