Getting Shredded on Lower Protein

[nicksaiz65]

Does anyone else get sick and tired of eating all this protein every single day? These super high protein requirements? Even with bundling protein with nice foods, it can be difficult to hit some of the recommendations I’ve heard.

Instead, I began to follow the Greg Doucette recommendation to hit .5-1 G of protein per pound of bodyweight. I’m going for .5 specifically. When I aim for near that low end, 100-120 G of protein a day, my diet is super enjoyable. I eat a lot like Kinobody. I can stick to the diet because I don’t have to eat 5 small meals a day(I do Intermittent Fasting) and I don’t have to eat assloads of protein. I feel way better on the lower protein diet.

Those are the two reasons my previous diets failed. I had to eat these small little meals 5-6 a day and hitting the protein was just obnoxious. So I’m putting together a plan that solves those issues and makes adherence effortless.

Whenever I try to go higher in protein, the diet becomes just not fun. Even with IIFYM, I have to end up slamming chicken breast, egg whites, protein shakes, and ground turkey every single day to hit that protein requirement. Even with "fun" protein foods like Built Bars, protein pancakes, Anabolic French Toast, and so on, it's just not enjoyable having to eat such a high amount of protein every single day. I feel way better on 100-120 G. Going lower in protein also allows me to eat like a normal human being and enjoy my life, because I have more room for fats and carbs. I’m satisfied on the diet, all while still hitting my macros and staying in a deficit.

I was making strength and muscle gainz on the .5G of protein per day as well, even when cutting. It's not “optimal” according to the research, but on it I feel great and I was making awesome progress. Some days I would go as low as 100 G of protein, and I was still progressing in the gym. I just start feeling sick when I try to eat more protein than that, and I hate being on my diet. Then I get these wild cravings, I’m never satisfied, and I end up cheating. I could never stick to the diet because of that high high protein count.

So basically, am I screwing myself over like this? Or can I just eat lower protein like this and keep progressing? It makes the diet infinitely easier to stick to. I love this lifestyle fitness type approach.

 

[nicksaiz65]

With a lack of protein, your progression will plateau.

It seems for me, anything equal to or greater than 100 grams is sufficient. I’ve made nice strength and muscle gainz on that.

For me at least, eating more than that is a pain in the ass. You have to eat so “clean” to hit those high numbers without going over your calories.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

Does anyone else get sick and tired of eating all this protein every single day? These super high protein requirements? Even with bundling protein with nice foods, it can be difficult to hit some of the recommendations I’ve heard.

Instead, I began to follow the Greg Doucette recommendation to hit .5-1 G of protein per pound of bodyweight. I’m going for .5 specifically. When I aim for near that low end, 100-120 G of protein a day, my diet is super enjoyable. I eat a lot like Kinobody. I can stick to the diet because I don’t have to eat 5 small meals a day(I do Intermittent Fasting) and I don’t have to eat assloads of protein. I feel way better on the lower protein diet.

Those are the two reasons my previous diets failed. I had to eat these small little meals 5-6 a day and hitting the protein was just obnoxious. So I’m putting together a plan that solves those issues and makes adherence effortless.

Whenever I try to go higher in protein, the diet becomes just not fun. Even with IIFYM, I have to end up slamming chicken breast, egg whites, protein shakes, and ground turkey every single day to hit that protein requirement. Even with "fun" protein foods like Built Bars, protein pancakes, Anabolic French Toast, and so on, it's just not enjoyable having to eat such a high amount of protein every single day. I feel way better on 100-120 G. Going lower in protein also allows me to eat like a normal human being and enjoy my life, because I have more room for fats and carbs. I’m satisfied on the diet, all while still hitting my macros and staying in a deficit.

