# Protein Percentage?



## katt (Mar 12, 2008)

This may be an already answered question, but I couldn't find it in searching this forum.

Intake of 1 to 1 1/2 grms of protein per LBM or body weight???

Thanks!


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## Irons77 (Mar 12, 2008)

body weight


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## PappaD (Mar 12, 2008)

This is a debated question as I was just told by the lady that just won the Heavy Weight 2007 Ronnie Coleman Classic that it was LBM. She told me to subtract BF as well as account for bone weight. I am 250lbs and told her I was doing 1.5 per pound and she said way too much. I backed off a bit and feel and look better and still growing so we shall see!


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## Irons77 (Mar 12, 2008)

How do you figure out bone weight??? I was alway told body weight by trainers and several doctors. Try it both ways Katt and let us know. I'll stick to body weight it's working for me!!


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## Biggly (Mar 13, 2008)

If you're under 15% bodyfat I'd say bodyweight, if over lean more towards your lean mass.

Generally the key is to spread it out over the day, a big steak in the morning won't protect your muscles that evening. You can only store and use protein for a few hours so someone eating just 0.8 gram per lb of lean body mass spread across the day will do better than someone on 1.5 grams per lb of gross weight but all in a couple of meals.

I suspect the very high figures often mentioned (I've seem some push the idea of 3 grams per lb) is more a matter of retaining nitrogren balance over the day than the specific quantity required.

Be aware that just like carbs your body can actually become resistant to high protein over time, so protein cycling once in awhile (no more than a couple of days low protein) can help. I wouldn't advise that for a newby though.


B.


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## katt (Mar 13, 2008)

Thanks B - yeah I do have two higher carb/lower protein days during the week and it seems to be working for me.   I'm cutting right now and my lean mass is at 107 lbs and bw is 134..  so thats a considerable difference when you're trying to put the meals together... for me anyway.


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## nadirmg (Mar 13, 2008)

katt said:


> Thanks B - yeah I do have two higher carb/lower protein days during the week and it seems to be working for me.   I'm cutting right now and my lean mass is at 107 lbs and bw is 134..  so thats a considerable difference when you're trying to put the meals together... for me anyway.



you know what would be awesome, katt?
it'd be awesome if you gave an example of a regular day's meals and a high carb/low protein day's meals!

i'm curious about what you're eating more/less of 
right now i'm bulking, but if i ever hit a plateau i want to have a backup plan ready to go


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## katt (Mar 14, 2008)

nadirmg said:


> you know what would be awesome, katt?
> it'd be awesome if you gave an example of a regular day's meals and a high carb/low protein day's meals!
> 
> i'm curious about what you're eating more/less of
> right now i'm bulking, but if i ever hit a plateau i want to have a backup plan ready to go



Well, I'm cutting right now.. and my diet is pretty damn boring... 

PWO - Yogurt or 1/2 of some protein bar- (not the best choice - but all I can choke down before I workout)
Meal #1 (6:30) - Egg whites, oats
Meal #2 (9:30) - 4 oz protein, veges (usually a cup)  
Meal #3 (12:30) - 4 oz protein, 1/2 c brown rice, 1 C veges
Meal #4 -(3:30) Same as #2
Meal #5 -(6:30 - 7:30)  2 C lettuce, spinach or greens, 6 oz protein 2 tb ff dressing

Some days I put a meal 6 in there if I'm starving.. I'll do about 40 grams of a protein shake before I go to bed...  that's about it for my cutting diet..  If I don't have enough calories after I add it all up I usually throw in some almonds or jerky


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## nadirmg (Mar 14, 2008)

katt said:


> Well, I'm cutting right now.. and my diet is pretty damn boring...
> 
> PWO - Yogurt or 1/2 of some protein bar- (not the best choice - but all I can choke down before I workout)
> Meal #1 (6:30) - Egg whites, oats
> ...



oh man i thought i was starving just READING that... you poor thing!  i'm so glad i'm bulking!


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## katt (Mar 14, 2008)

Yeah,,, that's why I like my refeed days & cheat meal so much 

It's to the point now that I'm hungry an hour after I eat


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## nadirmg (Mar 14, 2008)

katt said:


> It's to the point now that I'm hungry an hour after I eat



i did a cut three years back.  i was the EXACT same way.  it felt like torture.  but the meal meal... ok cheat DAY was my happy day


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## goob (Mar 31, 2008)

Biggly said:


> If you're under 15% bodyfat I'd say bodyweight, if over lean more towards your lean mass.
> 
> Generally the key is to spread it out over the day, a big steak in the morning won't protect your muscles that evening.* You can only store and use protein for a few hours so someone eating just 0.8 gram per lb of lean body mass spread across the day will do better than someone on 1.5 grams per lb of gross weight but all in a couple of meals.*
> 
> ...


 
So, how much protein can by ingested in one meal?  I mean, how much is generally 'useable' as a rough guide as oppossed to excess intake being stored as fat?  

I know there is a number of variables in this question to be accounted for, but is there a rough answer?


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## Biggly (Mar 31, 2008)

I must admit I've never researched that in much depth and have generally gone on the basis of around 50 grams. If your body really needs it at the time you could possibly use more but the kicker is the fact it just won't stay around for long.

Food is basically just carbon and hydrogen but protein has nitrogen - hence nitrogen loss as your body discards it while using the other stuff elsewhere.

Your body is constantly in a state of renewal, your bones, skin, organs, everything, molecule by molecule is being replaced all the time. Sadly this doesn't give you a new body, just new molecules but the key is to ensure you never run out of protein, rather than stuffing yourself silly with half a cow.

20 grams of protein followed by 20 grams of protein followed by.. etc is better than 50 grams in one hit. The '6 meals a day' thing is partly to keep your metabolism revving high but also to ensure you don't run out of availale amino acids (what protein is made of). 

Maximum is more a matter of calories. Worry more about the minimum! And that means frequency as much as volume.


B.


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## Biggly (Mar 31, 2008)

Actually it's worth pointing out that a large protein meal, real protein, not powder, will take a long time to digest, so can help in that way.



B.


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## goob (Apr 1, 2008)

Excellent information, great answer.  Thanks Biggly!


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