Protein???

How much protein is enough? I'm 5' 6" 160lbs. I don't want to have to drink shakes. I think I can get enough protein from food, but everyone keeps trying to tell me I need more.

protein shakes are the best! they are tasty and don't have so many calories plus they keep you feeling full for longer and help your muscles after working out which will help you loose pounds. It's better than eating chicken all day.

Unless you're doing intense bodybuilding, you're doing fine.

I always think it makes sense to get your nutrition from real food rather than manufactured food products. I took a quick glance at your diet calendar, and it seems pretty healthy to me.

A std 2000 calorie a day diet is 65g of protein. Looks like you're doing OK there. As a beer snob I would recommend trying something better than Guinness.

You know, I had wondered the same thing and was interested to see the answers. I always try to get what I need from real food and I'm not a fan of shakes either.

Real food is great but even with real food you don't get all the nutrients that your body can benefit from. That's why dietary supplements like protein shakes and vitamins are great for anyone cutting down calories.

Cite your sources, d4da? I'm pretty thoroughly convinced that real food gives you a much better balance of nutrients than factory foods.

I've seen a rule of thumb being .8 - 1 g of protein per lean body mass daily.

Protein powder is made from a lower grade of foodstuffs. I'd rather get my protein eating real food, too. The idea that we can take supplements of a few nutrients and do as well or better than eating food is called nutritionism.

Not only that, Hoser, but there's mounting evidence that vitamins taken in artificial form do very little good and can actually do harm.

Citing some sources

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100511973
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2010/01/the_vita_myth.html
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/05/10/vitamins-and-supplements-do-they-work-2
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2011/10/16/a-bad-week-for-the-nutritional-supplements-industry/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/vitamin-mineral-diet-supplements-harm-older-women-study/story?id=14706684
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-vitamin-supplements-improve-health

Etc etc etc...

I'm trying to eat more protein myself and less carbs but still eat healthy carbs? What is good protein foods?

Egg whites, fish, seafood, meat, legumes, tofu, cheese...

Eating whole eggs in moderation is good for you, though it is theoretically possible someone might eat so many they might go over an arbitrary fat limit they had set for themselve. Egg whites are not a whole food. Leaner cuts of meat, fish, poultry, and shellfish are the best sources of protein. Cheese and vegetable sources are much lower in protein. Cheese and nuts are high in fat, legumes are starchy.