Too little protein? Please help

jcshaw47 · August 2016

I am a 22 year old guy, 5 ft. 7.5 inches tall, and weigh 133 pounds. I have been trying to bulk up (without getting fat). I lift weights 4 days a week, sometimes 5. I know the standard protein recommendation is 1g/lb of body weight, however for some reason 133 grams seems a bit low to me, but I don't know. I have usually been getting between 150-170 grams.

So does 133 grams seem too low? Or is it OK to go a bit higher?

I have been trying to go lower on protein, but have been finding it very difficult to do for some reason.

pbryd · August 2016

1g per 1lb probably more than enough.

You can eat more but you're then eating less carbohydrates, which is what the body needs for energy.

I use

1g /lb protein
0.4g / lb fat

Make the rest of your calories up from carbs.

Jcl81 · August 2016

jcshaw47 wrote: »

I am a 22 year old guy, 5 ft. 7.5 inches tall, and weigh 133 pounds. I have been trying to bulk up (without getting fat). I lift weights 4 days a week, sometimes 5. I know the standard protein recommendation is 1g/lb of body weight, however for some reason 133 grams seems a bit low to me, but I don't know. I have usually been getting between 150-170 grams.

So does 133 grams seem too low? Or is it OK to go a bit higher?

I have been trying to go lower on protein, but have been finding it very difficult to do for some reason.

It's actually probably too much, considered it's lean muscle mass. .08 per pound is plenty but there are even studies that say 60-70 is good enough and only meant for extreme athletes.

I will say, I'd stay at that 133 grams of protien though, it's better to be a little over than under

psuLemon · August 2016

jcshaw47 wrote: »

I am a 22 year old guy, 5 ft. 7.5 inches tall, and weigh 133 pounds. I have been trying to bulk up (without getting fat). I lift weights 4 days a week, sometimes 5. I know the standard protein recommendation is 1g/lb of body weight, however for some reason 133 grams seems a bit low to me, but I don't know. I have usually been getting between 150-170 grams.

So does 133 grams seem too low? Or is it OK to go a bit higher?

I have been trying to go lower on protein, but have been finding it very difficult to do for some reason.

Your good at 130 to 140g. Also, no matter how on point your plan is, you will gain fat (roughly 50%). And are you following a structured plan? If not, I would probably suggest that will be your first step.

HamsterManV2 · August 2016

1g of protein per lb of bodyweight is incorrect if you are on a slow bulk.

"If you are an athlete or highly active person, or you are attempting to lose body fat while preserving lean mass, then a daily intake of 1.0-1.5g/kg bodyweight (0.45-0.68g/lb bodyweight) would be a good target."

Once you reach the minimum amount, you can choose how else to spend your calories. On a cut I aim for 0.8g to 1g of protein per LEAN body mass (not bodyweight!!!). So a 165lbs individual @15% bodyfat will have 115 to 140g of protein. On a bulk you can have even less protein as long as you eat enough carbs for fuel.

Erik8484 · August 2016

Just to recap, so far of 4 responses you have been told:
1. 1g per lb
2. Between 60-70g total and .8g per lb
3. 130g - 140g (about 1g per lb)
4. 0.45 - 0.68g per lb

Hopefully this gives you some indication of how "settled" the science is on this topic. Do your own research and do what you think works for you.

jgnatca · August 2016

It won't hurt you to go over on your protein.

Getting enough calories and your time lifting in the gym will get you the results you want.

You might enjoy following this guy:
http://instagram.com/lankyprogresstv

dfuruya53 · August 2016

1 gram per pound of body weight is more than enough for protein. You should focus on your carbohydrate and fat totals as well if you aren't gaining weight. As far as adding muscle, that comes from progressing in the gym and generally being in a slight surplus. Patience is a key as a natural lifter. It takes time to add muscle.

pmm3437 · August 2016

133 is not low for your size.

It's also not high enough where your getting close to dangerous levels.

Therefore, if you want to increase it 10-20%, you can safely.

fitgamercatlady · August 2016

.8-1g per pound. You can check out where I got this information from here. It is very detailed and very long, so I suggest starting at the How Much Protein You Should Eat to Build Muscle subheading to find your answer. It's from Legion and I find them to be a reputable source considering my friends who are strongman builders are all about Legion.

Timshel_ · August 2016

Jcl81 wrote: »

It's actually probably too much, considered it's lean muscle mass. .08 per pound is plenty but there are even studies that say 60-70 is good enough and only meant for extreme athletes.

I will say, I'd stay at that 133 grams of protein though, it's better to be a little over than under

Agreed. .8 is normally the max for the everyday "athlete" with recommendations usually ranging from .5 in sedentary to , again, .8 for week day warriors. Plenty of research out there (non-advertiser supported) that indicates adding more does not increase muscle build and can actually cause other issues.

Note that most people who share links do so from specific body building websites and the like who are advertising for supplements. None of that is required.

But wutevs.

ndj1979 · August 2016

i would suggest that you focus on carb intake as well ...as others have said .65 to .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight should be adequate and then about .45 grams of fat; and then fill in rest with carbs..

also, you can't bulk without gaining fat. If you are concerned about fat gains then shoot for a half pound per week gain, or 250 calorie daily surplus.

Too little protein? Please help

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