Wait... do I need more protein because I strength train?
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Verity1111
Posts: 3,309 Member
I am still in the weight loss phase... I just used this website and I'm worried now. http://www.webefit.com/Calculators/Calc_protein.html I do not naturally eat much protein at all! If I were to just eat what I normally like I probably would rarely hit 50g on a 1200-1500 calories diet or even higher calories. I have been trying to get more comfortable with 80grams or more per day and then I figured I'd up it to 100 then 120, doing so by upping it more every week or two. Is this a bad idea? Am I going to damage my body or lose a ton of muscle this way? Today I did a bit over 1 hr and 15 minutes of cardio, leg press, chest press, leg curls and used a torso rotation machine. I also am going to probably do some squats with my kettlebell later. This is typical on a gym day and otherwise, I try to walk a minimum of 10,000 steps (often 10,000-15,000) although I do sometimes have low step days of like 6000. Help? I have the weight loss part down well, but I really have no idea how macros work when it comes to eating, grams, etc. and I keep hearing different suggestions... I just got comfortable with this idea of starting at 80g for a while then moving up and now I'm scared it will do a lot of damage. Also, I am 180lbs and 5'4". I have lost 45lbs and I have 53 left till I reach my goal (unless I end up re-evaluating it and making it a bit higher, which is possible). This calculator really made me sigh though because it says a minimum of 144g if I am strength training and I can do it but I will be miserable because I will basically get no "treats" at all as I am on low calories still. I don't want to be miserable unless it's 100% necessary. Thanks for any help!
P.S. I'm a vegetarian. Yes, I eat eggs, but I don't have any and I can't buy any for a few more days, FYI.
P.S. I'm a vegetarian. Yes, I eat eggs, but I don't have any and I can't buy any for a few more days, FYI.
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As always, there is research and there is real life, ideal and real. Research suggests the ideal level of protein intake for someone in a weight loss program is 1.2-1.6 g per kg of body weight. That is sufficient for any strength training or exercise program as well.
Personally, I have never consistently eaten more than 80% of that total (or more than 20-22% of total calories from protein) and I have lost weight at a rate of 2-3lb per week over several months with no resistance training (other than picking up weights that pampered yuppie spawn leave lying around the weight room), and with zero loss of muscle mass. Most of my clients also do not reach the 1.2g level and have done fine (although they lift--relatively heavy).
So, bottom line: I would look to increase protein to a level where you feel comfortable, but I would not stress out about it or radically skew your diet to reach some artificial number. You will not suffer any immediate negative effects with a lowish protein intake.3 -
As always, there is research and there is real life, ideal and real. Research suggests the ideal level of protein intake for someone in a weight loss program is 1.2-1.6 g per kg of body weight. That is sufficient for any strength training or exercise program as well.
Personally, I have never consistently eaten more than 80% of that total (or more than 20-22% of total calories from protein) and I have lost weight at a rate of 2-3lb per week over several months with no resistance training (other than picking up weights that pampered yuppie spawn leave lying around the weight room), and with zero loss of muscle mass. Most of my clients also do not reach the 1.2g level and have done fine (although they lift--relatively heavy).
So, bottom line: I would look to increase protein to a level where you feel comfortable, but I would not stress out about it or radically skew your diet to reach some artificial number. You will not suffer any immediate negative effects with a lowish protein intake.
Thank you so much! How do you know you haven't lost muscle mass? Do you get dexascan or something? That comment gave me a huge sigh of relief. lol. Today I am around 1600 calories and 93g of protein... (pre-logged) My weight is 81.6466kg x 1.2 = 97.97592g minimum based on that... so I guess I am close enough that I shouldn't worry anyway? I have my protein set to 20% actually.0 -
I recently upped my protein, especially right after strength training and it got me past a plateau - really started losing again. I love Vega protein. I've used the coconut almond with frozen mixed berries, the choc-a-lat with half a frozen banana and peanut butter. And they really seem like treats to me, of course my taste buds might be off from the diet. And sometimes I add Halo Top ice cream - low sugar and high protein and DELICIOUS.1
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Avaleska1028 wrote: »I recently upped my protein, especially right after strength training and it got me past a plateau - really started losing again. I love Vega protein. I've used the coconut almond with frozen mixed berries, the choc-a-lat with half a frozen banana and peanut butter. And they really seem like treats to me, of course my taste buds might be off from the diet. And sometimes I add Halo Top ice cream - low sugar and high protein and DELICIOUS.
