There’s probably no more delicious food out there than protein. Steak is protein, which automatically makes it better than everything else, because steak is effing delicious, and ‘Murica. Any bro who lifts and gives any amount of fucks about their body knows they’ve gotta get their protein in. If not, they’re basically screwed. Might as well quit lifting.
Don’t get enough protein, and life is significantly more difficult when it comes to gaining muscle, losing fat, and making gains in the gym.
Exactly how much protein do you really need to eat?
Protein recommendations vary. Obviously someone who is totally sedentary doesn’t need near as much protein as someone who lifts 6 days a week.
For years the conventional wisdom was to get somewhere around 1g per lb of bodyweight. If you’re a 200lb dude, getting 200g of protein is the number you should be shooting for. Some people even take this further and get as high as 1.5g per lb of bodyweight. Meaning that 200lb dude is now eating 300g of protein.
300g of protein may be freaking delicious because it means massive amounts of steak, chicken, eggs, and fish. Even a carnivore like myself gets tired of chewing through that much protein though. Pounding protein shakes may also work, but at that much protein gets old after a while.
You may not really even need that much to get the results that you want.
1g/lb of bodyweight. Is it necessary?
Protein is the one macronutrient that hasn’t been completely demonized by the entire fitness world. Which means it’s probably coming at some point or another. It’s the best macronutrient out there that can aid with muscle building, fat loss, and keeping you full.
That doesn’t mean you need to continually stuff your face with it. You can eat less than you’re used to get the exact same results.
Eating protein, just like carbs/fats hits a point of diminishing returns. After a certain point eating more protein won’t do any more good in helping you build muscle, recover, or drop fat. It’s just extra calories that you could eat as carbs or fat instead.
Not only does that get old after time, it gets expensive. Meat ain’t cheap these days, and eating upwards of 250-300g per day will hit you right in the wallet harder than a stripper who is also an exceptional salesman.
Where did 1g/per lb even come from?
People are lazy as shit. I’m a lazy fuck, and you are too. I know it. We’re so lazy, that we can’t even be bothered to round up when we see a decimal most of the time. Math? Multiplication? Fuck that. I’ll just round up.
That’s exactly what happened that led to the obsession with the 1g/per lb of protein rule. Study after study has shown that the upper limit of protein intake for body composition changes is .82g per lb of bodyweight. When multiplied by 160, 180, or whatever your bodyweight is, that makes a big difference if you’re using .82 or 1. For me it’s about a 30g difference.
Does that mean that the extra 30g helps me get more jacked? Science says no.
What does this mean? That after hitting the .82g/per lb of bodyweight extra protein isn’t necessary at all.
Not only are people lazy, but we get a ton of fitness advice from bodybuilders. Everyone knows professional bodybuilders follow a drug regimen that would make the Soviets proud, and that changes the game for them. They can eat more, lift more, and get better results.
Is all of their hard work negated by drug usage? No way in hell. They still have to bust their ass and put in the work.
They’re just playing by a different set of rules. Bodybuilders can get away with eating more protein thanks to the effects of a badass drug regimen. 1g/lb of bodyweight is nothing. Hell, they might even need close to 1.5-2g in the middle of a serious bulk.
You’re likely not a bodybuilder who is spending ridiculous amounts on a drug regimen. You’ve probably got a life outside of the gym, and you probably don’t enjoy scarfing down absurd amounts of chicken. Also, your loved ones probably hate the noxious cloud of protein farts that you bring around.