Protein

shimmer_glo
shimmer_glo Posts: 103 Member
edited November 21 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
This has probably been asked a hundred times but is there somewhere where I can find a guide to how much protein I should be eating if I want to build muscle?

Replies

  • ent3rsandman
    ent3rsandman Posts: 170 Member
    The generally recommended minimum is 0.6-0.8g per lb of lean body mass. For muscle growth (assuming you do some kind of resistance training/lifting), about 0.8g-1g per lb of lean body mass is enough, but most people shoot for 0.8g-1g per lb of bodyweight if they're really trying to focus on strength and gains.
  • shimmer_glo
    shimmer_glo Posts: 103 Member
    Thank you.
  • MassarDv
    MassarDv Posts: 76 Member
    1 gram per pound is universally accepted . Also eat carrots and potatoes which are high in potassium to be always safe when consuming high protien diet . You can google the effects of potassium rich diet when taking protien to understand how it helps .
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    shimmer_glo wrote: »
    This has probably been asked a hundred times but is there somewhere where I can find a guide to how much protein I should be eating if I want to build muscle?

    you also need a calorie surplus in general.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    shimmer_glo wrote: »
    This has probably been asked a hundred times but is there somewhere where I can find a guide to how much protein I should be eating if I want to build muscle?

    you also need a calorie surplus in general.

    ^This. Caloric surplus is necessary to build muscle, along with adequate protein intake.
  • shimmer_glo
    shimmer_glo Posts: 103 Member
    I'm actually still trying to lose weight, I just want to build muscle while I'm losing, so I don't think I want a calorie surplus.
  • taylormoooon
    taylormoooon Posts: 130 Member
    edited September 2017
    Unfortunately, you can't really do both at the same time. However, you still need adequate protein intake as well as strength training to ensure you do not lose muscle mass while losing fat. If you're completely new to strength training, you will have some initial strength gains in the first few months and likely some new definition :)
  • pilarslayer
    pilarslayer Posts: 234 Member
    depends on how new you are to weight lifting plus the amount of body fat you have. if you are new to the gym or have higher body fat you can lose fat and build muscle through body recomposition which they are finding is more and more scientifically proven.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    shimmer_glo wrote: »
    I'm actually still trying to lose weight, I just want to build muscle while I'm losing, so I don't think I want a calorie surplus.

    you cant really, other than a bit of newbie gains and/or some recomp.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,219 Member
    pilarslayer wrote: »
    depends on how new you are to weight lifting plus the amount of body fat you have. if you are new to the gym or have higher body fat you can lose fat and build muscle through body recomposition which they are finding is more and more scientifically proven.

    Nobody is doubting that recomp is possible... there are several great threads about it here on MFP. The only caution I see thrown out is that it is generally very very slow. Most people want to see a little progress in as short a time as possible and you end up with threads about "2 months on recomp and nothing is happening".

    I tend to see recomp as being more valuable to people that have reached their target weight and are either scared or unwilling to risk a true bulk cycle.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    shimmer_glo wrote: »
    I'm actually still trying to lose weight, I just want to build muscle while I'm losing, so I don't think I want a calorie surplus.

    What you want to do then is MAINTAIN muscle while still trying to lose.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    shimmer_glo wrote: »
    I'm actually still trying to lose weight, I just want to build muscle while I'm losing, so I don't think I want a calorie surplus.

    If you are new to strength training, you might build a little muscle to start, but really a realistic goal while eating at a deficit is to preserve muscle. Eating enough protein and strength training while eating at a deficit will minimize how much muscle you lose, and you can strengthen the muscle you have. Then once you get to your goal weight, increase those calories to maintenance or a slight surplus and keep working out to build more muscle. Good luck!
  • catsislife
    catsislife Posts: 4 Member
    That's 15-20 reps, not 51
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    that is also significantly more than the recommended protein, even for muscle building (.8-1g is the norm)
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    catsislife wrote: »
    Low fat diet. 51-20 reps working out on everything(don't go below 15) and bout 2500-3000 calories will make u build muscle n lose fat at same time. 1-1.6 grams protein a day per pound of ur body weight and make sure u get those calories from low fat foods. Cut down on sugar n cut out fries

    No.

    One doesn't have to eat low fat diet.

    The amended rep range is not a standard.

    That calorie range has zero validity not knowing the OP's TDEE.

    One gram per lb of body weight is plenty of protien, more is not better unless of advanced age.

    Sugar and fries do not have to be cut down if macros are in check which OP hasn't stated her macros.


  • anybeary
    anybeary Posts: 188 Member
    THIS:
    pilarslayer wrote: »
    depends on how new you are to weight lifting plus the amount of body fat you have. if you are new to the gym or have higher body fat you can lose fat and build muscle through body recomposition which they are finding is more and more scientifically proven.

