How much protein should I be consuming to build muscle?

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alexbusnello
alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
in Food and Nutrition
In a day, especially on days I strength train and cardio, how much should I be consuming? My food diary is public so go look at different weeks and how much protein I consume. Should I be eating more than this? I heard that it can be stored as fat if you consume too much of it, though. I'm trying to burn fat and gain muscle, not gain fat. Lol I already lost quite a bit of muscle and gained fat everywhere. Lol I don't need more if it.

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  • DominiqueSmall
    DominiqueSmall Posts: 495 Member
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    In a day, especially on days I strength train and cardio, how much should I be consuming? My food diary is public so go look at different weeks and how much protein I consume. Should I be eating more than this? I heard that it can be stored as fat if you consume too much of it, though. I'm trying to burn fat and gain muscle, not gain fat. Lol I already lost quite a bit of muscle and gained fat everywhere. Lol I don't need more if it.

    My personal trainer told me to eat half of my weight (in grams) of protein every day up to my full weight in grams of protein. that will give you a window, if you will, to eat when you train. I normall eat more protein on my lifitng days.

    Another thing to look at is percentages. I do 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25 % fat which also helps me figure out how much protein I need.

    Hope that helps.
  • alexbusnello
    alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
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    In a day, especially on days I strength train and cardio, how much should I be consuming? My food diary is public so go look at different weeks and how much protein I consume. Should I be eating more than this? I heard that it can be stored as fat if you consume too much of it, though. I'm trying to burn fat and gain muscle, not gain fat. Lol I already lost quite a bit of muscle and gained fat everywhere. Lol I don't need more if it.

    My personal trainer told me to eat half of my weight (in grams) of protein every day up to my full weight in grams of protein. that will give you a window, if you will, to eat when you train. I normall eat more protein on my lifitng days.

    Another thing to look at is percentages. I do 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25 % fat which also helps me figure out how much protein I need.

    Hope that helps.

    I need to find out how much I weigh exactly. I'm not sure now since I lost so much muscle but gained fat. I'm going to the doctors soon for a physical so I'll ask him.
  • JcyFruit
    JcyFruit Posts: 3 Member
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    This site is great. There are also separate links at the top right for endurance or resistance training. Take your pick. Hope it helps! :)http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=7056
  • 6spdeg
    6spdeg Posts: 394 Member
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    min 1g per body weight.. what makes you fat is the energy which is carbs or fat.. typically ppl eat to many carbs at the wrong times as well as depends if you are ectomorph endomorph or mesomorph sound like pron endo....which your starch carbs should be prob 100g's roughly per day.. lowest out of all the body types.. but eat reg veg as much as you want that is not starchy like green veg. make sure mix in good fats also.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    When I bulk I usually do between 1.33 to 1.6g per lean body mass (I choose 1.6). Using body weight isn't a wise choice because a 400 lb morbidly obese person really does not need 400g of protein.

    I also notice you are hitting around 1400 calories - are you cutting at that amount and just planning your muscle gain ahead? You'll need to find what your maintenance calories should be and do a modest surplus above that. Ectomorphs tend to need higher calories whereas endoomorphs require less. Keep in mind that those active metabolic rate formulas out there may over or underestimate your TDEE so I'd slowly increase calories over the course of a few weeks.
  • 6spdeg
    6spdeg Posts: 394 Member
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

    Watch this.. it will explain everything and hopefully get you in the right direction to Really get your body where you want it to be.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    30-35% of your daily calorie intake.
  • lauren3382
    lauren3382 Posts: 372 Member
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    I'm currently bulking and consuming 40% of my daily intake from protein...this comes out to 180-200g per day. My macros are set at 40/40/20 and I feel like it is working for me.
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
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    30% of your daily intake.
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
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    When I bulk I usually do between 1.33 to 1.6g per lean body mass (I choose 1.6). Using body weight isn't a wise choice because a 400 lb morbidly obese person really does not need 400g of protein.

    I also notice you are hitting around 1400 calories - are you cutting at that amount and just planning your muscle gain ahead? You'll need to find what your maintenance calories should be and do a modest surplus above that. Ectomorphs tend to need higher calories whereas endoomorphs require less. Keep in mind that those active metabolic rate formulas out there may over or underestimate your TDEE so I'd slowly increase calories over the course of a few weeks.

    Thank you for this. Found this calculator to figure out your lean body mass (you need to know your body fat %): http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lbm_calculator.htm
  • dr3wman
    dr3wman Posts: 205
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    30-35% of your daily intake will be enough to build muscle, the most important thing is being in a surplus
  • ciordia9
    ciordia9 Posts: 7
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    The old adage we used when I was bodybuilding was 1gr of protein per pound of your desired body weight. Of course if your body doesn't need the protein it will just pass it on. Make sure you're getting adequate sleep and you're tearing up your current muscle so that it has a purpose to rebuild.

    In a complete nutshell you make available to your body all the building blocks, its then up to how you are controlling your body to as whether you have a higher likelihood of your body utilizing what you put before it.

    As well timing of these uptakes is pretty helpful. Fast uptakes after workouts and slow uptakes before bed. When BB'n you set an alarm twice a night to wake you and take two more shakes. Keeps your body feeding off the right sources instead of what's already there.

    Whatever you do while bulking you don't want to be drinking alcohol. Protein passes nicely out of the system normally but will be shuttled into fat if you drink while you bulk.
  • B_Running
    B_Running Posts: 158
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    30-35% of your daily intake will be enough to build muscle, the most important thing is being in a surplus

    ...Being in a surplus of protein or overall calories?
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    I'm sure he means a surplus of calories :flowerforyou: But percentages are only a good recommendation if you are on a calorie surplus.
  • alexbusnello
    alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
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    When I bulk I usually do between 1.33 to 1.6g per lean body mass (I choose 1.6). Using body weight isn't a wise choice because a 400 lb morbidly obese person really does not need 400g of protein.

    I also notice you are hitting around 1400 calories - are you cutting at that amount and just planning your muscle gain ahead? You'll need to find what your maintenance calories should be and do a modest surplus above that. Ectomorphs tend to need higher calories whereas endoomorphs require less. Keep in mind that those active metabolic rate formulas out there may over or underestimate your TDEE so I'd slowly increase calories over the course of a few weeks.

    I have more far than I do muscle. I lost quite a bit of muscle so my metabolism slowed right down. I want to gain my muscles back and burn the fat I've gained but I'm confused. People say eat less to burn fat but you must eat more to gain muscle.... So for someone like me, which is it?

    Also, I'm pretty sure I'm an meshemorph but have a hard time gaining muscles. My shape and how I carry fat says I'm a Meshemorph.

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