I did buy GNC protein 60 and do plan on doing a lot of cardio with workouts of lifting, but I am curious if i ran 2-3 miles, played soccer or basketball and then took my protein shake, what will become of it? Is it a good idea or just a waste of protein. My overall goals are to lose weight and lean up. So what does protein shakes do with a workout plan of just running?
Curious, what does Protein do for running and running only!?
- Thread starter Primetime
- Start date
KaraCooks
New member
You're thinking about it the wrong way. 
Protein is a nutrient. You need protein to survive. Eating more protein will help you to retain muscle mass when you're trying to burn fat. Eating more protein will help you to build muscle if you're eating enough extra to increase weight.
YOu don't "waste" protein if you do a different type of exercise than weight lifting. The protein still gets used to spare muscle. It still gets metabolised into your body. It's still a nutrient that's used.
However, what a "workout plan of just running" will do, will cause you to burn more muscle than if you combined a workout plan of mixed weight lifting and running.
Protein is a nutrient. You need protein to survive. Eating more protein will help you to retain muscle mass when you're trying to burn fat. Eating more protein will help you to build muscle if you're eating enough extra to increase weight.
YOu don't "waste" protein if you do a different type of exercise than weight lifting. The protein still gets used to spare muscle. It still gets metabolised into your body. It's still a nutrient that's used.
However, what a "workout plan of just running" will do, will cause you to burn more muscle than if you combined a workout plan of mixed weight lifting and running.
Jeanette401
New member
Eat healthy fats over saturated fats.
Eat lots of fibrous veggies to fill you up so you're less hungry.
Try to eat one-ingredient foods - a steak is a steak, broccoli is broccoli, pasta is... um, well tasty
Track what you eat more than how much you exercise - it's easy to believe you've burned tons of calories and therefore can eat more, but calorie meters often lie.
Also, when you talk about having a protein shake after running you're getting into what's often called nutrient timing. I.e. when exactly do you eat/drink the protein. The important thing isn't when you have your protein, it's how much you get on a daily basis. While it's not a bad idea to eat protein after a strength workout (and some carbs too!) it won't help you if you don't get enough every day. That would be like 'wasting' water because you drank it even when you weren't thirsty
Eat lots of fibrous veggies to fill you up so you're less hungry.
Try to eat one-ingredient foods - a steak is a steak, broccoli is broccoli, pasta is... um, well tasty
Track what you eat more than how much you exercise - it's easy to believe you've burned tons of calories and therefore can eat more, but calorie meters often lie.
Also, when you talk about having a protein shake after running you're getting into what's often called nutrient timing. I.e. when exactly do you eat/drink the protein. The important thing isn't when you have your protein, it's how much you get on a daily basis. While it's not a bad idea to eat protein after a strength workout (and some carbs too!) it won't help you if you don't get enough every day. That would be like 'wasting' water because you drank it even when you weren't thirsty
i weigh 200 lbs but i want to get down to 180. Someone told me to eat for 180lbs but i dont really get what that means. Does that mean I should eat 9 scoops of my protein a day (3 scoops=60g) That dont seem to right, or does that mean the daily dosage recommended and some grilled chicken? confused.
As of now, i take protein occcasionally, so i should take it more often?
Someone told me your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein a day. I need help, how much protein should i take to help me lose weight. I will be on a small diet plan! Eating as less as possible. Whats a breif plan or ideas to lose weight on protein?
As of now, i take protein occcasionally, so i should take it more often?
Someone told me your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein a day. I need help, how much protein should i take to help me lose weight. I will be on a small diet plan! Eating as less as possible. Whats a breif plan or ideas to lose weight on protein?
Harold14370
New member
To "eat for 180 pounds" means to figure out how many calories you would need to maintain a constant 180 pounds, given your height, age, and level of activity. This would be based on the Harris Benedict formula, which you can look up on the internet. Doing it this way, you would very slowly reach 180 pounds. To get there faster, you would have to eat a bit less.
What is your fascination with protein shakes? You don't need those. Just eat normal food with an adequate amount of protein in your diet.
What is your fascination with protein shakes? You don't need those. Just eat normal food with an adequate amount of protein in your diet.
KaraCooks
New member
I gotta agree with Harold... what is this obsession with protein?
First of all 9 scoops of protein per day is ludicrous. Secondly, stop talking about it like it's a drug. You don't "take" protein. You eat it. Maybe you eat it in the form of a chicken breast, or a piece of fish, or a piece of steak, or a scoop of powder.
But protein isn't this "magic" thing ... and protein powder isn't some magic weight loss drug.
Protein is a nutrient. You should get it from a variety of sources. Just like all the rest of your nutrients.
First of all 9 scoops of protein per day is ludicrous. Secondly, stop talking about it like it's a drug. You don't "take" protein. You eat it. Maybe you eat it in the form of a chicken breast, or a piece of fish, or a piece of steak, or a scoop of powder.
But protein isn't this "magic" thing ... and protein powder isn't some magic weight loss drug.
Protein is a nutrient. You should get it from a variety of sources. Just like all the rest of your nutrients.
Jeanette401
New member
I'm not sure I understand how the 9 scoops of protein powder and 180lbs are connected...
