Thoughts On Protein Intake...

[Thinkbig]

Hey bro's I have been reading alot lately on protein intake forus bodybuilders, and what I have been reading is very interesting.

According to Chris Aceto whom I beleive to be very knowledgable on the topic, he advises most of his trainees to consume only 1 gram l/b of bodyweight.

So according to this ronnie coleman should be taking in less than what I have took in for the last year( 400-450 grams )
What are your thoughts on this, and how much protein l/b of bodyweight do you guys shoot for?

[Tim Wescott]

Tom Prince has said that his protein intake isn`t really all that high either.

A couple of really good bodybuildrs I know from Mayhem also take in smaller amounts than is considered the norm...and they both look great.

I weigh around 190, and take in anywhere from 200-350 grams a day, according to whether it`s pre-contest(250-350)or off-season(200-300).

I think a bit more should be taken while dieting for fat loss just as added insurance in an attempt to retain muscle mass.

Interesting topic bro...you`re on a roll lately!!

[Thinkbig]

Thanks Bro!!!

Yeah, I also think if you are an Endomorphic person, (or someone who is really fat)you should consume more protein so you get the calories needed for growth, but not the carbs that tend to make Endo's fat and lethargic or the fat that goes to the waistline easy for them...
Also because protein is itself thermic in its effects in the body.

[Tim Wescott]

ThinkBIG said:

Thanks Bro!!!

Yeah, I also think if you are an Endomorphic person, (or someone who is really fat)you should consume more protein so you get the calories needed for growth, but not the carbs that tend to make Endo's fat and lethargic or the fat that goes to the waistline easy for them...
Also because protein is itself thermic in its effects in the body.

Good point also,hopefully we`ll get some more good input to this thread!!

Unfortunately,I have no scientific data to present..not that I would anyway!!

[Thinkbig]

What, no High Impact Gyrations or Trcicky Dance Moves?lol ;D
OT: that guy is a friggin quack(Basedow)

[MassiveG]

I'd go with a higher protein medium to low carb diet with some essential fats sprinkled in.
2 grams of protein per pound if you are in a massbuilding phase.

I'll post more later...I gotta go eat!!!!!1 ;D

[Thinkbig]

Ty for giving your input "G" !
I know you are a Dante disciple,or something..lol ;D

Yeah, I would say I have always done1.5.to 2grams protein l/b.
I agree w/ Dante for the most part, but Chris is very intriguing as well.

[1705total]

I've read the pre-contest bible, and if you believe whats written (and why wouldn't you?) the amount of protein varies a great deal among the pros.
Case in point Art Atwood takes in something like 450-500 grams a day, but Jay's protein is more like 250.
So go figure.
I guess its all in how "your" body responds.

[MikeLifts659]

In my experience I have a hard time keeping my weight on and it makes it much easier if I consume at least 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. If my protein consumption drops even when my calories remain constant the scale tells me so.

[In-Human]

When training with DC I took in 650+ grams a day and I put on 20 lbs of muscle in 6 months at 40 years old, I never used to take in more than 350 before and I was lucky to get 4-6 lbs a year, clean or not, if I concentrated on kcals I got fat being a fat pig my whole life, but counting only protein grams and as G said carbs low and fat low I was able to add the muscle quick...

[Thinkbig]

Thast very interesting In-Human...

I have read extensively that when one uses ergogenic aids, you are a "super-human" of sorts in that your protein efficiency goes through the roof, you can and should use more protein because the body can tolerate more, which is, I would assume one of themain rerasons someone would take such a thing.

[str8flexed]

ThinkBIG said:

Hey bro's I have been reading alot lately on protein intake forus bodybuilders, and what I have been reading is very interesting.

According to Chris Aceto whom I beleive to be very knowledgable on the topic, he advises most of his trainees to consume only 1 gram l/b of bodyweight.

So according to this ronnie coleman should be taking in less than what I have took in for the last year( 400-450 grams )
What are your thoughts on this, and how much protein l/b of bodyweight do you guys shoot for?

