Protein - Supplements Vs Food when losing weight

LauraThirty
LauraThirty Posts: 74
in Food and Nutrition
I'm gearing up for a ranty blog about this but in the mean time - My partner has come home from talking to his gym instructor who has poo-pooed my protein supplements saying that it is a waste of time and I should get it from food.

Now, forgive a daft novice, but if I'm on 1200cals a day (plus around 3000/4000 for exercise) how can I get 100g + of protein without going over calories? It's okay for a man who isn't trying to lose weight (what do they get - 3000/3500cals!?) but I don't see how I can do this. At the moment I have a scoop of whey before and after training, and the odd Atkins protein bar.

Is he being a wally, or does he speak sense?
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Replies

  • MarincicS
    MarincicS Posts: 265 Member
    I'm not crazy about the idea of using supplements for protein either, but i find it absolutely impossible to get enough protein without them. I use protein bars (ThinkThin or Clif Builder) and they double as a sweet treat for me.

    In any case, it's your journey, no one else's. If you are worried, see your doctor, not a the trainer of a friend of a friend of a friend. Otherwise, just do what works for you and try to block out all of the noise!
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    I actually find it easier for me to get more protein when I am eating more calories per day. If you are eating back you exercise calories, those 100 grams should be no problem.
  • 911Megz
    911Megz Posts: 42
    Both! You can totally do a scoop of protein in a shake. You should of course do everything you can to get it from food, but if you can't then a protein shake is definitely acceptable. Different trainers will tell you different things! I eat a lot of fish, chicken and I try to eat high protein foods like greek yogurt, nuts, whole grains, etc. But i also am at a 1230 calorie diet right now, so I have to make sure I don't go over. :) Eat your burned calories though! Most of them anyways. :)
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
    I can go 150g of proteins on 1000cal very easily. Carbs I eat are mostly for my own pleasure. So no, I don't think you need any kind of supplements on 1200 cal but if you choose to get more carbs and supplement the protein via powders or bars, that's up to you. But if someone is getting half or more of their protein from supplements on a 40% protein macro regularly, then I seriously think they're doing something wrong dietarywise (unless we're talking about 400g of proteins but even then more than half of it can be taken via diet). I don't think he's being a wally.
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    :laugh:
    I'm gearing up for a ranty blog about this but in the mean time - My partner has come home from talking to his gym instructor who has poo-pooed my protein supplements saying that it is a waste of time and I should get it from food.

    Now, forgive a daft novice, but if I'm on 1200cals a day (plus around 3000/4000 for exercise) how can I get 100g + of protein without going over calories? It's okay for a man who isn't trying to lose weight (what do they get - 3000/3500cals!?) but I don't see how I can do this. At the moment I have a scoop of whey before and after training, and the odd Atkins protein bar.

    Is he being a wally, or does he speak sense?

    Hahah clearly I meant "plus around 300/400" not thousands :laugh:
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    Thanks guys. Can I see your diarys if youre eating 100g protein on 1200 cals..? I just don't see how it can be done. I think my diarys are open if anyone wants to critique them. I'm only getting 36g a day from supplemets and the rest from food. Weirdly today I'll have done around 137grams as I'm eating seitan, prawns, vege sausage AND egg. But I couldnt eat like that ever day.

    What I should have mentioned and stupidly didn't, is that I'm pescatarian...
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I'm gearing up for a ranty blog about this but in the mean time - My partner has come home from talking to his gym instructor who has poo-pooed my protein supplements saying that it is a waste of time and I should get it from food.

    Now, forgive a daft novice, but if I'm on 1200cals a day (plus around 3000/4000 for exercise) how can I get 100g + of protein without going over calories? It's okay for a man who isn't trying to lose weight (what do they get - 3000/3500cals!?) but I don't see how I can do this. At the moment I have a scoop of whey before and after training, and the odd Atkins protein bar.

    Is he being a wally, or does he speak sense?

    I don't think there's anything wrong with using a whey supplement, however if you've only got 1200 calories to work with I would think that you'd want more protein from whole foods strictly due to satiety. 60g protein coming from food sources would likely satisfy you more than 60g protein from whey.

    That being said, provided you're eating a varied diet and getting adequate nutrition I don't see a problem in your choice to use whey.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    You should always get your macronutrients from whole foods before going with any kind of supplement, but if you're having trouble reaching your macro goals then yes supplements are fine and not a waste of time like his "gym instructor" says.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Both of the posts above are great. I'll just chime in and say it all comes down to personal preference, lifestyle and the convenience of one over the other. Meat heads and bodybuilders have been using protein supplements for years and they seem to be doing alright.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Do your best and do what work for you. I hate the taste of protein shakes so I try very hard to get enough protein from food, if those make your life easier than don't worry about it.
  • xarge
    xarge Posts: 484 Member
    Thanks guys. Can I see your diarys if youre eating 100g protein on 1200 cals..? I just don't see how it can be done. I think my diarys are open if anyone wants to critique them. I'm only getting 36g a day from supplemets and the rest from food. Weirdly today I'll have done around 137grams as I'm eating seitan, prawns, vege sausage AND egg. But I couldnt eat like that ever day.

