If you have been following my journey, you know I have been a strong advocate for a high-protein diet. Protein builds the muscle we need to act as a glucose sink, it also helps you feel full while adding fewer calories. For a long time, my goal was 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. For me, that meant hitting 145+ grams every single day.
Recently, I decided I had to make a pivot.
There are some chronic kidney disease issues on both sides of my family. I also knew from my ultrasound last year that it showed echogenicity and “dead branches” in my right kidney. Then I while scrolling instagram I saw a dietitian link to a 2020 study showing consistently high protein diets to the progression of chronic kidney disease.
I decided I needed to balance my liver goals with my possible kidney realities.
I also had seen some information out in the fitness community that you probably didn’t need as much protein as past weight lifting bros proposed. I dropped my protein target from 1 gram per pound down to 0.7 grams per pound.
My new daily goal is roughly 110 grams of protein.
Lowering one macro means you have to raise the others to get enough calories. Here is what I learned over the past few weeks while adjusting to this new target.
1. Learning Not to Fear Healthy Fats
When I was eating 160 grams of protein, I relied heavily on a low-fat mentality. To hit those protein numbers without overeating calories, you naturally gravitate toward extremely lean meats and non-fat dairy.
With the protein requirement lowered, I had to fill the gap. I had to stop fearing healthy fats.
This brings up a valid concern for anyone fighting fatty liver. We are told to keep our saturated fat intake around 5% of our total daily calories to prevent liver inflammation. As I started incorporating more healthy fats into my diet, including about 1 to 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate every day, I noticed my saturated fat numbers jumping up in my tracking app.
I panicked at first, but then I looked at the chemistry.
Not all saturated fats behave the same way in the body. The primary saturated fat in dark chocolate is called stearic acid. Unlike the saturated fat found in bacon or heavy cream, your liver actually converts stearic acid into oleic acid. Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (the same kind found in olive oil).
As long as the saturated fat is coming from high-quality sources like dark chocolate, eggs, or nuts, a slight bump in those numbers is not a reason to panic.
2. The Carb Crash Mistake
When you are still in the low-fat mentality, but drop your protein, your meals can easily become too carbohydrate heavy if you aren’t paying attention. I learned this the hard way during my first week on the new protocol.
I had a lunch that was fairly heavy on carbs and low on protein AND fat. Because the meal lacked a strong protein or fat anchor to slow down digestion, my blood sugar spiked. To make matters worse it was a swim day so I figured I was okay to carbo-load and ate a banana for dessert after the lunch. An hour or two later, my blood sugar crashed and I became incredibly hungry and chased that feeling for the rest of the day.
I tried to fix it with an apple and nuts, but I ended up having to eat dinner early.
By the time I logged everything, I had consumed over 100 grams of carbohydrates in a very short window. I completely lacked the healthy fats needed to balance the meal and keep my insulin levels stable. The next day I lowered the carbs and added half an avocado to help with the healthy fat department.
You can absolutely eat more carbs on a 0.7g/lb protein diet, but you must pair those carbs with fiber and fat. Otherwise, you will end up on a blood sugar roller coaster that leaves you starving all afternoon.
I try to get 25g-30g of protein per meal while balancing the carbs and making sure to include a healthy portion, of healthy fat.
3. Unexpected Wins: The Grocery Budget
There have been some massive, unexpected benefits to this protein reduction.
First, my grocery bill has gone down significantly. Lean meat is expensive. Instead of needing a large chicken breast for lunch and a turkey burger for dinner, I have been eating two hard-boiled eggs and some beans for lunch (paired with that avocado for healthy fat and veggies for fiber).
Second, I completely dropped the need to buy protein bars. When your target is 160 grams, you are constantly looking for ways to sneak extra protein into your day. Those $3 bars add up fast.
Now that my target is 110 grams, I get there easily through whole foods. If you’ve never tracked all your foods, you might be surprised by how many grams of protein are adding up from whole grains and veggies each day. In fact, my biggest struggle lately has actually been trying to stay under 110 grams without accidentally going over.
The Takeaway
Metabolic health is a moving target. What works perfectly for your liver might need a slight adjustment to protect your kidneys.
New Macro Ranges
Protein: 20% (110g)
Cabs: 40-45%
Fat: 35-40%
Tracking your food isn’t just about losing weight. It gives you the data you need to pivot when your body gives you new information. If you want to see exactly what foods I am prioritizing right now to hit these balanced macros, download my free guide.