Posted: 4/20/2005 5:46:36 AM EDT
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Can someone help me out? I've recently gone back to weight training, and forgot what my personal trainer had told me about protein a few years back. What's the recommended protein allowance per day? I'm currently doing an hour of cardio and an hour of weights each day, and find that I'm always ravenously hungry, so I think I'm probably not getting enough protein. Anyone have any advice? Thanks much! |
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You need a minimum of 1 gram of protein for every 2 pounds of body weight each day, if you are training for muscle building. I recommend canned tuna in water, as it is virtually 100% protein, with no fat or carbs, if you eat it straight. Soy protein isolate(powdered protein drink mix) is not a good substitute. Soy is loaded with estrogen (yes, believe it or not). Stick with real protein like fish, meat, etc. Remember if you are going lo-carb, and doing alot of exercise, you'll be burning up your protein grams as fuel, so be sure you have enough fuel to allow the protein to be distributed into the muscles, and not burned up during your workouts. |
What he said. Plus you can eat canned salmon too. I'm looking at this little can that I am about to eat and it says 35 gr. of protein along with fish oils. The good stuff. Think I will eat 2 cans this morning. Oh, and that stuff about you can only intake like 35 grams of protein at one sitting is shit. In case you heard that somewhere. |
Eat your carbs in the morning and before your workout. Carbs aren't bad as long as you burn them off. Also, turkey chili is an excellent source of protein with basically no carbs or fat, like tuna. |
Cool! Thanks alot! |
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I don't recommend lo-carb while weight training for muscle building. It is useful if you are coming up to a bodybuilding competition, and you have to get really "cut" and "ripped" for competition. Generally, I like to recommend being "smooth" during training periods, and having enough calories intake to ensure that you're not burning up muscle mass during workouts. Keep a day off in between workouts of particular muscle groups, to be sure they have time to recover and build up. I do legs one day, and upper body the next, so that I have the one day in-between period for recovery. Strength training actually results in millions of little muscle tears, which need to be repaired, and built-up during the off day. This is how the muscle is built up by the weight training. You tear it down with the workout, and build it up with the protein you ingest. Heavy weight training of the same muscle groups every day, doesn't give enough time for recovery, and can actually reduce your results by overtraining. Overtraining also increases your likelihood of training injuries. Vitamins and mineral intake is also critical, because you use much more of them during the high stress of working out. Make sure you take them. If you don't like fish, then pick some natural protein meals that you do like. I just suggested the tuna because it is 100% protein, and you can get alot in a small package. As long as you get the needed protein grams, it will be ok. If you want to go to the max, you can look into food-combining regimens, which allow you to eat only foods which digest well together at each meal. This creates an improvement in digestive efficiency, and lets the body utilize a higher portion of what you eat, instead of passing poorly digested food that had some stuff you needed in it. |
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Thanks, guys. I'm obviously not trying to bulk up, but I do like the look of muscle definition, and I really enjoy the weight lifting workouts. My boyfriend doesn't like the "cut" look though, preferring women soft. Would you recommend lighter weights with more reps for this? I do work different muscle groups different days, although do cardio every day (power walking on an incline on the treadmill), but I do think I've been overdoing it, and need to cut back a bit on the lifting, and allow the muscle to rebuild. Lower body one day and upper body another is a good suggestion, thanks for that! |
