Calories vs protein?

jgzunich09
jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
edited November 25 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
What is more important how many calories you have a day or grams of protein? My protein intake a day is 200grams and around 225-240 on gym days and I’m around 2,000 calories give or take a day, so is calories basically a guideline for weight? And obviously protein builds muscle so I’m trying to get bigger while staying lean......

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Weight management is about calories. Protein will help you maintain lean mass (along with a good lifting program) in a calorie deficit.

    I'm not sure what you mean by getting bigger while staying lean...are you cutting weight? You aren't going to get bigger while dieting.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    Calories come first, then protein, then fiber & micronutrients, then hitting your fat minimum (You don't want to eat 0g of fats for example, your just *kitten* up your hormones and your well being) and at the end carbs.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,219 Member
    edited March 2018
    What are your stats... current weight, height, estimated body fat % ...

    I'm cutting with a pretty steep deficit at 2200 Kcals and losing 1-1.5 pounds a week. I'm definitely not building any muscle on 2200 a day. Your protein intake is similar to mine - which is high for a reason (cutting and following a specific protocol)... and much higher than is normally recommended (or needed).
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    I guess I feel I should have a little more muscle since I get a good 200-240 grams of protein a day
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    I guess I feel I should have a little more muscle since I get a good 200-240 grams of protein a day

    Is 2000 cals a day a calorie deficit???

    Protein helps build muscle but you need to be purposely trying to build muscle as well.
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    I guess I’m cutting I’m trying to get my bodyfat down to 10% I just thought I would have more muscle I’m 5’8.5 and 158lbs not sure of my body % I know my BMI is close to 24......
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited March 2018
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    I guess I’m cutting I’m trying to get my bodyfat down to 10% I just thought I would have more muscle I’m 5’8.5 and 158lbs not sure of my body % I know my BMI is close to 24......

    You guess you are cutting? Are you losing weight?

    eta: determining how long you have been a calorie deficit, how steep the deficit is, how long you have been lifting, if you program is adequate enough to promote to muscle growth, the best you can do in a deficit is maintain your muscle until you finish fat loss.
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    My macros percentage is usually like this 44% fat 30% protein and 26% carbs
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    Yea I mainly lift heavy been doing it for years joints been getting sore age catching up to me.....
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    Yea I mainly lift heavy been doing it for years joints been getting sore age catching up to me.....

    But are you in a calorie deficit and currently losing weight????
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited March 2018
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    I guess I feel I should have a little more muscle since I get a good 200-240 grams of protein a day

    You aren't going to build substantial muscle in a calorie deficit regardless of your protein. To build any kind of meaningful muscle mass, you need energy (calories) and to be in a calorie surplus. You can build some muscle slowly in maintenance, but you can't really build meaningful muscle in a calorie deficit. Essentially, you can't build something from nothing...if you're cutting weight, you're catabolic and building muscle is anabolic.

    Protein, along with a good lifting protocol will help you preserve the muscle you have while you're dieting.
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    Wasn’t really going for a calorie deficit jus focused on high protein while eating lean foods
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    No been at the same weight for months
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    If you eat enough calories you'll probably more than satisfy your body's protein needs.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Are you trying to recomp? Eat at maintenance and lose fat and gain muscle over a long period of time?
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    I’m trying to lower bodyfat main concern was with my high protein intake I figured I would have more muscle but with the answers I received I have a better understanding
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    If I recall correctly, 1gr protein = 4 calories, 1gr carb = 4 cal, 1gr fat = 9 cal.

    200 - 240g protein x 4 cal = 800 - 960 calories, leaving you 1200 - 1040 calories to trim off if your goal is to lose weight.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    Wasn’t really going for a calorie deficit jus focused on high protein while eating lean foods
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    No been at the same weight for months

    'recomp' is a very slow process. If you want to build muscle, eat at surplus. If you want to get an edge on fat loss you can add in a small calorie deficit, re-do your goals and setup the right calorie plan for those goals.

    If you want best results and you are doing your own programming pick an established program designed to for optimal results.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Your protein is quite high as well, you just need enough to support fat loss or muscle building, the rest is just wasted protein.
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    Now I feel silly for this post....
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    mredge73 wrote: »
    Your current diet is a maintenance diet (you have been the same weight for a while). To gain muscle you need to add 500 calories per day to your diet in whole foods. Need roughly 100g protein and 3500 calories for 1 lb of muscle. Make sure you are lifting heavy at the gym, do 3-4 sets of each exercise for 4-6 reps each at 60-80% your max. Use compound exercises and work with a partner if you can to keep rest times between sets under 45 seconds.

    Why whole foods?
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    Guess I should be happy with my BMI just want to cut body fat down a bit I don’t do cardio so I’m guessing that will help towards the cause with what I’m doing right now as far as my diet and workouts......
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    Thanx everyone for the info very helpful!!!
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    jgzunich09 wrote: »
    Thanx everyone for the info very helpful!!!

    This was actually a good post for a lot of reasons so don't feel like it was a silly question at all. A lot of people don't understand calories vs macros vs micros etc. Just remember that all macros are energy sources and producing energy is the primary goal of your metabolism. If you don't have enough energy you could eat 500g of protein and still not gain muscle since your body would be using much of it for energy requirements.

    Good luck to you as you move forward.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    mredge73 wrote: »
    Your current diet is a maintenance diet (you have been the same weight for a while). To gain muscle you need to add 500 calories per day to your diet in whole foods. Need roughly 100g protein and 3500 calories for 1 lb of muscle. Make sure you are lifting heavy at the gym, do 3-4 sets of each exercise for 4-6 reps each at 60-80% your max. Use compound exercises and work with a partner if you can to keep rest times between sets under 45 seconds.

    So I can eat a whole cheeseburger, but not half a banana?
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    mredge73 wrote: »
    Your current diet is a maintenance diet (you have been the same weight for a while). To gain muscle you need to add 500 calories per day to your diet in whole foods. Need roughly 100g protein and 3500 calories for 1 lb of muscle. Make sure you are lifting heavy at the gym, do 3-4 sets of each exercise for 4-6 reps each at 60-80% your max. Use compound exercises and work with a partner if you can to keep rest times between sets under 45 seconds.

    So I can eat a whole cheeseburger, but not half a banana?

    No, because, "whole foods." Duh!
  • jgzunich09
    jgzunich09 Posts: 32 Member
    Thanx wheelhouse I am much more informed now and am glad for this post have a great weekend people!!
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