Is my protein intake enough ?

[buffchic69]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to ask about my protein intake for the day. I actually have a few ??? I want to put on muscle, but not eat too many calories and gain FAT WEIGHT !!! I lift 4-5 X a week & do 2 days of cardio for 20 minutes, because I heard a lot of cardio isin't good if you want to put on lean, sexy muscle. I hope you all don't mind answering them.

(1) I am btwn. 125 -130 lbs, 5' 6" I roughly take in about 70-75 grams of protein a day. I used to only take in 40 grams a day but was told that's not enough to show results. Anyway- 12:00 noon. a 30 gram protein shake with a few eggs. I consider this BREAKFAST but I am a late riser out of bed !! LOL !!

LUNCH: a small salad w/ tuna or chicken, or a sandwich of canned chicken, diced pineapple, & walnuts on whole wheat bread, w/ a few grapes if I feel like it.

SNACK: maybe a few hard boiled eggs, small scoop of tuna on rice cakes or 4 whole wheat crackers.

DINNER: Usually 4-6oz. tuna, chicken, fish, or lean roast beef, maybe some steamed green beans, carrots, or corn

SNACK: 30 gr. protein shake after my workout with 1/2 banana, or apple.


I mean it changes daily, but I tried to be specific, I hope I didn't leave anything out.

Now for my next 2 questions :

My protein powder is Nitro-tech I really enjoy it, but heard it has some creatine in it, that can make you hold water and look puffy rather than sleek & lean ? Is this true ? Has anyone experienced this water gain on nitro-tech ? Or is it a big fat lie ? I DON'T WANT TO RETAIN WATER !!!!

And also, does anyone know if your suppossed to take your protein shake on your off days that you don't work out ? or on cheat days ?


THANKS EVERYBODY !!!! SORRY IF I RAMBLE ON & ON !!!!

 

[FigureSkater]

Protein shakes aren't really necessary at all, at least not in my opinion. They are a supplement, and therefore should be used to enhance your current diet/exercise program, and not as a primary source of protein. They're great as a quick, easy source of low carb, low calorie protein when you're on the go, but if you don't have to take them (i.e. you have the time to make/eat some extra natural protein like chicken) that's fine. I know plenty of people who don't use them at all, and I only rely on them when I have to (like on days when I can't do my cardio in the AM and go back to the gym in the PM, and have to do both in one session--I'll do cardio, rest/drink a protein shake and then lift...or sometimes I wake up hungry in the middle of the night so I'll have a shake).

As far as water retention with the nitro-tech, I don't really notice it if there is any, but water weight can be lost very easily so I personally am not too concerned about hanging onto some. Men may notice this more because they don't naturally hold onto as much water as women (thanks to our lovely friend estrogen). If you drink tons of water (1 gal or more a day), stay away from salty foods and eat asparagus, you'll lose water weight anyway.

Your protein intake should be higher, especially if you're trying to build muscle. Shoot for at least 1 g per pound of body weight per day, and if you're trying to gain weight, you should shoot for a daily caloric intake of about 16-20x your body weight. (I know that souds like a lot!) Your current eating patters sound more along the lines of a cutting diet, which is not what your goals are.

 

[ashley2212]

I definitely agree that you're not eating enough protein. It's a progressive adjustment, so I wouldn't recommend jumping straight from 70g to 130g in one day. Every couple days, maybe even every week, try to include another serving of protein in your diet. This will give your body more time to adjust and utilize the protein more effectively while reducing the chances that you'll put on a lot of additional bodyfat.

I love protein shakes. I have a hard time (especially given my budget) eating all the protein I need in solid food. It is a supplement and should not be used as your main source of protein, but it helps a lot, especially if you're looking to put on muscle.

Don't underestimate the power of carbs while you're trying to put on muscle! It's the carbs that give you energy for your workouts, help restore after, and transport protein to your muscles. If you're seriously slacking on the carbs and downing a ton of protein, don't expect much in the way of muscle gains.

You also have to understand that if you're really looking to put on some muscle, you WILL gain some fat. The golden rule is, eat more to build, eat less to lose. How MUCH fat depends on WHAT you eat. As long as you stick to a clean diet, whatever small amount of fat you put on will be easy to take off. Part of the mental game is having confidence in yourself that you CAN take it off when you want to. We all have to make sacrifices for our muscle. Unfortunately, adding a little bit of bodyfat is one of them!

 

[buffchic69]

Thanks.

I have been told by 2 personal trainers, plus a nutrionalist/personal trainer that because of my size, shape, height, & weight I should keep my protein intake btwn. 70 & 100 gr. of protein a day, while I'm trying to add muscle. I was also told going over 100 gr. of protein will not be good for me. When you said 130 gr. of protein, I almost died, WOW that's a lot.

Unfortunately now I'm confused, don't know who's advice I should take ?

 

[ashley2212]

Thanks.

I have been told by 2 personal trainers, plus a nutrionalist/personal trainer that because of my size, shape, height, & weight I should keep my protein intake btwn. 70 & 100 gr. of protein a day, while I'm trying to add muscle. I was also told going over 100 gr. of protein will not be good for me. When you said 130 gr. of protein, I almost died, WOW that's a lot.

Unfortunately now I'm confused, don't know who's advice I should take ?

It seems as if you've run into the common problem of nutritionists with book-knowledge versus people who live the lifestyle! Without going into my whole life story, I have seen many nutritionists, most of which are VERY out of shape - obese even. I can't even tell you how many FAT nutritionists I have seen! All will tell you to stick to the food pyramid with the base of your diet being carbs (60%!), and small amounts of protein and fats. Do you know who invented the food pyramid? THE KELLOGG'S COMPANY!!!!!

The second problem when it comes to trainers is that they usually give a cookie-cutter diet and workout program to everyone - ESPECIALLY women. I have dealt with this many times as well. The majority of their clients are middle-aged women who usually don't last with their programs. The trainers think - why spend the time coming up with a specific exercise and nutrition program if they're not going to stick to it anyway?

That being said, the only one who can help you is YOU! You are an independent woman who knows her goals and unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that are going to take you seriously you when you say, "I want to build muscle!" You either need to find a trainer who believes you and sincerely wants to help you achieve your goals (they are out there, but few and far between) or take it into your own hands and make it work for yourself!

You should shoot for at LEAST 1g of protein per pound of body weight which in your case would be about 130g (it probably sounds like a lot now, but a little protein supplement should help nicely... I get upwards of 200g of protein when I'm putting on muscle... 130g is nothing! haha). Your carbs should probably be more but if you're concerned about the bodyfat, you could probably get away with taking in 130g of complex carbs too. All of the women who have successfully built muscle will tell you this is true.

About "too much protein" - too much of anything is harmful, obviously. But from my research, they did those tests on people with pre-existing kidney and liver problems. They found if they gave those people high protein diets, it caused the pre-existing problems to worsen. However, I haven't found that any tests have been done on HEALTHY people who increased their protein intake. It seems to me this was just another experiment blown out of proportion by the media.

Most importantly, educate yourself. There is a lot of stuff online to read. Don't believe everything you read of course, but don't be afraid to experiment either! It's all trial and error. I can't even tell you how many experiments I've done to figure out how my body works! This board is a great forum to ask questions and read valuable information. Just remember that nothing happens overnight, but asking questions will help you get on the right track!