The above advice is dead on. Try to obtain appx 1-1.5g (.8 to 1g if you're not looking to bulk up) of protein per pound, per day, in five small, equally spaced meals....As far as sources for protein, there are many. Try turkey, skinless chicken, lean meat, low fat cottage cheese, legumes, egg whites, etc. Also, you should definitely incorporate some carbs into each meal, especially the early morning meal, before your exercise regimen, and afterwards as carbohydrates are needed as an energy source (before exercise), and as a means by which to replenish glycogen stores (after exercise). A meal replacement shake makes an excellent and easy post work out meal with ample carbs and protein....There are countless web pages a google search away that can provide you with all the nutritional information you could possibly need insofar as protein and carb contents.... Do not go overboard on calorie counties, concentrate instead on fueling your body with low fat, high quality sources of protein and carbohydrates. Your body will do the rest. It goes without saying that high fat content foods, butter, oils, fried foods, highly processed foods (white bread), empty calories (sugar, candy), etc. will not help your cause...Best of luck. It's not easy, nor is it something that happens overnight. Just stick with it, concentrate on exercising and proper eating habits, stay away from the daily weigh-ins and mirrors, and you'll do just fine.... |
Alright,I am sorry but I am going to disagree a bit with some of the advice given here.....most of which is good. Eveyone has their own ideas of what works,and not everyone reacts the same to the same stimulus.So what we say are guidelines,NOT DO MY WAY OR DIE rules  First,I think you do not need 1.5gms of protein/lb of weight.Even for a MAN who works out with high intensity programs does not need that much protein. In your case 0.5-1.0g/lb is MORE than plenty.You do not have to build/repair large bulky muscles,so I would say 0.5grams. Conversely,1 hr of cardio/day would be EXCESSIVE for a man/woman who wants to build muscle mass.It would be counterproductive to do more that 1-2 hrs A WEEK during bulking period. However,since you want definition and low fat body content the more cardio the leaner you will look (at the expense of muscle mass).Sure,you can probably cut back to 4hrs of cardio/week and be fine too. Working with weights in your case would probably be best to go lighter and more reps (to tone),and even do your workouts in circuits. Here is how -if possible at all- I would recommend you do your training:assuming you weigh around 120 lbs Morning: cardio , first thing in the AM. - breakfast, 1 hr later -mid morning meal -lunch -250 cal snack afternoon/early evening weights -dinner-good mix of protein and carbs -cottage cheese and fruit snack, before going to bed I left the cals out because I dont know your weight, and because it depends a lot on your cardio volume. If you do 1 hr cardio everyday,you can probably eat all you want (healthy food),and not gain much weight!You are hungry because you are burning tons of calories with your cardio.....and that is good! Calculate 10 cals per pound of body weight (maintenance) plus another10 cals/lb of body weight for active life style/excercise Drink LOTS of water during the day! ETA:highly defined muscles (you like) and the soft look (your BF likes....I like too  ) are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.You can go half way -compromising a bit for both- and have reasonably defined muscles (or at least not flabby muscles), and the soft look many of us
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If you are looking to build any muscle mass at all, you need to get your cardio down to around 60 minutes a week (that's 3-20 minute sessions). Otherwise you will just burn off all your gains. If you want that lean gaunt runner look, cardio away. |
Soy protein is not all bad... www.bodybuildingforyou.com/health-nutrition/soy-protein-benefits-use-2.htm |
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I weight around 180# now. I'm getting around 250gm a day of protein and 325gm of carbs a day. Give or take a little of course since I'm not on a diet-nazi and vary my intake somewhat. I (and just about everyone I know, with good results) eat ALOT, by which I mean to eat very little but very often. Every hour and a half or so I consume something. A bananna or apple, a sandwich, a protein-shake, some salad, etc... Serving size stays around the same; idea is to keep your motabolism up by eating often (I also take Redline once in a while - that REALLY gets it up  )Reasoning for drinking crap like Redline: The whole point of cardio, as far as I can tell, is to get your heartrate up and keep it up. Redline is a great way to start doing that (to go around cardio), just make sure to read the fine print on the bottle! I usually take it before a light workout (by usually, I mean maybe once or twice a week, at most. and by light, I mean working only one musclegroup; like today, where I did some rows and then bicep concentrations for about 45-50 minutes). I don't count the time, since I am training for mass right now (work till positive failure). Usually takes me about 20-30 minutes per musclegroup (failure in 8-10 reps/set on progressive weight [supersets]). As for running, I wear a 30# vest and go 4.5mph/8.0incline for a mile, then sprint at 9.0mph/0.0incline for a half a mile. I don't do much cardio, but that takes me about a half hour to do. Also, I drink ALOT of water. Usually 2 liters or so durring my workout; a gallon throughout the day. Results have been very consistent and noticable lately, and that's what matters  (well, that, and getting my liver, kidneys, and everything else tested regularly to make sure I don't fuck my self up while trying to get a nicer body).Edit to add: "what works" is different for everyone - everyone has a different body, chemistry, conditioning, etc.. It takes some work to find out what works for you. I can almost guarantee to you that nobody's "plan" will work for you nearly as well as it does for them, that's the hardest part of training. |