I was making strength and muscle gainz on the .5G of protein per day as well, even when cutting. It's not “optimal” according to the research, but on it I feel great and I was making awesome progress. Some days I would go as low as 100 G of protein, and I was still progressing in the gym. I just start feeling sick when I try to eat more protein than that, and I hate being on my diet. Then I get these wild cravings, I’m never satisfied, and I end up cheating. I could never stick to the diet because of that high high protein count.

So basically, am I screwing myself over like this? Or can I just eat lower protein like this and keep progressing? It makes the diet infinitely easier to stick to. I love this lifestyle fitness type approach.

If you don't feel excess muscle soreness stay with it.

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

The 1g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight rule is a meme. The average lifter is what, 180 lbs? That's an absurdly high amount of protein. First of all, not all protein sources are created equal. Protein from dairy sources are the most bioavailable, followed by meat sources, then plant/grain sources. Also, the nutrition information on food labels are pretty much always inaccurate, sometimes with a large margin of error, so you could be off your mark by quite a lot. Lastly, I suspect that things like meal timing and feeding window matter just as much, if not more.

This focus on macros/calories and raw numbers is a relic of the 2000s and too many broscience types still cling to this flawed idea. Focus should be on the quality of food and eating patterns.

 

[firstbornunicorn]

Some

Protein from dairy sources are the most bioavailable

TIL: I was always told dairy coagulates as is extremely slow at being absorbed. I guess that was more broscience.

 

[CAPSLOCK BANDIT]

The only protein source I do are eggs, anything else is unintentional, the OMAD cycle is still going though and as much as I want to just gorge myself on Ukrainian Carbs I gotta stay disciplined, definitely not easy eating oatmeal, eggs and drinking tea all day

 

[nicksaiz65]

The only protein source I do are eggs, anything else is unintentional, the OMAD cycle is still going though and as much as I want to just gorge myself on Ukrainian Carbs I gotta stay disciplined, definitely not easy eating oatmeal, eggs and drinking tea all day

Ah, I love OMAD man. It’s literally one of the best tools to be able to adhere to your diet

 

[monkeybrain]

I don't think you can deny that you should listen to your body on this one. So long as you are continuing to make progress I think you are good to go. Make sure you are getting good quality protein sources. Some days you will eat more than others too. For example if you just crushed a hard leg workout you might want to have a protein shake that day.

 

[Snag87]

Does anyone else get sick and tired of eating all this protein every single day? These super high protein requirements? Even with bundling protein with nice foods, it can be difficult to hit some of the recommendations I’ve heard.

Instead, I began to follow the Greg Doucette recommendation to hit .5-1 G of protein per pound of bodyweight. I’m going for .5 specifically. When I aim for near that low end, 100-120 G of protein a day, my diet is super enjoyable. I eat a lot like Kinobody. I can stick to the diet because I don’t have to eat 5 small meals a day(I do Intermittent Fasting) and I don’t have to eat assloads of protein. I feel way better on the lower protein diet.

Those are the two reasons my previous diets failed. I had to eat these small little meals 5-6 a day and hitting the protein was just obnoxious. So I’m putting together a plan that solves those issues and makes adherence effortless.

Whenever I try to go higher in protein, the diet becomes just not fun. Even with IIFYM, I have to end up slamming chicken breast, egg whites, protein shakes, and ground turkey every single day to hit that protein requirement. Even with "fun" protein foods like Built Bars, protein pancakes, Anabolic French Toast, and so on, it's just not enjoyable having to eat such a high amount of protein every single day. I feel way better on 100-120 G. Going lower in protein also allows me to eat like a normal human being and enjoy my life, because I have more room for fats and carbs. I’m satisfied on the diet, all while still hitting my macros and staying in a deficit.

I was making strength and muscle gainz on the .5G of protein per day as well, even when cutting. It's not “optimal” according to the research, but on it I feel great and I was making awesome progress. Some days I would go as low as 100 G of protein, and I was still progressing in the gym. I just start feeling sick when I try to eat more protein than that, and I hate being on my diet. Then I get these wild cravings, I’m never satisfied, and I end up cheating. I could never stick to the diet because of that high high protein count.

