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Friday, October 30, 2009

The Great Protein Debate

Lately, there seems to be a lot of confusion on how much protein one needs to fully maximize their potential, and get bigger and stronger. Some experts claim that you need as much as 2g of protein/lb of bodyweight. Others claim that your body cannot digest this amount of protein, and recommend far smaller dosages. Experts who claim that only a moderate amount of protein is necessary to build muscle claim that the need for more protein is a scam permeated by the multi-billion dollar supplement industry. Experts who claim that you need to take in a lot of protein to build a big, strong physique are often big, strong guys themselves, who we all would like to imitate. It is no surprise that many people out there are left confused, not knowing what to do or where to turn!

Beef. It's What's for Dinner.

 I don’t listen to many people in this industry anymore. There are many guys out there trying to reinvent the wheel, and scam people on bullshit theories that do little more than make the theorist well known.  One of the guys who I DO have a great deal of respect for is Jim Wendler of EliteFTS. Jim is very simplistic in his approach to training and nutrition, and I like that. (Any man that can do this has my immediate attention) His 5-3-1 manual is one of the best purchases I have ever made, because it JUST MAKES SENSE AND GETS RESULTS. If you are serious about training, and do not own this manual, then get one now and read it immediately, it will change the way you think. So what does Jim Wendler have to do with protein? Like I said, Jim keeps his approach to training and diet simple. To get big, eat more. To shed bodyfat, eat less and become more active. It IS that simple.
So what do I think? What is my advice? Well, let me tell you a little bit of background about myself. I have trained seriously for 10 years. I am not overly athletic, and have had to work very hard for every gain that I have made. At my height of 5’9” I have hovered around 180-185 pounds for the last 3 years, with my strength levels increasing ever so slowly, and in some areas, not very much at all. I have always been afraid of being “fat.” Every time I would eat more, I would get stronger and add weight, but would freak out and back off the calories, protein, etc. Guess what? The strength gains would stall as well. Here is what I think. If you want to get bigger, you need to be in a caloric surplus, and you better be damn sure you are in one. For 99% of us, this caloric surplus is not going to come from sweet potatoes and chicken 5X/day. We will need to increase our intake of protein, carbs, and fat. This may mean increased servings of pizza, burgers, and chicken parm subs. If you want to get big at a snails pace, then don’t heed this advice, and keep listening to the genetically gifted guys who say only to eat chicken and broccoli. Myself, I am after results.
If we are not going to get our calories from a boatload of protein, then where are these calories going to come from? Personally, I do not respond well to VERY high levels of carbohydrate intake. The insulin spike would leave me looking like the Michelin Man. When trying to add strength and size, like I said, I would increase carbs, but also increase my protein and fat. If protein is the macronutrient responsible for building muscle, then how much do we need? I don’t know. But let me ask you this, if you were going on a road trip and needed gas but had a malfunctioning fuel indicator, how much fuel would you put in your car? I bet you would put more than enough! When it comes to protein, too much is better than not enough. When I intake a lot of protein, I know that my calories are being spiked, and that every macronutrient can do the job it was designed to do in my body.
Pick a goal, and go get it! If you are trying to get bigger, go reach your goal. If you are trying to shed bodyfat, go reach your goal. Happy where you are, then change nothing, but if that truly is the case, then I have to question why you train to begin with.
 
Matt

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Comments

Definitely think you’re right.  Too many people get caught trying to follow what one “expert” says, when there is another “expert” saying to do the exact opposite thing.  Good post, and good luck getting after it!

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