Hello!

I and am wondering about protein. If I am working out more and would like to lose weight and build muscle should I be trying to consume more protein?

Now, I know that this is the LC lifestyle and protein is abound in most of the things we eat regularly. I just bought some Designer Whey Protein shake mix to make my own smoothies. I am a little past induction and needed some variety (getting tired of eggs, rich meats...).

I guess the big question is, can you consume too much protein and adversely affect this diet? I am working out regularly which I haven't done in years. I used to be pretty lean and muscular and I know that that body is somewhere under these "marshmallow cut abs" and love handles.

Let me know, I am interested in your input.

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans--John Lennon

Anybody??

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans--John Lennon

Well, how much protein are you consuming now?

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It varies from week to week. I guess the question stems from reading the back of the Designer Whey Protein box that had some figures that you should be consuming more protein if you want to lose weight and even more if you want to build muscle. Of course, any "back of the box" information is probably skewed to sell their product. I would have to do some math to come up with a protein number.

I can tell you I have at least 2-3 servings of meat per day, so right there I am getting plenty of protein. I also have one Designer Whey Protein shake per evening.

Thanks for the reply Maggie. I am not positive there is an answer, I was just curious.

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans--John Lennon

Hmmm.... Tough question from my perspective, because I never measure. My answer is eat enough so that you aren't hungry - whether it's protein, fat or healthy carbs. Don't stuff yourself. But I've always found that preset measurements (limits) of food consumption lead to going hungry. And going hungry leads to cheating.

My biggest problem with weight management has always been my love for food. I love to eat! And with that, I love to over-eat. Portion control goes right out the window. But with this way of eating, I fill up faster because of all the protein/fat. I can also tell you that on three different occasions over the last month, I over-indulged b/c of my weakness for food (All the lamb chops/chicken wings you can eat? C'mon!!!) And it didn't seem to cost me too much on the weight loss front.

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Sven
305/218/200
Start Date: 1/1/06

Welcome to low-carb eating.
The food's not bad here.

that's a hard question to answer, and i think to a degree, it's got to be individual, too. in general, if somebody is hard-core exercising, they will need either additional protien or a higher carb level for the exercise; but most lc'ers get plenty of protien, too.

if it were me, i'd use how i was feeling physically as the measure of how much i needed. if you're losing weight, feeling good, and your exercise seems effective and you're building that muscle, then it's probably a reasonable amount.

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EatSmart Nutritional Scale Review

Thanks for the responses. I really don't measure my protein either but that box just had me wondering. I agree with all your advice: if I am on the losing end and building muscle then I should "keep on keepin' on!"

You guys are great!

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans--John Lennon

As has been said, a lot depends on how much you're consuming now. If you are working on building lean muscle and have incorporated an exercise routine into you day, you probably want to aim for 1 gram per lb. of lean body mass.

To give you a starting point, determine what your "ideal" weight would be and then use that as a guide. Now keep track of your meals in a program like FitDay to see exactly how much you're consuming. Bodybuilders usually consume anywhere from 1 - 1.5 g. per lb. of lean body mass. I am 5'1" and used to weigh 153 lbs. With a solid nutritional plan in place as well as interval cardio and resistance training, I am down to 126. Although I increased the number of meals I consume in a day, I kept my protein level around 120 grams per day. This has helped me to reduce my bodyfat while increasing my lean muscle mass.

Like I said, this is just a starting point. You can always tweak from there.

Donna