Campag4life

I suppose I have been on a fitness kick my whole life. I have never been a big diet specific guy however but in recent years have migrated to more of a Mediterranean diet. I have never been that focused on protein intake although I have known guys that have been for muscle building in particular. I am 6'1" and about 175 lbs or I believe about the perfect weight for my frame...am 61 y.o. but believe I have the body of a 30 year old because of my life long addiction to swimming and cycling lifestyle...though some days I feel a few aches. Diane Nyad is my inspiration on aging as she swam from Cuba to Florida at age 64 when many science based students of human performance said her feat was physically impossible independent of age. I could only aspire to swim as strong as she and I am a strong swimmer of all the strokes. Not only a remarkable woman but human being. Extraordinary.

Lately I have reading about the virtues of egg consumption for body building. Some know like almost everything from coffee to occasional red meat, the medical community has flip flopped on egg consumption. I thought I maybe simply restrained by genetics when it came to muscle mass and speed on the bike. So lately I have increased my protein level including 3-4 eggs a day in my diet. I have to say I am pretty surprised. I have developed better muscle tone and more muscle mass which seems to translate to greater speed on the bike and in the water.

So I was wondering about other members of the 41 with a fitness background. How focused are you on protein sources from powder to walnuts to yogurt to eggs? Do you make a point to keep your protein level up to promote muscle growth? My workout on the bike and in the water hasn't changed but my arms and legs are a bit bigger...I have a lean body type....and wondered if others have had this experience by changing their ratio of protein to carbs for example.

Thanks for any shared experience.

Willbird

I like the Christopher Private Selection high Omega 3 eggs. I try to do 3 a day.

Christopher Eggs

I'm running low carb now so studying that whole arena, but excess protein intake can interfere with burning fat as fuel. I started at 160g for the first two weeks, and will ramp down, protein need is a kind of poorly defined subject overall, and possibly haighly variable from person to person.

But bottom line EGGS GOOD, High Omega 3 eggs EVEN BETTER :-). I was worried they would taste "weird" but nope, they taste like any other eggs :-).

Campag4life

Thanks for your response. Have you noticed a change in your body since ingesting more eggs?
Can you explain how/why the eggs you consume are high in Omega 3?...genetically altered?...if so, how?

Why would you ramp down in protein? How do you know the correct protein to carb intake?...are you using some kind of guideline?

Thanks again.

dpd3672

After seeing great results with the diet plan suggested by P90x, I track my food intake using an app (MyFitnessPal) and try to keep my macros around 40% Protein, 40% Carbs, and 20% fat. It keeps me lean and cut (body fat hovers between 8 and 10 pct, depending on what I'm training for. I tweak the ratios according to what I'm currently working on; up to 50% protein when I'm strength training, 50% carbs when I'm doing endurance training (marathons, triathlons, etc).

To hit those numbers, I eat a lot of chicken breasts and egg whites (too much fat and cholesterol in the yolks), and protein powder/milk throughout the day.

rms13

I eat 2-4 eggs per day. I buy organic, cage free eggs at home. There are some strength training programs I used to follow that advocate eating 1-2 dozen eggs per day. Medical industry flips and flops on most recommendations every 10 years. Eggs bad, eggs good. Red meat bad, red meat good. Fat bad, fat good. Carbs good, carbs bad etc.

I have been into paleo/primal eating for 5 years. I was very strict at first and now it's just a baseline for me. But in that world good fats (omega 3 rule) so cage free eggs, grass fed beef etc is good in any ammount

c0lnago

Vary your protein sources. That's too much cholesterol.

Campag4life

To whom are you referring? What is too much cholesterol? If you can produce a link that says that a male consuming 3 eggs a day is too much cholesterol is too much, please produce it. Based upon my reading, cholesterol in does not correlate with body levels of cholesterol. I believe bad cholesterol myths due to egg consumption have been exposed. Maybe 15 eggs a day which some muscle men consume per day maybe excessive but certainly not 3-4 for a medium size male.

Nachoman

I'm probably more like 60% carbohydrate, 25% fat and 15% protein. But I'm a vegetarian, so that adds a bit of a twist.

rms13

Personally speaking my cholesterol is perfect. Just had a physical last month. Beyond that, I really don't think cholesterol is a risk factor in health. There is more modern research that disputes the role of cholesterol in cardio health and suggest inflammation is a bigger risk

Dunbar

Cholesterol in your diet does not elevate blood serum cholesterol levels. That was debunked a long time ago in the science although many nutritionists didn't get the memo.

Back to the OP, yes endurance athletes should be getting more protein than sedentary people. At 150lbs. I shoot for 80-100g of protein per day and eggs are a great source of protein. I eat three jumbo eggs five days per week.

stlcowboyfan

I've been into bodybuilding since my early 20's...I've done a few amateur shows, but mostly it's because I enjoy it. I routinely eat 6 eggs per day in addition to reaching my totals from other sources. Right now I'm 40 years old, 6' 220 and not really trying to get any bigger. I do want to maintain my size and strength because it allows me to handle the bike and have power on a moments notice...which I like. I'm naturally a gear masher and enjoy pushing big gears. The cholesterol thing has long been debunked. Back in the early 2000s...those egg white products you buy in a carton were all the rage, because apparently, egg yolks were the devil. Some people have a propensity for high cholesterol...if you're not one of those people, whole eggs are perfectly fine in the amounts we're discussing. I have been eating them for YEARS (I buy them in large amounts from Costco) and my numbers look good every time I go to the doctor...the last time being November for my 40th birthday blood work.

