Lifting weights and low protein

Care76
Care76 Posts: 556 Member
Normally I used to be high fat and moderate protein, but recently due to health reasons my diet has changed. Hopefully I can go back to eating more foods but for now I'm vegetables, roots, fruit, nuts and seeds, and wild caught seafood. My protein levels are much lower than usual.

Because of pain I stopped lifting quite a while ago but I recently started back since a lot of my inflammation is about 60% gone. I know you're supposed to eat higher protein when lifting heavy, is it ok if you're low protein? Will it just be harder to make gains? My goal is to lose fat and tone up.

If I can't lift can I do body weight exercises to achieve my goal?

Also, I most likely can't do most suggestions for protein. I'm having major reactions to food right now. I can't even take supplements.

TIA!

Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Its ok to lift when you have low protein, do whatever fits your goals . I'm on a weight loss diet right now, so my protein grams are lower than normal, and i'm in a deficit and i'm also training for a powerlifting meet. My size and strength gains wont be as high as they could be, but i'll reach my weight loss goal and my muscles will be rock solid and thats my goal right now. So yes you can and should lift , you don't always have to have extra protein to be successful.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    Its ok to lift when you have low protein, do whatever fits your goals . I'm on a weight loss diet right now, so my protein grams are lower than normal, and i'm in a deficit and i'm also training for a powerlifting meet. My size and strength gains wont be as high as they could be, but i'll reach my weight loss goal and my muscles will be rock solid and thats my goal right now. So yes you can and should lift , you don't always have to have extra protein to be successful.

    Thank you! That's what I needed to hear because besides walking (I love to walk, it relaxes me) I hate cardio!
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    i hate cardio too, i never do it.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    Good luck with your meet!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    How low is low? You're most likely to be fine. A lot of people over do protein just to be on the safe side, but there's nothing wrong with making do with what you have.

    Also whether you lift or do bodyweight you can still achieve you goals, you just may need to get a little creative with making bodyweight movements more difficult
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    How low is low? You're most likely to be fine. A lot of people over do protein just to be on the safe side, but there's nothing wrong with making do with what you have.

    Also whether you lift or do bodyweight you can still achieve you goals, you just may need to get a little creative with making bodyweight movements more difficult

    Sometimes it's as low as 8% or 20 grams, this week was almost double because I tried some chicken and beef. I didn't do well this week so I'll go back to not eating it.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Care76 wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    How low is low? You're most likely to be fine. A lot of people over do protein just to be on the safe side, but there's nothing wrong with making do with what you have.

    Also whether you lift or do bodyweight you can still achieve you goals, you just may need to get a little creative with making bodyweight movements more difficult

    Sometimes it's as low as 8% or 20 grams, this week was almost double because I tried some chicken and beef. I didn't do well this week so I'll go back to not eating it.

    20 is low . But if thats your diet, and you do well on it, thats ok . Is it animal protein you struggle with, because there are plant proteins that count.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    i have to concentrate pretty hard to make 100g in a single day, so ime it doesn't make lifting impossible. making the number or at least getting within 20 grammes of it DOES make me a lot more resilient though, in terms of faster turnarounds and recovery times.

    context: i'm 51, 3 years lifting, always focused on 'heavy' as much as i can, and i have rheumatoid arthritis. in theory anyway. in practice i'm one of the lucky people right now.
  • ParadigmShifter
    ParadigmShifter Posts: 289 Member
    @Care76,

    Beef causes me inflammation and I'm not a huge fan of fish so I have to use other sources of protein such as chicken, beans, etc. I do use a protein powder that I do well with (pea protein isolate) but rather get protein from real food sources.

    As for reacting to all kinds of foods, I have gone through that. I have had to ditch dairy, gluten, and chocolate. Even peanuts and other nuts don't sit well with me. However, I find that if I eat more food (more frequent, smaller meals), my body actually does better than if I eat lower calories. Lately, it's been chicken and sweet potatoes or chicken and rice along with a salad or two after my meals.

    How much food are you eating?
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    Care76 wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    How low is low? You're most likely to be fine. A lot of people over do protein just to be on the safe side, but there's nothing wrong with making do with what you have.

    Also whether you lift or do bodyweight you can still achieve you goals, you just may need to get a little creative with making bodyweight movements more difficult

    Sometimes it's as low as 8% or 20 grams, this week was almost double because I tried some chicken and beef. I didn't do well this week so I'll go back to not eating it.

    20 is low . But if thats your diet, and you do well on it, thats ok . Is it animal protein you struggle with, because there are plant proteins that count.

