I have joined a gym and i go three times a week....the main work i do is resistance training, and little cardio....i have been looking at protien whey powders, and i can tell they are of great benefit...should i ingest the shake every morning when i wake..even on the days when i am not going to the gym, or should i stick to what i am doing, and ingesting the shake 30-60 minutes after my session at the gym...this is known as the "golden hour"... the hour in which to really allow muscle to build through protien....or so i am told.....
Also i have noticed that my body is changing shape and flab is being redusec...i am surprised that it took so little time for me to lose some fat, however i would like to put a lot of mean muscle on...the whey powder i am using at the minute contains creatine etc.....what is a safe amount of protien for say a beginner...100g maybe less or more?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post.....DON

You should be taking your protein shakes on off days too. 1gm for every pound of body weight. I find it good to take protein after my workout but I guess it works different for everybody. Listen to your body and pay attention to what it may be telling you. Adjust where needed to get the results you want. If you are see slow results, change your workout or eating habits.

Protein intake for active individuals should be between 1.5-2.0 grams per kg of bodyweight(1 gram per lb of bodyweight at most). While it is important to eat protein within the first hour after workouts, eating carbs to replenish your glycogen stores is even more important within the first 2 hrs after workout. Also keep in mind that it is extremely important to eat before workouts as well.

Protein intake in heavy lifters is usally higher than the average body normally needs. The average american diet contains enough protein for the most people. However be careful as too much protein can cause other issues. Diets very high in protein increase the body's excretion of calcium, necessitating a higher intake of that mineral. Also too much protein can cause dehydration because water is pulled from the body to dilute the nitrogen waste from protein. Calories are left behind after your body rids itself of the excess nitrogen. Each gram of protein supplies four calories. Any excess calories from protein will be stored as fat.

Originally posted by N2Deep:
Protein intake in heavy lifters is usally higher than the average body normally needs. The average american diet contains enough protein for the most people. However be careful as too much protein can cause other issues. Diets very high in protein increase the body's excretion of calcium, necessitating a higher intake of that mineral. Also too much protein can cause dehydration because water is pulled from the body to dilute the nitrogen waste from protein. Calories are left behind after your body rids itself of the excess nitrogen. Each gram of protein supplies four calories. Any excess calories from protein will be stored as fat.
This is correct. As far as excess calories being stored as fat, this is true but not easily done. I other words it takes alot for this to happen.

I want to try to loose some excess fat and hopefully gain some muscle (particular the upper body). Would taking protein be an efficient way of doing this? If I increase my proteins, but still try to keep it lean (i.e., egg whites, lean meats, skim milk, ect), would there by any possibility that weight might be gained (from an increase of body fat instead of muscle)? I would hate to increase my protein only to gain fat. Thanks.

I would suggest a protein drink - one high in protein and low in carbs/fat/calories if your looking to keep from adding any weight. However if you build muscle you will gain weight -Muscle weights 3X as much as fat.

i weigh 179 pounds, i am 6ft and i am 22 years old...
i know i am a little overweight...but with hard work it should all work out the way i want it...
so from what i have read my maximum intake of protien should be between 268 grams ( note i have used 1.5g of protien for every pound in body weight) is this safe? i think i might just go with one gram for every pound of body weight....We are talking daily intake here aswell right?
sorry for sounding like a novice, because that's what i am....

Several questions:

1) What is the Golden Hour and how much truth is there to it? The reason I ask is cause I've actually read that you should within 15 minutes of ending your workout. What happens if you miss this window of opportunity?

2) Following a workout, how much carbs and protein should a person have? I read that you should have 1g of carbs per kg of body weight and that the carb-to-protein ratio should be 3:1. Does it make a difference if the post workout meal is regular food or a shake or bar?

3) C.J.W. Fit, why is it so important to eat before workouts? I have been working out on an empty stomach so that I burn fat. Is this wrong? How much carbs and protein should a person have before the workout and how much time before? Is it better to have a shake or real food before the workout?

4) N2Deep, muscle weighs 3X as much as fat? Are you sure you wanna go down that road again?

Just wanted to make the point to some of these people that want to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time. It looks as if you are gaining weight when really it is just muscle weight and not fat weight. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Originally posted by N2Deep:
Just wanted to make the point to some of these people that want to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time. It looks as if you are gaining weight when really it is just muscle weight and not fat weight. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I think most of us have figured this part already. The real question is whether it's possible to gain muscle and lose fat. I've heard two views on this. One group says you have to choose one cause when gaining muscle, you gain a little fat too and when losing fat, you can't gain muscle and may end up losing some. The other group says it's possible to do both at the same time provided you're doing cardio and resistance training and getting enough protein. I'd really like to know which is closer to the truth. I want to lose fat and also gain muscle. But if I have to pick one over the other, then I need to know so I can adjust my workout routine accordingly.