I like Halo Top but I LOVE Enlightened more. Thanks for the ideas. I hate protein powder so much
but I might need to give it a try for the 100th time lol Im still suck in a plateau actually my first this time 180.8 every friggin time -_- 0 -
You're close enough to your protein goals, don't sweat it. Other foods high in protein: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lunch meat, lentils, egg whites, fair life milk, jerky...1
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DancingMoosie wrote: »You're close enough to your protein goals, don't sweat it. Other foods high in protein: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lunch meat, lentils, egg whites, fair life milk, jerky...
I don't eat meat but all the other ideas are good
I've never tried fresh lentils so that's an idea and I was eating a lot of egg whites not sure why I stopped. I'll just go back to having those most mornings and it should help a lot since they're very protein rich. Thank you!
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whey isolate 100g 90g protien and 360-400 cals1
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You don't need that much protein in one serving, your body won't be able to use it all. That would be about what you would need for the whole day.1
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Yeah I just read you don't like it lol, well its cheap enough when you break it down. I drink 2x50 a day and practically down it. No its not the greatest tasting stuff around.
I've seen people making berry smooties with it which probably makes it a lot better and something im going to do.0 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »You don't need that much protein in one serving, your body won't be able to use it all. That would be about what you would need for the whole day.Yeah I just read you don't like it lol, well its cheap enough when you break it down. I drink 2x50 a day and practically down it. No its not the greatest tasting stuff around.
I've seen people making berry smooties with it which probably makes it a lot better and something im going to do.
True but I could drink a tiny portion and it would help right? because I REALLY hate that stuff. lol. Can I just eat it like on a teaspoon and wash it down with water or does that not work? because it seems way quicker than suffering through a huge shake just to get down a tsp of powder
Id rather eat it... lol
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You could snort or inject it I guess lol, I was eating 700-800g of beef a day so it works for me as its basically 90% protien.
I dont fill the shaker right up just 300ml round about. Just neck it hah.2 -
You could snort or inject it I guess lol, I was eating 700-800g of beef a day so it works for me as its basically 90% protien.
I dont fill the shaker right up just 300ml round about. Just neck it hah.
I seriously couldnt drink like 4 oz lol its the gritty taste. It never seems to disolve totally. Id much rather eat the powder if I could lmso. Seems like it would take last time. I would take more disgusting but with less suffering time over 10oz of suffering that would likely take me 5 hrs to drink haha. Maybe I can sneak it into food.0 -
If you buy it unflavoured I guess. No idea how it would turn out lol.2
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You don't need protein powder. Eat something else. Do you like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese? How about Quest bars?1
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You are not a professional body builder. You do not need to change your eating style because of adding strength training in your routine.2
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DancingMoosie wrote: »You don't need protein powder. Eat something else. Do you like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese? How about Quest bars?
only cottage cheese and I just started liking it honestly. I hate any protein things bars or supplements in powder form and yogurt is awful lol. but I will maybe just start eating cottage cheese and egg whites daily. I wont get sick of them.0 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »You don't need that much protein in one serving, your body won't be able to use it all. That would be about what you would need for the whole day.
It's not like protein (and its calories) disappear because they can't be processed all in one go; the entire job of the small intestine is to process food into animo acids and simpler molecules.2 -
because u r still eating at a deficit to lose fat, u need to eat enough protein in order to preserve muscle mass, regardless how u intake ur protein. try .6 to .8g per pound of CW for now1
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