    What I should have mentioned and stupidly didn't, is that I'm pescatarian...

    Mine is always open but we have a slight problem if you're pescatarian. My staples are chicken and dairy. You can still try a bit more on eggs. 2 whole eggs + any amount of egg whites you want in an omelette with vegetables (or anything really) will be decent protein on somewhat low calories.
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    Thanks again - really appreciate the input.

    Some of these types are very single minded about their ways of doing things. I'll tell my boyfriend to get lost :bigsmile:

    Seeing what I have acheived with today'smeal planning (protein wise) I can see a lot more is possible than I thought. But I will continue using the hakes as they are a convenient way of bumping it up quite drastically. I find when i have a salad instead of a sandwich, and veg on the side rather than pasta - spmanymore of my calories come from protein (go figure) than carbs and I like that. I feel much less sluggish.

    I'm new here and looking for friends so please feel free to add me :)
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
    High content/low cal natural protein,

    6 oz wild coho will give you 36 grams of protein with 250 cals and a boat load of natural Vitamin D., farmed gets you at 270 or so cals and no Vitamin D.

    Atlantic is OK, but at the same amount you also get no D and it's about 350? cals.
    Atlantic wild will get you 34 with 240 cals, no D. farmed will get you at 354.
    **farmed has more cals. Atlantic/farmed salmon has no D.
    A bit more expensive, buy cal. efficient and if you buy frozen, in bulk, it'll be cost effective.

    Tuna has 44 gs of protein at 200 cals.

    Shakes are OK, but in my opnion, you should get it from natural resources the best you can. Most people don't like fish, especially every day. Canned tuna in water $$ friendly, but can be kinda boring after awhile, so you can switch it up with salmon and tuna.

    The D in wild salmon is due to their diet which is extremely different than farmed.
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    4 ozs of Chicken breast...excellent protein...low calories!
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
    Thanks guys. Can I see your diarys if youre eating 100g protein on 1200 cals..? I just don't see how it can be done. I think my diarys are open if anyone wants to critique them. I'm only getting 36g a day from supplemets and the rest from food. Weirdly today I'll have done around 137grams as I'm eating seitan, prawns, vege sausage AND egg. But I couldnt eat like that ever day.

    What I should have mentioned and stupidly didn't, is that I'm pescatarian...

    I get about 60 - 90 grams a day via supplementation due to convenience. I try to get as much via food as possible but there is a convenience factor that I'm dealing with.
  • AllyLuna
    AllyLuna Posts: 32
    I get about 100g of protein a day and i have a tough time eating 1200 to begin with. I eat egg whites, chicken, and i have a Soy protein shake after working out. My diary is open. I'm happy with protein levels, now I just need to eat more calories from nuts and maybe flax seed.
  • ShaneOSX
    ShaneOSX Posts: 198
    I've found that protein powder is absolutely essential to getting as much as I want, but I am also careful to remember that it is not a replacement for real food. On the other hand, I've found that protein bars may as well be Outback Steakhouse Cheesecake in terms of their saturated fat, carbs, sugar, sugar alcohol, and in many cases chemicals.

    For protein powder I recommend Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Natural Whey OR Casein depending on when you're taking it.

    For bars, natural Quest bars have no competition as far as ingredients and protein to carb/calorie/fat/sugar ratio are concerned.

    Chicken, Turkey, Bison, Greek Yogurt, Chia Seeds, Fish, Eggs, and many others are great natural sources of protein without too much other baggage.

    I aim for .8-1g protein per pound of body weight, 25% of my calorie goal in good fat, and then I leave the remainder calories for low glycemic complex carbs. Feel free to check out my diary, though yesterday would be a bad example because the girlfriend made chili, haha.
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    High content/low cal natural protein,

    6 oz wild coho will give you 36 grams of protein with 250 cals and a boat load of natural Vitamin D., farmed gets you at 270 or so cals and no Vitamin D.

    Atlantic is OK, but at the same amount you also get no D and it's about 350? cals.
    Atlantic wild will get you 34 with 240 cals, no D. farmed will get you at 354.
    **farmed has more cals. Atlantic/farmed salmon has no D.
    A bit more expensive, buy cal. efficient and if you buy frozen, in bulk, it'll be cost effective.

