PROTEIN POWDER (HELP!??)

Mahdi22
Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone, so quick question. My goal is to lose weight and I do about 40-60 mins of HIIT 5-6 days a week. My body is very, very sore and I was wondering if I should buy protein powder. Any advice??

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Protein powder is just another way to get protein in your diet. If you aren't meeting your protein goals and you think you'd enjoy it, why not? But if you're meeting your protein goals, protein powder isn't going to do anything in particular for you.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    Protien will not magically help with muscle soreness. How much protien are you getting now? Protien powder is no better then protien from food, it can be helpful though for meeting your protien goals.

  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    Protien will not magically help with muscle soreness. How much protien are you getting now? Protien powder is no better then protien from food, it can be helpful though for meeting your protien goals.

    I'm 21, weight 215 pounds, and I'm a guy lol

    I usually get 40 to 60 sometimes 80 grams of protein. I also eat less than 1800 calories.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Protein powder is just a supplement...it's not really going to do anything for soreness. You might want to consider supplementing though if you're only getting 40-80 grams per day though.
  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    I'm so sore and desperate to buy anything just to make the soreness better tbh. I just don't know anything about protein powder and if it will make me gain weight
  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Protein powder is just a supplement...it's not really going to do anything for soreness. You might want to consider supplementing though if you're only getting 40-80 grams per day though.

    I've heard people saying it does...what do u recommend I buy?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    I'm so sore and desperate to buy anything just to make the soreness better tbh. I just don't know anything about protein powder and if it will make me gain weight

    Protein powder will only make you gain weight if using it causes you to go over your calories to maintain. All protein powders have their calorie counts on the side of the package. Measure out the amount that will fit into your goals (ideally using a scale, the scoops can be very inaccurate) and you'll be fine.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    I'm so sore and desperate to buy anything just to make the soreness better tbh. I just don't know anything about protein powder and if it will make me gain weight

    Protien powder will not help with muscle soreness. I would try drinking more water to help with soreness.

    Protien powder does not cause weight gain, calotie surplus does.

    Maybe cut back on your cardio a bit? 40-60 minutes of HIIT 6 days a week seems like a lot to me... if your goal is weight less all you need is a calorie deficit, if youre eating 1800 calories you shouldnt have any problem losing. 1800 calories plus that much cardio might just be hard on your body.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited June 2017
    1) 60-80 grams of protein is very low for your size, especially if preserving muscle mass is any part of your goals.

    2) If you're truly doing HIIT (which most people aren't), you shouldn't be doing it 5-6 days a week. But if you're doing it for 40-60 minutes a session, it's probably not HIIT anyway.

    3) Nothing makes you gain weight unless you're in a caloric surplus.

    4) There's nothing magical about protein powder as far as muscle soreness. It's no different than eating a chicken breast or a can of tuna or some egg whites (or any other protein source) in that regard.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Protein powder is just a supplement...it's not really going to do anything for soreness. You might want to consider supplementing though if you're only getting 40-80 grams per day though.

    I've heard people saying it does...what do u recommend I buy?

    Protein in general (whether it's powder/meat/fish/poultry, etc) aids in recovery and repair of muscle tissue, but that's not the same thing as alleviating soreness (DOMs).

    DOMs is just something you have to work through...don't jump into all kinds of exercise out of the gate and ease into things...take a hot shower or bath...pop and advil, etc.

    As far as what I'd recommend...that's tricky because there's lots out there and everyone has different tastes. I occasionally supplement with whey, but only when I know I'm not getting enough protein with my food. I like ON Whey Isolate in chocolate.
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Protein powder is just a supplement...it's not really going to do anything for soreness. You might want to consider supplementing though if you're only getting 40-80 grams per day though.

    I am eating about 100-120g of protein a day and to do that, I like to drink a protein shake to supplement. I like ON Gold Standard Whey Protein in Rich Chocolate (something like that). I aim to go higher in protein because it keeps me full longer and I actually like the taste of the powder I use. Like others have said, it won't help with soreness, but if you want to increase your protein intake, it isn't a bad idea.

    BTW my protein goals are based on 0.8g*lbs of goal BW (lean BW) calculation I have seen as a general guideline.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Change your training to reduce the soreness - I really hope that isn't HIIT (with that duration it's highly unlikely....).
    Do try and think about quality of training, not just volume. Part of quality of training comes from adequate recovery time. Where is your recovery?

