Calories and Protein intake

[steveT95]

Hi,

I may be covering old ground but I have a few questions.

I am only getting around 1000 calories or even less. I am an ectomorph and want to gain muscles.

I want to get up to 3000 calories a day but will get there gradually.

At the moment I aim to be getting 2000 calories. On my last weigh in I was 148 pounds, so am I right in thinking I need 148 grams of protein a day in my diet?

 

Since I am failing to reach the calories. Can I top up with Protein shakes to get my full amount of needed protein?

 

Thanks for the ongoing help

[Toddbt12y1]

Yeah...you can use protein shakes to reach the amount of protein, you want.

 

Get a heavy bulk type protein too help.

[tman666]

Good thing you figured out how little you were eating... Nowhere to go from here but up!

 

Yeah, I'd shoot for between 150 - 200 grams of protein per day. My personal preference would be to get this mostly from food sources such as lean meats and a little bit of dairy, but a post workout protein shake isn't a bad idea if you can afford it. It's really a matter of convenience more than anything.

 

Your overall caloric intake can be supplemented by things such as natural peanut butter and olive oil.

 

Here's an idea for you: get yourself some extra virgin olive oil, drizzle few tablespoons of it into a dish, add a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar, a few dashes of Italian or Cajun seasoning, and eat a few slices of bread with it, dipping the bread in the oil. Tastes amazing and will help you pack in the calories fairly cheaply.

[steveT95]

That's a nice idea, tman! Had that at a restaurant a few months back, loved it!

 

I'm eating a lot more chicken and tuna. But just can't get enough of it in me to make up the needed grams.

Is it possible to have too much protein? In comparison with everything else.

I try to get my fibre from my breakfast and then need to get in the habit of eating fruit through the day.

[tman666]

That's a nice idea, tman! Had that at a restaurant a few months back, loved it!

 

I'm eating a lot more chicken and tuna. But just can't get enough of it in me to make up the needed grams.

Is it possible to have too much protein? In comparison with everything else.

I try to get my fibre from my breakfast and then need to get in the habit of eating fruit through the day.

 

Arguably, yes.

 

For one thing, protein tends to be much more expensive than other calories, so while getting enough of it is good, going over beyond that isn't going to help your progress much (it basically just adds to your calorie count after a certain point) and it's going to hit your wallet harder. Basically, your returns will "max out" at a certain point.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that neglecting the other food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies and even hormonal issues (such as thyroid function, testosterone production, etc.).

 

Truly, it is best and necessary, barring disease or diagnosed intolerance (lactose intolerance and people who have Celiac disease, for example), to eat a balanced diet with plenty of veggies, good fats, protein, and mostly slow digesting carbohydrates.

 

Keep in mind that you want to maintain your health as well, which means getting plenty of water, fiber, micronutrients, etc.

[thefooloftheyear]

I dont know how much I can add thats already been said...

 

Just pick high density type meals..I pretty much drink mostly skim milk so I get a lot of protein that I wouldnt get if I drank water or stuff like unsweetened iced tea, which I drink a lot of this time of year..

 

Ill make a dish of lean ground beef, black beans and brown rice...I dont season it at all...its not too bad..Sometimes I put a bit of taco seasoning on it or throw a few slices of cheddar on it if i am craving salt..

 

I eat a prodigious amount of red meat in the form of beef, bison, and even quite a bit of venison when the hunting season is in full swing..I recently had a comprehensive cardio-vascular examination and stress test...Passed both with no issues. While I dont remember the LDL/HDL ratio the doc says it was right on the money and my regular cholesterol count was 148 which is VERY low...

 

Keep at it..You will grow..

 

TFY

[Sunshinegrl]

It's 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. If you're 12% body fat by composition, you'd aim for 131 grams per day instead of 148.

 

You can add protein powder to lots of stuff to get your protein in. You can add it to pancakes, anything you bake, stir it into your oatmeal, or whatever floats your boat.

[tman666]

It's 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. If you're 12% body fat by composition, you'd aim for 131 grams per day instead of 148.

 

You can add protein powder to lots of stuff to get your protein in. You can add it to pancakes, anything you bake, stir it into your oatmeal, or whatever floats your boat.

 

Keep in mind that he's trying to bulk up and recently discovered that he only averages about 1,000 cal/day for his caloric intake.

