Can't maintain adequate protein intake

[smuckers45]

It sucks. I'm trying to weight lift and build muscle, but the eating part proves to be the most difficult part about weight lifting. I feel full for several hours straight after eating a tiny meal. I usually only have like 2 meals a day. Breakfast, then late lunch/early dinner. Maybe around 9 p.m. I'll have like a protein bar or something.

I feel like I have to work so damn hard and force myself to eat constantly until I feel absolutely sick just to get HALF the required protein intake. I don't know how some people can just eat 200 grams of protein on top of other things like fruits, vegetables, etc. every single day....

I just don't have time to gorge on huge meals every hour, let alone the fact that just thinking about it makes me sick.

Anybody else run into this issue?

[WorldClassDBag]

How much do you weigh?

[WonderPug]

Eat one decent sized steak and you pretty much have your entire day's protein requirements met.

Additionally, if you happen to feel better on a (somewhat) lower protein intake of say 100 grams per day and you weigh, for example, 180 pounds, then you'll see virtually the same level of lean body mass development compared to consuming 200 grams of protein if all other factors are kept the same.*

*Technically, dietary fat and or CHO would have to be increased to maintain energy parity between 100 grams and 200 grams of protein consumed per day, so CHO and/or dietary fat would have to be modulated, but either or both can be without any measurable change in outcomes assuming sufficiency is reached.

[Mrpb]

It sucks. I'm trying to weight lift and build muscle, but the eating part proves to be the most difficult part about weight lifting. I feel full for several hours straight after eating a tiny meal. I usually only have like 2 meals a day. Breakfast, then late lunch/early dinner. Maybe around 9 p.m. I'll have like a protein bar or something.

I feel like I have to work so damn hard and force myself to eat constantly until I feel absolutely sick just to get HALF the required protein intake. I don't know how some people can just eat 200 grams of protein on top of other things like fruits, vegetables, etc. every single day....

I just don't have time to gorge on huge meals every hour, let alone the fact that just thinking about it makes me sick.

Anybody else run into this issue?

You only 'need' 0.7 gram protein per lb. If you weigh 200 lb, 140 gram would be fine. You could even go lower and still make gains.

[Mikeez0]

Protein intake is not why you aren't progressing.

Your main problem is 2 tiny meals and a protein bar daily. My cat eats more.

[WonderPug]

^ You make a good point, despite having cats

[ankmiike]

Two tiny meals a day + protein bar... that's your problem.

Eating only until you feel full means that you'll maintain your current body composition and not make progress. You need to stuff yourself a little, the same way a fat guy with a habit to overeat has to put up with a bit of hunger to lose weight.

Don't worry too much though, due to the stomach's elasticity, with time your stomach will expand (I don't know how else to put this) and you'll be able to eat more with less strain (you still have to strain yourself, but less than before). You have to stuff yourself for that to happen though.

One this you can do to help you is liquid calories -- they're easier to consume. For example, drink fruit juices for your carbs, peanut butter drinks for your fat, and protein powder shakes for you proteins.

Don't expect change to be easy, unless you've built a tolerance to it.

[melDorado]

It sucks. I'm trying to weight lift and build muscle, but the eating part proves to be the most difficult part about weight lifting. I feel full for several hours straight after eating a tiny meal. I usually only have like 2 meals a day. Breakfast, then late lunch/early dinner. Maybe around 9 p.m. I'll have like a protein bar or something.

I feel like I have to work so damn hard and force myself to eat constantly until I feel absolutely sick just to get HALF the required protein intake. I don't know how some people can just eat 200 grams of protein on top of other things like fruits, vegetables, etc. every single day....

I just don't have time to gorge on huge meals every hour, let alone the fact that just thinking about it makes me sick.

Anybody else run into this issue?

Don't eat it on top of other things. Concentrate on getting your protons. Sure its great to eat loads of fruit and veg but a multivitamin is less filling

I work with the elderly and if they dont eat we just have to try to get some protein and fat in them. Your body needs protein to heal for the same reasons it needs it to grow. You need protein to stay healthy. You also need some fat. Your brain is made of lots of fat.

So basically you need to get on a keto type diet where everything you eat is high protein and a little tiny bit of carbs on the side. Breakfast bacon and egg lunch chicken supper steak snacks cheese nuts/pb shakes you get the picture

Edit dont actually get on a keto diet because your not supposed to be losing weight but thats just the kind of idea - more protons less carbs

[drewkocak]

Shakes shakes shakes. Can easily get down 50+ grams of protein in one sitting that way fast and without having to gorge yourself