Just started lifting and can't meet 30% protein. Advice?

ScottishMrs

So, I just completed my first week of lifting. I'm doing this dumbbell program: http://produmbbellworkouts.com/dumbbell-routines/full-body-high-volume/. I used 20lb dumbbells for most of the heavier end lifts and 10lbs minimum for anything. I'm planning to try to increase by ~5lbs a week and we'll see how that goes. At the beginning of the week I changed my macros to 40/30/30 and introduced whey protein into my diet. However, I am having a really hard time meeting that 30% protein! If I changed my macros to 45/25/30 would that be a bad move? For example, would it be alright to change to 45/25/30 at this stage but change to 40/30/30 when I get into the really heavy lifting?

ETA: My husband and I share our protein powder and at this point in our lives we can't really afford to buy more than one 2lb tub a week so I can't really add more protein shakes into my diet.

I won't be making my diary available to everyone because any negativity gets me really riled up. However, I will tell you that I've been getting about 93-96g protein/day on average this week, my cals are set to 1800/day, I weigh ~153lbs right now, MFP is telling me to get 135g protein/day, and I don't know my BF at the moment. Oh, and I'm mildly lactose intolerant so I can't have too much milk a day. I started mixing my shakes in fortified organic rice milk.

SpecialSundae

I struggled to begin with but now meet it pretty much every day. I either have eggs or home-made protein muffins for breakfast, meat with lunch and dinner and protein shakes (half whey and half soy protein) after workouts. I eat lots of vegetables, healthy fats and take it easy on starch and sugar (I don't exclude them at all, just don't have cakes or vast quantities of pasta every day).

littlekat1

I drink the EAS carb advant-edge protein shakes after a workout and then try to get the rest of my protein via my food intake. If I find I'm short on protein, I'll drink another shake.

jzammetti

My protein powder is 50grams of protein per 2 scoops, which gets me nearly halfway to my goal. Then I eat eggs and fish and soy beans, etc...

I never have trouble getting up to 120 grams per day (except on PMS days where I want more carbs!)

sally_jeffswife

Homeade Protein Shake Recipe that's super good I found someone posted on youtube....1 cup lowfat cottage cheese,1 cup skim milk,5-8 ice cubes,1 Tbsp "all natural" Peanut Butter,1/2 pkt sugar free jello pudding. Has something like 42.3 grams of protein and makes about 15.2 oz. Is pretty good. Kinda peanut buttery for me but I still really liked it when I tried it.

IronSmasher

It's pretty much impossible without seeing your diary or knowing anything about your diet.

As an exerciser, you should be getting a minimum of 1.4g protein per 1kg body weight, but ideally more for strength training.

DopeItUp

Eat more meat. Lots of it. Double your servings. Triple them. I recommend trying to get as much of your protein intake from whole foods as possible. Powders should be a supplement, not a main source of food, IMO.

Lupercalia

Yeah, eat more meat, fish, eggs, poultry....supplement with protein powder of your choice if you want/need to.

ETA: Just saw your edit re: protein powder. I don't know what you're paying for your protein, but mine works out to be less expensive (per serving) than a serving of meat when I buy in 4.5kg bags. You might shop around for both meat and powders, and see if that seems true for you as well. It can get spendy, as you said.

Yogi_Carl

why so high? who needs 30% protein?

DavPul

I suspect you'll live if you eat 25% protein for the time being, but start working on how to get a little bit of extra protein into your day. I mean, I suspect we're only talking about 15-20 additional grams or so for you, perhaps less. A glass of milk, switching to wheat bread or potato rolls, an extra egg at breakfast, 2 handfuls of peanuts....

2 switches a day and I'm thinking you hit the 30% target. It won't be too hard.

xampx

Cottage cheese and cans of Tuna, not necessarily together! (ETA: I also have mild issues with milk, but cottage cheese doesn't really bother me. I also have soy yoghurt, some are higher protein than others)

Also, have you had a look at the proteinpow.com website? There are some good recipes on there for cheaper protein powders, like pea or hemp protein, which, here at least, aren't too expensive for the unflavoured kind.

Yesterday I made spinach and pea protein pancakes http://www.proteinpow.com/2012/04/spinach-protein-patties-with-chicken.html and had them with mackerel and feta. I used the MFP recipe thing to accurately track MY version of the recipes

Tomorrow I am making peanut butter and chocolate protein bars, chocolate brownies, and chocolate beetroot cake, all high protein for after gym snacks next week

Yogi_Carl

I regularly go over my 15% protein, usually around 25% and I'm vegan. But 15% protein is fine; even for a weight training athlete.

ScottishMrs

There's some great advice here so far. Keep it coming! I really appreciate it

pspetralia

I have had trouble with this, too. When I first upped my protein I would go over in fat if I got in all my protein. I have found eating tuna and chicken the most helpful in getting my protein.

sandradev1

Getting all the protein you need from food is obviously the best source. However, I find that I just cannot afford to buy the amount of lean meat etc to do this. I find that using protein powder is actually the cheapest way of reaching my protein level every day.

Ensuring that I get the right amount of protein is very important to me and for me it is worth foregoing something else to meet this cost.

iulia_maddie

Chicken breast, tuna, basa or tilapia fillets, lean ground turkey, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese. All great protein sources and relatively low in calories.
Lean beef is great too (my favorite).

ScottishMrs

Getting all the protein you need from food is obviously the best source. However, I find that I just cannot afford to buy the amount of lean meat etc to do this. I find that using protein powder is actually the cheapest way of reaching my protein level every day.

Ensuring that I get the right amount of protein is very important to me and for me it is worth foregoing something else to meet this cost.

Yes, it's hard to afford the meat too. I can't really forgo anything though because the only things we spend money on are rent, phone, tuition, and food so there's nothing there that I can skimp on except for the food, but food is important so I shouldn't do that. If we're going to be forgoing anything then it's the meat and whey protein because they're the most expensive. Student life is so lean

Sarauk2sf

Looks like you may have your protein too high - you should look to get a minimum of 1g per lb/lbm and not base it on percentages.

Huffdogg

why so high? who needs 30% protein?

Mine is like 40%. Ideal intake for strength athletes is a minimum of 1.5g per kg body weight. In the states, people usually round that to 1g/lb bw.

Tuna and greek yogurt are great relatively inexpensive protein sources.

Sarauk2sf

I regularly go over my 15% protein, usually around 25% and I'm vegan. But 15% protein is fine; even for a weight training athlete.

That depends on your calorie targets and whether you are at a deficit.

Huffdogg

I regularly go over my 15% protein, usually around 25% and I'm vegan. But 15% protein is fine; even for a weight training athlete.

source? All strength-oriented nutrition research indicates that you are wrong.