Calories v protein - would you rather

[Anonymous]

Would you rather..

Is it better to miss your calorie deficit (I mean, go over your calorie goal in other words)?

Or is it better to hit your protein goal for the day?

Made up numbers. Say you have 250 calories left before you reach your deficit.

You also are short on half your goal for protein intake.

Would you go for the protein but exceed your calories, or would you stay in your deficit and fall short on protein for the day?

[Anonymous]

Miss the protein. Not gonna get muscle wasting in a fay.

[Anonymous]

For one day? Eat a high-protein, low-carb snack and call it good.

But if that's everyday, you need to look at what your macros are doing throughout the day. It's much easier to get some protein each time you eat than to megaslam most of it in one meal.

Keep good proteins on hand for when you hit this scenario: cottage cheese, string cheese, protein shakes

[Anonymous]

I'd basically load protein - in the form of chicken breast or roast turkey - to get to those 250 calories. And then plan better the next day.

[Anonymous]

It depends on how hungry I feel. If I feel hungry I’d reach the protein goal and exceed calories. If not too hungry, then just stop at the calorie count.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For one day? Eat a high-protein, low-carb snack and call it good.

But if that's everyday, you need to look at what your macros are doing throughout the day. It's much easier to get some protein each time you eat than to megaslam most of it in one meal.

Keep good proteins on hand for when you hit this scenario: cottage cheese, string cheese, protein shakes

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you rather..

Is it better to miss your calorie deficit (I mean, go over your calorie goal in other words)?

Or is it better to hit your protein goal for the day?

Made up numbers. Say you have 250 calories left before you reach your deficit.

You also are short on half your goal for protein intake.

Would you go for the protein but exceed your calories, or would you stay in your deficit and fall short on protein for the day?

Protein is the most important ingredient along with fat and essential micronutrients (vitamins/minerals/electrolytes). Everything else is negotiable.

[Anonymous]

If the goal is fat loss miss the protein target but still hit calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the goal is fat loss miss the protein target but still hit calories.

The exact opposite of this.

[Anonymous]

Prioritize calorie deficit.

I’ve lost 45 lbs over the last 6 months (after discovering and treating my thyroid issue). I focus on the calories first, then protein. It works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the goal is fat loss miss the protein target but still hit calories.

The exact opposite of this.

Please explain...

Protein is extremely important when trying to lose fat. You need it to maintain muscle mass while you lose weight. However if you go over your calories every day, even if due to eating enough to hit protein target you will not lose weight. The only way to lose weight is a calorie deficit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the goal is fat loss miss the protein target but still hit calories.

The exact opposite of this.

Please explain...

Protein is extremely important when trying to lose fat. You need it to maintain muscle mass while you lose weight. However if you go over your calories every day, even if due to eating enough to hit protein target you will not lose weight. The only way to lose weight is a calorie deficit.

Correct, but protein is the main macro to make sure you get enough of. Simply watching total calories and ingesting carbs will wreck your work.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I think I want to clarify.

Maybe 1250 calories of 1500 were consumed.
Maybe they were a combination of veggies, fruit, carbs, a little protein, a small candy candy bar.

Mistakes were made lol.

And you have 250 cal left, and still need 34g protein to hit your daily goal.

This happened to me, and I managed to eat grilled chicken and yogurt. I hit both of my goals (under calories, over my protein goal).

But if it were harder. Like only 100 cal left, and still need 20g…. Would you choose to go under protein, or would you choose to go over cals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I think I want to clarify.

Maybe 1250 calories of 1500 were consumed.
Maybe they were a combination of veggies, fruit, carbs, a little protein, a small candy candy bar.

Mistakes were made lol.

And you have 250 cal left, and still need 34g protein to hit your daily goal.

This happened to me, and I managed to eat grilled chicken and yogurt. I hit both of my goals (under calories, over my protein goal).

But if it were harder. Like only 100 cal left, and still need 20g…. Would you choose to go under protein, or would you choose to go over cals?

Why either? Just eat some mostly protein food or powder and not fret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I think I want to clarify.

Maybe 1250 calories of 1500 were consumed.
Maybe they were a combination of veggies, fruit, carbs, a little protein, a small candy candy bar.

Mistakes were made lol.

And you have 250 cal left, and still need 34g protein to hit your daily goal.

This happened to me, and I managed to eat grilled chicken and yogurt. I hit both of my goals (under calories, over my protein goal).

But if it were harder. Like only 100 cal left, and still need 20g…. Would you choose to go under protein, or would you choose to go over cals?

100ish calories is a standard whey protein shake, which is more than the 20g you need, depending on brand/composition.

Plan better, higher-protein snacks and "fill ins" because this happens.