What happens when you work out lots and DON'T take in extra protein?!


Question: Muscle gain and weight gain altogether are both based on taking in more calories than what you have to take in simply to maintain your current weight. As is well known, taking in about 500 calories more than maintainence caloric intake will put on about 1 pound in a week. 500 calories fewer than maintainence will remove about a 1 pound in a week. So those trying to add muscle add those 500 calories to their diet. Those 500 calories are usually protein. Taking in 500 extra calories, even if not protein, will lead to muscle/weight gain if added to a weight lifting regimine. However, if protein is the major source of those 500 extra calories, lean muscle gain is better achieved. Protein repairs the torn muscle fibers (which is basically the job of weight lifting), and assists in building more lean muscle. So protein's function in this situation is growth and recovery. Powdered protein, such as whey protein, is also a natural diuretic and can help ward off some extra water gain. Protein can also ward off delayed onset muscle sorness.
If you take in 500 extra calories, and it's basically not protein, then you risk fat gain along with less muscle than you would've gained with protein addition.
If you are not taking in 500 extra calories altogether and are eating for maintainence, weight lifting will basically keep the muscles in shape. You will not see any significant gains in muscle. If the intensity of the workout exceeds the calorie intake, you actually risk some loss of muscle in the long run.

So in summation protein at the very least protects muscle, even if not attempting to gain muscle/weight. If trying to gain muscle/weight, it protects and assists in gaining the lean muscle tissue.


Answers: Muscle gain and weight gain altogether are both based on taking in more calories than what you have to take in simply to maintain your current weight. As is well known, taking in about 500 calories more than maintainence caloric intake will put on about 1 pound in a week. 500 calories fewer than maintainence will remove about a 1 pound in a week. So those trying to add muscle add those 500 calories to their diet. Those 500 calories are usually protein. Taking in 500 extra calories, even if not protein, will lead to muscle/weight gain if added to a weight lifting regimine. However, if protein is the major source of those 500 extra calories, lean muscle gain is better achieved. Protein repairs the torn muscle fibers (which is basically the job of weight lifting), and assists in building more lean muscle. So protein's function in this situation is growth and recovery. Powdered protein, such as whey protein, is also a natural diuretic and can help ward off some extra water gain. Protein can also ward off delayed onset muscle sorness.
If you take in 500 extra calories, and it's basically not protein, then you risk fat gain along with less muscle than you would've gained with protein addition.
If you are not taking in 500 extra calories altogether and are eating for maintainence, weight lifting will basically keep the muscles in shape. You will not see any significant gains in muscle. If the intensity of the workout exceeds the calorie intake, you actually risk some loss of muscle in the long run.

So in summation protein at the very least protects muscle, even if not attempting to gain muscle/weight. If trying to gain muscle/weight, it protects and assists in gaining the lean muscle tissue.

All I can tell you is what happened to my friend is she's ended up with lots of health probs including a B12 def & she's enemic & has trouble holding food down half the time.

The average person consumes more than enough protein for their body's needs. There is no need to take protein supplements unless you are a body builder or someone whose career is exercise and working out.
FYI to everyone who thinks you need protein powder: you probably don't. Be careful, you can cause kidney problems.

You don't need EXTRA protein, but if you don't have enough, basically your muscles will not grow. you will find that protein is readily available in most healthy foods.

as for the post about excess protein damaging your kidneys, I've never heard that, I know that excess protein leeches calcium, so a high protein diet should also have high calcium aswell. as for your kidneys I'd like to learn more about that as i have a high protein diet, including 'extra' protein haha

If you work out but don't get enough proteins, your body will catabolize muscle for energy. Protein is a necessary macronutrient utilized by the body to build and repair muscle, so it's especially needed by someone who is active, more than an inactive individual. How much you actually need depends on what activity you're performing but you will need more than someone who isn't active for your body to recover properly.

Extra protein will not harm the kidneys unless you are a kidney patient to begin with. That it harms the kidneys is a myth and unfortunately is sometimes propogated even by health professionals with no training in sports medicine. Where this comes from is, when an athlete consumes extra protein, the body produces a substance called creatinine, which is a by-product found in kidney patients since the kidneys would normally filter that out of the blood in a healthy person. Elevated amounts of creatinine can indicate kidney problems, but in a healthy person like an athlete elevated creatinine levels are easily filtered by the kidneys and will not "strain" them.

Meals should be protein based and is essential for good health. If you don't eat enough protein, you're inviting all sorts of maladies and you'll find yourself lethargic,.unable to recover adequately and even becoming ill more often. Keep in mind that you need to increase intake of all macronutrients when activity levels increase.





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