Hi everyone I'm Gina, I am new to this forum, but not new to lifting...or forums for that matter.
I have a question regarding the nutrition section of the book though. Right around the part where he said he hoped our eyes weren't bleeding from the numbers...yeah my eyes were totally bleeding . The part where he had the low-mid-high range.
Anyway, I am 5'4'' and around 125lbs. I figured out my rest day intake to be 1900 calories, which was what I was already eating, so then my workout day calories was 2200.
That's all well and good, but what about this 40/30/30 ratio? That's 165g on my workout days. I could reach it...but have been around 150g for the past few work out days. I've been sleeping fine, I've had energy to lift and everything, but when I wake up in the morning and look at food, all I can think it...UGH, this again?? (Not that I'm eating the exact same things, just another day of stuffing my face...although I am a vegetarian, so my protein sources do get a tad old, but I'm used to that). I've always just heard 1g of protein per pound of body weight, so this just seems huge to me.
So, the question is...do you all follow 40/30/30, or is anyone having success on the program without being quite so strict to that ratio? Did anyone else feel bombarded by protein but their body got used to it?
I'm at the beginning of the program, and I am trying to have faith, but am getting a little frustrated. With less cardio, less weights (I used to go 4 days), and more calories 3 days a week, I've already gained not only pounds, but body fat. GRANTED, it has only been a week , so again, I am having faith, but is it at least a little normal to feel like this at the beginning, even if you are someone who has been lifting for quite awhile?
I've always just heard 1g of protein per pound of body weight, so this just seems huge to me.
I think it is 1g per kilogram of body weight. There are 2.2kg per pound.
Here is a snip it of something I found.
Quote:
How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:
1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.
Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary. Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.
Example: 154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day
__________________
AM, homeschooling mom to Wild & Wacky, see my fitness journey here, my training log here and my everything else blog here.
Consistent practice equals consistent progress.
I think it is 1g per kilogram of body weight. There are 2.2kg per pound.
Here is a snip it of something I found.
Where did you find that bit? That equates to less than 1/2g/lb, and that is the bare minimum for maint for the average person (assuming the average activity level which is pretty low).
How vegetarian are you? Do you eat fish, eggs, or milk products. I think it's sometimes tough for total vegetarians to eat high protein. I mean, to get 165 grams of protein you can either eat 18 ounces or steak, or 13 cups of kidney beans. I mean, I like beans and all, but....
If you can eat fish and milk. It's alot easier. A 6oz can of tuna is 40g, and a protien shake with milk (or soy milk) is about that as well.
Where did you find that bit? That equates to less than 1/2g/lb, and that is the bare minimum for maint for the average person (assuming the average activity level which is pretty low).
Yeah, I am going to have to second that. Sorry, I know I'm the one asking the question, but I was always told 1g per pound is what to shoot for as someone who lifts.
Hey Gina, welcome!
Check out MaryGrace's training log. She's vegan, posts her meals, and has some food ideas.
MaryGrace, I hope you don't mind me pointing Gina to your log...
Thanks for the suggestion, I appreciate it!
And I do eat dairy and eggs, not fish though. Anything that is an animal carcass is a no-no for me . That's why I sort of mentioned in my post that I was eating a lot of dairy to get my protein so high, I was wondering if that was what is making me feel gross in the morning.
Where did you find that bit? That equates to less than 1/2g/lb, and that is the bare minimum for maint for the average person (assuming the average activity level which is pretty low).
I am sorry. I was obviously unclear in what I posted. The quote I added does say for those people lifting it is higher. I should have specified that the first sentence was the RDA recommendations. Just ignore me. I'd go back and edit it if I could figure out how.
__________________
AM, homeschooling mom to Wild & Wacky, see my fitness journey here, my training log here and my everything else blog here.
Consistent practice equals consistent progress.
I follow the split pretty much religiously. I am your height and around the same weight. The scale and bf measurements all went up about 1 tick after the first week of the program, but my tape measurements are not changing, or or even going down. Remember, this is a body composition program that works over time.
I follow the splits because I learned to eat very high protein on my last program. I found that I recovered quicker, got stronger, and felt better with the higher rates of protein. If you'll notice above, someone posted that heavy lifters need a higher amount of protein. Of course, it might be a good idea to do a little research on this and see if you can come to a consensus since there seems to be more than one number floating around.
Even though you may feel good, you really can't feel what your muscles are doing. The protein is the key in their repair and growth. If I were to mess with the splits, it would be not be the protein that I would drop. However, I am not an expert. This is just my personal experience. Oh, and added note. The high protein foods also seem to be mostly, very healthy whole foods, so I would hate to lessen them for that reason too.
I think you will get used to the food later in the stage, too, as the weight you lift goes up. Seems like the heavier I lift, the hungrier I get. I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck!
An RDA of 0.8 g/kg may seem low to many of us, but this number was created to give the general population a reference number, below this may be unhealthy.
As stated above strength and endurance athletes need a significant amount more, but not an extreme amount. Also, people trying to lose weight and are restricting calories may want more protein to ensure they retain their lean body mass.
If you find consuming more protein then these recommendations works better for you, then go for it. The excess will get burned as fuel, not stored.
Hi Gina, it took me a while to work out what the heck Lou is trying to say in that section too. In fact, I ignored the nutrition guidelines when I first started NROL4W because I thought life is too good to be a slave to Calories. (Clearly, I changed my mind.) IMO, he didn't do a very good explanation of it--after reading it twice, I figured he is trying to say:
1) Don't cut calories drastically because cutting them will kill any muscle-building effort you are sweating over. Cutting calories will equate to a lack of protein to build muscle, even if you have 30% of your calories from protein.