Chris is right. The absolutel highest intake i've seen in studies that has had any benefit over something less than that was 2.5g/kg and that study was dubious. Most studies consistantly find that at 2.2g/kg you reach a threshold at which point further protein consumption does not impact net protein. You may get more synthesis from it... but in turn your body will also increase protein degredation so the end effect is the same. Now steroids increase protein turnover so they can get more out of a higher protein intake. I still think most of them go too high, but for a natural trainee 1g/lb (or 2.2g/kg... same thing) is fine

Will more give you better results... probably not; will it hurt you... probably not

[sockrocker]

someone said that jay takes in only like 250, while art atwood takes in upwards of 450...well this makes sense, because jay is a freak eater even compared to other bodybuilders...he eats OFTEN, and i think that is the point: if you eat often enough, you can use less protein, because the goal is to have a constant and steady supply of amino acids in your system...

also, some people don't seem to NEED as much protein...some guys swear by 2g or more, while some others say as low as .7g...I put fat on really easily, especially from carbs, so I have to really watch my carbs, but my protein can go crazy...my best growth was the first part of this past summer, when I was literally eating as much as possible, which included about 2g protein per pound (i was also just coming off of a long diet, so that may or may not have been THE reason for the growth)...as long as i'm really active, I think that my body can handle up to 2g per pound, but I don't make that my goal or anything...

[str8flexed]

sockrocker said:

someone said that jay takes in only like 250, while art atwood takes in upwards of 450...well this makes sense, because jay is a freak eater even compared to other bodybuilders...he eats OFTEN, and i think that is the point: if you eat often enough, you can use less protein, because the goal is to have a constant and steady supply of amino acids in your system...

also, some people don't seem to NEED as much protein...some guys swear by 2g or more, while some others say as low as .7g...I put fat on really easily, especially from carbs, so I have to really watch my carbs, but my protein can go crazy...my best growth was the first part of this past summer, when I was literally eating as much as possible, which included about 2g protein per pound (i was also just coming off of a long diet, so that may or may not have been THE reason for the growth)...as long as i'm really active, I think that my body can handle up to 2g per pound, but I don't make that my goal or anything...

also one needs to differentiate between what protein intake one "needs" to grow muscle and what protein intake is BENEFICIAL for overall health and body composition. I think you might get as high as 3.3g/kg with beneficial results. I think 2g/lb is gross overkill. I don't think there is anything risky healthwise about it... but to promote it as some type of diet that is superior to others is a BIG stretch

[Thinkbig]

OK, bros...
I am going to do a sort of controlled experiment on myself.

I will be eating the same amount of Calories as I have been for 3 weeks now, the difference being I will lower my protein intake to only 1G per l/b of my bodyweight, this will of course call for higher intake of other Macro's so I will raise carbs to see what happens.

According to Aceto I should get better protein utilization with higher carb to Protein ratio...

If not after the test run, I am going back to 1.5-2 grams l/b.

[Sara]

ThinkBIG said:

Thanks Bro!!!

Yeah, I also think if you are an Endomorphic person, (or someone who is really fat)you should consume more protein so you get the calories needed for growth, but not the carbs that tend to make Endo's fat and lethargic or the fat that goes to the waistline easy for them...
Also because protein is itself thermic in its effects in the body.

I agree with you here. I'm an endomorph/mesomorph and have gotten much better results eating the way you described above. Higher protein and moderate EFAs worked very well for me. I took in my carbs pre and post workout but all other meals were usually protein, green veggies and EFAs.

[Tim Wescott]

bump for bodyfx

[In-Human]

I want to add some more here to what st8flex said but I am typing up workouts, I will be back, and yes I need to hear from FX...

[bodyfx]

Ok, first, I don't care what any study says regarding protein intake and only what results I have seen in the real world with myself and the hundreds of people that I have worked with...one of them being Sara who posted above (HI SARA!!!!!!!!!).

I firmly believe that optimal protein intake for a hardcore bodybuilder is somewhere between 1.5-2 g per lb of bodyweight each day. When I deal with clients that are trying to be as big and lean as possible I usually up their protein, lower their carbs, and raise fats. This almost instantly and invariably changes their body composition for the better...meaning less bodyfat/more muscle mass. Now, their are some people (but they are in the minority) that respond amazingly well to high carb intake, and these people do benefit from lower protein intakes, like 1 to 1.25 g per lb bodyweight. However, in general, the higher protein intakes are where its at for getting bigger and staying leaner year around. I have at times kept my carb intake to 50-100 g per day for months at a time, while bumping my protein as high as 2.5 g per lb of bodyweight, and have maintained a 6-7% bodyfat range while adding 8-10 lbs of muscle during that time.

Eat your protein!

[Sara]

;D Hi Hun!!! Glad to see you here too!
TRUST me people, Bodyfx knows what he's talking about here!