Calories in/out question

[flyinshark]

Hey guys,

I went to the gym tonight and i did 30 minutes of weight training, followed by 20 minutes of cardio on the treadmill, which indicated that i had burned a total of 230 calories. I then purchased and drank a protein drink which has 230 calories in it.

So, my question is, did i gain anything by burning 230 calories through cardio if i then put back in the same amount of calories with this drink?

 

[Skilla_Staz]

You lifted weights as well, meaning you burned more than 230 calories. So you're at a negative if you take into consideration just those two things.

However I'm sure you at more during the day, and did more during the day.

What exactly is your goal? Lose weight?

 

[flyinshark]

Uhm, i wanna mainly gain more muscle and as a secondary goal i want to lose about 5 pounds of fat, so i can have a completely tight stomach.

I guess i also wanna know if those protein drinks really help. I don't like the idea of working hard to burn 200 calories and then putting them back on in 5 minutes because of the drink, you know?

And yes, you're right that i burned more than 230 cals because of the weight training plus my other daily activities.
Maybe i'll give more info on my body if this can be of any help.

age:22
weight:150 lbs
height: 5'7
i train 3-4 times a week and i have a muscular body

 

[Skilla_Staz]

If you want to gain muscle you're going to NEED to put them back on. Only way you're going to gain weight is to take in more calories.

Having a protein shake is a quick way to deliver necessary protein to your body.

Theres plenty of articles on good routines, diet, training etc. Read the Idiot's Guide, recently posted by Warboss_Alex

 

[Throttle]

There's a bunch of issues with the story you've told...

First, you should probably separate lifting & cardio. Try cardio early in the day, rather than right after lifting. If you want to grow, you've got to lift hard & heavy enough that cardio beyond a brisk walk should be darn near impossible.

Second, you absolutely must re-fuel after lifting. You've emptied your muscles of glycogen, and then need raw materials right away to begin rebuilding. So you need calories, both carbs and protein.

Third, if it's really only 5 pounds of fat, you should be able to lose that without even blinking. Work on gaining muscle and 5 lbs. of fat should literally melt away...probably in a matter of weeks.

Fourth, a half hour, huh? Are you warming up? Do you do squats or deadlifts? Ask around here... that's the way to grow.

Fifth, ignore the calorie readout on the machine. For one thing, do you know if it includes your base metabolic rate? It probably tries to (in which case it overstates calories burned) but gets it wrong. And it won't include the post-workout effects of lifting or cardio (both boost your metabolism for hours, esp. heavy weightlifting).

Summary: you should consider focusing on heavy lifting, with cardio as a possible morning adjunct. Don't worry about the calories in/out thing right now, that's fine tuning! Worry about getting enough calories in, esp. right after a workout, and getting enough rest.

 

[Warboss Alex]

if you work out hard enough and deplete your glycogen stores then post-workout cardio will burn fat (in the absence of glycogen, or a mixture of remaining glycogen/fat plus a teeny bit of protein). The protein/calories you take in from the protein drink go straight to repairing the muscle (muscle gets first dibs on nutrients) not to replenish your 'depleted' fat stores.. so it's not as black as white as calories in/out.

otherwise, listen to Throttle. watch for his freudian slips.

 

[Doggystyle]

If you want to grow, you've got to lift hard & heavy enough that cardio beyond a brisk walk should be darn near impossible.

Being able to just about manage a brisk walk after lifting weights sounds like over training to me. I used to lift like this and saw poor results.

After I lift weights I alway stop at the point long before exhustion, so that i am not totally fooked for the rest of the day. As long as you eat right and stimulate the muscle a little you will grow

 

[donjuanjovi]

Being able to just about manage a brisk walk after lifting weights sounds like over training to me. I used to lift like this and saw poor results.

After I lift weights I alway stop at the point long before exhustion, so that i am not totally fooked for the rest of the day. As long as you eat right and stimulate the muscle a little you will grow

It's not overtraining aslong as you have adequite rest and recovery time between workouts!

 

[Warboss Alex]

if a short walk post-workout overtrains you then cardio should be the last of your problems ...

 

[mrRuckus]

Being able to just about manage a brisk walk after lifting weights sounds like over training to me. I used to lift like this and saw poor results.