    Tuna has 44 gs of protein at 200 cals.

    Shakes are OK, but in my opnion, you should get it from natural resources the best you can. Most people don't like fish, especially every day. Canned tuna in water $$ friendly, but can be kinda boring after awhile, so you can switch it up with salmon and tuna.

    The D in wild salmon is due to their diet which is extremely different than farmed.

    Hey there thanks for the info. have never heard of coho - will look it up. I LOVE tuna and would eat it every day but as I understand it you're only supposed to have it once every couple of weeks due to the mercury. I find salmon bumps up my fat intake quite a lot but could do it if I planned well.
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    4 ozs of Chicken breast...excellent protein...low calories!

    Thanks beansprouts but I don't eat meat :)
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    I've found that protein powder is absolutely essential to getting as much as I want, but I am also careful to remember that it is not a replacement for real food. On the other hand, I've found that protein bars may as well be Outback Steakhouse Cheesecake in terms of their saturated fat, carbs, sugar, sugar alcohol, and in many cases chemicals.

    For protein powder I recommend Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Natural Whey OR Casein depending on when you're taking it.

    For bars, natural Quest bars have no competition as far as ingredients and protein to carb/calorie/fat/sugar ratio are concerned.

    Chicken, Turkey, Bison, Greek Yogurt, Chia Seeds, Fish, Eggs, and many others are great natural sources of protein without too much other baggage.

    I aim for .8-1g protein per pound of body weight, 25% of my calorie goal in good fat, and then I leave the remainder calories for low glycemic complex carbs. Feel free to check out my diary, though yesterday would be a bad example because the girlfriend made chili, haha.

    You can eat Bison!? Wow. I must get on to this chia seed thing too.

    Partners can be our biggest nutrition enemies hey :)
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Question - why are you eating so few calories?
  • j_wilson2012
    j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
    I have all my protein intake from white meat, and yogurt, one week in of consistent dieting. Along with low sodium, I have lost 8 lbs this week alone. Check out my journal. "Thats all I got to say about that."
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    Question - why are you eating so few calories?

    That's what MFP suggests. Plus exercise of course which comes in at around 300 average for me. Nice muscles :wink:
  • j_wilson2012
    j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
    Make sure to track your sodium intake. That is what the body uses to RETAIN water. Too much sodium will cause your workouts to be somewhat ineffective. I have lost 4 lbs on one workout, but because I reduce sodium intake. Most of it was water weight, but hey, it makes the scale go down! You could eat 6000 mg of sodium in a day and not even know it. It is in sauces, chips, dressings, soups, seasonings, etc etc. Just watch it, get natural proteins (powder, in my opinion, is cheating, and you dont get to enjoy FOOD), and you will do fine! I have lost 8 lbs this week but I have only worked out 3.5 days.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Question - why are you eating so few calories?

    That's what MFP suggests. Plus exercise of course which comes in at around 300 average for me. Nice muscles :wink:

    What is your height and weight? How much do train per week? Cardio and weights?
  • j_wilson2012
    j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
    Question - why are you eating so few calories?

    That's what MFP suggests. Plus exercise of course which comes in at around 300 average for me. Nice muscles :wink:

    What is your height and weight? How much do train per week? Cardio and weights?
    Keep in mind, dude. She is a woman. Look at you. I am pretty sure you have never eaten 1200 calories in your life! She is slender, and a woman. Our needs are different. Keep that in mind.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Dude, I prep women for comps ;)
  • j_wilson2012
    j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
    Dude, I prep women for comps ;)

    Pageants, or weightlifting?
  • LauraThirty
    LauraThirty Posts: 74
    Make sure to track your sodium intake. That is what the body uses to RETAIN water. Too much sodium will cause your workouts to be somewhat ineffective. I have lost 4 lbs on one workout, but because I reduce sodium intake. Most of it was water weight, but hey, it makes the scale go down! You could eat 6000 mg of sodium in a day and not even know it. It is in sauces, chips, dressings, soups, seasonings, etc etc. Just watch it, get natural proteins (powder, in my opinion, is cheating, and you dont get to enjoy FOOD), and you will do fine! I have lost 8 lbs this week but I have only worked out 3.5 days.

    Wow - well done on the weightloss! Seriously, that's great! Although I have to say, and i'm not making your achievments any less than they are, but when I was at college I found I could lose weight a lot easier than now. I can now diet for 4 weeks and only lose a pound where as before I could easily lose a stone for a weekend night out in 10 days. Boo hoo woe is me, hey ;)
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Dude, I prep women for comps ;)

    Pageants, or weightlifting?

    Bikini, figure and fitness.

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