I have just started back at the gym after a break and decided I would concentrate on resistance training. This has caused me to look at my protein consumption. Using the guide of 1 to 2g per kilo of body weight that gives me a range of 80g to 160g of protein a day and this is supposed to be moderate protein consumption. I read something on the Virta Blog regarding protein and they recommend 1.2 to 1.5 so as to be in the middle of the 1 to 2g range and to account for getting older having the occasional illness etc. Looking more closely at my protein consumption I was surprised to see that I am usually at the bottom of the range approx 80g. I am 50 yrs old and this combined with resistance training makes me think I should aim for the upper range or at least 1.5 grams. This would take me to approx 120g+ per day. For me this is quite a lot of protein, what level are other resistance/weight trainers at in terms of protein consumption?
How much protein do you aim for?
Male or female?
35/M here, I lift 4 days a week and generally shoot for between 250 and 400g per day. Not that I aim, per se, but that’s just where my hunger leads me. I’ve still got a small amount of fat to lose before I’m where I’d like to be, so I limit how much of my daily food intake comes in the form of energy (fat). So that leaves protein, which for me, is in the form of meat.
Nah, I just have all of my bodyfat mostly centered around my trunk (probably like most men my age). I look awful with my shirt off below the ribcage if I don’t have the right angle or pose just right it’s rubbish. Those methods are deceitful anyway.
Also, I’ve been told maybe I should look at competing in a natural bodybuilding show by someone on here, and that’ll never happen with this gut!
I appreciate that compliment very much, Mark. I also think you can get where you want to be, just stick with it.
Thanks. Would you say you have an easy time putting on muscle or would you consider yourself a hard-gainer? I only ask because you self-ID’d as an ecto.
If it was me and I was not having an easy time putting on muscle, I would bump up both protein and fat overall. If metabolism was too high, perhaps having a few days of low calories or even fasting might help to lower it a little bit so that the body can burn a little more efficiently, before driving calories back up.
Yes usually a hard gainer but this time I have dropped the cardio training and doing weights only. Previously I’ve made good gains in the first few months but then usually platau. My prrotein is about 140g today and thats eating protein in each meal. I may think of protein supplements.
I’m currently averaging between 1.5 - 1.8 grams per kg total bodyweight at the moment which is more intuitive than by plan. I’m a small female who seems to gain relatively easily though so probably not much help!
Protein supplements are just more food, you can get by without them (they’re usually highly processed and overpriced byproducts of cheese production). Red meat is especially good.