Not just another 'protein in the red' topic...

KintsugiCurlyQueen

...but similar, lol. I understand eating 1g/lb of LBM is pretty essential in order to preserve muscle during the process of losing body fat, but what about eating over? See, I'm trying to shift as much body fat as possible WITHOUT serious weight training (I currently have no access to lifting equipment or money to buy heavier dumbells). I do the 30 Day Shred 6 days out of 7, strength training almost daily on top of that, and at least 40 minutes cardio three times a week. According to Covert Baily Method I am roughly 20.4% body fat with 90lbs LBM. My protein intake is often 85g+ (carbs are normally the same, higher on a bad day) but for the most part I'm 100g+ daily. Will my body store this as fat instead? Today I'm struggling to even net my BMR and don't really know which macro to focus on to do so.

Anybody who would find it easier to advise if they looked at my diary, please don't hesistate to message me. I'd be ever so grateful for the help!

KintsugiCurlyQueen

Bump?

KintsugiCurlyQueen

Hate to bring this up again as I know it's not a very interesting topic but I really do need the help. I don't want to be eating masses of protein when it could be hindering my progress, and not helping.

SergeiKay

Gotta point out before i say anything else: i am bulking/gaining weight, so read the following with healthy skepticism.

I've been doing 40% carbs, 40% proteins, 20% fats for a while, didn't work for me, i switch to 35c/45p/20f, and sometimes go with 30c/50p/20f. So, i've bumped up my proteins intake a LOT. I do heavy weightlifting 4 days a week, light-ish cardio for 40 mins 2 days a week, one rest day. My body fat surely fluctuates throughout the week, but it's not rising overall

I think you should be good to go. But a fail-proof method would be to keep a veeeery good track of your body stats for a while. if you notice that your body is storing more fat, change your diet! simple enough, takes time though. If you want to lose weight (fat), just make sure that you have a caloric deficit (intake is smaller that maintenance level), generally no more than 300 cals. Look into omega 3/6 ratios, and other methods of stimulating the body to burn fat rather than catabolizing muscle (i'm still learning).

Keep in mind, it's just advice. I'm not a professional nutritionist, as much as i would love to be one.

UponThisRock

There is no metabolic pathway by which protein can be stored as fat, in any real-world scenario.

Numptcakes

Thank you for your reply! It's something to work on at least! I suppose my pitfall is that I don't have the chance to lift weights, and my worry is that with my protein intake being so high it'll be stored as fat instead of maintaining the muscle mass I already have (which isn't much, lol). I'm currently 40c/30c/30c, but try hard to stay under on my carbs and go over on protein or (healthy) fats.

-SkitteeKatt (this is my main account, I cba to hide anymore)

Numptcakes

There is no metabolic pathway by which protein can be stored as fat, in any real-world scenario.

So in theory it's always the best macro to go over on?

auroranflash

There is no metabolic pathway by which protein can be stored as fat, in any real-world scenario.

So in theory it's always the best macro to go over on?

It's the one I focus on the most. It's easy (TOO easy) to get enough carbs in a day just eating regularly, and fat just kind of comes with the territory of eating yummy foods - just try to make sure you're getting some good mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs,... like in fish and olive oil). Protein is the only one I pay attention to, really, because it takes a lot of effort to get enough! Then I try to keep my sodium reasonable, although some days I go over and just shrug it off. Even if you're doing just cardio, you want to maintain as much muscle as possible. I also feel like a lot of protein keeps me fuller, longer.

Numptcakes

It's the one I focus on the most. It's easy (TOO easy) to get enough carbs in a day just eating regularly, and fat just kind of comes with the territory of eating yummy foods - just try to make sure you're getting some good mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs,... like in fish and olive oil). Protein is the only one I pay attention to, really, because it takes a lot of effort to get enough! Then I try to keep my sodium reasonable, although some days I go over and just shrug it off. Even if you're doing just cardio, you want to maintain as much muscle as possible. I also feel like a lot of protein keeps me fuller, longer.

Thank you It just panicked me when I read someone comment to someone else in a thread about high protein intake being only for hardcore weightlifters, lol. My diary is open - if you have time, could you have a quick looksee at today and tomorrow's foods to see if I'm on the right track, please?

I'm also about 150cals away from netting my target today and I just don't know what to eat! Must plan better! -_-

Emancipated_Tai

There is no metabolic pathway by which protein can be stored as fat, in any real-world scenario.

Thank you, professor

jenluvsushi

Protein and fats are the only macros I really care about....I make sure I get at least one gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass and at least 60-90 grams of fat (the heathier the fat, the better).....low fat doesn't work well for me at all.

auroranflash

It's the one I focus on the most. It's easy (TOO easy) to get enough carbs in a day just eating regularly, and fat just kind of comes with the territory of eating yummy foods - just try to make sure you're getting some good mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs,... like in fish and olive oil). Protein is the only one I pay attention to, really, because it takes a lot of effort to get enough! Then I try to keep my sodium reasonable, although some days I go over and just shrug it off. Even if you're doing just cardio, you want to maintain as much muscle as possible. I also feel like a lot of protein keeps me fuller, longer.