Willbird

They tailor the diet of the chickens to alter the Omega 3 content of their eggs :-). I have been on a calorie deficit for 473 days so my perceptions might not mean much, but I do notice calorie for calorie eggs "carry me further".....they give a decent level of satiety for the calorie total.

I am using a book titled "The art and Science of low Carbohydrate performance" it is avail on Amazon for a mere $8.06 shipped. If I understood it correctly on the first read through overly high Protein intake can interfere with burning fat for fuel, knowing exactly how much we require CAN be tough to assess. You for instance seem to be adding muscle mass, so you might need more. The book is REALLY enlightening.

There are different forms of protein as well there is a brand of Protein powder called "Trutein" that uses 3 types blended to give a longer duration delivery. Whey protein is "fast"....and the body can almost as readily use it instead of Carbohydrate. It all depends on your goals, my goal is to reduce my body fat to 10% or less....and I'm not opposed to adding USEFUL lean muscle mass :-).

Another super food IMHO you can look at is Pumpkin Seeds, I buy the raw hulled ones (People from Mexico call them "Pepitos"). and roast them at 175F for about an hour, the textbook time/temperature is 160F for 20 minutes but my oven runs 175 on "Warm" and it takes some time to heat up the cookie sheet I roast them on. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Bill

Willbird

I agree the dietary Cholesterol causing high human Cholesterol has thoroughly debunked, from what I'm reading if you provide it in your diet your body will use what is avail, if there is not enough avail, it will make it's own, and what it makes is not as healthy as what it uses from intake.

exime

You're trying too hard. Counting calories is for degenerates.

I lift and bike and thus eat a lot of protein. I find chicken works well because it's lean tasty and filling. Eggs are great in the morning because fast easy protein and filling.

I eat until I'm full. Don't over eat and don't under eat and you'll be fine.

Add some nuts into your diet they are great snacks and sources of vitamins and protein. Almonds are my favorite.

Don't over think it. Just eat.

Willbird

That may work very well for people who have always been close to ideal weight. But for the rest of the population eating to satiety leads to an expanding waistline.

Bill

f4rrest

I do pretty well on oatmeal, ice cream, fish, bread, rice, spinach, and peanut butter these days if the mileage is high. Built like a swimmer or basketball player.
BCAAs too.

Too much protein causes stomach issues. Too little doesn't allow muscle to repair.

Willbird

It is also open to much speculation exactly how much protein intake the body can process, and if all types are equally as effective or not. I tend to think natural "paleo" forms are probably better because we have had more time to adapt to using them. It is kind of a deep subject but Carbohydrates as the bulk of energy input is a fairly "new" thing as far as the history of human beings goes :-).

Bill


Bill

Campag4life

I appreciate all the good conversation and advice guys. Calorie counting, figuring out carb to protein ratio etc has never been my thing. I try to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables...nuts yogurt etc. I still like occasional meat. My girlfriend is vegan and also a cyclist but that isn't for me. I may have been a bit protein deficient and why I am noticing an incremental increase in muscle mass by increasing my protein percentage by egg consumption.
Please continue to share your personal results with how your body changed by adjustments in diet if you would.
Many thanks

trainsktg

50 now. 6' 200#. Been eating 3-4 eggs per day since 1976 either cooked or Rocky-style starting after the movie came out. Regular weight training and calisthenics since then, but new to bike riding last year. Just had a heart checkup; absolutely no blockage anywhere.



Keith

f4rrest

I immediately thought of Rocky as well. lol

trainsktg

Drinking raw eggs is a great party gag too...it grosses most people out .

keith

Carbonfiberboy 

It's not the cholesterol that makes some people avoid eggs: it's the fat. Raw eggs are ~62% fat and have only ~6g protein each. So 3 eggs is 18g protein and 228 calories. 18g whey or casein protein is 72 calories. If you're trying to gain weight, eggs make a lot of sense. If you're a cyclist, that's not happening and eggs don't make a lot of sense.

I eat a Mediterranean diet with ~6 eggs/week. Plenty.

You can tell if you're short on protein if your muscles hurt while working out or on the bike. I think that's a good tell. If you're trying to get bigger, I don't have any advice: I'm always trying to get smaller. Over the last couple of years, I've lost 20 pounds simply by reducing portion sizes. Yes, I eat as much as I want to. But what I want to eat and in fact can eat is much reduced from 2 years ago. OTOH, at 70 I squat more than I did at the same weight when I was 21 and using an Army gym for free.

I use whey or casein protein to minimize calories while maintaining or increasing strength. That's quite normal for bodybuilders as is the egg white omelette with ketchup.

f4rrest

I mix 2 or 3 tbsp of natural peanut butter with 1 tbsp of honey and a half scoop of whey protein. Yummy!

link0

32 years old, 5'10, 143lbs.

I'm better at strength sports than endurance sports.

I am a rock climber and watch my diet and training very carefully to maintain 10% bodyfat. A low body fat % and lean muscle mass is paramount to the strength/weight ratio necessary to perform well in rock climbing. I'm sure it doesn't hurt for cycling either.

I eat a modified Paleo diet. My macros are about 60% fat (avacados, meat, coconut oil, butter), 15% protein (meat, protein powder), and 25% carbs (fruit, vegetables, rice).

I eat 3 eggs for breakfast every day. I eat 40g of protein from powders. I also include meat (beef/salmon mostly for omega-3) in every lunch and dinner.

I do not eat sugary foods except fruit. I rarely eat any bread or pasta.

Dunbar

Eggs taste a lot better than whey protein. They are not high in saturated fat so they are not raising bad cholesterol (it's not the 90's anymore and all fat does not have to be avoided.) And 18-21g of protein for 210-240 calories in is not bad tradeoff. I prefer the jumbo eggs at 90 calories and 8g of protein each.