loosing fat/ cutting protein?

[ericch]

I am currently cutting. Meaning i am cutting a lot of fat out of my diet, no more than 5 grams per day. I'm trying to get ripped, not buff. Just a lot of definition like a bruce lee, not Arnold S. So should i be eating less protein to keep from bulking up? I have been eating only about 10-15 grams of protein everyday is this too little?

[RayKay]

Oh good lord yes that IS WAY TOO LITTLE PROTEIN AND FAT!

 

As a female (who works out with weights and does lots of cardio) I would collapse and die (literally) on 5 g of fat and 15 g of protein a day. What do you eat everyday...a granola bar? I mean to only consume that means you are likely suffering some form of anorexia.

 

How much are you eating anyway?

 

Even bodybuilders only go through their "leaning phases" right before competitions as they know it is unhealthy to maintain such a low body fat % all the time.

 

Fat is NECESSARY to you - it is the fuel for your brain, the item that protects your organs and plays an important role in digestion. You just need the RIGHT fats - olive oil, the fats in Salmon/fish - all are great for your heart and your brain.

 

Protein is NECESSARY for your lean body mass. Especially if you are working out, but even without working out you have muscle that needs protein - heck all your body organs ARE muscles themselves. I guarantee Bruce Lee does not look the way he does on 5 g fat/15 g protein a day. You need about 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight, more if you work out.

 

I would recommend you research into Canada's Food Guide for example or talk to a nutritionist/personal trainer about your goals. You are definitely harming your body and defeating your goals by your current diet.

 

Your diet should be about depending on your workouts/lifestyle....20-30% fat, 30-50% carbs, 20-30% protein. For me as an endurance athlete in heavy training weeks mine is 50% healthier carbs, and about 20-25% fat, same for protein. Other weeks about 30-40%/30/30.

 

If you don't eat enough, you severely mess up your metabolism and slow it down. Also, you risk malnutrition and illness from a weakened immune system. You lose lots of lean muscle mass and your body attempts to store anything it does eat as fat. Your thinking capacity slides as your body diverts the nutrition your brain needs to process to other parts of your body to keep it living. You need a certain amount of calories to survive!

 

If you want to lean out...aka lose fat....introduce cardio to your weight lifting, start off with 20 minutes high intensity (ie hard running or cycling) 3 times a week and work up to 45-90 minutes at least 3 times a week to keep lean. Don't restrict your eating - just eat healthier options and a sensible diet...take in less calories then you burn, but not so much as to starve your body.

[twizod]

First of all, need info:

What is your weight, height, Body Mass Index right now?

How often do you workout and what do you do?

How old are you?

Are endomorph, ectomorph, mesomorph?

What is your diet like now and when do you eat?

If you have any questions on terminology google it.

[Taint]

All i did to not bulk was cardio with weights... plus i was ding school of shaolin... that helped a lot... kicked my butt though

[ericch]

I'm 5'9 and 142 pounds 20 years old. I do cardio 3 days a week for about 45 minutes. I work on the weights and situps/leg raises 3 times a week. I eat like 2 banannas, an apple, some wheat toast and fat free milk for breakfast. Lunch is another apple, 2 peaches and some steamed rice with vegetables. At dinner i eat 1 chicken breast with more steamed rice and vegetales. The chicken breast has 2 grams of fat only and the wheat toast combined has 3. So thats the only fat i eat. I don't drink orange juice because it has too much sugar. I get my vitamin c from fruits so i'm not starving myself. Also i burn fat slowly. If i didn't watch what i ate i would never get beach abs and would probbly be fat. I'm not fat right now and my abs show but not enough.

[RayKay]

Okay....you do need some more protein. Breakfast....eat some egg whites - scrambled or as an omelette or something.Great source of protein. Also try at lunch to get soome lean protein. After a workout, drink a protein shake for muscle recovery (you can buy ones without fat in them too). And don't avoid fat completely....that is not good for you either. Try some olive oil (just a bit) in your veggies or something

 

You do eat veggies which is good though, keep that up. And lean dairy sources are also good.

[ericch]

what is lean protein? protein without fat. Another question. I read that you are allowed one cheating day a week or so when on a diet. a day when you can eat whatever you want and it will speed up your metabolism. do you think instead of eating 100 grams of fat or so in 1 day spreading it out over 3 days will work, cuz i'm going on vacation for the 4 day weekend and probably won't be able to stick to the diet. what should i eat?

[RayKay]

what is lean protein? protein without fat. Another question. I read that you are allowed one cheating day a week or so when on a diet. a day when you can eat whatever you want and it will speed up your metabolism. do you think instead of eating 100 grams of fat or so in 1 day spreading it out over 3 days will work, cuz i'm going on vacation for the 4 day weekend and probably won't be able to stick to the diet. what should i eat?

 

I have my free days sometimes too, probably not once a week, but maybe twice a month or so

 

You are on vacation so go ahead, and in my opinion even on a regular day 30 g of protein is still under the daily requirements for a healthy adult. So go ahead and indulge yourself a bit. Still eat lots of veggies and whole grains, and leaner proteins, but divulge a bit.

 

Its good to eat healthy, but getting TOO stringent about us makes us kind of lose some of the enjoyment in food too. Sure it is fuel, but it can still be good! I think when you get so focused/obsessed over food it becomes all-consuming. I was anorexic, and still having "disordered eating" as they call it, and would say you are in the latter attitude yourself. You should not think of any one thing as BAD (ie fats). They are not bad, you just need to eat in moderation.

 

Lean protein is basically protein with lower fat amounts. ie...tuna or chicken versus a prime rib. Of course many red meats can be lean too if you choose carefully. Sirloin over a t-bone and so on.

[drydupfob]

Do not cut protien from ur diet, 5 grams of fat is not enough. You should prob go to around 10. If you want the lean look than you should jog for long period of time, try some mountain trails, they work great.

[ericch]

so eating a lot of protein will still make me looked rip and not bulky?

[RayKay]

so eating a lot of protein will still make me looked rip and not bulky?

 

Depends on the working out routine you are doing. Unless you are lifting for bulk, you won't get bulk. Bulking takes more specialized training. It does not sound like your plan would bulk you up at all.