    No, it's actually corn that's the one I've recently found out about. I have celiac disease as well, plus a ton of food intolerances. I knew corn, gluten, buckwheat, and oats caused me very bad inflammation in my hips, fingers, and knees (could be agates causing my "fibromyalgia" neck pain as well because I think my doctor just diagnosed it because he had no idea). I was eating a paleo type diet for about a year, but not really paleo but it's the closest to how I ate. Still had symptoms of what seems like EBV or mono for almost 5 years. Causes migraines so makes my life hard to deal with. I've had blood work come back prefect and I'm absorbing nutrients again so it seems my intestines are healing from the celiac damage. My family physician is stumped, my ND thinks possible Lyme disease. I met somebody that has the exact same symptoms as me when she eats corn so I asked in a corn allergy group and sure enough quite a few people do as well. At this point I'm grasping at straws but I did feel much better on a veggie and fruit diet. As soon as I add things back in I go right back to where I was. Not sure if it's because most animals are fed corn or if it's another issue. I just know I feel better when I eat this way.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    i have to concentrate pretty hard to make 100g in a single day, so ime it doesn't make lifting impossible. making the number or at least getting within 20 grammes of it DOES make me a lot more resilient though, in terms of faster turnarounds and recovery times.

    context: i'm 51, 3 years lifting, always focused on 'heavy' as much as i can, and i have rheumatoid arthritis. in theory anyway. in practice i'm one of the lucky people right now.

    That's awesome! Do you notice a difference in your RA? I've heard it can help.
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    @Care76,

    Beef causes me inflammation and I'm not a huge fan of fish so I have to use other sources of protein such as chicken, beans, etc. I do use a protein powder that I do well with (pea protein isolate) but rather get protein from real food sources.

    As for reacting to all kinds of foods, I have gone through that. I have had to ditch dairy, gluten, and chocolate. Even peanuts and other nuts don't sit well with me. However, I find that if I eat more food (more frequent, smaller meals), my body actually does better than if I eat lower calories. Lately, it's been chicken and sweet potatoes or chicken and rice along with a salad or two after my meals.

    How much food are you eating?

    I average about 1,000-1500 a day depending on the day. I can get my calories up there because I make things line banana ice cream (which is just bananas, cashew butter, and raw cacao) and coconut yogurt. I can eat nuts but I have to be careful and only have certain brands that are safe.

    Honestly corn has really contaminated most of our processed foods (and I'm lucky because some can't eat fruits and veggies because the sprays and things are derivatives of corn so some can't even eat those). Citric acid and vit C are big ones that are corn derivatives. I don't do well with any grains really.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    Care76 wrote: »
    @Care76,

    Beef causes me inflammation and I'm not a huge fan of fish so I have to use other sources of protein such as chicken, beans, etc. I do use a protein powder that I do well with (pea protein isolate) but rather get protein from real food sources.

    As for reacting to all kinds of foods, I have gone through that. I have had to ditch dairy, gluten, and chocolate. Even peanuts and other nuts don't sit well with me. However, I find that if I eat more food (more frequent, smaller meals), my body actually does better than if I eat lower calories. Lately, it's been chicken and sweet potatoes or chicken and rice along with a salad or two after my meals.

    How much food are you eating?

    I average about 1,000-1500 a day depending on the day. I can get my calories up there because I make things line banana ice cream (which is just bananas, cashew butter, and raw cacao) and coconut yogurt. I can eat nuts but I have to be careful and only have certain brands that are safe.

    Honestly corn has really contaminated most of our processed foods (and I'm lucky because some can't eat fruits and veggies because the sprays and things are derivatives of corn so some can't even eat those). Citric acid and vit C are big ones that are corn derivatives. I don't do well with any grains really.

    Have you tried protein supplements - rice protein? Hemp protein? I understand you have lots of intolerances, but I don't think such low protein will be good long term.
    I'd even suggest getting a referral to a dietician if you don't already work with one!
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    It's hopefully not a long term thing. Just until I figure out exactly what I can't eat because like I said corn has contaminated most foods. And the 20g is about the lowest, today I had 44g.

    I saw a dietician whom was no help. The nutritionist I've been seeing has helped much more.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Can you do eggs?
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
    Not right now, but hopefully soon!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    Care76 wrote: »
    That's awesome! Do you notice a difference in your RA? I've heard it can help.

    i have no idea, actually. i was mostly asymptomatic long before i started lifting and touch wood i've been mostly asymptomatic since then as well. and i'm mostly erosion-free, but i seriously mistrust any assumption that lifting did any of that. i've just been lucky so far, and trying to make the most of the luck while i have it.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    If anyone needs a dietitian, it's you.
  • new_arc87
    new_arc87 Posts: 38 Member
    Seafood is huge on protein!