I lift but do not have enough protein. is that bad?

jardimgirl
jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been having a hard time getting enough protein and I hear you need enough esp if one in lifting, so id like to know, have I been lifting for nothing if I don't have enough protein?

Replies

  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    I've been having a hard time getting enough protein and I hear you need enough esp if one in lifting, so id like to know, have I been lifting for nothing if I don't have enough protein?

    Well to answer if you have been "doing it for nothing" first I'd have to know why you are lifting in the first place. What is your goal?
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Lifting is more important than protein. Why are you having trouble?
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    What is "enough" for you? Most people are in the 15-40% range.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
    IDK...But, I have been lifting small weights for 13 weeks now and...I have very low protein intake. :drinker:
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    I've been having a hard time getting enough protein and I hear you need enough esp if one in lifting, so id like to know, have I been lifting for nothing if I don't have enough protein?

    Well to answer if you have been "doing it for nothing" first I'd have to know why you are lifting in the first place. What is your goal?

    My goal is to lose the last bit of my belly fat. It is still jiggly and I can feel how my abs are getting tight underneath
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    .
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    To build muscles you need to eat above maintenance and hit your protein..even in a cut you need to hit your proteins so that you maintain the muscle you already have. I do about 30% protein which for me is 115 grams..protein is important!
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
    are you seriously saying you can't hit 0.82 grams per lb of lean bodymass? Because that is all you actually need, take for example a 120 lb woman at 20% bf, all she needs 80 grams per day, is which is EASY to hit
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    are you seriously saying you can't hit 0.82 grams per lb of lean bodymass? Because that is all you actually need, take for example a 120 lb woman at 20% bf, all she needs 80 grams per day, is which is EASY to hit

    Where did you find 0.82 g per lb lean body mass? I've just seen different numbers and wondering where people find them. I personally aim for 1 g per lb lean body mass.
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    are you seriously saying you can't hit 0.82 grams per lb of lean bodymass? Because that is all you actually need, take for example a 120 lb woman at 20% bf, all she needs 80 grams per day, is which is EASY to hit

    Yes I am serious. I don't consume enough. Which is the reason for my original question.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I don't know how "bad" it is, but the two things I've seen in studies that help you maintain lean body mass (or reduce its loss) when in a caloric deficit are heavy lifting and eating sufficient protein (I use 1 g per lb LBM, but that number seems to be up for debate). I've never seen a comparison study showing which is better, but they both help with this. So, to maximize your weight loss/exercise efforts by burning the most fat and keeping as much muscle as possible, it's a good idea to do both. HIIT exercises also help with this -- like hill sprints.

    If you're not eating enough, eat more meat. Or if you have a hard time with that or don't eat meat, use protein shakes. Two scoops of he protein I use is 48-50 g of protein (ON 100% whey Gold). I don't personally find shakes near as filling as the actual food, so I try to eat as much of my protein as possible, primarily through meat, but it's a good way to get extra protein if you're not getting enough.

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