Calories or protein?
Maggiesanvicto
Posts: 70 Member
Which should I focus on more? I have been consistently staying under my daily allowance for calories each day. I keep hearing that I won’t be able to build muscle or lose fat without getting enough protein. Today I was feeling fully satisfied and was a 700 calorie deficit but when I looked at my protein I was 32gram under what I needed. So do I eat more protein while still staying within my calories? Or is it best to be at a bigger calorie deficit and not get my recommend protein?
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Replies
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What are your stats? What is your workout program? And more specifically, what is your goal.
You can lose fat with just having a deficit. Its true that you need adequate protein to build muscle but more importantly, you need a good resistance training program. Things like steep deficits will hinder your ability to gain or even maintain muscle.10 -
I’m 194.5 and 5”9. Trying to lose 2lbs per week but wanting to build muscle. Normally I would be doing gym workouts using machines and free weights,focusing on 1 muscle each session. My city is on lockdown though so all gyms are closed. I’m doing at home HIIT off youtube and some home weightlifting,dumbbells and resistance band workouts.0
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Maggiesanvicto wrote: »I’m 194.5 and 5”9. Trying to lose 2lbs per week but wanting to build muscle. Normally I would be doing gym workouts using machines and free weights,focusing on 1 muscle each session. My city is on lockdown though so all gyms are closed. I’m doing at home HIIT off youtube and some home weightlifting,dumbbells and resistance band workouts.
If your goal is some muscle gains while losing fat, I would recommend slowing down weight loss a bit... Maybe 1-1.5 lbs per week, especially since you cant hit the gym. I would probably looks to more full body training while home (and even while in the gym). Ideally, hitting each body part 2-3x a week will yield better results than hitting a body part once per week.
If you need a good at home full body routine, I would recommend looking at AthleanX (on YouTube). He recently released a good full body that you can do 3x a week and then do HIIT on the other days.
From a protein perspective, 130g is probably a good target.9 -
Thanks for the advice! I’ll look into those vids 0 -
Do you mean you set a 2lbs per week deficit and then stay below what MFP gives you? You should at least eat what MFP gives you, and then some for working out. Don't go on a crash diet as you'll burn muscles instead of fat and then you'll burn out eventually.3
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I just switched it to 1lb per week.I always eat my daily recommendation but not the extra calories earned from working out. Should I be eating my workout calories as well?1
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Keep a small calorie deficit if you want to lose fat. Glad you're eating protein. You need to get protein.0
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Maggiesanvicto wrote: »I just switched it to 1lb per week.I always eat my daily recommendation but not the extra calories earned from working out. Should I be eating my workout calories as well?
If your calorie goal comes from MFP, it's designed for you to eat back the extra calories burnt through exercise.10 -
If, after reading replies here, you still want to get more protein, this thread is an excellent one:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
It links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods in order by calorie efficiency - most protein for fewest calories. It includes not only meats/fish, but also grains, vegetables, even fruits. Some of the non-meat sources are incomplete (not all), but it's reasonable to be getting a segment of one's protein from incomplete sources, especially if one's goal is high; varying the choices over time helps get a better rounded essential amino acid profile. Find foods you like on the list, eat more of those, less of something else that isn't as helpful to your goals.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also5 -
Thanks everyone!0
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I met with a nutrition coach/ CrossFit trainer yesterday and he helped me set all my macros, he told me it’s okay of be off my calories by 5% each way, to ALWAYS hit my protein, it’s okay to go a little over on fats, and don’t go over on my carbs. Here is my current stats, I’m kind of in the same boat, trying to lose weight and gained muscle
I’m 5,4 and started about 6 days ago at about 140, current weight 136
Week 1
Calories 1654
Protein 145
Carbs 183
Fats 42
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Thanks! I seem to go over fats and carbs every day...it’s usually always healthy fats though.0
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I met with a nutrition coach/ CrossFit trainer yesterday and he helped me set all my macros, he told me it’s okay of be off my calories by 5% each way, to ALWAYS hit my protein, it’s okay to go a little over on fats, and don’t go over on my carbs. Here is my current stats, I’m kind of in the same boat, trying to lose weight and gained muscle
I’m 5,4 and started about 6 days ago at about 140, current weight 136
Week 1
Calories 1654
Protein 145
Carbs 183
Fats 42
Crossfit trainers are not qualified to give nutritional advice. In looking at your data. The protein is higher than neccesary (no harm if that is your preference but not neccesary) your fats are a little low and it's fine to go over on carbs if your protein and fat targets are good. Why the trainer would tell you that is beyond comprehension.
