Protien - yes i know its been done to death!

[Lemmonie]

Hi all.

Im a regular gym bunny usually doing 4 spin classes, 2 boot camps, lots of cardio and a few weights a week for the last 2 years or so. I remain the same weight which ideally i would like to be a bit less! It has been suggested for me to step up the weights considerably and take on more protien in diet and by way of supplements. BUT For the life of me i cant get my head around this stuff on the internet! Being the girl i am i obviously dont want anything too calorific. What am i looking for?

Thanks

[gtdc]

The vanilla ice cream flavour protein powder from Garnell Nutrition makes a very fine breakfast once blended with 1 cup of skimmed milk and 1 cup of all bran.

[HonestIago]

Myprotein stuff is relatively good value. I would advise getting a protein blend (slow and fast release proteins)that way you can have it pre or post workout or indeed added to other meals throughout the day. Don't be suckered into buying "women-specific" products they are a load of marketing nonsense.

I use this which is low in fat and carbs:
http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/total_protein

The choc smooth is probably the safest flavour.

Generally speaking women eat far too many carbs and not enough protein, so you are right it is important if you want to improve your body composition. I'd aim to have a gram of protein per lb of bodyweight per day.

[MrAdaam]

I hear a gram of proten per lb is also the norm. My Protein is also very good, I use them. Just having a shake now and again or protein bar should put you on the right track. I use the Whey Protein they sell. I wouldn't recommend unflavoured though!

If you use my referral code you'll recieve 5% off as well as me recieving some discount points: MP437989

[CharlieHotel]

Before thinking that protein is the answer how does your diet look? There could be something that you eat at the wrong time of the day or maybe you are eating too little slowing your metabolism down.
However with the physical activity that you describe, that seems quite a bit, unless you are already a decent bodyfat for your weight i'm confused how you are unhappy.

[HonestIago]

CharlieHotel said:

Before thinking that protein is the answer how does your diet look? There could be something that you eat at the wrong time of the day or maybe you are eating too little slowing your metabolism down.
However with the physical activity that you describe, that seems quite a bit, unless you are already a decent bodyfat for your weight i'm confused how you are unhappy.

Forgive my ignorance but can you explain eating something "at the wrong time of day" and what an example might be?

Cheers

[Otto]

A blend of protein is better (instead of just pure Whey), as it will keep you feeling full for longer.

One of the best ones around right now in my opinion is by Gaspari Nutrition, called Myofusion. It uses a few different types of proteins, has very low calories per serving, and very low fat content (unlike the majority of others). It also tastes great, and mixes easily.
The ingredients are high quality, with a very low amount of junk in it (the stuff from Holland and Barrett etc is NASTY).

[Slagathore]

CharlieHotel said:

Before thinking that protein is the answer how does your diet look? There could be something that you eat at the wrong time of the day or maybe you are eating too little slowing your metabolism down.
However with the physical activity that you describe, that seems quite a bit, unless you are already a decent bodyfat for your weight i'm confused how you are unhappy.

My thoughts exactly!

I can't understand how you can be doing that much exercise and not be able to lose weight. Unless your diet is poor or you are already at a low body fat %.

If your diet is decent, it should already include enough protein that you shouldn't really require any shakes. It's not like you're trying to get bigger.

[Asterix]

Otto said:

A blend of protein is better (instead of just pure Whey), as it will keep you feeling full for longer.

One of the best ones around right now in my opinion is by Gaspari Nutrition, called Myofusion. It uses a few different types of proteins, has very low calories per serving, and very low fat content (unlike the majority of others). It also tastes great, and mixes easily.
The ingredients are high quality, with a very low amount of junk in it (the stuff from Holland and Barrett etc is NASTY).

I, and a number of friends, use the very same - great results with it and tastes very good. Favourite for me is Vanilla flavour. Not got on with the Milk Chocolate - nearly finished the tub thank god.

[Lemmonie]

My Diet......is poor!
Old Diet (2 months ago)
Breakfast: toast x 2 and tea maybe cereal too
Lunch: sandwhiches usually
Dinner: spag bol, roasts, fish, stuff with rice, meat pots and veg. Lotd of veg but basically lots of carbs too.
The odd and i do mean odd takeaway, no sweets or crisps but wine everynight

Diet now:
Breakfast: porridge with water and sweetner
Lunch: left over dinners really or couscous or veg with houmous
Dinner: meat or fish with veg, lots of veg! no carbs.
Wine only friday, sat and sunday.

Basically in the two months i changed my diet no real change in weight (although must admit dont really ever weigh myself) and no obvious change in shape. Is my body just used to the exercise?

[Big E 118]

You have to decide what your goals are first, do you want to lose fat and build muscle or just lose fat?

Low carb protien mixes like Maximuscle Promax Diet will help you burn fat and give your diet more protein but with the level of cardio you're doing you probably won't build much muscle as you'll be burning it just as quickly.

