How much protein is enough?

Kernunos

Well all,

Starting a few weeks ago i decided to get back into the gym proper and actually stick with it for a while. It has been going alright but after looking at a few threads here I have been wondering a bit about my diet. All my life I have been on of those 'Freaky eaters' with a very restricted diet but have spread out a bit. The thing is though my only sources of protein are dairy, eggs, chicken and beef.

So i train every second day, alternating between upper body and lower body sessions, with cardio every day and one capoeira (martial art-ish) class a week. IN addition to that I dont drive so i cycle between 5-10 miles a day.

My aim at the minute is to lose just a bit of body-fat but also to bulk up a wee bit so I have been trying to follow the 5 small meals a day.

8am Breakfast : 3 weetabix, 2 slices of wholemeal toast & Orange juice

11/12am Snack: Triple-grain role & small carton of milk

3pm Lunch: Scrambled eggs (x3) and milk

5/6pm Dinner: Handful of baby-potatoes & chicken/steak

8/9pm Snack: Protein shake (2 scoops with milk)

I realise that there is a lot of bread and carbs there but being honest thats my neurosis. I have not eaten vegtables or fruit since i was around 5. In fact I only stated eating meat around 2 years ago.

Now all that aside, my main question is whether or not people think I am getting enough protein. I have seen threads where people are talking about having them for breakfast and another at night and wondered at my level would this be necessary?

Because I am at college and also work changing hours my work-out times vary from 10 in the morning to 9 o clock at night. I always try to have one of my snacks either directly before or after the workout and I also take another Shake (2 scoops, 40 mg?).

Another question is about eating at night. For years i used to have toast before bed but now I try not to eat any carbs at least 3 hours before bed. Now when people say you should not eat after 9, is that because they presume people go to bed around then or is it some magic time. Because of my schedule i rarely go to bed before 1am and if i stop eating at 9 i am usually starving going to bed.

I think my post is wondering a bit so i will keep any more questions for later. To recap, is drinking as much milk as I do, around 1 litre a day, having either chicken or beef every day and having a protein shake directly after a workout enough protein?

Thanks in advance,

cardio,shoot me

Kernunos wrote: »

Well all,

Starting a few weeks ago i decided to get back into the gym proper and actually stick with it for a while. It has been going alright but after looking at a few threads here I have been wondering a bit about my diet. All my life I have been on of those 'Freaky eaters' with a very restricted diet but have spread out a bit. The thing is though my only sources of protein are dairy, eggs, chicken and beef.

So i train every second day, alternating between upper body and lower body sessions, with cardio every day and one capoeira (martial art-ish) class a week. IN addition to that I dont drive so i cycle between 5-10 miles a day.

My aim at the minute is to lose just a bit of body-fat but also to bulk up a wee bit so I have been trying to follow the 5 small meals a day.

8am Breakfast : 3 weetabix, 2 slices of wholemeal toast & Orange juice

11/12am Snack: Triple-grain role & small carton of milk

3pm Lunch: Scrambled eggs (x3) and milk

5/6pm Dinner: Handful of baby-potatoes & chicken/steak

8/9pm Snack: Protein shake (2 scoops with milk)

I realise that there is a lot of bread and carbs there but being honest thats my neurosis. I have not eaten vegtables or fruit since i was around 5. In fact I only stated eating meat around 2 years ago.

Now all that aside, my main question is whether or not people think I am getting enough protein. I have seen threads where people are talking about having them for breakfast and another at night and wondered at my level would this be necessary?

Because I am at college and also work changing hours my work-out times vary from 10 in the morning to 9 o clock at night. I always try to have one of my snacks either directly before or after the workout and I also take another Shake (2 scoops, 40 mg?).

Another question is about eating at night. For years i used to have toast before bed but now I try not to eat any carbs at least 3 hours before bed. Now when people say you should not eat after 9, is that because they presume people go to bed around then or is it some magic time. Because of my schedule i rarely go to bed before 1am and if i stop eating at 9 i am usually starving going to bed.

I think my post is wondering a bit so i will keep any more questions for later. To recap, is drinking as much milk as I do, around 1 litre a day, having either chicken or beef every day and having a protein shake directly after a workout enough protein?

Thanks in advance,

its hard to determine how much is enough for you, when we dont know your weight or height. but we can give u a good estimate anyway . u have 2 scoops which is about 48-50 grams of protein if its whey. and a litre of milk will have about 45g of protein(i think), looking at your diet i would guestimate u have about 50 grams of protein from meals, add that all up and u have 145 grams of protein, which is pretty good, u want to be taking 1.5-2g of protein per kilo of bodyweight. so lets say your average (70kg) your bang on target. I personally dont see much problems with carbohydrates myself but maybe a wee bit high, try substitute some foods with good low GI fats, like nuts
just noticed this now

I always try to have one of my snacks either directly before or after the workout

if by snacks u mean shake then ur getting another 40-50g of protein which by all means is good, theres never such thing as too much protein imo . hope i helped

Kernunos

ha, sorry, forgot to post the essentials.

25yr male, 182lb, 6ft tall

Thanks for the quick reply cardio, shoot me. I guess i should be aiming at around 120-160g. I will look into getting some nuts, do peanuts count?

cardio,shoot me

no worries, id be worried about peanuts to be honest, but then again everything in moderation and part of a balanced diet is good for you(sounds like the mcdonalds advert ), brazil nuts are fantastic, cant really go wrong with them, maybe try take up fruit again also , and yea about 120-160g would work perfect