    If you have body fat to lose, you don't need to eat extra calories to put on muscle (because your body already has the calories available in fat reserves). I've been doing it myself for the past four months and recomp is working for me.

  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
    shimmer_glo wrote: »
    I'm actually still trying to lose weight, I just want to build muscle while I'm losing, so I don't think I want a calorie surplus.

    You should've said "fat" instead of "weight". You CAN lose fat while building muscle but losing weight is very unlikely as you need to be in a calorie surplus. Use pictures and how clothes fit as a measure of progress more than the scale.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    anybeary wrote: »
    THIS:
    pilarslayer wrote: »
    depends on how new you are to weight lifting plus the amount of body fat you have. if you are new to the gym or have higher body fat you can lose fat and build muscle through body recomposition which they are finding is more and more scientifically proven.

    If you have body fat to lose, you don't need to eat extra calories to put on muscle (because your body already has the calories available in fat reserves). I've been doing it myself for the past four months and recomp is working for me.

    Only for a short period of time can you build muscle while in deficit. The conditions this can happen under is if obsese, if new to weight training, if returning to weight training after a layoff.

    Recomp is to eat a maintenance and weight train. You will slowly lose fat and gain muscle.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    catsislife wrote: »
    Low fat diet. 51-20 reps working out on everything(don't go below 15) and bout 2500-3000 calories will make u build muscle n lose fat at same time. 1-1.6 grams protein a day per pound of ur body weight and make sure u get those calories from low fat foods. Cut down on sugar n cut out fries

    Good god..there is a whole lot of nope in that paragraph.

    It is generally recommended to lift HEAVY. High reps are supposed to be good for endurance, but generally not recommended as best for strength and muscle building since it means having to drop the weight down (a lot) to accomplish the extra reps.

    Unless the OP is an active male or very active female or morbidly obese, 3000 calories is pretty unlikely to result in weight loss (or maintenance).

    Not a ridiculously high level of protein compared to others I've seen on here, but definitely significantly higher than what is usually recommended as a minimum.

    And fat and sugar are fine if they aren't crowding out protein. And a certain amount of fat is required by the body to work correctly.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    I follow a flexible diet way of eating. In other words, there is structured flexibility in what I eat. I do not cut out anything.....like NOTHING.....unless I have experience with that specific food item and know that there is an issue (like milk, for example.....for me, anyway).

    I maintain my caloric intake and macro-nutrient numbers like a budget. Now, I am not talking about IIFYM (If it fits your macros). I want to be able to do this for a long time (as in - as long as I am able to breath). So, it is all about sustainability. If I deny myself things - just because it is "bad food" (whatever that means.....lots of people have lots of ideas as to what 'bad food' could be....for me, as mentioned, Milk qualifies as 'bad food' - then I will very likely fail one day because I will come to despise the day.

    And my caloric intake will be specific to me.....so, if you are a 50yo male that is 6'0" tall and weighs 206lbs and you are "light exercise" (according to all of the PALs) then whatever a calculator might suggest would be a good starting point. The one that I use shows me at 2,520. Is the person who made the post a 50yo male who is 6'0" tall and weighs 206lbs? I do not see her stats in any post. Now, that does not mean that you do not know them (maybe you two are 'friends' here in mfp?

    Different Rep Ranges - along with the associated 'weight' - have different purposes. As others have mentioned. So, whatever rep range | weight one selects will likely coincide with one's goals. That is the assumption, right? So, 15 - 20 reps might work. Do we know the goals of the person doing that 15 - 20 reps? Sure, there are programs out there that pair a strength day (so, 5 sets of 5 reps at a higher weight) with a hypertrophy day (so, 3 sets of 15 reps at a significantly lower weight) in the same week | for the same body part to balance things out. Again, does that fit the goals of the person do this?

    Again, @catsislife - no disrespect intended. We all see that you are trying to help. :smiley:
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    Oh....and the suggested protein values of 1.0g - 1.6g are way too high. In a maintenance, consuming more protein might be useful (especially at my advanced age of 50).....it is also recommended to increase the protein value when you are cutting. But that number is usually about 1g of protein per lean pound. More protein is not "more betterer". There is a point of diminishing return. And for us normal folks (read: not professional athletes) that is around 1g/lean pound. Roughly. More than that and - to be honest - all you have is expensive urine (I can not claim that line....someone else in one of these forums said that first...I am just "borrowing it" for this post)..

    Again, @catsislife - no disrespect intended.
  • shimmer_glo
    shimmer_glo Posts: 103 Member
    Thank you all for your replies...I did not realize I couldn't really build muscle while losing so I will just work to maintain what I have and hopefully build muscle after lose the amount of fat I hope to lose.
  • Carlo_casti1993
    Carlo_casti1993 Posts: 12 Member
    Grams per body weight space out thru day so you don't poop back out drink water
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