For you ripped pumped guys on this board

I understand protein is important but I also feel a lot of fitness enthusiasts over-promote it...

Daywalker, Hero, Tarz and Robert, et al - you guys with the muscle

Do you count your protein grams eaten per day? If so, what is the amount you eat relative to your lean mass?

Many thanks.

I don't count grams of protein, but I do eat mixed nuts, and beans and rice almost everyday. And that stuff has lots of protein

The vast majority of lifters advocate/try to eat about 1 to 2 grams/1lb of bodyweight. I spent years doing that. But occasionally I experimented with less. I have come to the conclusion that that kind of protein stuffing gives the muscles a slight boost. You may be roughly 5 to 10% stronger from eating so much protein. But that slight increase in strength is not cummulative. You don't continue to build more and more strength thanks to protein stuffing. If two twins lifted for a year and one protein stuffed while the other only got .25 grams / lb, the one would quickly become 5 to 10% stronger, (like within a month) but a year later he would still only be 5 to 10% stronger despite having spent the next 11 months continuing to stuff all the extra protein in.

I could be wrong. But this is my personal experience based on 15 years of steady lifting. I'm not cut like Rob or Tarz, etc but at 225 I've chinned my bodyweight plus 140 on low protein, etc. My bench is 295 on high protein and 265/270ish on low.

You are bloody strong!

I get about 1 gram of protein per lb of bodyweight, that varies day to day. Usually around 150 g protein, but i've gained some weight so I actually should take in more. I dont though and I'm doin fine.

I think that this idea of high protien started with the drink milk campaign from back in the days!

You are bloody strong!

I've seen Jay in action, he is in fact "bloody strong".

Like Jay, I haven't done any cutting. But, after considering his strength and low protein diet, I did lower my protein intake. Still a lot more than his at about 100 grams per day. I have gained 40 pounds up to 240, can bench around 255 and deadlift 455, all after 1 year of training.

So he only eats 100g/day?

How about yourself?

I get about 50 grams a day on average. Michael is saying he gets about 100.

Lauren,

I have never counted the amount of protein in grams I eat each day. I wouldn't have a clue how much protein I consume.

I don't even try to make sure I get enough protein each day - i.e I don't think have I eaten enough tofu, seeds, nuts, avocadoes today?

I just eat what I eat and lie to think my protein takes care of itself.

I don't count grams of protein per day, but I do make sure I get plenty. Whole grains, soy foods, lots of beans (usually 2 meals a day), rice etc. I eat so damn much that I easily get 150g per day. At times I have had protein shakes a couple times a day and really crammed in the protein, and I didn't notice a difference. I have gained 13 lb. or so in the last 6 weeks (218 lb now up from 205 lb.) just by cramming myself full of healthy foods. Lots and lots of calories, carbs, fat. Lots of olive oil and usually an avacado a day.

Lauren,

 

I have never counted the amount of protein in grams I eat each day. I wouldn't have a clue how much protein I consume.

 

I don't even try to make sure I get enough protein each day - i.e I don't think have I eaten enough tofu, seeds, nuts, avocadoes today?

 

I just eat what I eat and lie to think my protein takes care of itself.

I used to count protein. but recently Ive been doing a low protein diet.

I found that 300-400g a day was overkill for me. so

right now I get about 50g-100g a day. and it works great. and every now and then I boost my daily intake to about 200g and my body packs on the mass.

to me, i think its all about calories.

You are bloody strong!

 

I've seen Jay in action, he is in fact "bloody strong".

And you're almost as good as me with one piddly year of lifting.

True Michael throws around weights like he's been doing it for 5+ years

I'll 2nd Topher.

I don't count grams of protein per day, but I do make sure I get plenty. Whole grains, soy foods, lots of beans (usually 2 meals a day), rice etc.

Yep, that's the way i do it, too.

Protein is important for muscle growth, but it's overrated and NOT important for builing strength.

If Daywalker isn't counting, maybe you don't have to...

But so many competitive bb-ers are obsessed with counting everything: protein, carbs, fat, total cals...

Is it really not that important? How do you know what to adjust if you don't know where the numbers are? I'm trying to learn here...

Knowing what you eat is important for any performance athlete as fuel is a component of your performance ability. Whether that means micromanaging and spreadsheeting your diet or just being aware of quantities of food and what's in them and generally how much you're eating and meeting certain baselines.... probably depends on the sport.