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I don't know if my experience is worth anything here. But I lost a ton of weight doing cardio and going on a vegan diet. It was hard to put the weight off for

I don't know if my experience is worth anything here. But I lost a ton of weight doing cardio and going on a vegan diet. It was hard to put the weight off for long though. I also lost a lot of muscles and became "skinny fat". At some point, I hit a plateau and just couldn’t lose more fat despite a 500-1000 daily calorie deficit. It was unsustainable and probably unhealthy. I did some research and switched to weight lifting and eating 20-30% of my calories in protein. Also, I increased my calorie intake to break even. The weight is staying off and I feel healthier and stronger. Edit: I did go off my vegan diet when I switched my exercise strategy from cardio to weight lifting. I don’t have any diet restrictions. But I generally eat healthy food because the high protein diet generally makes me only eat whole foods such as chicken, vegetables, grains.

RossBencina 3y ago
Similar. Current evidence-based recommendation for daily protein intake is 1.6g protein per kg of target body weight. Not that any of that will solve the issue raised in the article: persistent up-regulated hunger signal sensitivity and down-regulated satiety signal sensitivity.
- latency-guy2 3y ago
  > Current evidence-based recommendation for daily protein intake is 1.6g protein per kg of target body weight That measure is for when you are specifically looking to build muscle I believe, which might be a bit orthogonal to direction you want to go (if for weight loss). It is also, IMO, a lot of protein to consume a day. I personally have never done that level of protein intake, ever, but I know a few who have, its an insane (to me) amount of protein powder, chicken, and broccoli (or alternatives) you have to consume, every day. If the goal was sustainability, it's definitely not possible for average people.
  - zhdc1 3y ago
    > It is also, IMO, a lot of protein to consume a day. I personally have never done that level of protein intake, ever, but I know a few who have, its an insane (to me) amount of protein powder, chicken, and broccoli (or alternatives) you have to consume, every day. If the goal was sustainability, it's definitely not possible for average people. Yeah, I don't get it either. If you exercise regularly and you're going on a cut, 1.6kg is a good target to maintain muscle mass. That said, in order for you to reach this point, you already have to be very good at regulating your food intake. Otherwise, .9g per kg is a much more realistic target for the 90%+ of people who are simply trying to be fit.
    - RossBencina 3y ago
      0.9g/kg is considered by numerous sources to be insufficient for people in many different ages and stages: https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/ https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
    - Kirby64 3y ago
      Research shows that 0.8g per kg of body weight is the absolute minimum recommended for individuals with minimal physical activity. If you are attempting to become fit, research suggests you want at least 1.3g per kg for moderate activity. Honestly 1.6g per kg isn’t that much. It’s much more than most people are used to, but it’s not like you need protein shakes and chicken breast only. It just requires you to not consume all your calories in carbs and fat, which is a lot easier. See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/#:~:text=To%20meet%20the%20functional%20needs,and%20intense%20physical%20activity%2C%20respectively https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/#:~:text=To%20meet%....
- aurareturn 3y ago
  I eat around 2g of protein per kg of weight. I lift weights 3x per week. My fat % is slowly but gradually decreasing.
joegahona 3y ago
Did you stay vegan after switching? I.e., are you getting your protein calories via a vegan diet?
- spondylosaurus 3y ago
  Also curious about this. I don't eat meat (but I do eat dairy when my stomach lets me) and it's very difficult for me to get enough protein... mostly because the protein-rich meat-free options mess me up in high quantities. But there's gotta be some good option out there that I'm missing!
  - Loveaway 3y ago
    Maybe try Soylent & Co. My favorite is Mana. Been drinking it for a while now, seems to be really good for you. Very convient too. Should be way more popular I think.
    - spondylosaurus 3y ago
      Ooh, thanks for the rec! I'd like to try something in that vein after my gut and I are on better terms, but it's hard to choose from all the brands out there. I've never heard of Mana till now but it looks less funky than some of the alternatives (Huel... lol).
- aurareturn 3y ago
  No, I went off a vegan diet. Switched to eating a lot of egg whites, chicken and some fish. Occasionally red meat. Also drinking lactose free milk with my coffee and eating cheese sometimes. It’s hard to get enough protein from a vegan diet and without enough protein, it’s harder to decrease fat %. Also, I have a problem digesting beans so one of the main source of vegan protein is not practical for me. I’m on a break even calorie diet right now and keeping the weight off. I’m also still breaking personal records at the gym despite maintaining the same weight which suggests my body is still getting lower in fat %.
  - 3y ago