Thank you It just panicked me when I read someone comment to someone else in a thread about high protein intake being only for hardcore weightlifters, lol. My diary is open - if you have time, could you have a quick looksee at today and tomorrow's foods to see if I'm on the right track, please?

I'm also about 150cals away from netting my target today and I just don't know what to eat! Must plan better! -_-

Looks great to me, might want to make sure you eat a little more tomorrow. I have just recently come to the realization that you should not eat below your BMR to make sure you are keeping as much muscle as possible while still in a calorie deficit. I realized this because when I would eat at maintenance, my body was not used to it and would store it more readily. The whole idea of this 'getting healthy and fit' thing is so we can eat healthy MOST of the time and stay active, but still enjoy our treats when we want and maintain our weight. I don't want my body getting so used to eating 1200-1300 calories that it freaks out when I eat at maintenance, so I have raised my calories to 1500 and I am trying to net that for about five weeks, then I'll re-evaluate and see if I can raise it to 1600, and hopefully to 1700 after that.

P.S. High protein being only for body-builders is bollocks.

UponThisRock

There is no metabolic pathway by which protein can be stored as fat, in any real-world scenario.

Thank you, professor

I don't have an advanced degree, so unfortunately, I'm only a "brofessor"

Numptcakes

Looks great to me, might want to make sure you eat a little more tomorrow. I have just recently come to the realization that you should not eat below your BMR to make sure you are keeping as much muscle as possible while still in a calorie deficit. I realized this because when I would eat at maintenance, my body was not used to it and would store it more readily. The whole idea of this 'getting healthy and fit' thing is so we can eat healthy MOST of the time and stay active, but still enjoy our treats when we want and maintain our weight. I don't want my body getting so used to eating 1200-1300 calories that it freaks out when I eat at maintenance, so I have raised my calories to 1500 and I am trying to net that for about five weeks, then I'll re-evaluate and see if I can raise it to 1600, and hopefully to 1700 after that.

P.S. High protein being only for body-builders is bollocks.

Yeah, did the whole 'netting less than 1000cal a day' shizz when I first started. Have spent SO long stressing about what I should be eating at, refuse to create another thread on the subject, so settled for netting 1400cal daily (where possible) as 1600 is a 20% cut of my TDEE. Tomorrow I probably won't have much chance to work out, so I'm trying to stay at the 1400cal mark. Setting myself up for failure? I'm actually lost with this whole business!

auroranflash

Looks great to me, might want to make sure you eat a little more tomorrow. I have just recently come to the realization that you should not eat below your BMR to make sure you are keeping as much muscle as possible while still in a calorie deficit. I realized this because when I would eat at maintenance, my body was not used to it and would store it more readily. The whole idea of this 'getting healthy and fit' thing is so we can eat healthy MOST of the time and stay active, but still enjoy our treats when we want and maintain our weight. I don't want my body getting so used to eating 1200-1300 calories that it freaks out when I eat at maintenance, so I have raised my calories to 1500 and I am trying to net that for about five weeks, then I'll re-evaluate and see if I can raise it to 1600, and hopefully to 1700 after that.

P.S. High protein being only for body-builders is bollocks.

Yeah, did the whole 'netting less than 1000cal a day' shizz when I first started. Have spent SO long stressing about what I should be eating at, refuse to create another thread on the subject, so settled for netting 1400cal daily (where possible) as 1600 is a 20% cut of my TDEE. Tomorrow I probably won't have much chance to work out, so I'm trying to stay at the 1400cal mark. Setting myself up for failure? I'm actually lost with this whole business!

Nope, sounds like you are learning, just the same as the rest of us. I too thought it was awesome to net low numbers in the past, and did so for the majority of the week so I could have extra on the weekends, which, in theory, works, but my body hates it. It would much rather have a more steady number, especially during the week when I need the mental clarity and energy to deal with life and people. Haha.

Like I said, I am gradually raising my calories to get closer to my BMI, because I don't believe (anymore) that you should eat below it, even when trying to lose weight. It will work.... you will lose weight.... but like I said before, your body gets used to the low numbers, and when you eat higher calories, it tends to cling to them. For me, anyway. I wouldn't call this "Starvation Mode" at all, because it isn't.... your body just gets used to a certain number. That's why I am increasing by 100 and waiting five weeks to see if it all evens out, and if so, I'll gradually add more. Remember not to try to subtract your deficit from your BMI, that's the basic amount your body needs to survive.

The only people who should be eating 1200 cals or below is someone under doctor's orders to do so... it is just not good for you, it is not necessary to lose weight, and you will drive yourself crazy trying to. I did!

JamesOfLondon

Key, for me, is not just the absolute values / ratios, but also the timing of the intake.

Eg I spread my meals out through the day, usually having around 5 or 6 in total (but light - net calories / day are around 1500).

Each meal includes protein (even if that's just adding some cold chicken breast or ham or a meal being a whey shake plus some liquidised fruit).

My largest carb intake for the day is after my gym session. Ie within minutes of leaving the shower.

I understand that your body will use the carbs most effectively at that point from a perspective of maintaining lean mass.

I really don't eat a lot of carbs during the evening.



Not saying this is the right way for all, but it works for me.

Happy to discuss / share ideas. PM me, I've only just started using this site


J.