Basic question

Glowing

Hi,

Here is a very basic question - if I want to build muscle for that toned look (yes, I also hate that word), and reduce body fat (am at 16% now apparently, want to get to 15% - am female btw) - should I be eating more or less than my maintanence calories? Can you do both at the same time?

I am finding it really hard (mentally) to increase the amount of food I eat when my goal is to ultimately reduce bf. Help!

Thanks

Hanley

It's pretty unlikely you'll do it tbh.

Best thing you can do is eat to achieve weight loss and keep protein high (1-2g per lb of bodyweight).

Glowing

Ok - so I'm 114 pounds now, I need about 150 or so grams of protein each day? How would I eat that much when an egg is only 6 grams? Protein shakes?

Thanks

Brian?

Glowing wrote: »

Ok - so I'm 114 pounds now, I need about 150 or so grams of protein each day? How would I eat that much when an egg is only 6 grams? Protein shakes?

Thanks

Are you vegetarian?

Glowing

No, definitely not a vegetarian

I've been trying over the past few months to increase my protein intake alright (lots of eggs, cottage cheese, tuna, chicken, mackarel, 3 bean salads), and reducing carbs and cutting out processed foods. But it's just hard to know *how much* to be eating, to be honest, I had 3 large meals today but spent most of the time inbetween hungry still. I'm also loosing weight on the scales (about 2 kilos over the last 6 weeks) which is not what I intended. Should I be eating more on training days? Can I really 'diet' while trying to grow muscle?

Breakfast I had 1 egg plus 2 egg whites & 2 slices of wholewheat toast before the gym.
After the gym I had 25gms of protein from a protein shake.
Lunch was a large plate of smoked salmon, 200gms chickpeas, lettuce, olive oil, half an avocado, half a wholewheat bagel.
Banana
Dinner was pork steak with brocolli, asparagus, potato with a desert afterwards.
One hour later I'm hungry again

I'm training about 4 times a week, weights and conditioning mostly - but have a desk job. Once or twice a week I cycle in and out of work (10km each way)

Please help

gymfreak

Glowing wrote: »

Ok - so I'm 114 pounds now, I need about 150 or so grams of protein each day? How would I eat that much when an egg is only 6 grams? Protein shakes?

Thanks

I can give no advice on protein intake at all...cos I always choose fruit over protein:o I know..I know...but fruit is full of sugary goodness...I am my own worst enemy:D.

When I'm aiming for 120g of protein(that's mean trying to be good:ostill not good enough)..I normally hit it easily by having eggs in the morning, tuna at lunch, meat at dinner and a protein drink. So if your wanting 150g you'd only have to eat that much + an extra protein drink or tin of tuna or chicken fillet really. Have you got a fitday account, if not you really should check it out. Very handy for keeping an eye on protein intake.

Glowing

So is the 1-2 grams per pound of body weight what you should aim for on training days or every day?

And is it 1 gram or 2 grams?

gymfreak

Sorry Glowing, just read your edited message there. I'm about the same weight as you but not sure of your other stats.

I'm just curious how many kcal your eating a day. Personally, I'm an eater..anyone that knows me knows I spent most of my time grazing that's just how I am.

So as well as having my 3main meals I snack. Apples, passion fruit, clementines, raw carrots/celery, yoghurt, salad.

So why don't you try to fit snacks into your kcal requirements if you havent already. You sound like your being very hard on yourself..this whole dieting whilst gaining muscle malark..personally I just don't overthink it. I train away AND I diet, I've gotten stronger and leaner. I know others will disagree but I just don't believe in over thinking it. If your training is sound, you'll get stronger..if your diet is sound, you'll get leaner..simple:)

EDIT:

So is the 1-2 grams per pound of body weight what you should aim for on training days or every day?

And is it 1 gram or 2 grams?

Ideally 2g but it doesnt happen for me...so once I hit 1g I think I'm being good. I'm going to try bump mine up to 1.5 soon...but I just love fruit and all its sugary goodness And yes, everyday.

Glowing

Thanks a mil for the reply gymfreak

I'm 5'5, 51ish kilos, and the last time I was measured at the gym with one of those unreliable hand held thingys my bf had gone down from 17.1% to 16% which I'm delighted with but just can't take this feeling hungry all the time

Regarding kcal per day - should this be more or less than what I burn tho? I think that's what's confusing me the most. I really have to start counting calories but find that such a chore I'll try snack more to stave off the hunger. I know I'm really obsessed with this, but the way I see it is that there is no point spending so much time training if I ruin the benefits with a crappy diet .. .argh!

Parsley

well technically if you gained muscle by lifting weights and eating sufficient protein, and didn't gain fat, your bodyweight would go up but you'd still have the same amount of fat, thus reducing your bodyfat percentage.

however, gaining muscle without fat is the tricky bit.

gymfreak

Glowing wrote: »

Thanks a mil for the reply gymfreak

I'm 5'5, 51ish kilos, and the last time I was measured at the gym with one of those unreliable hand held thingys my bf had gone down from 17.1% to 16% which I'm delighted with but just can't take this feeling hungry all the time

Regarding kcal per day - should this be more or less than what I burn tho? I think that's what's confusing me the most. I really have to start counting calories but find that such a chore I'll try snack more to stave off the hunger. I know I'm really obsessed with this, but the way I see it is that there is no point spending so much time training if I ruin the benefits with a crappy diet .. .argh!

Okay, well I'm 5'4 and anything between 52 and 54kg depending on how much chocolate I've eaten the day before..truth

Regarding kcal..you really need to read the sticky by G'em at the top of the forum..it details how to calculate your kcal requirement. Once you have this figured out you'll know exactly how much food you can eat..my favourite part!!

When I'm dieting I eating in and around 1500kcal and thats something like

Breakfast:
Omlette: 2eggs, peppers, onions, mushrooms
2 slices of toast
Protein Drink

Dinner:
Meat and about 6 veg...I do looooove veg
yoghurt
apple

Tea:
Salad: Tuna, sweetcorn,onion, pepper lettuce

Snacks:
3/4 carrots
2 passion fruit
apple
clemintine

That would be a very rough guideline but I am known to have a bi-weekly overfeed/binge of chocolate..it happens to the best of us..I dont get caught up with it or upset or whatever..i just enjoy and start again 'healthily' the next day:) Obviously others will disagree with this but it works for me...it's all about finding out what works for YOU.

So basically what you need to do is
1. Read the stickies, calculate your kcal
2. start a fitday account and log what you eat
3. train away happily
..simple