Protein vs pre-workout for leaning out?

[corbco]

Trying to understand if using protein/pre-workout would help meet my specific goals

I’m 29f, if that matters at all, and I’ve been doing consistently doing a workout routine that really works for me for about 6 months (3.5 miles of power walking/light running, a 10-minute upper body kettlebell set, and a 10-minute core routine 5 days a week).

Now that I’m in the habit and feel great, I’ve been trying to get more dialed in to what my long term goals are. I’m looking to continue to burn fat and get more lean, not bulk up. I can’t seem to get a clear answer about if in my situation I should use protein power or a pre-workout, or neither. Only reason I’d want to potentially incorporate either one would be to avoid the plateau that I do feel like is coming lol. What do y’all think? Any other recommendations are also more than welcome!!

 

[barnabasp]

@corbco Hi OP,

Sounds like you're doing great work!

Pre-workout is a stimulant, and while it isn't necessary, it can be very helpful in getting you into your workouts.

Protein is just a macro-nutrient and one that we all need plenty of, so supplementing it is perfectly fine, as long as you factor it in with your calorie goals.

If you're a woman, you really don't need to be too concerned with bulking up. While women can bulk up if they want to, it's generally easier for men. For both men and women, though, you can monitor your physique and make changes in your routine based on your goals.

I'd suggest adding in some lower body workouts to your routine and remaining in a moderate caloric deficit. You can have muscle without looking bulky, and the presence of that muscle will boost your metabolism, burning more energy at rest.

I hope this helps

 

[dawn16]

@corbco I’ll try not to give specific nutrition advice since I’m not a nutritionist, but I’ll share what works for me and my circle. If you hit your macros (proteins, carbs, fats) and stay in a caloric deficit (using more calories than you consume), you’ll likely be satisfied with the results. You’ll be getting all the things you need to repair and grow muscles without storing a bunch of unused calories as body fat.

There are different macro “programs” for different goals and for individual body make-up. I’ve used the app “my fitness pal” (it used to be owned by UnderArmour). It has a section where you can fill out your height/weight and goals and it’ll tell what you’re supposed to be eating. You can also scan just about any barcode on food or just search it and it’ll give you all the nutrition facts. Then you can add that you ate it, and the app will track what else you need to eat to hit your daily goal.

There are lots of apps that do similar stuff, the general purpose is to keep track of exactly what you’re eating in some kind of detailed log. Then you can actually look back and see what does/doesn’t get you results. Once you max out your beginner gains and hit that inevitable first plateau, diet is one of the biggest things to overcome it, so your head is in exactly the right place.

To answer your question, it’s ideal to get as much of your daily protein as you can from food. If you’re not trying to bulk up, you probably don’t need to worry about supplementing your food with protein as long as you’re hitting your daily protein amount. And preworkout is there to get you hyped up, although there are plenty of preworkout brands that include supplements that are good to take before working out. You can walk into any nutrition shop and ask them to recommend you a pre-workout based on your goals. You got this!

 

[christina777]

@dawn16 Great answer.

I would add that if you don't lack energy going into your workout sessions are able to complete them and the results keep coming, there's not really any reason to add further calories just because IMO.

 

[corbco]

@christina777 That’s a great rule of thumb re: energy levels. Thanks for the tip!

 

[dawn16]

@corbco

There is an illusion of complexity to weight loss (perpetuated largely by people who want your money) but it is actually very straightforward. Your body requires a certain amount of energy (measured in calories) each day in order to fuel its activities. This is called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE. If your diet supplies more calories than your TDEE (a surplus), you will gain weight. If your diet supplies fewer calories than your TDEE (a deficit), you will lose weight.

https://thefitness.wiki/weight-loss-101/

Pre workout is not necessary

Protein is good if you aren't getting enough protein throughout the day.