How to build muscle in later life and add protein to a veggie diet.

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thebluestar
thebluestar Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hi everyone, I am a newbie to myfitnesspal, as recommended by my PT. I have about 20lbs to lose but really want to tone up and reshape my body, which I am finding very hard at 59 :) If anyone has any suggestions for a vegetarian for adding protein to a diet, please share.

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  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,994 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Legumes (beans and lentils)
    Dairy products (milk, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, in lower-fat forms if you need to maximize protein for your calorie "buck," as well as lower-fat cheeses like part-skim mozzarella and ricotta, parmesan, etc.) if you're lacto-vegetarian
    Soy milk if you don't do dairy
    Eggs and egg whites if you're ovo-vegetarian
    Tofu and tempeh (soy protein products)
    Seitan (wheat protein products)
    Veggie protein meat-substitute products (patties, crumbles, "chik'n" and "beef-less" strips, roasts, "bacon," "sausage")
    Powdered protein supplements (whey, casein, and/or egg-based if you eat dairy and/or eggs; soy, pea, hemp, etc. if you don't)


    Grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and higher fat cheeses can all contribute some protein, but you'll likely find it a lot easier to reach your protein goal without going way over your calorie goal if you include items from the list above in most if not every meal or snack.

    **ETA: and to build muscle you need to challenge your muscles by lifting, pushing, and pulling things that are heavier than what your muscles usually have to deal with. If PT in your OP means physical therapist, make sure you're cleared to do this. If PT in your OP means personal trainer, and he or she hasn't included any strength-building component in your routine, you need to find a different PT who understands the importance of building and maintaining strength in our later years.
  • shanhen70
    shanhen70 Posts: 16 Member
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    I too need to tone my body badly. I am 46 years old and have lost 91 lbs. I have ALOT of toning to do. I belong to a gym but they want half of my bank account to train with me. so I need easy suggestions. I walk 2 miles on the treadmill and couple miles on the bike. I have lifted but never know if I am doing it right. When I joined the gym, they dont even show you how to use each machine. I think its so STUPID! Only if you pay them. Already paying for my membership. This stinks to high heaven! I need help and want to lose 25 more lbs.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited June 2016
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    shanhen70 wrote: »
    I too need to tone my body badly. I am 46 years old and have lost 91 lbs. I have ALOT of toning to do. I belong to a gym but they want half of my bank account to train with me. so I need easy suggestions. I walk 2 miles on the treadmill and couple miles on the bike. I have lifted but never know if I am doing it right. When I joined the gym, they dont even show you how to use each machine. I think its so STUPID! Only if you pay them. Already paying for my membership. This stinks to high heaven! I need help and want to lose 25 more lbs.

    Check out Youtube for videos. There are literally thousands of them. Or use the machines at the gym. The way most of them are designed you can't really use them wrongly. Just start with a weight you can lift 4 or 5 times before it becomes too heavy for another rep. Rest for a couple of minutes and lift it 4 or 5 times again. Do that one more set and you're ready to move on to the next machine.

    Things like walking and biking don't build any appreciable muscle, of course, but they help burn calories and increase your aerobic fitness, which is a good thing.

    One thing to remember, if you do start lifting weights on a regular basis you may not see the scale move as quickly as you'd like. Measure yourself with a tape measure now, record it, and keep updating it every month. As you swap fat for muscle you'll get smaller at the same weight. I've lost only about 5 pounds since I started lifting a few years ago but I fit into pants that I could only wear at 10 pounds lighter before I started lifting. I'd rather be small than see a lower number on the scale. :smile:
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
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    Here's what I've been reading about losing weight while building muscle. Building muscle is important because muscle increases the amount of calories you burn while at rest. The only way to tone is to lose the fat for the muscle to show through. Women need a minimum of 46 grams of protein a day. On the days you are lifting weights eat more protein. How much depends on how active you are and it can change based on your age, if you are going through menopause, or have a medical problem that requires a change in the amount of protein you need. If you are really sore the next day or two after weight lifting then increase your protein intake. I'm on a 1220 calorie diet so I only use 1 cup of protein shake to increase my protein. Otherwise I will go over my calories if I try to fit it too much protein with food alone. There's a balance you have to find so you are getting enough protein, but not going over your calories. On the days you lift weights increase your calories by no more than 300 calories. This gives your muscles sufficient calories to do its thing while maintaining a deficit to continue fat loss. Lets say you are on a 1200 calorie diet and your maintenance calories are 1500. Eat at maintenance of 1500 calories to give sufficient calories for your muscles, but burn off 300 calories through exercise. Some can be cardio and the rest through weight lifting. Drink plenty of water to flush out those toxins that are being released through exercise and to help lose water weight. Also you need to change up the exercises every 2 weeks. If you don't your body gets use to the same exercises and you can end up burning less calories than when you first started doing the exercises. So basically if the exercise becomes easy for you to do then you're not pushing your muscles enough. It can be hard to tell how many calories you burned with weight lifting, but the general rule of thumb is for every 5 minutes of weight lifting you burn approximately 50 calories. There's some great articles at www.t-nation.com about exercises, toning, fat loss and building muscle.
  • Madelinec117
    Madelinec117 Posts: 210 Member
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    You can check out bodybuilding.com They have routine for beginners, men, women.... Their website include strength training exercises with and without machines, how to videos, etc which can be accessed for free.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    A (non-exhaustive) list of protein sources, broken down by dietary plan (vegan, vegetarian, omnivore...)
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
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    I want to clarify a piece of what I said. I didn't catch it in time to edit it. Eat slightly ABOVE maintenance calories by no more than 300 calories on the days you are weight lifting. The rest of the days you go back to your regular 1200 calories or whatever you are set for to lose weight.

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