PROTEIN MYTH BUSTING

Hi, I’m Daniel Barret (also known as DB). I am an online exercise and nutrition coach as well as a trainer at 1Rebel, and I’m here to bust some myths around protein.

MYTH ONE: To build muscle you have to eat as much protein as possible every day

When you have a goal of building muscle or maintaining it (maintaining muscle should be a goal for everyone, I’ll explain why later), your nutritional intake is as important or arguably more important than your specific training. One mistake people often make is trying to consume as much protein as possible every day. 

While over the years, research has not provided a definitive consensus on the exact amount of protein that a person should be consuming. Many studies have concluded that consuming inside a range of 1.6g - 2.2g of protein per kg of body weight each day will help you maximise building muscle when combined with resistance exercise training. 

If we translate that, for a person who weighs 75kg, their daily protein target should be between 120g - 165g. I recommended my clients stick as close to the 2.2g per kg mark as possible, as if you aim for the upper end each day, it will keep your intake high enough in the long run to make up for any days where you’re below.

We must remember that creating an effective nutritional strategy is always massively nuanced and unique to each person. However, if we are looking at protein intake to support the goals of muscle building and maintenance, there is a hierarchy of importance when it comes to your protein intake. 

• Most important: Daily protein intake. Hit your goal each day.

• Less important: Protein distribution throughout the day. Studies have shown that spreading your intake evenly across 3-5 meals throughout the day can support muscle building.

• Least important: Timing of protein around exercise. If you are hitting your daily target and have a generally good spread of protein across the day, post workout protein becomes even less important. This leads me well onto the next myth.

MYTH TWO: You have to consume 20-30g of protein within 30 minutes of a workout

You can ignore anyone that says “you MUST consume 20-30g of protein within 30-60 minutes of your workout finishing or the session was a waste”.

There is no specific window post workout where you MUST eat a certain amount of protein or your workout becomes ineffective. Nutrient timing is more nuanced than that. In terms of eating post workout, your pre-workout meal will heavily affect your need for post-workout nutrition. 

If you are training fasted (you haven't eaten for 10-12 hours pre-workout), the need for post workout nutrients will increase. If you have had a pre-workout meal, your need for post workout nutrients will decrease. 

If there is a “window” - according to the data it is more important to make sure you have a mixed meal of protein and carbohydrates between 4-6 hours either side of your workout if your aim is to increase or maintain muscle mass. 

Am I saying don’t have a protein shake/bar or a protein based meal post workout? No. In the past I’ve always had a protein shake close to finishing my session, because it makes sense and it's convenient for me. I think that is the most key consideration, creating habits that will fit into your daily lifestyle that help you consistently hit your daily protein target. 

MYTH THREE: You only need to be concerned with protein intake when you have a physique or training goal. 

This is going to be the most important myth to bust. I probably should have put it first, with our dwindling attention spans (so if you have made it this far, congratulations). 

Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle mass, strength and function as we age. 

Sarcopenia can greatly affect your quality of life by reducing your ability to complete daily tasks such as simply walking up and down stairs or getting in and out of a chair. 

Ageing of course is inevitable, but how you do it is up to you. 

If you want to be strong when you are 50/60/70+... you need to build that strength now.

Building skeletal muscle as you move into later life isn't possible because of the drop in testosterone levels and gradual decline of growth hormone production. So build it now, hold onto as much as you can later.

The best way to combat sarcopenia is to take part in an exercise program focused on resistance training. This will help you build and maintain muscle mass and bone density. 

Coupling this with maintaining a protein intake of 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight as discussed previously will help you stay healthy and do the things that will make you happy.

If you focus on these you’ll be lifting heavy, eating good and staying strong. Be a rebel and live the best life you can live, for as long as you can. 

DB