Had a handful of people that saw me at an event a few months ago pull me aside last weekend over the two events (one was my event the other was Laurel’s event I spoke at)
Here is a flyover of the most common questions and my general answer(s).
This is is just my opinion based on my working theories. This is obviously not medical advice, I am an amateur sharing my random thoughts and you should read this with that understanding.
The questions came from about a dozen different people, I’m just lumping them all together.
What do you think about protein?
I don’t think about it all that often.
Okay, but do you think you need as much as they say?
Who the fuck is “they” and what do they say? lol
The fitness crowd and bodybuilding crowd. How much protein do you think you need?
I think “need” is a strong word. And for what? To survive, you don’t need much. I think the fitness crowd WAY overvalues protein for the wrong reasons and I think the general population eats too little, but not for the reasons you might think.
I think there is profit to be made in selling people on protein, so the numbers the experts put out there are ridiculous for the minimum necessary to build muscle. However, I do think eating an appropriate amount of food (calories) is the single biggest lever.
Protein has a higher satiety index than fat or carbs, so protein has value in the sense that it’s more satiating and more difficult to overeat like and asshole. That is the same reason I think the general population eats too little - not because they need more protein for muscle (although they might) but because it will help them control their calories better.
But don’t you need protein to build muscle?
Ugh. Will come back to this shortly.
What do you think about vegetables.
I think about them less often than protein because I rarely eat them.
But don’t you need them for nutrients?
Again, need is a strong word. I think of needing something only if you are deficient in it. What nutrient(s) are you or I deficient in? If none, then no, I don’t think you need them.
Like protein, they are great for satiety - which I think is a great reason to include them - calorie control. If you like veggies, eat them.
[After seeing his face] If it hurts your heart or your brain that I don’t, I find it strange that you let another persons eating habits impact you…like… at all. There’s something deep-seated there. Guilt, shame, judgement, or something.
Okay back to this one…
But don’t you need protein to build muscle?
Do you know what muscle is, mostly?
It’s not mostly protein(s).
It’s mostly water.
Now, when people talk about carbs, what are they leaving out? The full name…it’s not a carb, it’s a carbohydrate.
I find it strange that people can say things like “well the body is 60-70% water” while also waging a war on carbs. Seems like something is missing.
Yes, some protein is necessary to build muscle, but it’s far less than any of the fitness people are saying. Again, oftentimes their recommendations work wonderfully because they help control calories.
But I am in the small camp that biases carbs over protein.
To be fair… my protein consumption is over 1x my body weight because I really like to be full of food. I don’t think any more than that is necessary.
Also, the calculations are wonky…
The recommendations should be per pound of lean muscle mass. For example, 1 gram of protein per pound of lean muscle mass. Fat, water, etc have no requirements to maintain, so I don’t see why they would factor into the calculation at all.
So…
If you’re 220 lbs, you do NOT have 220 lbs of lean muscle mass. The X pounds per pound of bodyweight doesn’t make sense to me.
It’s possible I’m missing something.
What is your post workout shake/meal?
None.
What about your gains? (paraphrased)
Assuming you’re referring to the made-up post workout anabolic window thing. Great marketing, by the way.
Given the logistics of digestion, whatever I ate a few hours before training is going to available in that sacred window. If gains are the goal, I think what you do before you train is more important than immediately after. (This includes naps)
Rebel, I know.
Remember, I’m just an amateur sharing my journey through this funky world of fitness.
Onward
Nic