protein intake

[alan3un]

hi everyone, i'm quite new to the forum but i have been clicking around and doing some research

i have been lifting for about 3 weeks now and i think i've been making good progress since. I can notice a bit more definition that i've never really seen in my lifetime yet =) and of course i'm starting to see problem areas such as my thighs, lower stomach and back.

so i've changed my diet and all and my BMR was calculated to be 2901 based on this site's calulator

unfortunately for those 3 weeks i think i've been taking 2000 calories instead of 2900, i'm 900 off. this can be an easy fix though, i'm assuming.

my biggest problem right now is protein intake the link lists i should be taking in about 170g (or less b/c it could be accurate). and in a day i have been calorie counting and protein counting, and my protein count on average between 80~100g per day which i'm assuming is too low for someone who is trying to cut.

since i've been at it for 3 weeks i shouldn't be affected too much right? i've asked my mom if i could purchase some whey protein, and i've ordered that 10lb bag of XF whey. can anyone tell me about how many scoops of it i need to take based on the amount of protein i consume in a day?


and while i'm here can anyone critique my routine as well?

by the way i use a little thing i picked up from my wrestling lifting routine... i Pyramid?
and i also lap swim everyday (freestyle) for about 20~30 min

Day1: Upper Body
Chest - Bench presses, Incline Presses, Dips
Biceps - Curls (i use that curling machine, don't know if its as effective as a bar or dumbells though)
Triceps - tricep machine (sorry i don't know what its called, lol), Dips
Abs- Situps, crunches, leg lifts
Cardio - Swimming

Day2: Lower Body
Legs - Squats, leg curls, calf raises
Lower back & Glutes - i have no clue what this machine is called but i see a lot of girls on it...
Cardio - Swimming

Day3: Upper Body
Back - pullups
Traps - dumbbell shrugs
Shoulders - dumbbell presses, seated lateral raises
Cardio - Swimming

Day4: Upper Body
Chest - Bench presses, Incline Presses, Dips
Biceps - Curls
Triceps - tricep machine, Dips
Abs- Situps, crunches, leg lifts
Cardio - Swimming

Day5: Lower Body
Legs- Squats, leg curls, calf raises
Lower back & Glutes - "
Cardio - Swimming

Day6: Upper Body
Back - pullups
Traps - dumbbell shrugs
Shoulders - dumbbell presses, seated lateral raises
Cardio - Swimming

Day7: Rest

[Kuken]

Originally Posted by alan3un

my biggest problem right now is protein intake the link lists i should be taking in about 170g (or less b/c it could be accurate). and in a day i have been calorie counting and protein counting, and my protein count on average between 80~100g per day which i'm assuming is too low for someone who is trying to cut.

since i've been at it for 3 weeks i shouldn't be affected too much right? i've asked my mom if i could purchase some whey protein, and i've ordered that 10lb bag of XF whey. can anyone tell me about how many scoops of it i need to take based on the amount of protein i consume in a day?

The number of scoops depends on the brand. For instance, ON Whey is 24g of proteins per rounded scoop. I'm assuming you're asking this because you haven't received your bag yet. Once you receive it, just read on the box and calculate

If you're cutting, try to take 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass.

That said, I often manage to find the proteins I need in the food I eat, without the need of supplements. Try to eat more fish and lean meat.

And don't worry about these last 3 weeks. Results will come over the long term and experience will tell you what works best for you

[wlknier]

150g over 5 meals shouldn't be hard, aim for ~2000 cal/day at your size/activity level, so ~400 cal/meal

each meal consisting of:

1 serving whole grain(~30-40g carbs) - 150-200 cal
1 serving lean protein(~20-25g protein) - 100-120 cal
1 serving fruit or veggie(2 fruit, 3 veggies) - 20-100 cal
1/2 serving healthy fat(7-10g fat) - 65-100 cal

mix and match, dont eat the same crap everyday and definitely don't try to live off protein shakes, that's no fun. Whole foods > meal replacement supplements

remember, more exercise is not always the answer, you're likely doing overkill. I, too, was overtraining and have forced myself to rest 1 day after 3 days of intense lifting. As a result I've had much better strength gains and the scale has thanked me accordingly. I like your splits though, however, if you're able to do any cardio, even if it's low impact such as swimming, on a legs day, you didn't work the legs hard enough. I want you to be barely able to stand after working the legs. Swimming is exceptional cardio though, keep it up.

[alan3un]

Originally Posted by wlknier

remember, more exercise is not always the answer, you're likely doing overkill. I, too, was overtraining and have forced myself to rest 1 day after 3 days of intense lifting. As a result I've had much better strength gains and the scale has thanked me accordingly. I like your splits though, however, if you're able to do any cardio, even if it's low impact such as swimming, on a legs day, you didn't work the legs hard enough. I want you to be barely able to stand after working the legs. Swimming is exceptional cardio though, keep it up.

thanks a bunch for the help guys. and as for the leg days i do work my legs to the point where they get really wobbly even when i walk up stairs and i usually stretch the legs out for a good 10 minutes before running off to swim. the thing i don't feel the pain in my legs right after lifting , i usually get the pain and barely being able to get off my chair the next morning. but if i'm not working hard enough i'll be sure to push myself harder

and yeah i've noticed that i did need an extra day of rest sometimes, i heard it isn't good to train while the muscles are still very sore, so i do put in an extra day of rest.