Should I increase my protein intake now that I'm working out?

[s0ad]

I'm almost done losing weight (another 15lbs) ... and I want to concentrate on tightening things up and getting some (noticeable) muscles. Not like big or anything... but yeah. I've lost 55 pounds and not much exercise was involved so things don't look too great now.

I'm using weights for about two hours a week (gym membership is too expensive, and its the only time I have to do weights for free). I've also started jogging/running about 30 minutes a day in my backyard. I would run in the streets but my neighborhood scares me. :rolleyes:

My question is that if I'm trying to do this, do I need to increase my protein intake? And if so.. to how much? (I'm 17, 5'3, & 136 pounds) I would ask someone I know in real life, but they would tell me to go eat a piece of chicken. ;P

[LadyFaile]

go to www.fitday.com and sign up for a free account. plug in your stats and it should tell you what you need daily for everything. keep in mind those totals are for maintaining weight in a typical lifestyle and are just a guideline.
then go to the excercise section and plug in what you're doing and it will tell you what you're burning etc. you should be able to figure out from their charts what you should add to what you're already getting.

but bottom line, if you're working out, especially weight training, yes you should probably increase your protein intake. you should eat a protein-dense meal right after a workout, it helps repair damaged muscle tissue (which is how we get bigger/stronger muscles, by making straining/tearing the tissue and then allowing it to heal, which is why you should have rest days between workouts or alternate muscle groups or weights vs cardio)

i'm not an expert though, this is just what i've been learning myself along the way in my not so successful atempts at getting healthy. :p but when i started working out with a trainer, i was told that my minimum requirement for protein while inactive was about 100 grams a day, so while i was training he wanted me to increase it to 180g/day. which i found to be damn near impossible. i sort of think he was telling me more than what i needed knowing that it would be hard to meet the goal no matter where he set it. ie if i should be getting 160 he told me 180 to make sure i'd get 160 lol he's sneaky like that. for you it might be more, i'm pretty tiny (my goal was weight gain not loss)
barry or others here might have more insight

[s0ad]

180 grams seems like a huge amount, even 100 seems like a lot. I better get some shakes then. ;P

[colorful]

Here's what the PCRM says about protein (emphasis mine):


Protein requirements are very individualized and are primarily dependent upon body size. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for the average, sedentary or lightly active adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.10 For most people, this is more than enough. However, some authorities believe that protein needs for athletes may range from 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for the highly active adult athlete

I went ahead and did the math for you, and the range for a highly active adult athlete of your weight would be 74g -105g protein daily.

Here's the link to the PCRM page that talks about it: http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vegetarian_athletes.html

[barrylove]

I'm almost done losing weight (another 15lbs) ... and I want to concentrate on tightening things up and getting some (noticeable) muscles. Not like big or anything... but yeah. I've lost 55 pounds and not much exercise was involved so things don't look too great now.

I'm using weights for about two hours a week (gym membership is too expensive, and its the only time I have to do weights for free). I've also started jogging/running about 30 minutes a day in my backyard. I would run in the streets but my neighborhood scares me. :rolleyes:

My question is that if I'm trying to do this, do I need to increase my protein intake? And if so.. to how much? (I'm 17, 5'3, & 136 pounds) I would ask someone I know in real life, but they would tell me to go eat a piece of chicken. ;P
..I just had this talk at 10 o'clock tonight when I as trying to close the gym.
Somewhere in my post there are a few of my responses concerning protein and what we 'really' need.

Here is the bottom line..protein is used to repair and build muscle. When you start working out more often, you need more CARBS....carbs are your #1 source of energy therefore you need to have plenty of carbs to make it throughout your day as well as your workouts. This will enable the protein to do it's job - build muscle.
If you re taking in tons of protein and workind out hard you may be using the protein sources as energy sources in turn NOT never using it to build muscle.

So...more exercise, more carbs - less exercise, MORE protein...get it?/ :)
If you exercise alot, carbs are needed as energy....exerisie little or not at all less carbs.
DO NOT follow a body builders routine! They are a different species and think the world should be body builders! concentrate on being healthy and think about longevity.......

I have a article in my ebook that goes over the Myths of Protein. Go to www.exercise4everybody.com and sign-up for it...it is absolutely FREE ..:)
This should help you understand it more.

Good Luck Barry

[s0ad]

I went ahead and did the math for you, and the range for a highly active adult athlete of your weight would be 74g -105g protein daily.

Considering I'm not really a "highly active athlete" I'll probably take a bit off of that estimate. ;P Thank you. (:

That's actually really good to hear Barry. Carbs are my favorite and having plenty of them is no problem. :lick: I've been meaning to check out your ebook I always see you post about it. I guess now would be better than ever. (: Thanks.

[SeaSiren]

Barry covered it :)

Another good source is the book "Thrive" by Brendan Brazier (champion TriAthlete and fellow VBF Team Member):
http://www.brendanbrazier.com/book/index.html

More Carbs =high cardio activity
More Protein =repairing muscle -bodybuilding

55lbs -woohoo! :bobo: Keep us posted on your progress! :up:

[janie]

Wow, I never knew that. Thanks Barry and Denise. :)

[Gnome Chomsky]

>>but when i started working out with a trainer, i was told that my minimum requirement for protein while inactive was about 100 grams a day, so while i was training he wanted me to increase it to 180g/day. which i found to be damn near impossible.>>

Everything I've read suggests half this.

ebola

[barrylove]

>>but when i started working out with a trainer, i was told that my minimum requirement for protein while inactive was about 100 grams a day, so while i was training he wanted me to increase it to 180g/day. which i found to be damn near impossible.>>

Everything I've read suggests half this.

ebola
many trainers are not your best source of nutrition knowledge..they actually will tell you what they 'think' you need and make it sound knowledgable.
Trust me on this..MANY trainers actually read Muscle & Fiction (actually Fitness) and attempt to pass this info onto their clients as 'facts'.
If you are spending the money on a trainer make it a point to spend the money on a session with a respected nutitionist or dietician. Respected to me means someone that is referred by a friend or a friends friend.

Protein is not as essential and needed as we are led to believe. Thanks for the marketing all these years this is what we tend to believe.

[NickyBB]

..I just had this talk at 10 o'clock tonight when I as trying to close the gym.
Somewhere in my post there are a few of my responses concerning protein and what we 'really' need.

Here is the bottom line..protein is used to repair and build muscle. When you start working out more often, you need more CARBS....carbs are your #1 source of energy therefore you need to have plenty of carbs to make it throughout your day as well as your workouts. This will enable the protein to do it's job - build muscle.
If you re taking in tons of protein and workind out hard you may be using the protein sources as energy sources in turn NOT never using it to build muscle.

So...more exercise, more carbs - less exercise, MORE protein...get it?/ :)
If you exercise alot, carbs are needed as energy....exerisie little or not at all less carbs.
DO NOT follow a body builders routine! They are a different species and think the world should be body builders! concentrate on being healthy and think about longevity.......

I have a article in my ebook that goes over the Myths of Protein. Go to www.exercise4everybody.com and sign-up for it...it is absolutely FREE ..:)
This should help you understand it more.

Good Luck Barry


Can these carbs come from just fruit and vegetables ? or should it from whole grains like pasta, bread etc?