Up protein only on weight training days?

ME0172
ME0172 Posts: 200
in Food and Nutrition
I'm weight training 3 days a week (push/pull/legs) and doing cardio 3 days a week. My goal is strength gain and defintition while lowering my body fat. I'm a female weighing 157 pounds (5ft 10). I've increased my protein to 100g a day. Over the past month I can see a change in my strength and some definition. But I also haven't lost any inches on my waist, which is where I carry the majority of my body fat. Knowing that excess protein in my diet gets turned into fat, should I only increase my protein on the days I'm lifting?

Replies

  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Excess protein does not get converted into fat. Excess calorie consumption does. I eat 100g+ of protein every single day. My body fat has been consistently lowering.

    Are you losing inches elsewhere? You can't spot reduce, so you have to take what genetics will give you and keep pushing forward.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
    Knowing that excess protein in my diet gets turned into fat, should I only increase my protein on the days I'm lifting?
    Excess protein does not get turned into fat. Of course unless that excess protein is making you go above your calorie limits, then yes.

    You should not ate excess protein at all, it's waste. I mean, it is not necessary to build muscle and definition. Eating anything above the amount your body requires will not make you gain definition faster.

    Now the question is, how much your body requires? The recommended amount is 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass. So if your lean body mass would be 100 lbs and your fat would be 57 lbs then you should ate 100g a day. You can ate less but your muscle might not increase that fast or that much, 1g is pretty much a safe-line for the most optimal results. Anything above that would be excess, because your body do not use it.

    The days you are lifting are not only days when your muscle grows and recovers. You need protein on rest days as well. If you would not ate enough you would, again, not get the most optimal results. Your definition and muscles grows when you recovering not when you are lifting, lifting just sets you up for recovery.
  • ME0172
    ME0172 Posts: 200
    Thank you for your assistance, Ainar!
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    Your body is building, maintaining, and repairing muscle on your off days so you keep your protein high.

    Of course that becomes very difficult when you're eating fewer calories.
  • smand2000
    smand2000 Posts: 88
    On a separate note, if you are a beginner at weight training, a full body workout 3x per week (every other day), is preferable to a 3 day split ...
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    If you're going to cycle something, make it carbs.
  • NiikouruDesu
    NiikouruDesu Posts: 100
    The question was should she up protein after weight training.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    The question was should she up protein after weight training.

    The question was ONLY on weight training days should she up protein. She got great answers. Getting your LBM in protein is beneficial on a deficit, whether strength training or not and is very important on and off strength training days as the body needs protein for muscle repair.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Mmm. Essentially she is questioning protein cycling hence my reply.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Mmm. Essentially she is questioning protein cycling hence my reply.

    Gotcha, your suggestion is still a nice one ;)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Mmm. Essentially she is questioning protein cycling hence my reply.

    Gotcha, your suggestion is still a nice one ;)

    Cheers. To flesh it out, the idea is that you keep your protein levels up to maintain (or indeed build) muscle and add or remove carbs to make up the calories on days you're lifting.

    It's not the most efficient for increasing muscle size but does help to avoid getting too fat during a bulk and if you get it spot on, you can burn fat on active rest days.

    This isn't my idea btw. http://www.holygrailbodytransformation.com/ (And no, my name isn't Tom.)

    I did it over summer but did too much cardio via tennis - result was I grew muscle slightly, got stronger and got leaner especially around the lower abs. Was cycling eating from 2400 to 2700 cals IIRC via carbs (which may or may not have included cider *coff*).
  • ME0172
    ME0172 Posts: 200
    Thank you everyone for the replies. All of them were helpful.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    If you're going to cycle something, make it carbs.

    This. Keep protein and fat consistent and increase carbs on training days.

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