 

I agree with you in principle (the 1/gram per lb. lbm notion), but I personally don't think that getting in more than the bare bones is going to hurt him any...

[steveT95]

I don't seem to have much of an appetite which is my issue. I end up forcing stuff down me or eating large meals.

I am thinking of doing up a load of snack dishes for the week that can be frozen. Such as smoothies for my fruit and something else for my protein. Maybe I could mix protein powder into these?

 

I'm going to get in the habit of making myself tuna sandwiches and omelettes.

I think I eat a lot of carbs any ways.

[thefooloftheyear]

I don't seem to have much of an appetite which is my issue. I end up forcing stuff down me or eating large meals.

I am thinking of doing up a load of snack dishes for the week that can be frozen. Such as smoothies for my fruit and something else for my protein. Maybe I could mix protein powder into these?

 

I'm going to get in the habit of making myself tuna sandwiches and omelettes.

I think I eat a lot of carbs any ways.

 

 

I have a notoriously small appetite..especially in the summer..Even with that being said. I manage to get around 5000 cals a day..ust gotta have nutrient dense foods...

 

Funny thing is back in the day, I seen guys get HUGE eating junk food...Sure they were popping D-bols like Certs, but these big ass mofo's would train hard then send their buddy to get a big bucket of KFC or a sackful of Whoppers......Im dead serious!!

 

TFY

[steveT95]

Yeah, I read something today on Schwarzenegger.com that there is no bad fat. That it is all about how you burn it.

But I think the article was focusing on weight loss rather than muscle gain.

[FitChick]

Eat a bag of Lindt Lindor truffles. Target has them on sale - 3 bags for $10. Eating sugar will make you want to eat more. I can't stop eating the caramel truffles and the white chocolate ones, even though I feel sick. They are so smooth and creamy. I am totally out of control and I have eaten nearly 3000 calories today. I did have avocado on toast this morning and a salad tonight so that will balance my nutrients. Yeah, right!

[Emilia]

I don't seem to have much of an appetite which is my issue. I end up forcing stuff down me or eating large meals.

I am thinking of doing up a load of snack dishes for the week that can be frozen. Such as smoothies for my fruit and something else for my protein. Maybe I could mix protein powder into these?

 

I'm going to get in the habit of making myself tuna sandwiches and omelettes.

I think I eat a lot of carbs any ways.

I had to force myself to eat more over the years as I'm an ectomorph too (though don't look it nowdays) and it's something that's gradual. Eating food that you find tasty helps of course (do try to resist adding sugar, salt and fat in excess just for that reason) and eating frequently smaller amounts. Rather than trying to force yourself to eat large meals and end feeling ill.

 

I eat lots of eggs. A very easy way to get the goodness. Lots of fish, I've learned to make some lovely pasta sauces from scratch that are fresh tasting.

[thefooloftheyear]

Eat a bag of Lindt Lindor truffles. Target has them on sale - 3 bags for $10. Eating sugar will make you want to eat more. I can't stop eating the caramel truffles and the white chocolate ones, even though I feel sick. They are so smooth and creamy. I am totally out of control and I have eaten nearly 3000 calories today. I did have avocado on toast this morning and a salad tonight so that will balance my nutrients. Yeah, right!

 

I dont even like chocolate, but those damn things are awful good!

 

TFY

[tman666]

Just be careful about how hard you "dirty bulk" (dirty bulking is when you bulk up using copious amounts of junk food).

 

While it does work, I would recommend that you stick mostly to "clean" foods as it will ultimately save you money, you'll perform better, and you'll be less likely to gain too much fat. In addition, if you get used to buying/preparing/eating mostly clean foods, you'll be more easily able to shift gears down the road if you ever decide it's time to lean out or simply maintain your bodyweight.

 

Don't be one of these guys that lifts and eats themselves into obesity for 5 years only to wake up one day and realize that they're a slob.

 

I regret putting too much fat on when I first bulked up. While I put on a lot of muscle with it, I feel like I could have still achieved my goals without as much of the fat I put on. But alas, hindsight is 20/20...

 

In my opinion, you don't need to be OCD about your food intake, but just understand that you don't have to get sloppy fat to put on muscle. A little bit of fat gain is inevitable, but do yourself a favor and curb things before they get out of control.

