Protein questions..

[adc123]

I been looking at another thread and its become apparent to me that compared to others I take in very little protein. I am making gains and I always have on a lack of food but I'm thinking if I eat more protein i'm bound to grow more.

Basicaly, heres what I eat roughly each day.

1: Cereal or porrige with protein shake (approx 20 g of protein)
2: Can of tuna
3: Steak or chicken with pasta or rice and vegetables
4: Can of tuna or anything I can get my hands on if i'm out, somtimes mabye a sandwhich.
5: Dinner which is whatever my mum cooks, but usualy either fish or chicken or something. Get quite abit of food here.
6: Protein shake and can of tuna or sometimes if i'm lucky steak or chicken.

So yer what can I do to get more protein into my diet? add another shake in somtime before dinner?

Also, what are the negative aspects of not getting enough protein? I know protein helps with muscle repair but does a lack of protein just mean you will recover slower or does it mean you won't gain at all? I always had the feeling that if you don't get enough protein in your diet you won't gain a lb of muscle. Is this really true? Because my diets been quite poor up untill recently and i've made gains, slow gains, but gains none the less.

All advice and tips welcome. thanks.

[sunngodd]

Looks like you're getting plenty of protein. You could actually stand to cut some out and add some carbs and fat.

[adc123]

really?? In an average day, presuming each meal has about 20 grams of protein I eat at least 120 grams. From everything i have heard you should eat about a gram per lb of bodyweight at least. Alot of guys on the teen section were saying there were eating upwards of 200 g a day. I dunno how they get all that protein and I certainly can't get that quantity of food per day..

[wave_length]

really?? In an average day, presuming each meal has about 20 grams of protein I eat at least 120 grams. From everything i have you should do people should eat about a gram per lb of bodyweight at least. Alot of guys on the teen section were saying there were eating upwards of 200 g a day. I dunno how they get all that protein and I certainly can't get that quantity of food per day..

You will most probably be fine with 120g. When in doubt, just add some, it won't do any harm, that's for sure.

[adc123]

You will most probably be fine with 120g. When in doubt, just add some, it won't do any harm, that's for sure.

Okay,well I do try and eat whatever I can if I have something, for example milk or chicken or whatever so some days i will have more food than others.

I'm just wondering, as i'm trying to build muscle what the negative effects of too little protein will be? I mean, will it just take longer to build muscle and recover from workouts? Because I feel atm that i'm recovering fine and i've also built what I have atm with very little food. (I previously didn't have a high protein diet and i simply ate breakfast, lunch and dinner with the odd snack here and there.

Is the amount of protein you need genetically predetermined or is it the same for everyone?

thanks, i been wondering this for a while now.

[nrp603]

prob shouldnt do a can of tuna a day to much mercury is bad for your brain only recommended to eat few cans a month

[RealMenDeadLift]

prob shouldnt do a can of tuna a day to much mercury is bad for your brain only recommended to eat few cans a month

meh, thats a bit exaggerated IMO

[adc123]

anyone have an answer for my question a few posts up????

[Jordan_S]

Okay,well I do try and eat whatever I can if I have something, for example milk or chicken or whatever so some days i will have more food than others.

I'm just wondering, as i'm trying to build muscle what the negative effects of too little protein will be? I mean, will it just take longer to build muscle and recover from workouts? Because I feel atm that i'm recovering fine and i've also built what I have atm with very little food. (I previously didn't have a high protein diet and i simply ate breakfast, lunch and dinner with the odd snack here and there.

Is the amount of protein you need genetically predetermined or is it the same for everyone?

thanks, i been wondering this for a while now.

Everyone's different and have different needs. In theory the harder you work out in the gym and the harder you push yourself, your demand for protein increases. But as you say your getting enough protein and your body is responding well so you should be fine.

[Theenforcer1]

How small are your meat portions that your only getting 120 grams of protein on that diet...are you sure?

[adc123]

How small are your meat portions that your only getting 120 grams of protein on that diet...are you sure?

Well in each beef steak I have theres about 20 grams of protein, not much i know and in the cans of tuna theres only about 20 grams.

My dinner will usualy have quite abit more protein, i'd say about 40-50 grams though.

[noethix]

would still be a pretty small ass beef steak for 20 grams only...2-3oz?

[adc123]

would still be a pretty small ass beef steak for 20 grams only...2-3oz?

Yer it said on the back per steak its about 20-23 grams. They arent very big steaks but I thought there would be more too. might try and get chicken breasts instead...

[Theenforcer1]

are you sure your only eating one serving? also is the diet you posted all the food your eating? Because you have no fat/carb sources in your diet...

[adc123]

are you sure your only eating one serving? also is the diet you posted all the food your eating? Because you have no fat/carb sources in your diet...

yer pretty sure.

No, thats the protein that im focusing on. With dinner i'l usualy have rice and vegetables with it. Same with lunch usualy.

I get carbs from that and cereal in the morning..

[mchoodie]

seems like you would have to be taking in more than 120 grams. Most any regular can of tuna i eat has about 30 grams in it. I never even touch chicken or steak without getting atleast 30 grams. Plus protein will be in other things you eat as well, not just meat and protein shakes, eventhough those will be your primary sources.

[man0war]

I think I can swallow 100grams of chicken breast raw for 23-25ish grams of protein

But funnies and smiles left aside, you probably are getting more protein than that. There's protein in other stuff you eat by the way. Just took a short look on my last fitday.com entries ... it seems I'm getting at least 40-45 grams of protein from all the things besides meat and eggs. Veggies, mushrooms, cheese, bread, potatoes,etc...

And that's about a quarter of my total protein for the day [200 grams]. On a side note, so as not to encourage your idea that you're getting way less protein than the rest of the world, I'm 6'5" or 6'6" , 255 pounds [really fat, but pure lean mass should still be upwards of 190], so 200 grams is just around 1 gram protein per pound lean bodyweight.