All of my years of struggling with my weight, I have learned a lot. The first time I dieted I was 17, and I lost 30 pounds in 3 weeks by going crazy on the treadmill and eating 10 grams of fat and 1000 calories. In 2002 I lost almost 60 pounds doing the Atkins Diet. 2004 I had a lot of short term success doing Weight Watchers, and I learned about portion control. As recent as last year I took a nutrition class and learned all sorts of things about how various nutrients work in the body. One thing I've learned from all of this is that the more I learn the less I think I know. Especially when it comes to protein.
I can't seem to shake the idea that carbs should be limited, even though I know that there are good sugars and complex carbs and fiber that is necessary. I've overcome my fear of fats, making sure that I get some olive oil or healthy fat every day. But especially being male, protein intake seems to be the most encouraged form of nutrient. Limit fat and carbs, fill that void with protein.
Here's the problem. We need a certain amount of calories every day. Even if I eat 180 grams of protein that is only 720 calories. If I limit my carbs to 100 or less than that is another 400 calories, and then I wouldn't want much more than 75 grams of fat, which is 675 calories. That's less than 1800 calories*. I don't see a benefit of eating any more protein than that, but eating more fat or carbs makes me feel like I am not dieting.
I've read that to determine your appropriate protein intake, you should divide your goal weight by 2. If you're working out regularly that number should be more like .8 of your ideal body weight. So if my goal weight is 165 and I am working out, then the most protein I need is 132 grams, (528 calories). This is harder than you would think. I also try to get my proteins from a variety of sources, because different protein sources get you different types of amino acids when they are broken down, so the more variety the better.
One thing that is going to help me is that I used to operate under the old addage that your body can't process more than 30 grams of protein per meal. So I would have to break my protein intake into several meals. This necessity made it really easy to miss a meal and mess with my mojo. Like most dietary beliefs, though, I've since learned that this is an oversimplification, and that your body can break down proteins gradually and that the number at the end of the day is more important than spacing them out. So if I want to divide my 132 grams into three 44 gram meals, I'm still good.
Overall, looking at all this information just makes me feel like I am obsessing and that I am setting myself up for failure if I don't follow this exact plan. Ultimately though, learning about what my body needs and eating more intelligently makes me feel empowered. Hopefully my information is accurate; there is nothing more frustrating than limiting a certain type of food based on ignorant fads, only to find out you are doing more harm than good. For me it isn't just about losing weight, it's learning take the best care of my self to see what this body can do when I treat it with the care it deserves.
*I know that sounds like a lot for the ladies who read this, but let's face it, the nutrient needs for guys and girls are different. My recommended caloric intake for my current diet bet is between 2503 and 2853.