So basically, am I screwing myself over like this? Or can I just eat lower protein like this and keep progressing? It makes the diet infinitely easier to stick to. I love this lifestyle fitness type approach.

Most Americans consume far too much protein. I wouldn't take any protein supplements; if you're consuming a healthy diet you're getting more than enough protein.

 

[Snag87]

Depends on the goal.

Yea in exceptionally rare cases you might need to supplement

 

[Snag87]

So your saying jacked bodybuilders need the same protein as a lanky swimmer physique guy?

What caused you to infer that?

 

[Snag87]

The statement of:

I jumped the gun... I realize jacked bodybuilders are in the rare case group you're referring to.

Funnily enough, swimmers may be as well. Perhaps not protein but definitely from a caloric intake standpoint during intense training.

 

[mjb3617]

Not every lifter has the same needs. Do what works for you.

One thing I have learned about lifting/nutrition (and I read/watch as much as possible on the subject) is that a lot of advice out there is broad-based and not specifically relative to your needs. I utilize bits and pieces of info/advice and tweak my diet/routine to try it out.

You have to experiment, discover, and embrace that process. What I used to eat and the routine I had when I started lifting has completely changed.

If the low-protein diet works for you, keep going. I shoot for 0.8g a day, which is high. However, I've been in a cut for 7 months since I was quite porky and still have a lot of BF to lose. I stay under 200g of carbs a day and up my healthy fats intake.

 

[Indiveber]

I looked up who that is, and he's clearly on steroids. If you're not, then his nutritional advice won't be very relevant to you. In fact, very little of his advice on anything will be relevant to a natty.

Based on your post, it sounds like you are a beginner and currently do not possess an enviable physique. If you are legitimately making measurable progress, then keep it up. And hopefully you will get to the point where you need to increase your protein to make gains.

 

[nicksaiz65]

I looked up who that is, and he's clearly on steroids. If you're not, then his nutritional advice won't be very relevant to you. In fact, very little of his advice on anything will be relevant to a natty.

Based on your post, it sounds like you are a beginner and currently do not possess an enviable physique. If you are legitimately making measurable progress, then keep it up. And hopefully you will get to the point where you need to increase your protein to make gains.

Oh, Greg Doucette? He’s openly on Anabolics. I don’t diet like him, but he has a lot of tidbits that have been extremely helpful for my diet. I think his old videos are really good as well. His info was great. His emphasis on Calories in Calories Out while everyone else in the industry was spewing BS was absolutely incredible.

As for my lifting experience: I have a pretty solid base of muscle. That’s thanks to Stronglifts 5x5. However, I still have a lot of fat that I want to lose. Dieting has been absolutely impossible until I discovered Intermittent Fasting.

I like the lower protein diet because it makes it tastier/more sustainable. I am not the kind of man that can eat plain chicken breast alone, even with low calorie sauces. I need my full calorie Ranch/BDubs Sauce, Sriracha Mayo, or what have you.

I always wondered what is even the point of Flexible Dieting/If It Fits Your Macros if you’re eating a super high protein diet. You have to eat super “clean” to get that much protein or you’re going to end up overstepping your calories. If you’re trying to hit like 170-200 G of protein a day and you’re cutting, all you can eat is like plain chicken breast, egg whites, protein shakes, tilapia/cod and so on. Or you have to lean really hard on these synthetic “anabolic” high protein recipes, and that’s all you can eat. You don’t have much room at all for tasty foods because if you eat anything that’s not high in protein, you’re stuck and you’re probably not going to hit your macros for that day. At that point you might as well just do the “clean eating” bro style and have your cheat meals. I could never stick to that diet, and I would end up cheating/binging every single time.