RossBencina 3y ago

Similar. Current evidence-based recommendation for daily protein intake is 1.6g protein per kg of target body weight. Not that any of that will solve the issue raised in the article: persistent up-regulated hunger signal sensitivity and down-regulated satiety signal sensitivity.

latency-guy2 3y ago
> Current evidence-based recommendation for daily protein intake is 1.6g protein per kg of target body weight That measure is for when you are specifically looking to build muscle I believe, which might be a bit orthogonal to direction you want to go (if for weight loss). It is also, IMO, a lot of protein to consume a day. I personally have never done that level of protein intake, ever, but I know a few who have, its an insane (to me) amount of protein powder, chicken, and broccoli (or alternatives) you have to consume, every day. If the goal was sustainability, it's definitely not possible for average people.
- zhdc1 3y ago
  > It is also, IMO, a lot of protein to consume a day. I personally have never done that level of protein intake, ever, but I know a few who have, its an insane (to me) amount of protein powder, chicken, and broccoli (or alternatives) you have to consume, every day. If the goal was sustainability, it's definitely not possible for average people. Yeah, I don't get it either. If you exercise regularly and you're going on a cut, 1.6kg is a good target to maintain muscle mass. That said, in order for you to reach this point, you already have to be very good at regulating your food intake. Otherwise, .9g per kg is a much more realistic target for the 90%+ of people who are simply trying to be fit.
  - RossBencina 3y ago
    0.9g/kg is considered by numerous sources to be insufficient for people in many different ages and stages: https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/ https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
  - Kirby64 3y ago
    Research shows that 0.8g per kg of body weight is the absolute minimum recommended for individuals with minimal physical activity. If you are attempting to become fit, research suggests you want at least 1.3g per kg for moderate activity. Honestly 1.6g per kg isn’t that much. It’s much more than most people are used to, but it’s not like you need protein shakes and chicken breast only. It just requires you to not consume all your calories in carbs and fat, which is a lot easier. See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/#:~:text=To%20meet%20the%20functional%20needs,and%20intense%20physical%20activity%2C%20respectively https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/#:~:text=To%20meet%....
aurareturn 3y ago
I eat around 2g of protein per kg of weight. I lift weights 3x per week. My fat % is slowly but gradually decreasing.

joegahona 3y ago

Did you stay vegan after switching? I.e., are you getting your protein calories via a vegan diet?

spondylosaurus 3y ago
Also curious about this. I don't eat meat (but I do eat dairy when my stomach lets me) and it's very difficult for me to get enough protein... mostly because the protein-rich meat-free options mess me up in high quantities. But there's gotta be some good option out there that I'm missing!
- Loveaway 3y ago
  Maybe try Soylent & Co. My favorite is Mana. Been drinking it for a while now, seems to be really good for you. Very convient too. Should be way more popular I think.
  - spondylosaurus 3y ago
    Ooh, thanks for the rec! I'd like to try something in that vein after my gut and I are on better terms, but it's hard to choose from all the brands out there. I've never heard of Mana till now but it looks less funky than some of the alternatives (Huel... lol).
aurareturn 3y ago
No, I went off a vegan diet. Switched to eating a lot of egg whites, chicken and some fish. Occasionally red meat. Also drinking lactose free milk with my coffee and eating cheese sometimes. It’s hard to get enough protein from a vegan diet and without enough protein, it’s harder to decrease fat %. Also, I have a problem digesting beans so one of the main source of vegan protein is not practical for me. I’m on a break even calorie diet right now and keeping the weight off. I’m also still breaking personal records at the gym despite maintaining the same weight which suggests my body is still getting lower in fat %.
- 3y ago