[thefooloftheyear]

Just be careful about how hard you "dirty bulk" (dirty bulking is when you bulk up using copious amounts of junk food).

 

While it does work, I would recommend that you stick mostly to "clean" foods as it will ultimately save you money, you'll perform better, and you'll be less likely to gain too much fat. In addition, if you get used to buying/preparing/eating mostly clean foods, you'll be more easily able to shift gears down the road if you ever decide it's time to lean out or simply maintain your bodyweight.

 

Don't be one of these guys that lifts and eats themselves into obesity for 5 years only to wake up one day and realize that they're a slob.

 

I regret putting too much fat on when I first bulked up. While I put on a lot of muscle with it, I feel like I could have still achieved my goals without as much of the fat I put on. But alas, hindsight is 20/20...

 

In my opinion, you don't need to be OCD about your food intake, but just understand that you don't have to get sloppy fat to put on muscle. A little bit of fat gain is inevitable, but do yourself a favor and curb things before they get out of control.

 

Good point...

 

I wont go beyond around 15% BF..I dont even have to measure it..My abs will start to fade around 12-14%..Still visible, but not sharp anymore..

 

I never crave sweets, ice cream, cake or any of that crap..My mother makes a plate of pasta or homemade ravioli and that will usually kill my deal...Luckily it doesnt happen too often..

 

TFY

[tman666]

Good point...

 

I wont go beyond around 15% BF..I dont even have to measure it..My abs will start to fade around 12-14%..Still visible, but not sharp anymore..

 

I never crave sweets, ice cream, cake or any of that crap..My mother makes a plate of pasta or homemade ravioli and that will usually kill my deal...Luckily it doesnt happen too often..

 

TFY

 

Homemade Italian food... Oh lawd, have mercy on us all!

 

Goodbye abs.

[steveT95]

I'm not sure what my body fat percentage is. I do have some sturdy abdominal muscles, somewhere. But I certainly don't have a pot belly or a large amount of fat.

 

Definitely going for cleaner food, just because I feel so much better been full up on them. Today I am full up on absolute crap. The cleanest thing I had was a tuna and mayo sandwich for dinner.

 

Will get back on it tomorrow, with some eggs and some cereal.

I had a protein bar last night after my workout. My god, that tasted like utter sh*t!

[thefooloftheyear]

Most decent gyms ususally have someone qualified enough to use a caliper...The scales that calc bf are useless, IMO...If you look up online you will see charts that show people in various stages of bf %..Try to compare yourself to that...Even there its a bit of a crapshoot..If you are serious about this, I would get a caliper test by someone who is trained so you have an idea where you are at..They dont charge much for this around here...Also. And this is very important..Take some photos of yourself..Always take them in the same room at the same time in the same pose...This will rule out environmental changes that can affect how you will look in the photos. It will give you a chance to see how you are progressing over time..You wont notice much in the way of changes from day to day, but when you see a photo montage over time, it really gives you a feeeling of accomplishment...

 

As for your diet..I strongly suggest some red meat...Its very nutrient dense..Dont sweat cholesterol or fat at this point...Also if you are not drinking a lot of milk you should be..I cant tolerate anything but skim, but if you can tolerate 2% or even some whole milk Id consider that..Get some brown rice or wild rice..

 

You gotta eat to grow..plain and simple..You cant build a house out of cardboard and paper..You need steel, mortar and wood..

 

TFY

[tman666]

I had a protein bar last night after my workout. My god, that tasted like utter sh*t!

 

I've had exactly one (1) protein bar that was actually suitable for anything other than being an emergency road flare.

 

I recommend picking up a tub of bulk whey protein isolate or isolate/concentrate blend if you're looking for supplemental protein. You can throw a couple scoops into a blender with orange juice, a banana, some natural PB, and a half cup of greek yogurt and make it taste delicious.

[steveT95]

I am eating more clean meat than I used to. I am getting a good amount of protein now I reckon but am still failing to get the calories or the 5 small meals a day.

 

I'm going to be using CNP whey protein when I can get some

[turt]

If you have trouble eating a lot, try adding whey as your main drink. You can take a few sips all day long so your body can use it more efficiently. Whey is also the most bioavailable protein which means your body can use a high percentage of what is consumed.

[steveT95]

Yeah, when I get some I will try and drink a few portions of it each day just so I have that protein there to fall back on if I can't get it all in my meals.