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protein - where to start!

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  • 01-09-2014 11:08pm
    #1
    Sparkles:)
    Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭


    So I'm new to this whole fitness buzz trying to get baby weight to f#@& off .

    I want to start taking protein but don't know where to start!

    I'm 5'4" 68 kilo and gym 3 nights a week, boxersize and core on Mon, cardio and weights wed/fri

    Hour and a half each night.

    Just looking for protein suggestions/where to buy.

    Help/advice appreciated


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    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 25,611 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    How's your diet are what are you trying to do? Maybe give it a few weeks before deciding if you need extra protein.

    If it's just plain extra protein you're after then the whey for myprotein is as good as any. You can get it unflavoured and get flavourings separately to try a few.


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    #3
    sdowling04
    Registered Users Posts: 161 ✭✭sdowling04


    Ive found MyProtein and Aob nutrition very good


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    #4
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,575 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Sparkles:) wrote: »
    So I'm new to this whole fitness buzz trying to get baby weight to f#@& off .

    I want to start taking protein but don't know where to start!

    I'm 5'4" 68 kilo and gym 3 nights a week, boxersize and core on Mon, cardio and weights wed/fri

    Hour and a half each night.

    Just looking for protein suggestions/where to buy.

    Help/advice appreciated


    Why exactly do you want to take protein?

    Do you know how much you're getting from food?


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    #5
    Sparkles:)
    Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭Sparkles:)


    I want to lose weight initially but I want to get strong basically and have not huge but defined muscles...

    My diet is a huge problem as I fill quickly.


    Breakfast: porridge and fruit

    Snack: fruit, yogurt, nuts(almonds)

    Lunch salads w/chicken or soup laser with lentils etc

    Snack as above or smoothie with the above

    Dinner: grilled chicken, Turkey mince

    rice cakes and peanut butter

    Don't eat rice or white pasta only wholewheat quinoa, buckwheat

    Problem is if I eat meat I'm stuffed after about 4 bites!
    I am using lentils, chickpeas and tofu to try and get more protein but I eat every little when I'm eating


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 25,611 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    What does a "salad" mean for you?

    Generally I'd say watch the fruit intake and increase the non-starchy veg, don't let yourself get hungry and see how you are after a month. Don't just go by weight either.

    Depending on how things are going I've found a fruit smoothie with a scoop of whey thrown in and all put in a blender is nice and thick. Couple of handfuls of berries, some water or juice and some whey is all it takes.


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    #7
    helliwen
    Registered Users Posts: 226 ✭✭helliwen


    Sparkles:) wrote: »
    I want to lose weight initially but I want to get strong basically and have not huge but defined muscles...

    My diet is a huge problem as I fill quickly.


    Breakfast: porridge and fruit

    Snack: fruit, yogurt, nuts(almonds)

    Lunch salads w/chicken or soup laser with lentils etc

    Snack as above or smoothie with the above

    Dinner: grilled chicken, Turkey mince

    rice cakes and peanut butter

    Don't eat rice or white pasta only wholewheat quinoa, buckwheat

    Problem is if I eat meat I'm stuffed after about 4 bites!
    I am using lentils, chickpeas and tofu to try and get more protein but I eat every little when I'm eating

    Hi Sparkles,

    Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates or fats, but could part of the issue be psychological? If you tell yourself you're going to feel full if you eat xyz, then that could be causing you to feel full. How long does it take for you to get hungry again after a meal with meat in it? If it's not long (2-3 hours), then I'd imagine your fullness could be more in your head than your stomach, so to say.

    In order to up your overall daily protein intake, could you add in some with your breakfast? Maybe some eggs, turkey/chicken sausage, or some protein powder with your porridge if neither of those work for you. I'd go for a whey isolate, as it has a high bio-availability (i.e. your body can "use" a high percentage of it). Last time I was home I got Pulsin Whey isolate in the Hopsack in Rathmines - pricy but it's good quality stuff (organic grass-fed cows etc.). Tracking your food for a few days with something like My Fitness Pal could help you to get an idea of how much protein you're eating - aiming for about 1.5-2g/kg bodyweight would be a good start. If you're not getting enough, then you could add in a shake. But try getting it from whole foods first.

    Also, while lentils, chickpeas, tofu are all protein sources, they won't be "used" by the body as efficiently as animal-based sources. Plus, if you're trying to lose weight, you might want to lower carbohydrate intake and both lentils and chickpeas are also fairly high in carbs.

    Hope this helps!
    And don't worry about "unwillingly" gaining huge muscles - for the majority of us women that's not gonna happen unless we really really want it to!


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    #8
    BigProblem
    Registered Users Posts: 246 ✭✭BigProblem


    helliwen wrote: »
    Hi Sparkles,

    Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates or fats, but could part of the issue be psychological? If you tell yourself you're going to feel full if you eat xyz, then that could be causing you to feel full. How long does it take for you to get hungry again after a meal with meat in it? If it's not long (2-3 hours), then I'd imagine your fullness could be more in your head than your stomach, so to say.

    In order to up your overall daily protein intake, could you add in some with your breakfast? Maybe some eggs, turkey/chicken sausage, or some protein powder with your porridge if neither of those work for you. I'd go for a whey isolate, as it has a high bio-availability (i.e. your body can "use" a high percentage of it). Last time I was home I got Pulsin Whey isolate in the Hopsack in Rathmines - pricy but it's good quality stuff (organic grass-fed cows etc.). Tracking your food for a few days with something like My Fitness Pal could help you to get an idea of how much protein you're eating - aiming for about 1.5-2g/kg bodyweight would be a good start. If you're not getting enough, then you could add in a shake. But try getting it from whole foods first.

    Also, while lentils, chickpeas, tofu are all protein sources, they won't be "used" by the body as efficiently as animal-based sources. Plus, if you're trying to lose weight, you might want to lower carbohydrate intake and both lentils and chickpeas are also fairly high in carbs.

    Hope this helps!
    And don't worry about "unwillingly" gaining huge muscles - for the majority of us women that's not gonna happen unless we really really want it to!


    is quinoa a good source of protein?


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    #9
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,575 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    BigProblem wrote: »
    is quinoa a good source of protein?

    It's not an especially good source of protein. Cooked quinoa had about 4g of protein per 100g.


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    #10
    helliwen
    Registered Users Posts: 226 ✭✭helliwen


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    It's not an especially good source of protein. Cooked quinoa had about 4g of protein per 100g.

    It often gets touted as a superior protein source to, for example, beans or lentils because of its complete amino acid spectrum, but this is pretty irrelevant - the whole complete protein/need to combine beans with rice etc. is a myth.

    You're better off treating it as an alternative to grains (rice, couscous etc.) rather than a source of protein. Consume with caution though as the saponins can cause irritation - I personally get what feels like a mild allergic reaction if I eat quinoa.


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