Actual protein intake

[Ash]

I've seen threads on "too much protein" and "cheap protein" but nothing discussing actual protein consumption so I was wondering approximately how much protein you guys are getting in each day?

[Brad]

I'd say I eat minimum 220g/day - sometimes more

[Growth]

Mine is about 250g a day, im 85kg

[deegee]

Between 250-300 at the moment it will increase when bulking

[Tammy]

Mine is between 130-150g max

[Mossley]

Mine is roughly between 120g and 130g. Bodyweight is about 127 pounds and I've heard that 1g per pound of BW is good??

I think it's a personal thing. If I eat too much whey it affects my stomach so I have about 3 serves a day and the rest from food.

[jono]

:grin: you guys are not eating very much protein im prolyl having 350-400 g /day

[Tammy]

we're girls and in my opinion if you go too much higher than 2g/kg body weight it doesn't make any difference and just becomes extremely expensive

[Tammy]

sorry was talking about mossley and I in case anyone gets offended!

[Spitterkat]

at the mo im at 150g protein @ 82kg lbm, but im researching it thoroughly, so i suspect it will change soon (body only has a limited recovery ability etc though, apparently if you eat more than you need it can be converted to energy and eventually fat.)

[waldo]

Bearing in mind that i'm not a BB any more, and that I ride a bike for the hell of it....I eat 150-180g per day (72 kg lean mass). It's quite necessary when you bang out the kilometres. Also still do a little olympic lifting once or twice per week (squats, D/Ls, power cleans, presses etc). Back in the day my intake used to be around 250-300gm per day (85kg lean mass).

[Growth]

apparently if you eat more than you need it can be converted to energy and eventually fat.)

This is true.

[waldo]

apparently if you eat more than you need it can be converted to energy and eventually fat.)

This is true.

As is the case with fat and carbohydrates too! (sorry, couldn't resist this one!)

[Ash]

at the mo im at 150g protein @ 82kg lbm, but im researching it thoroughly, so i suspect it will change soon (body only has a limited recovery ability etc though, apparently if you eat more than you need it can be converted to energy and eventually fat.)

Yeah absolutely, if you eat too much of anything, it will end up as fat assuming you're taking in a surplus of calories.

However, your body is less likely to convert protein to fat than either carbs or dietary fat, especially if you're training hard. As I understand it, protein also requires more energy to digest than carbs/fat, so again it's less likely to end up as fat than a big plate of carbs.

I reckon it's best to try and balance the diet a far as possible. A low protein intake equals either high carbs or high fat or both in order to get in enough calories. If you're not getting enough calories, you probably won't grow.

[Ash]

As is the case with fat and carbohydrates too! (sorry, couldn't resist this one!)

Damn - you beat me to it :grin:

[waldo]

Off the top of my head, it takes 3% of the energy gained from fat to store fat as fat, and between 25 and 30% of the energy form protein and carbohydrate to store either as fat. So if you are going to break the diet and really pig out, tis best to do so on carbs not fat! Not that we do this, do we people?!!!

[Marcus]

I take in about 300+ gms per day. 91kgs, 5'7.

You people worry about putting on fat too much. All I'm thinking about is putting on muscle, so I work my diet around that goal. If it means I put a bit of fat on along the way so be it. That can easily be lost later in the year with diet adjustment.

From my experience if you are always wary about rising bodyfat levels, then your muscle gain will suffer.

As long as you follow carb cutoffs at night & are training extremely hard & to failure you shouldn't get overly fat. If you are, throw in a couple of lower carb days for a couple of weeks, then take a look at your diet.

My $0.02.

[Ash]

You people worry about putting on fat too much.

But fat is the work of the devil :grin:

You're right though - lots of people (myself included) cut into their potential muscle gains because they are scared of getting fat. On the other hand, I don't much like the concept of bulking and cutting either. It can definitely be taken to extremes (pizza and nachos with extra cheese anyone?)

IMO carb cut offs are the best thing since the last best thing.

[Spitterkat]

lol, i knew fat and carb, but protein i heard from another source that the liver excretes the remaining (but then ketosis came to mind)

im reading on john berardi's site about exact amounts

nah man, clean bulk is the way, gain too much fat, and you will lose some muscle cutting it all away, clean bulk, and you wont have much to worry about (also alot more healthy and you keep your endurance gains.)

waldo, what are you training for?

[Ash]

nah man, clean bulk is the way, gain too much fat, and you will lose some muscle cutting it all away, clean bulk, and you wont have much to worry about

It's not only the losing of muscle during a cut that is an issue. There's also the obvious fact that for the period of the cut, you're giving up valuable time where you could be gaining muscle. Lose 2-3 months of muscle building time every year? No thanks.

Maybe I am biased because losing fat isn't easy for me and believe me, I have no trouble sticking to any diet or cardio schedule. Some people on the other hand seem to be able to drop the fat whenever they choose in a short time, so I suppose bulking works for them.

[jono]

I take in about 300+ gms per day. 91kgs, 5'7.

You people worry about putting on fat too much. All I'm thinking about is putting on muscle, so I work my diet around that goal. If it means I put a bit of fat on along the way so be it. That can easily be lost later in the year with diet adjustment.

From my experience if you are always wary about rising bodyfat levels, then your muscle gain will suffer.

As long as you follow carb cutoffs at night & are training extremely hard & to failure you shouldn't get overly fat. If you are, throw in a couple of lower carb days for a couple of weeks, then take a look at your diet.

My $0.02.

u agree with everyone going over board .. worrying about fat. i mean i just eat huge clean meals. i dont count calories or anything. even if i was cutting i still wouldnt count calories.i would just keep eating huge clean meals and do cardio. if i was not seeing changes i might make a small adjustment.

its really not that complicated people. dont overcomplicate things.

[Marcus]

Dead right Jono.

I used to worry all the time about staying reasonably lean & my gains were minimal.

But once I simplified things (eat lots - train hard) the gains cam thick & fast.

My very first bulk I ate everything - junk food included. 18 months later I was 25kgs heavier. Sure I was flabby & very bulked but the fat came off so much easier by closely analyzing my diet. Fat is so much easier to lose with more muscle on your frame.

[Marcus]

From the man Dante himself:

"--he knows he needs to bump this up to gain and bump that down if needed---its a very very tough line to ride because if you dont give a little when trying to gain muscle mass because your so scared of putting on bodyfat--here is the 100% truth--UNLESS YOUR BLACK OR YOUR GENETICS ARE UP THERE ON THE ELITE SCALE (.0001%)YOUR NEVER GOING TO BE THE BIG BOY ON THE BLOCK IF YOU DONT GIVE A LITTLE TO GET A LITTLE. If I could count the bodybuilders in this world that are stuck in that 200-220lb area it would be astronomical. And they want to so badly to be 250 260 270lbs of monstrousity but almost every single one of them will be gaining that 2lbs this year, 2 lbs next year, and so on and 5 years from now they will now weigh 212lbs. In my eyes if your a bodybuilder trying to put on muscle mass, you just waisted 5 growing years that youll never get back. "

More good quotes from him found at:

http://www.intensemuscle.com/showthread.php?t=5082&page=1&pp=25

[waldo]

Maybe it comes back to personal preference guys and obviously what goals you have in training. I like to be lean. Always did. Sounds like a few others do too.

[Spitterkat]

im fine with putting on some fat, but i gain muscle efficiently, so i wont gain fat (weigh, measure and quantify everything, nutrient timing etc etc etc), each to his own, i just prefer efficiency.