Weightlifting and when to increase protein

C

cjbate

Cathlete
Lately weights is the only thing that I have been doing, I want to increase my muscle mass and am not currently focusing so much on losing fat (altho I really don't want to gain any fat, for that matter).

I don't workout every day, usually 3 to 4 days a week, trying to lift heavy. The days I am lifting, I try to eat more protein, say, 20-30 g 5 times a day (5 small meals but with plenty of protein and complex carbs, probably moderate fat).

Should I be doing that also on the days I am NOT lifting? things have been kinda sporadic....I keep getting the colds/bugs my 3 little ones bring home, and so then I take a few days off. Do I keep my protein up on those days? Anybody know? Is it at best a waste of effort, if I am not lifting that day?

Thanks
Jen
 
As for me, I only drink the protein shake immediately after I am done lifting weights to feed my muscles. I too couldn't decide if I wanted to drink the shakes everyday, but decided not to. I think it is more important to drink more water on the cardio days. JMHO

Charlotte~~
 
I remember reading in M&F Hers that it is best to eat some protein before the workout and within one hour of finishing the workout. These ingestions of protein apparently make more of a difference in terms of building muscle mass.

What I tend to do is eat larger servings of protein on my lifting days. For you, I wouldn't worry about it so much on the non-lifting days, especially as you are not doing much cardio right now. Excess protein cannot be utilized by the body for muscle building, it is converted to fat and stored.

Perhaps others can chime in with more science?

Clare
 
Hi Jen,

Well one thing you do want to do is eat some carbs and some protein before you lift and then after you lift. And you want to do this right after your workout don't wait for lunch or your next meal, as you'll lose the motablism fire for being able to really break down the protein and delieve it to the muscle buidler right way. And the longer you wait the less protein the muscle builders have, so less muscle. It's like of like a brick layer, they only put down as many bricks as they have and then when they get more, the brick layers in your body don't come back. They just re-appear again when you start lifting and then build all the muscle they can with the protein, and the cycle repeats. But more protien the more muscle will be built faster. As for your off days, do eat a good amount of protein, I'm not sure what your eating on your days off, but what your eatting on your lifting days isn't that bad, I'd say try 20 g of protein on your days off and see how you feel and look after a few weeks. Most who want to build muscle reguardless of their workout schedule usually keep about 20 gs of protien or a bit more.

As for fat, keep the protein down to low fat and lean meats etc, and with building muscle your motablism will run faster and burn more calories, so unless you get your calories unbalanced, that shouldn't be too much of a worry.

Kit
 
Hi I know this is a little old, but I just now read this. I have a question, how is the protein utilized before the lift? I generally don't eat before working out, just the way I'am. However, if I thought that the protein before a weight workout was going to make a noticable difference after a while I would drink a protein shake. I usually do right after lifting. On cardio days I'm afraid my stomach just wouldn't be up to a drink before hand. So why is protein beneficial before lifting?
 
Thanks for the responses. I don't usually eat before my workouts either, I wonder how important that is. I really don't like to...for various reasons (I workout very early in the am and I just can't stand to eat beforehand).

Thanks for the info, everyone.

Jen
 
I thought I'd just put this back up front again so someone can tell us why it's important to have protein before you lift? If I'm missing something important there it would be nice to know, so I can get better results.
 
Most of what I've read says that there is a window of opportunity of about an hour after working out when you need to refuel (carbohydrates to replenish glycogen, and protein to help with rebuilding and repair). I've also read (just one source, but I can't remember what it was--book? article?-- off hand), that it's good to eat some before working out, so that the nutrients are available even earlier.
 
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