Question about nutrition

[reddragon]

okay I just want a clear some things here in regards to nutrition. Specifically protein and carbs. In my diet plan I posted that I was aiming for a gram per pound at 160 thats 160 g of protein, but after doing some reading on this board and some other articles I 'm second guessing myself here. I don't want to be over eating and yet at the same time undereating. Can someone give me a clear answer and what has worked for them in improving their physique and raising their energy?

[Sanitarium]

I think the rough guideline is 30% protein, 50-60% carbs and 10-20% fat.

Eat more protein if you want to put on muscle mass, or gain weight, and eat more carbs if you're just exercising a lot and using lot of energy.

If you don't get enough carbs you won't have as much energy to exercise and train. If you don't get enough protein then your muscles won't be able to increase in size or repair themselves as well. But usually high protein food has a lot of carbs too so I wouldn't worry about it.

If you want to work on your muscles and keep your energy high, then just have a healthy diet, but eat more of it. Foods like steaks, fish (especially Tuna), eggs are all good for protein, whereas pasta, bread, oatmeal are good for carbs. Protein drinks like the Weider stuff are good because you worry less about stuffing your face and you can just drink a shake after a workout.

The RDA of protein is roughly 0.8g per kg, for a normal person. If you're into MA or working out then up it a bit, so...you weigh about 72kg, so officially 60g of protein is enough. Try something like 70-80g. But anyway, I don't think there are any dangers of having too much protein. 160g is overkill though lol, i dunno, it could just make you fat.

[Torque]

Originally Posted by Sanitarium

I think the rough guideline is 30% protein, 50-60% carbs and 10-20% fat.

Eat more protein if you want to put on muscle mass, or gain weight, and eat more carbs if you're just exercising a lot and using lot of energy.

If you don't get enough carbs you won't have as much energy to exercise and train. If you don't get enough protein then your muscles won't be able to increase in size or repair themselves as well. But usually high protein food has a lot of carbs too so I wouldn't worry about it.

If you want to work on your muscles and keep your energy high, then just have a healthy diet, but eat more of it. Foods like steaks, fish (especially Tuna), eggs are all good for protein, whereas pasta, bread, oatmeal are good for carbs. Protein drinks like the Weider stuff are good because you worry less about stuffing your face and you can just drink a shake after a workout.

The RDA of protein is roughly 0.8g per kg, for a normal person. If you're into MA or working out then up it a bit, so...you weigh about 72kg, so officially 60g of protein is enough. Try something like 70-80g. But anyway, I don't think there are any dangers of having too much protein. 160g is overkill though lol, i dunno, it could just make you fat.

Extra protein doesn't make you fat, you actually shit it out right away

BTW the only thing bad about a lot of protein is apparently it's hard on your kidneys. If you drink about a gallon or more of water a day then it's fine though.

[eXcessiveForce]

For body building I believe it is around 1.8g per pount bodyweight
Endurance athletes around 1.2g per pound.

It really depends on your goals. Are you looking to build? Trim out? What is your routine? Are you lifting or doing cardio?


all that will have a bearing on how much protien you need.

[Builderofmuscle]

I actually have a question: you shit out extra protien? I've never heard that. Basically, isn't it true that any excess calories that you don't burn up gets stored?

[Torque]

Originally Posted by Builderofmuscle

I actually have a question: you shit out extra protien? I've never heard that. Basically, isn't it true that any excess calories that you don't burn up gets stored?

Uh, I'm not a scientist or anything but go drink like 2-3 protein shakes, with like 100 gs of protein, you'll shit like mad within an hour.

Anyway protein != energy. Protein carries your hormones to your muscles to rebuild them.

(at least from what I've gathered)

Also I don't know if you've heard this before but a lot of people say that the body can take (a number usually around 30gs) of protein at a time, and anymore is wasted (you are disposing of it). You can't "waste" carbs/fats because the body stores those. You can waste protein because it is not stored.

[eXcessiveForce]

yeah that is about right i've read as much as 40grams can be used at one time and as little as 30grams. So going and taking 100 grams of protien powder is going to pass right on through without being absorbed.

Although you can get energy from protien it is very inefficient same as fat. that is what the atkins diet is based on. being full of protien so you aren't hungry and using fat and protien as energy which has a high energy cost to convert.

[Sanitarium]

Yeah, that's why they advise to take protein shakes between meals and not with them, and before/after a workout.