So yeah, I’m gonna keep going with this plan until I get stuck, if I get stuck at all. At the end of the day, I’m not trying to be an IFBB Pro or a Men’s Physique athlete on stage. I don’t really care about being 100% optimal like a lot of these fitness types. I just want to be a strong athletic guy with a lot of muscle, abs, and effortlessly banging fit chicks. That’s the end goal.

Sorry if that was a bit of a ramble. So we’ll see how far I get on this plan!

 

[darksprezzatura]

Does anyone else get sick and tired of eating all this protein every single day? These super high protein requirements? Even with bundling protein with nice foods, it can be difficult to hit some of the recommendations I’ve heard.

Instead, I began to follow the Greg Doucette recommendation to hit .5-1 G of protein per pound of bodyweight. I’m going for .5 specifically. When I aim for near that low end, 100-120 G of protein a day, my diet is super enjoyable. I eat a lot like Kinobody. I can stick to the diet because I don’t have to eat 5 small meals a day(I do Intermittent Fasting) and I don’t have to eat assloads of protein. I feel way better on the lower protein diet.

Those are the two reasons my previous diets failed. I had to eat these small little meals 5-6 a day and hitting the protein was just obnoxious. So I’m putting together a plan that solves those issues and makes adherence effortless.

Whenever I try to go higher in protein, the diet becomes just not fun. Even with IIFYM, I have to end up slamming chicken breast, egg whites, protein shakes, and ground turkey every single day to hit that protein requirement. Even with "fun" protein foods like Built Bars, protein pancakes, Anabolic French Toast, and so on, it's just not enjoyable having to eat such a high amount of protein every single day. I feel way better on 100-120 G. Going lower in protein also allows me to eat like a normal human being and enjoy my life, because I have more room for fats and carbs. I’m satisfied on the diet, all while still hitting my macros and staying in a deficit.

I was making strength and muscle gainz on the .5G of protein per day as well, even when cutting. It's not “optimal” according to the research, but on it I feel great and I was making awesome progress. Some days I would go as low as 100 G of protein, and I was still progressing in the gym. I just start feeling sick when I try to eat more protein than that, and I hate being on my diet. Then I get these wild cravings, I’m never satisfied, and I end up cheating. I could never stick to the diet because of that high high protein count.

So basically, am I screwing myself over like this? Or can I just eat lower protein like this and keep progressing? It makes the diet infinitely easier to stick to. I love this lifestyle fitness type approach.

Oddly though, I eat all my protein in one meal with around 1.5-2 lb chicken breast as I'm on OMAD. That basically leaves no room for a lot of carbs. Especially as I add in veggies.

1g/lb has never failed me.

 

[Willie Naylor]

I will say that taking a high-quality Magnesium supplement is very beneficial, as Magnesium plays an important role in protein synthesis.

 

[darksprezzatura]

I will say that taking a high-quality Magnesium supplement is very beneficial, as Magnesium plays an important role in protein synthesis.

Agreed, building up on this, zinc and magnesium separately are great, forget zma complexes though

 

[nicksaiz65]

Oddly though, I eat all my protein in one meal with around 1.5-2 lb chicken breast as I'm on OMAD. That basically leaves no room for a lot of carbs. Especially as I add in veggies.

1g/lb has never failed me.

Yeah I’m of the same mindset. When I get my protein, I like to have it in one big feast. I usually get say 100 G of protein from chicken breast. Maybe I have a very light protein shake earlier in the day for 20 G as well.

I have no idea how people managed to eat 6 small protein meals on these bro diets lol.

Yeah, at 1G per pound you’re definitely hitting the protein. I believe the research says that’s the maximum amount you could ever need.

 

[AureliusMaximus]

With a lack of protein, your progression will plateau.

But if so how can this guy John Joseph be quite well fit?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Joseph_(singer)

Apparently he is 100% on the green stuff.. Note that he is also 59 years old..

I never tried it myself and I do see that going this route must be harder to fulfil your protein needs. But it does seem possible?