Protein gives your body the building blocks to build muscle but you have to hit the weights for your body to change.

I'd suggest that if you want to gain size and lose fat do shorter HIT cardio and spend a bit more time with the weights.

There are some really knowledgeable guys on this http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=211&t=1062952&mid=199482&nmt=Pistonheads Transformation Contest! thread if you're interested in gaining muscle. Well worth a read.

[Lemmonie]

Being female im never really gonna build huge muscles but more definninition would be good, but i do wonder if i have that already just hidden under my fat!

[Big E 118]

Lemmonie said:

Being female im never really gonna build huge muscles but more definninition would be good, but i do wonder if i have that already just hidden under my fat!

A certain level of muscle building and fat loss combined will give you better definition than fat loss alone IMO. I'm not talking body building size but just muscles that have shape.

[R300will]

Lemmonie said:

Hi all.

Im a regular gym bunny usually doing 4 spin classes, 2 boot camps, lots of cardio and a few weights a week for the last 2 years or so. I remain the same weight which ideally i would like to be a bit less! It has been suggested for me to step up the weights considerably and take on more protien in diet and by way of supplements. BUT For the life of me i cant get my head around this stuff on the internet! Being the girl i am i obviously dont want anything too calorific. What am i looking for?

Thanks

If you want to drop weight then shouldn't you leave the weights a bit as you would be building up muscle? and drop the carbs while keeping your cardio going.

[HonestIago]

R300will said:

Lemmonie said:

Hi all.

Im a regular gym bunny usually doing 4 spin classes, 2 boot camps, lots of cardio and a few weights a week for the last 2 years or so. I remain the same weight which ideally i would like to be a bit less! It has been suggested for me to step up the weights considerably and take on more protien in diet and by way of supplements. BUT For the life of me i cant get my head around this stuff on the internet! Being the girl i am i obviously dont want anything too calorific. What am i looking for?

Thanks

If you want to drop weight then shouldn't you leave the weights a bit as you would be building up muscle? and drop the carbs while keeping your cardio going.

Wrong. Lifting weights does not cause net weight gain, surplus calories do. Women will NOT gain huge amounts of muscle lifting weights unless they are on gear. What they do gain, combined with lower body fat can look great and far better than the "skinny fat" look that often results from an insatiable cardio habit.

[R300will]

HonestIago said:

Wrong. Lifting weights does not cause net weight gain, surplus calories do. Women will NOT gain huge amounts of muscle lifting weights unless they are on gear. What they do gain, combined with lower body fat can look great and far better than the "skinny fat" look that often results from an insatiable cardio habit.

Maybe my thinking is a bit off here but replacing fat with muscle which is denser and therefore heavier will cause weight gain? Of course women will not gain much muscle anyway because their bodies are not designed to which is where the anabolics will come in. Also you cannot accurately measure how many calories you will need so odds are there will either be surplus or not enough at the end.

[RemainAllHoof]

Lemmonie said:

Hi all.

Im a regular gym bunny usually doing 4 spin classes, 2 boot camps, lots of cardio and a few weights a week for the last 2 years or so. I remain the same weight which ideally i would like to be a bit less! It has been suggested for me to step up the weights considerably and take on more protien in diet and by way of supplements. BUT For the life of me i cant get my head around this stuff on the internet! Being the girl i am i obviously dont want anything too calorific. What am i looking for?

Thanks

Over this period, have you been playing with your diet at all? Or eating the "poor" diet (which I don't think is bad at all)?

[HonestIago]

R300will said:

HonestIago said:

Wrong. Lifting weights does not cause net weight gain, surplus calories do. Women will NOT gain huge amounts of muscle lifting weights unless they are on gear. What they do gain, combined with lower body fat can look great and far better than the "skinny fat" look that often results from an insatiable cardio habit.

Maybe my thinking is a bit off here but replacing fat with muscle which is denser and therefore heavier will cause weight gain? Of course women will not gain much muscle anyway because their bodies are not designed to which is where the anabolics will come in. Also you cannot accurately measure how many calories you will need so odds are there will either be surplus or not enough at the end.

Your thinking is way off I can assure you. Why should the fact that muscle is denser than fat mean there will be a net weight gain?? 1kg of fat weighs the same as 1kg of muscle. Unless of course you are ludicrously implying that the "volume" of muscle gained/fat lost will always be equal.

You can actually determine maintenance calories with reasonable accuracy. Then all it takes is a bit of adjustment/experimentation to find the "sweet spot" for fat loss and or muscle gain. People who have never lifted weights before CAN gain muscle in a calorie deficit WHILST losing fat. Why is this so hard to understand?

[bry1975]

Have you tried changing your diet so that you eat the most when your metabolism is at its fastest i.e. breakfast and then less at lunch and much less at dinner ideally 5-6pm but no later than say 7pm? You could also consider eating 5-6 smaller meals every 2hours or so.

[Asterix]

The old, breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince, dinner like a pauper.