Newbie question about protein.

[Taos]

New to the board been lurking for a few weeks. Just wondering how much protien does one need. I am 6' 280lbs. I am on a strict diet of 1500-1700 calories per day Chicken/turkey breast lots of green vegetables. I do cardio for 30 minutes twice a day,45min 2-3 times a week, and have just started weight lifting. I have been on this for 2 weeks tomorrow, and have dropped 15 pounds. Im sure it is mostly water, but I already feel like a new person. I am fat but am very active. I want to hit 200-210 by hockey season. Oct 15. Any comments good/bad would be appriciated.

Richard Rowe

[venomousbird]

Just remember that doing too much cardio stresses the body, and will prevent you from adding new muscle mass, and that in turn can actually hold you back from losing fat. Every pound of new muscle you add will burn something like 15 calories a day, just because it is there. Walking and moderate cycling is probably good, but you'll want to avoid doing too much heavy cardio too quickly or the strain is going to hurt more than help. I see intense cardio as being more beneficial to help strengthen your heart and lungs to fuel the muscles you develop, once you have them.

I was burning 1000 calories on an eliptical machine every single day for a few months, then I reduced that amount to 500, but in the last few months I've changed my diet and started doing mad pushups everyday and almost totally cut cardio at the moment, and I'm actually starting to get ripped abs for the first time in my life now. It seems kind of paradoxical and against normal logic, but this has been my experience. It's good that you're eating lots of veggies, those will help your body metabolize the fatty acids you have stored.

I would say, do pushups if you can, and if you're going to be lifting ask someone who has a good regimen worked out for some more advice.

[Taos]

Thank you.

[mlkman]

if you only want to loose lbs you are on the right track!!!!! cardovascilar training is the most effective way of loosing weight!ie jogging , earobics ect. you only need extra protein if you want to build muscle and you being a bit over weight means your body is going to burn fat and use it just like it would use protein!

[widdoes2504]

What does your diet and training look like. With a little more info we will be better able to help out.

[hrdgain81]

Originally Posted by Taos

New to the board been lurking for a few weeks. Just wondering how much protien does one need. I am 6' 280lbs. I am on a strict diet of 1500-1700 calories per day Chicken/turkey breast lots of green vegetables. I do cardio for 30 minutes twice a day,45min 2-3 times a week, and have just started weight lifting. I have been on this for 2 weeks tomorrow, and have dropped 15 pounds. Im sure it is mostly water, but I already feel like a new person. I am fat but am very active. I want to hit 200-210 by hockey season. Oct 15. Any comments good/bad would be appriciated.

Richard Rowe

Richard, I'm gonna say this, and your gonna think I'm nuts, but your not getting enough cals in. With your current routine what will happen is, you will drop fat rather quickly, but eventually it will stall out, then what do you do? You really cant drop your cals any lower, and your gonna be so beat from all that cardio that you wont be able to up that either, then you end up stuck.

My advice, atleast for the time being is to up your protien intake, and get in the range of 2200-2500 cals a day. Then as you strim up, you have room to adjust your diet.

I dont want to sound like a asshole, but honestly dropping down from 280 to 200 is not very realistic in the time frame you set forth. Your gonna end up frustrating the hell out of yourself. Work slowly into it, make reasonable goals for yourself, and you'll drop the wieght.

[EricT]

^^^^X2

It's a little misleading in general to think that just because you are overweight that the rapid weight loss with a sever calorie deficit will be all fat and no muscle. And protein isn't like a steroid. It isn't a guaranteed muscle holder. And like hrdgain said, you should leave yourself some room to adust downward.

Plus if you jump in to low calories too quickly and far too long, as soon as you add any moderate amount to it your body will be wanting to pack on the fat again.

[UmmmPain]