PROTEIN HELP NEEDED

Hi everyone

I'm trying to get in shape and tone up and generally get fit and want to include protein into my diet mainly for either pre or post workout but have no idea what i'm doing!

I thought about protein bars but don't know if these have loads of calories or at least more than a shake?

What kind of protein do I need and when is best to have it? I would rather have something post workout so how long do i wait after my workout to have it?

Any help is very very very much appreciated and thanks in advance!

Hey, Hayley.

There is no specific time to have your protein, if you want it after your workout, have it then. If you want it hours after, have it hours after - see where I'm going with this?

You can either buy some protein shake stuff, or as you said Protein Bars (wherever you buy them from will have the nutritional information on so you can just check if the calories are high).

Or alternatively, you haven't mentioned about being a vegetarian or anything, can't you just eat lots of meat?

I just had a lunch that had 35 grams of protein and under 400 cals. Low sugar and fat too!

Tuna, cottage cheese, whole grain Chinese noodles and a ryvita thin cracker

I agree with the above if you can, get your protein from meat and fish. Most of those bars are full of junk but will do in a pinch.

Edited to add, high protein meals are so satisfyingly filling, you won't get that with a bar.

My main source of protein comes from lean meat. I'm trying to eat around 257g / day. So usually I'll get:

60 - 75g from chicken
28 - 50g from greek yogurt
11g from soy nuts
20 - 50g from red meat / pork / fish
24 - 48g from protein shake (ON)

If I need to make up a few more I have a Detour Protein Bar.

257g a day? WHAT why?

My main source of protein comes from lean meat. I'm trying to eat around 257g / day. So usually I'll get:

60 - 75g from chicken
28 - 50g from greek yogurt
11g from soy nuts
20 - 50g from red meat / pork / fish
24 - 48g from protein shake (ON)

If I need to make up a few more I have a Detour Protein Bar.

257g a day? WHAT why?

that sure is excessive. unless he is a 300lbs giant or something.


OP: try to get your protein form food if possible: meat, fish, dairy, eggs and some plants (soy, beans, quinoa...) are high in protein. it's definitely healthier that way.

protein powders are synthesized from these sources anyway and stripped of a lot of the other macro and micro nutrients (then there might be some sugar added or other chemical components).
protein supps are for people on 150g+ of protein a day.

edit: also at what times you ingest your protein is irrelevant.

For some reason, no one has mentioned eggs. I love eggs as a post work out meal. Several egg whites mixed with one or two whole eggs and scrambled with a crap load of veggies and a little bit of low fat feta. Delish!

greek yogurt has around 20g of protein per cup. Cottage cheese also has a fairly large amount of protein. Chicken and meat are my favorites but I also consume nuts, cheese, beans, eggs, an occasisional protein shake after a weight work out. I would recommend googling sources of lean protein. They really do statisfy you for long periods of time. I notice that if I am not getting my protein intake like i should, I start craving lots of carbs.

Good luck!

Protein immediately after a workout does indeed have advantages. A combination of carbs and protein is best. Not everything bodybuilders do is immediately broscience. I'm very surprised this is even still contested, this is a very hot topic for studies. Restoring glycogen and having protein ready for synthesis immediately after workout is extremely beneficial.

I'm beginning to think the new broscience is not knowing what your talking about and claiming everything to be broscience.

Pick any of these studies, they all support it.

Pitkanen H, et al. Free Amino Acid pool and Muscle Protein Balance after Resistance Exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003;35:784.

Chandler RM, et al. Dietary supplements affect the anabolic hormones after weight-training exercise. J Appl Physiol 1994;76:839.

Jentjens R & Jeukendrup A. Determinants of Post-Exercise Glycogen Synthesis during short term recovery. Sports Med 2003;33:117.

Levenhagen, et al. Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is critical to recovery of leg glucose and protein homeostasis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001;280:E982.

Tipton, et al. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001;281:E197.

Van Loon, et al. Maximizing postexercise muscle glycogen synthesis: carbohydrate supplementation and the application of amino acid or protein hydrolysate mixtures. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:106.

Van Loon, et al. Ingestion of protein hydrolysate and amino acid-carbohydrate mixtures increases postexercise plasma insulin responses in men. J Nutr 2000;130:2508.

Borsheim E, et al. Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2002;283:E648.

Moore DR, et al. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:161-168.

Symons TB, et al. A moderate serving of high-quality protein maximally stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in young and elderly subjects. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:1582-1586.

Haub MD, et al. Effect of protein source on resistive-training-induced changes in body composition and muscle size in older men. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:511-517.

Tipton KD, et al. Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2007;292:E71-E76.