2) Then he bleeds our eyeballs with those numbers (Pg 66-67) to show how if we go on a low-calorie diet, there is no way we could even come near the protein target needed for hardcore bodybuilders like us. But if we eat a high-caloric diet, we will get the protein we need at 30% of our daily calories. "The high estimate is commonly suggested for men and women who are trying to lose weight without losing muscle size." (i.e. we want AT LEAST a gram of protein per pound of body weight to lose FAT, but ideally we need a lot more than that)
3) Hence, if I eat a high caloric diet and keep my protein at 30% and do the program, Lou implies that my body will burn fat even when it is at a calorie deficit but still gain muscle because I'm eating a good supply of protein to build muscle from the weights I'm lifting. And with more muscle, my body will use more energy which equate to burning fat.
Since I am no nutrition expert, I might have completely misinterpreted it, so the pros feel free to correct me if you want.
How about following Lou's recommendation to cut no more than 300 calories from your diet, if you feel like you are eating too much? I have cut 100 calories from my calculations, and I find it works for me. I completely sympathize about the dearth of protein sources though, and I'm an omnivore. I guess as long as you try to eat at least 125 grams of protein, it works, but ideally, hitting 30% of your 2000-calorie diet will give your body plenty of protein to make sure you are burning fat, not muscle, if I interpreted the guidelines right.
I myself usually don't make the protein target, because it is so darn high--but I try my best, and it is still a lot more protein than I use to get (I'm a carb addict), so I'm satisfied with that.
Finally, about the faith thing--I know how that feels--I wrote a post about it here.
I aim for the 30% protein, but I can also say that I have a hard time getting there. It's a lot more protein then my body is used to--I'm big on fruits and vegetables, and used to eat a vegetarian breakfast and lunch, then include some meat with dinner. I felt off when I first started introducing more protein into my diet, but now, I'm pretty used to it. It took a good couple of weeks though.
Hi everyone I'm Gina, I am new to this forum, but not new to lifting...or forums for that matter.
I have a question regarding the nutrition section of the book though. Right around the part where he said he hoped our eyes weren't bleeding from the numbers...yeah my eyes were totally bleeding . The part where he had the low-mid-high range.
Anyway, I am 5'4'' and around 125lbs. I figured out my rest day intake to be 1900 calories, which was what I was already eating, so then my workout day calories was 2200.
That's all well and good, but what about this 40/30/30 ratio? That's 165g on my workout days. I could reach it...but have been around 150g for the past few work out days. I've been sleeping fine, I've had energy to lift and everything, but when I wake up in the morning and look at food, all I can think it...UGH, this again?? (Not that I'm eating the exact same things, just another day of stuffing my face...although I am a vegetarian, so my protein sources do get a tad old, but I'm used to that). I've always just heard 1g of protein per pound of body weight, so this just seems huge to me.
So, the question is...do you all follow 40/30/30, or is anyone having success on the program without being quite so strict to that ratio? Did anyone else feel bombarded by protein but their body got used to it?
I'm at the beginning of the program, and I am trying to have faith, but am getting a little frustrated. With less cardio, less weights (I used to go 4 days), and more calories 3 days a week, I've already gained not only pounds, but body fat. GRANTED, it has only been a week , so again, I am having faith, but is it at least a little normal to feel like this at the beginning, even if you are someone who has been lifting for quite awhile?
Thanks in advance
There's almost no way to know you've gained body fat in one week. It it takes about 3500 extra calories to add a lb to your body. Unless you're really lean, 1 lb of fat won't show. Plus, if you're lifting some is going to be muscle.
Something else is up. But don't sweat it. if you suddenly upped the dairy, or salt, or carbs, or almost any dramatic change, you can add temporary weight.
If you really think it's dairy, try cutting the plain dairy and replacing it with a protein powder. These are refined and are less likely to cause "issues."
Speaking from the perspective of someone who used to eat very little protein, just give it time. When I first followed a plan that advocated .91g per lb of body weight, I found it really, really hard. Two weeks later, it would have been hard to go back.
There's almost no way to know you've gained body fat in one week. It it takes about 3500 extra calories to add a lb to your body. Unless you're really lean, 1 lb of fat won't show. Plus, if you're lifting some is going to be muscle.
Something else is up. But don't sweat it. if you suddenly upped the dairy, or salt, or carbs, or almost any dramatic change, you can add temporary weight.
If you really think it's dairy, try cutting the plain dairy and replacing it with a protein powder. These are refined and are less likely to cause "issues."
Speaking from the perspective of someone who used to eat very little protein, just give it time. When I first followed a plan that advocated .91g per lb of body weight, I found it really, really hard. Two weeks later, it would have been hard to go back.
Thanks for the advice. And I do realize that there is no way I gained anything in a week, I was more or less just looking for feedback since I felt so....full. Which I guess is a good thing!
Oh, I also really wanted to thank _CQ for your explanation of what Lou was saying in that part...and I was also just looking to hear that there are other people who ARE following the 40/30/30.
I tried not eating too much too soon before bed last night and I felt a lot better about breakfast this morning.
Just to respond to LaraT, that is part of the reason why I think I was confused. He does mention the 1g protein per pound of body weight, but if I were to get 30% of my calories from protein....it is much more than that, especially on lifting days.
Nutrition Question
I'm Gina, I am new to this forum, but not new to lifting...or forums for that matter. 
. The part where he had the low-mid-high range. 
, so again, I am having faith, but is it at least a little normal to feel like this at the beginning, even if you are someone who has been lifting for quite awhile? 
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