Protein wants to be in the general ballpark of .8 grams per lb of body weight (or 1 gram per lb of lean mass but most people don't know their lean mass), fats at .35 grams per lb of body weight and carbs can be whatever is left. For your stats that would be:
Protein 112grams, 448 calories
Fats 49, 441 calories
Both as minimums. Carbs where ever they fall if you are on or over the minimums above.16 -
Maggiesanvicto wrote: »Thanks! I seem to go over fats and carbs every day...it’s usually always healthy fats though.
As long as you are not crowding out protein intake and you are above the minimums for fats, it's fine. BTW, with the exception of transfats and those have been largely eliminated from most products, there are not healthy and unhealthy fats. There are saturated and unsaturated fats. They both have their role in our diets in appropriate amounts.
It's best not to tag foods as healthy or unhealthy. It's all about the amount and the context.9 -
Maggiesanvicto wrote: »I just switched it to 1lb per week. I always eat my daily recommendation but not the extra calories earned from working out. Should I be eating my workout calories as well?
Yes, assuming you are logging your food and exercise accurately.
How long have you been at this? If at least a month, are you losing as fast, faster, or not as fast as you expected?
Unlike other sites which use TDEE calculators, MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated for them and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p10 -
How are you supposed to lose 2lb of weight but build muscle?0
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How are you supposed to lose 2lb of weight but build muscle?
You won't. Aggressive weight loss makes it difficult to gain muscle. A moderate approach while following a structured lifting routine and adequate protein levels will provide the best possible solution. So aiming for about 1 lb per week, with the above aforementioned protein numbers are a good start.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p15 -
Thanks for all the replies....didn’t mean to cause such a debate! I guess being new to all this will have be an experience in trial and error....especially with my goal setting and expectations. I think when I said build muscle I really meant tone or definition...which I assume will only come with strength training and that with less fat around my muscles they will look more defined. I originally was worried that I wouldn’t loose weight if I didn’t have a high calorie deficit...and that i was lowering my deficit by eating more in order to get enough protein. I do think speaking to a registered dietitian would be great but I also value the opinions of people in the fitness industry or those who have been diligent in their research on their journey to achieving their fitness goals. I know it’s ultimately my responsibility to make sure to fact check the advice I’m given to make sure it is safe for me.Thanks again to everyone for their help!1
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I met with a nutrition coach/ CrossFit trainer yesterday and he helped me set all my macros, he told me it’s okay of be off my calories by 5% each way, to ALWAYS hit my protein, it’s okay to go a little over on fats, and don’t go over on my carbs. Here is my current stats, I’m kind of in the same boat, trying to lose weight and gained muscle
I’m 5,4 and started about 6 days ago at about 140, current weight 136
Week 1
Calories 1654
Protein 145
Carbs 183
Fats 42
OK so your maintenance is 1654 cals then? If not, How are you supposed to lose weight AND gain muscle? Surely both are different processes and therefore require different calorie amounts?
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I met with a nutrition coach/ CrossFit trainer yesterday and he helped me set all my macros, he told me it’s okay of be off my calories by 5% each way, to ALWAYS hit my protein, it’s okay to go a little over on fats, and don’t go over on my carbs. Here is my current stats, I’m kind of in the same boat, trying to lose weight and gained muscle
I’m 5,4 and started about 6 days ago at about 140, current weight 136
Week 1
Calories 1654
Protein 145
Carbs 183
Fats 42
OK so your maintenance is 1654 cals then? If not, How are you supposed to lose weight AND gain muscle? Surely both are different processes and therefore require different calorie amounts?
That isn't her maintenance. It's a calories set for them to lose weight. In my experience, most women can lose weight between 1500-1700 calories. Often there is a belief that they have to cut to 1200 calories but that usually is too aggressive. This doesn't have to be about starving yourself. Its about a balance of enough calories (and protein) to support exercise, but still allow weight loss.4
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