Muscle Tone & Nutrition

MichelleAlex

Hi guys,

I'm wanting to improve my general strength and have been hitting the gym a bit more and mixing in some cardio but more focus on strength.

Should I be modifying my food intake to help with my 'toning'? I've read a lot about slightly increasing my protein intake - many suggesting having whey protein in shakes - anyone have any suggestions?

Cheers,
Michelle

jemhh

If you're trying to lose weight, you should be aiming to get enough protein to help retain your current muscle mass. You'll get a lot of opinions on the right amount to do that but studies have shown that .64-.82 grams per pound of body weight is sufficient. For simplicity's sake I just aim at .8 x my body weight and round to the nearest 10.

I prefer to get most of my protein from everyday food sources (eggs, meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.) but use whey protein powder when needed to hit my goal. Lately I've been mixing chocolate powder with coffee or coconut flavored yogurt to make pudding.

Yi5hedr3

Aim for 20-25% of daily calories as Protein.

ndj1979

i would suggest running a good beginner program like stronglifts 5x5 or all pro beginner routine, as those will give you a good intro to compound movements and provide a foundation for strength. If you goal is to keep eating in a deficit then yes, your protein should be at about .6 to .85 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .45 grams of fat; and fill in rest with carbs.