I almost still feel full from the 8oz of salmon that I ate in one sitting, and the pile of edamame I ate at 10pm to reach the protein goal yesterday… I was a pound heavier this morning even though I still stayed within my calorie goals.

I was using the MyFitnessPal free version to determine my percentages of fat, protein, and carbohydrates per day, but this is where the app falls short: you can only customize the gram amounts with the paid version. As a result, it was calling for me to eat as much protein as a pro athlete- 100g plus. I realized quickly that this was pretty much impossible for me unless I ate 32g of protein per meal, and distributed the rest among EVERY SNACK.

I don’t want to change my macro-nutrient proportions too much though. I just used a calculator that take into account age, height, weight, activity level, body fat, and Lean Body Mass and it indicated that at a moderate activity level, I would only need to consume 73g of protein per day (52g when sedentary to 104g max as an athlete). You can use the calculator in this article to calculate body fat percentage, then near the bottom with activity levels to determine your custom range of protein per day.

So, I have decided to change my macros back to the ideal for my body type- 35% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 35% fats. I am considering upgrading the app since it really works well for me. Or, I will just be satisfied with always running low on my protein intake according to the app’s whopping 120g recommended according to my goals.

In addition, I increase and decrease protein intake that day depending on my level of activity. If I am sedentary all day, I will eat the minimal amount; but, if I spend all day hiking, I will probably crank out the protein bars and shakes to boost my protein levels and give my body the fuel it needs.

All in all, I will focus on my protein being plant-based, and from lower fat dairy- no meat at every meal, or even only at one meal per day.