I have been told that because I am weight lifting, I should get at least 1 gram of protein/day so that I can get gains. How much protein should I consume each day if I am 15; 130 lbs; and 20 on the bmi chart?

Did you git this info from your doc, a friend?

The protein shakes and bars as well as a well balanced diet are way more than 1 gram of protein per day.

Your bones and muscles are still developing at the age of 15. Heck, your growth plates are not even completely fused at this age.

You should be concentrating on a well balanced diet that includes proteins rather than shakes and bars that have more chemicals in them than natural ingredients.

As I said before, and before, with this kind of lifestyle you could asking for Adult Onset Diabetes. That means you may have to give yourself shots of insulin every day for the rest of your life.

Diabetes also runs the risk of blindness, loss of limbs, gangrene. Do you want this when you are older?

Thanks a lot for the wake up call. I will cut back on the artificial stuff now. Thanks.

Hey, happened to a good friend of mine who is now 42 and insulin dependent, hospitalized 2 times a year for leg problems and heart problems. Doc told him it was because of too much protein that was not natural, you know the kind you get from meats, fruits and veggies.

A great nutritional diet is much better than that STUFF you get from GNC and places like that.

Wow... do you have an opinion on how much sugar I should be eating? How much veggies? I usually only have vegetables with dinner or when I have a burger I will have some tomatoe and lettuce with it. Is it really that important to eat veggies?

YES, YES, YES, veggies are very important. BTW tomatoe is a fruit ;) . Keep sugars at a minimum, very minimum.

At your age it may be better to go the carbo way along with protein. You know Potatoes, spaghetti, breads, that sort of thing. Carbos will help with energy, but use in moderation.

What veggies do you like? Which ones do you HATE? I can give you some great simple pick-me-uppers ;) in the fruit and veggie department if you let me know your likes and dislikes.

Food is better than chemicals anyway!! :D

I like cooked brocolli, boiled carrots, beets, asparagus... salads are all right...

Oh... I don't really HATE any. I just won't eat carrots for a snack, I don't know why.

Okay, I like veggies better raw than cooked, so in our fridge I keep, yea you guessed it, carrott sticks, broccoli (good for iron and protein), cucmbers sliced up on a plate. I also keep some ranch dip to dip them in. My kids all love it. But of course I do not keep any junk food in the house either, so they just got used to it.

Kiwi is a great fruit along with the usuals. Most people just do not know the benefits of Kiwi.

If you are looking for protein, and I know you eat burgers, maybe steak, try getting them medium instead of well done. There is more protein if cooked medium. The longer you cook red meats the more you cook the protein and iron out of them.

: O broccoli has protein? I didn't know that. I like kiwis. When you say that the longer you cook red meats, the more you cook the protein and iron OUT of them; do you mean the longer you kook them the more protein you eat; or the longer you kook them the more protein you deplete from them? Broccoli is OK raw; is there a salad dressing that is good for you?

The longer you cook, the more the protein is depleted.

Any salad dressing is good.