Protein needs cycling?


(Ari the Wolf) #1

So, part of this is primarily a question for women, and part is for anybody who works out. I’ll ask the latter part first, so the guys can bail out before it goes into foreign territory! :stuck_out_tongue:

Has anybody noticed a specific craving (not like how we can get for carbs, just a niggle in comparison) for more protein on days you work out? Especially after doing any heavy lifting or strength training? My normal everyday intake varies from 35-55g protein, usually somewhere in that range, but on days where I do strength training I always end up wanting a fair bit more, sometimes as high as 80-100g. My lean body mass is, estimated, somewhere around 120lbs, and I haven’t fallen out of ketosis on the days where I eat more, nor have I seemed to suffer any ill effects when I eat at the lower end of my normal intake.

For women: Am I the only one who wants more meat, specifically red meat like steak or burgers, during PMS and/or my period? I do tend to fall out of ketosis during my period, no matter what protein intake I have during those days, or be at the low end, but thankfully no ill effects like would happen if I were to binge on carbs (like arthritis pain coming back, brain fog, intense cravings, etc).

I have pretty much written these both off as my body telling me what it needs, and I’m ever-so-slowly learning to trust that it does have some idea of what is necessary for health. A recent physical and bloodwork show that everything they could think to measure is normal to perfect, so I’m pretty sure I’m doing things right. This is just out of curiosity more than anything.


(Allie) #2

I don’t get cravings but do feel more hungry and have learnt that it’s necessary to slightly increase protein on the days that I lift really heavy, either that or I end up crazy hungry the next day. I still limit to a max of 89g protein on heavy lift days, but on non-lifting days that drops down to around 50 or 60g. So It’s not really cycling, but more listening to and obeying my body’s requirements.


(Ari the Wolf) #3

Thanks for the reply. I think that’s pretty much what’s going on for me. It’s amazing how smart the body is when it comes to this stuff… after we get away from really bad ways of eating and get hormones back under control.