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Like Ed said, everyone here offers good advice There are some really knowledgable people here on ar15.com when it comes to diet, nutrition, and exercise  My only advice is READ, READ, READ, and then put it to pratice Your body is your own science experiment when it comes to the fitness life style. What works for others MAY not work for you. You will have to experiment, and try different protien sources, diet, and exercise routines, to find what works well for you, and what does not. Don't ever be afraid to dump something that you feel is not right for you, and never be afraid to stick with something that works, even if no one else is doing it. Just my .02 cents 
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WHEN DIETING ALWAYS LIFT HEAVY LIGHT WEIGHTS DO NOT GET YOU CUT. Heavy weights preserve muscle tissue. I have worked with a lot of women, many of them rely on their bodies for a living and are NOT bulked up. Always lift heavy... ALWAYS. If she were not doing so much cardio Id say eat 1000 cal a day. High protein stabilises inulin and glucose levels while helping the glycemic index of your meals without using fat to do the same thing. If she is not taking anabolics she will not be able to get too big lifting heavy. |
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Thanks so much for all the advice. I've stockpiled up on lots of high protein /low carb snacks to keep at work, and I'm going to continue with the heaviest weight I can comfortable lift without straining. I'll see how that works over the next few weeks and report back. Thanks again! Daisy |
| I have seen cans or chicken in the grocery store. The kind you can make Chicken salad out of. You might want to try that instead of tuna. Did you ever try cooking up a dinner the night before and packing it for lunch, My lunch most nights at work is my left over dinner. Also How about protien bars as a snack. |
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Daisy, remember...Carbs are not the enemy...unused refined carbs are. I've found that if you stay away from white bread/rice and pasta and stick to lowfat protein (yogurt, egg whites, chicken {I'd rather eat my words than eat tuna haveAs far as the BF not liking cut women...lemme talk to him for 5 minutes. If talking doesn't work...I'll beat him into submission for ya...until you can do it yerself! heMy weight creeps up and I eat more crap when I cut water consumption. <shrug> Or replace it with vodka Hate when that happens |
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thanks "playmore". I've been doing the yogurt thing daily, along with going for the complex carbs for breakfast, like Grape nuts, it has protein, too, and keeps me full pretty much until lunch. Lunch has been a grilled chicken breast with salad, and a piece of fruit or cheese in the afternoon. I've been doing quite well, and notice a difference in the clothes and the way they fit. I'm headed to Las Vegas at the end of the month, and hope to fit into some of my clothes from last summer. Here's hoping! oh, and the vodka. yeah. don't go there. But Mike's Light (one per evening) is my new friend, when I'm not with my bad-influence friends.
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I wouldn't worry too much about this. Most men spend a lot of time trying to get bigger and women have a more difficult time adding muscle mass than men do. If you find that you are getting larger or more cut than you want, there is a really simple solution: cut back on your lifting if you are bigger than you want to be and cut back on your cardio or eat more if you are more cut than you want to be. Undoing muscle size and definition gains is a lot easier than doing them.
Too much of either cardio or strength work will interfere with the other. The key is to prioritize. If size/strength is the goal, then dial back on the cardio. Running seems to be more negative than cycling when it comes to muscle gains. Adequate rest is important. Nobody ever got bigger or stronger in the gym. The gains all come during your recovery time. I'm not a dedicated weight lifter, but strength training is a component of my overall fitness program which is more focused on running, cycling, and triathlon. |