Overtraining is not a one day thing.

 

[Throttle]

good call, alex. I just want him to get away from calories in/out altogether for a while.

eh, it's everyone's choice. if you want to grow like a weed, squat & deadlift with weights that blow you apart. get lots of rest, do something on off days that gets you loosened up and blood flowing, eat like there's a famine coming...

 

[Doggystyle]

if a short walk post-workout overtrains you then cardio should be the last of your problems ...

Its not the short walk post work out that would over train you, but if that is all you can manage afterwards then your doing too much on the weights.

[

Didn't say it was but, it can lead to overtraining.

 

[beercan]

lift heavy, rest well, eatt like a starving pitbull.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Exactly how much does a starving pitbull eat?

 

[flyinshark]

Thanks for the replies,

I was looking for a reply such as the one that warboss alex posted. It's good to know that calories taken in don't always get transformed into fat.

Now, i have to say that never in my life had i trained hard enough so as to feel completely depleted. I usualy don't exceed 30 minutes when i do weight training, and i train 2 or 3 muscles per training day. I sometimes feel sore the day after, which to me means that i worked hard enough, but i'll consider increasing the weights and maybe decreasing the repetitions to make it harder.

My other question is: I always train in the evening, from 9 to 10 pm. I eat supper at about 6 pm and i often don't eat after training. I just drink tons of water and I go to sleep at 12, 1am. Is not eating after training such an awful thing?

 

[Warboss Alex]

Thanks for the replies,

I was looking for a reply such as the one that warboss alex posted. It's good to know that calories taken in don't always get transformed into fat.

Now, i have to say that never in my life had i trained hard enough so as to feel completely depleted. I usualy don't exceed 30 minutes when i do weight training, and i train 2 or 3 muscles per training day. I sometimes feel sore the day after, which to me means that i worked hard enough, but i'll consider increasing the weights and maybe decreasing the repetitions to make it harder.

My other question is: I always train in the evening, from 9 to 10 pm. I eat supper at about 6 pm and i often don't eat after training. I just drink tons of water and I go to sleep at 12, 1am. Is not eating after training such an awful thing?

soreness don't mean sh it.

and yes, it's catastrophic for gains to not eat after training. your body is crying out for repair and you're giving it nothing until you wake up in the morning? I've known guys who ONLY eat after training (this is key) and they gain. you must take in protein and carbs post-workout regardless of time of day - suggestion: take a protein drink to the gym with you mixed in the fruit juice of your choice along with some oats, then depending on your metabolism have a pro/carb meal (if you're skinny) or pro/fat (if you're fat) around 11:00.

If you start getting fat this way then make the 11:00 meal just protein and veggies, maybe with some fats (like chicken breast + broccoli w/ olive oil) BUT PROTEIN AND CARBS MUST GO DOWN DIRECTLY AFTER THE WORKOUT!

 

[Throttle]

Exactly how much does a starving pitbull eat?

anything you hand it. plus your hand.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Ah that could cause some problems.

 

[flyinshark]

soreness don't mean sh it.

and yes, it's catastrophic for gains to not eat after training. your body is crying out for repair and you're giving it nothing until you wake up in the morning? I've known guys who ONLY eat after training (this is key) and they gain. you must take in protein and carbs post-workout regardless of time of day - suggestion: take a protein drink to the gym with you mixed in the fruit juice of your choice along with some oats, then depending on your metabolism have a pro/carb meal (if you're skinny) or pro/fat (if you're fat) around 11:00.

If you start getting fat this way then make the 11:00 meal just protein and veggies, maybe with some fats (like chicken breast + broccoli w/ olive oil) BUT PROTEIN AND CARBS MUST GO DOWN DIRECTLY AFTER THE WORKOUT!

I've always heard people say that eating at night is the fastest way to gain weight, so i've always avoided eating late, for fear of getting fat.

I guess i have 2 choices now. Either i start eating after gym, or i start going to the gym earlier (and eat after of course). I can do that, if this is proven to work.

Thanks man, i look forward to this change and if i start gaining muscle faster, i'll be a happy man!

 

[Skilla_Staz]

I tend to try not to eat right before bed, but if it happens, I don't worry.
I've been told that eating before bed can cause sleeping problems as well as increased fat storage.

Any truth to that?