    Increase your protein because your current level is very low - look at your food choices first, supplement only if needed.
  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    So if protein powder doesn't help with soreness then I guess I'll save my money lol
  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    Its just hard eating a lot of protein tho...
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Foam rolling for soreness
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Its just hard eating a lot of protein tho...

    In what way? I get 150g a day, with very little powder supplements.
  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Its just hard eating a lot of protein tho...

    In what way? I get 150g a day, with very little powder supplements.

    I eat eggs, chicken, tuna but I can never get to 150g of protein. How do u do it?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Its just hard eating a lot of protein tho...

    In what way? I get 150g a day, with very little powder supplements.

    I eat eggs, chicken, tuna but I can never get to 150g of protein. How do u do it?

    Eggs plus whites, low fat dairy, meat/fish. Plus whatever comes from vegies/nuts/grains etc,

    How many meals do you eat, and how much eggs/meat/fish do you eat?
  • Mahdi22
    Mahdi22 Posts: 229 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Its just hard eating a lot of protein tho...

    In what way? I get 150g a day, with very little powder supplements.

    I eat eggs, chicken, tuna but I can never get to 150g of protein. How do u do it?

    Eggs plus whites, low fat dairy, meat/fish. Plus whatever comes from vegies/nuts/grains etc,

    How many meals do you eat, and how much eggs/meat/fish do you eat?

    Not enough I guess lol. I don't want to overeat because I want to lose weight
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Mahdi22 wrote: »
    Its just hard eating a lot of protein tho...

    In what way? I get 150g a day, with very little powder supplements.

    I eat eggs, chicken, tuna but I can never get to 150g of protein. How do u do it?

    Eggs plus whites, low fat dairy, meat/fish. Plus whatever comes from vegies/nuts/grains etc,

    How many meals do you eat, and how much eggs/meat/fish do you eat?

    Not enough I guess lol. I don't want to overeat because I want to lose weight

    I don't overeat. It's all calculated in to my goals,and I'm losing weight. Eating at a deficit and eating too little protein isn't doing you any favours imo.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    The cheapest protein powder is a more expensive way of getting protein than the consumption of eggs or tuna. Egg whites and tuna are among the very best food sources of protein, and mozzarella is, too.

    If you can tolerate the powder mixed in water, it has the advantage of needing no refrigeration and no mechanical devices to open the container.

    I know these facts, and still use protein powder. I'd rather spend the money than eat boiled eggs and tuna.

    For muscle soreness, drink water, let muscles have 48 hours of rest if you're stressing them with lifting, and do get something closer to your myfitnesspal food diary goal for protein, which I'm sure is quite a bit more than 80 grams after you log your cardio exercise.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Take an ibuprofen, a hot bath, and get a good night sleep.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Actually there is a protein powder that does reduce soreness and help muscles recover faster. It works because it's isolated down to a mono chain protein (fast absorbing) and if mixed with only water and the mono chain carb that goes with it (insulin is the vehicle that gets it into the muscle). Whole food takes longer to absorb, so this is a true supplement. I don't think I can say any more than that without getting my internet head bashed in around here, lol.

    It does not mean you can't achieve your goals with only whole food. But there IS an extra edge, and it's something you will FEEL.
  • bluets2011
    bluets2011 Posts: 241 Member
    I take a long hot bath with Epsom salts and feel it helps relaxing the muscles. I do it once a week as a routine. More times as needed.
  • edlanglais5
    edlanglais5 Posts: 172 Member
    That's an awful lot of HIIT. I'm surprised your body even survived it. Most HIIT programs are 15-20 min max. If it were me, I would adjust your workout to 20 min HIIT and 40 min strength training.

    A protein shake is a good recovery for your body. However, with that intensive of a workout, you are probably depleting your body of much needed glutamine. I have intensive workouts myself and mix glutamine into my protein shake afterward.
  • dalerst
    dalerst Posts: 174 Member
    I would cut back on the HIIT training to be honest 40 to 60 minutes a day is way too much over 6 day no wonder you are feeling it. Try cutting to 20 minute session and see how you get on. If your eating correctly then 20 minutes will be ample.
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