Either way, it's not how much protein powder you eat, it's your total protein consumption - I'll give you an example for me. My lean body mass is about 100 lbs and my 'goal weight' is around 130. So my target protein for the day is between 100g and 130g.
So yesterday I entered my food into fitday.com. I had tuna salad made with greek yogurt, some veggies, a ham bagel, some tilapia... no protein powder At the bottom of the page it totals all the food up and I got a grand total of 116g of protein for the day.
Now, a few days back I did have a protein shake, and some steak and some... well you get the picture, and I came in at 130g of protein. Including the shake. But I don't calculate the shake separately, it's all about the total.
As far as 'wasted' protein, you might eat enough protein that it doesn't actually get used for muscle building - but in that case, it can just be used for 'regular' energy. But it's almost like saying you're 'wasting' fat because once you get past the small amount you really need, you still eat more. Still, unless you're over double your goal weight in grams of protein (360g of protein a day) I wouldn't worry about wasting it. Going a little over what you need won't do anything bad, being too low could slow down your growth or lead to muscle loss.
Also, higher protein is more necessary when you're eating fewer carbs. So I'd estimate that you should probably get between 180 and 225g of protein a day (men need more protein than women). If you're eating low carb, I'd aim for the higher number. If you're eating higher carb I wouldn't be as concerned.
Whether or not you have protein shakes is entirely dependent on how much protein you get from the rest of your food. If you end up at 100g of protein from what your normally eat, it's a good idea to make yourself a nice protein shake to get the remaining 50g or so. If you end up with 200g of protein from your meals, don't sweat it.
The easiest way to know for sure is to use a site like fitday or livestrong and enter in everything you eat to see exactly where things stand for you.
Hope that helps.
Either way, it's not how much protein powder you eat, it's your total protein consumption - I'll give you an example for me. My lean body mass is about 100 lbs and my 'goal weight' is around 130. So my target protein for the day is between 100g and 130g.
So yesterday I entered my food into fitday.com. I had tuna salad made with greek yogurt, some veggies, a ham bagel, some tilapia... no protein powder
At the bottom of the page it totals all the food up and I got a grand total of 116g of protein for the day.Now, a few days back I did have a protein shake, and some steak and some... well you get the picture, and I came in at 130g of protein. Including the shake. But I don't calculate the shake separately, it's all about the total.
As far as 'wasted' protein, you might eat enough protein that it doesn't actually get used for muscle building - but in that case, it can just be used for 'regular' energy. But it's almost like saying you're 'wasting' fat because once you get past the small amount you really need, you still eat more. Still, unless you're over double your goal weight in grams of protein (360g of protein a day) I wouldn't worry about wasting it. Going a little over what you need won't do anything bad, being too low could slow down your growth or lead to muscle loss.
Also, higher protein is more necessary when you're eating fewer carbs. So I'd estimate that you should probably get between 180 and 225g of protein a day (men need more protein than women). If you're eating low carb, I'd aim for the higher number. If you're eating higher carb I wouldn't be as concerned.
Whether or not you have protein shakes is entirely dependent on how much protein you get from the rest of your food. If you end up at 100g of protein from what your normally eat, it's a good idea to make yourself a nice protein shake to get the remaining 50g or so. If you end up with 200g of protein from your meals, don't sweat it.
The easiest way to know for sure is to use a site like fitday or livestrong and enter in everything you eat to see exactly where things stand for you.
Hope that helps.
KaraCooks
New member
I'm not "grading" you on your use of words and grammar. The thing is, you've made 19 posts on this site and every single one of them asks the same thing in different variations. It seems to me that you're looking for a specific answer and you're not going to quit asking until you get THAT answer. The thing is that we can't give you the answer you're looking for because it doesn't exist.
Protein is a nutrient. It's one of MANY nutrients that you need to be healthy. It's one of the 3 macro nutrients that you should consider in your overall daily plan - the other two being complex carbs and healthy fats.
You're obsessed about protein and you're not asking any questions about a BALANCED eating plan - one that includes reasonable amounts of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Every question you ask seems to be focused on protein as this magic thing - and protein powder in specific. 9 scoops of protein powder per day is excessive - not in terms of "getting too much protein" but in terms of eating a balanced variety of foods.
Maybe if you explained to us what, exactly, it is you are looking for from this protein obsession we can provide better answers for you. Until then, I'm going to keep repeating the same thing - protein is not a drug you "take". It's a nutrient. Just like all the other nutrients. Start thinking about it in terms of nutrition and not drugs.
Protein is a nutrient. It's one of MANY nutrients that you need to be healthy. It's one of the 3 macro nutrients that you should consider in your overall daily plan - the other two being complex carbs and healthy fats.
You're obsessed about protein and you're not asking any questions about a BALANCED eating plan - one that includes reasonable amounts of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Every question you ask seems to be focused on protein as this magic thing - and protein powder in specific. 9 scoops of protein powder per day is excessive - not in terms of "getting too much protein" but in terms of eating a balanced variety of foods.
Maybe if you explained to us what, exactly, it is you are looking for from this protein obsession we can provide better answers for you. Until then, I'm going to keep repeating the same thing - protein is not a drug you "take". It's a nutrient. Just like all the other nutrients. Start thinking about it in terms of nutrition and not drugs.