Has any serious bodybuilder successfully lowered protein intake for a short time?

[Elvia1023]

Same. It's usually the bigger guys too who tell you to keep it simple. Just eat lots of protein lots of food train a lot and rest a lot.

Exactly. People are always trying to reinvent the wheel in this industry as well.

Regarding the thread title of course people can lower protein for short periods if they want to. Carbs are protein sparing and could be increased to accommodate the lower protein intake. Some guys don't eat much protein and can get big and that's because they utilize everything they consume and carbs/fats are used for energy and everything else.

Protein is the most important macro for building muscle. That couldn't be more obvious but guys are still trying to find ways not to consume much. I don't care if x guy looks great on 100 grams per day. If you want to grow lot's of muscle you will need lot's of protein and overall calories. All very simple stuff. The more you eat the more you grow.

Sometimes it's good to give the body a break from drugs, training and even higher protein. But everyone can figure out what works for them best through experimentation with nutrition.

During the summer I will be working up to 500g protein which is the most I have ever had. Many do go overboard but I know this will work for me and my goals. The only time guys should be avoiding higher protein is when they have a health issue (kidneys etc). Otherwise I would be aiming for a decent amount if you want to gain muscle.

 

[biglizard225]

Exactly. People are always trying to reinvent the wheel in this industry as well.

Regarding the thread title of course people can lower protein for short periods if they want to. Carbs are protein sparing and could be increased to accommodate the lower protein intake. Some guys don't eat much protein and can get big and that's because they utilize everything they consume and carbs/fats are used for energy and everything else.

Protein is the most important macro for building muscle. That couldn't be more obvious but guys are still trying to find ways not to consume much. I don't care if x guy looks great on 100 grams per day. If you want to grow lot's of muscle you will need lot's of protein and overall calories. All very simple stuff. The more you eat the more you grow.

Sometimes it's good to give the body a break from drugs, training and even higher protein. But everyone can figure out what works for them best through experimentation with nutrition.

During the summer I will be working up to 500g protein which is the most I have ever had. Many do go overboard but I know this will work for me and my goals. The only time guys should be avoiding higher protein is when they have a health issue (kidneys etc). Otherwise I would be aiming for a decent amount if you want to gain muscle.

100%

I totally agree I just don't fee like posting all that Lol

You can't get anymore right than this.

 

[BlahaIsAFraud]

1.5 grams per kg bodyweight.

 

[little slice]

1.5 grams per kg bodyweight.

2018 has really been delivering

 

[Elvia1023]

2018 has really been delivering

I am about to have fairly close to that in 1 shake Although I should add usually I don't recommend 100g protein shakes to anyone apart from Ronnie Coleman. I remember seeing him on video take them in no problem through the day so I tried it out as an experiment one day and instant stomach pain and bloat. But the last few days I have done something similar and it's been fine. I suppose you need a top quality whey isolate if you're gonna try this but even with a good one you (well me but I am sure most would be the same) can't knock them back and the timing is important. I usually chill on my phone before I go to sleep so been having 100g in 1 shake and having about 1/3 then 15 mins later another 1/3 and just before I go to sleepI finish it off. Super simple way of getting in 100g protein.

 

[Ruileee]

i think that everyone is different,someone drop to low protein but nothing change,someone to the contrary,and you should combine the other way while drop protein to keep your body fit.

 

[Astudent]

Knowing that you cannot store protein, I think that the real issue with consuming
large amounts of protein is that nobody, and I mean nobody, knows exactly how
much protein is actually being utilized by your body and how much is converted to
glycogen.

It is my opinion that the gains that many people associate with extra, excessive
protein intake might actually be attributed to just excess calories.

This is how and where the protein supplement companies make their money; preying
on the unknowns, the insecurities of people and the more is better, play it safe
philosophy when you can actually get all the protein you need from whole foods as
part of a well-balanced food plan.

And while this is clearly good for business for protein supplement companies it might
actually not be good for your body (massive amounts of protein) creating an
unnecessary burden on your body and actually hindering your quest for muscular size.

I get and agree with and get the part the part where you need a bit more protein as
you continue to add muscular mass, but these ‘massive’, frequent amounts of protein
you read about people consuming might actually be doing them more harm than good
(think kidneys).

I agree wholeheartedly.If you look at the research on the product MAP/Humapro that most guys think is bunk it actually talks about the waste from dietary proteins and protein supplements. We don't know what effect years of excessive protein intake has on our bodies. I truly believe these theories about taking in large amounts of protein to build muscle are driven by supplement companies to increase sales. People who weight train may need a little bit extra protein than a sedentary person but I highly doubt it is anywhere near the 200-300 grams and up that a lot of people take in.

 

[OutToLunch]

I agree wholeheartedly.If you look at the research on the product MAP/Humapro that most guys think is bunk it actually talks about the waste from dietary proteins and protein supplements. We don't know what effect years of excessive protein intake has on our bodies. I truly believe these theories about taking in large amounts of protein to build muscle are driven by supplement companies to increase sales. People who weight train may need a little bit extra protein than a sedentary person but I highly doubt it is anywhere near the 200-300 grams and up that a lot of people take in.

200-300 is now high?!?!lol

 

[Bobby Light]

I've personally found no difference between 6oz of chicken per meal versus 10, or 15 egg whites versus 8 for example. I will say that when trying to gain muscle without gaining much fat keeping protein higher helps with my appetite as I'm not the type that needs 600 carbs a day to grow..so in that case it helps to use more but as far as dieting I've found no difference when I lower it compared to when its been higher.

 

[Cito33189]

This is a good topic. After about 10 years of consuming a lot of protein I have my body a break tried different things and I got out of the ocd mindset if I need to eat this this and this before I train and this after and all that shit. I went vegan for a while then I ate what I wanted when I wanted in moderation and my physique and muscularity did not change all that much to be honest.

 

[little slice]

I went vegan for a while then I ate what I wanted when I wanted in moderation and my physique and muscularity did not change all that much to be honest.

well u have to have muscle before u can lose muscle




(jk jk lol no bully pls)

 

[LATS]

Honestly I don't think I've ever been over 150 grams a day... Maybe a few times I'll get to 200.. But rarely... I've never really suffered.. But then again maybe if I increase protein intake I'll grow lol.. But I know it won't happen...

 

[Rogue]

You would be surprised at how much muscle you can build on less protein than is accepted as the "norm".

 

[beastmode121]

I agree with you need less protein when on Anabolics. but that’s just my broscience speaking


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[nothuman]

Honestly, I don't think I've eaten less than 200g of protein other then maybe a few days in over a decade. It would be a monumental change for to me to make.

 

[Swifto]

Once you're big after years of over eating and lifting heavy weights you wont need as much protein to maintain.

If you're smaller and wanting to grow, then you're sure as shit going to need a fair amount of daily protein IMO.

Frequent EAA usage would obviously bring this need down.

 

[Fit2Serve]

I am now 40 yr old and focusing on longevity so purposely lowered my protein consumption. I basically try to eat Mediterainean Diet (cant spell that for the life of me) and its pretty dang low in protein compared to the norm in bb'ing. I was very surprised how little of muscle i lost. i did lose some (also quit all drugs except for 250mg test weekly) so imo what i lost was mostly water.

i do kinda regret pounding so much protein for years during my competition and serious bodybuilding days BUT no doubt, i was a "better to have too much than not enough" but i had zero regard for my health....

anyway, point is i think most eat far more protein than they need.
-F2S

 

[nothuman]

I am now 40 yr old and focusing on longevity so purposely lowered my protein consumption. I basically try to eat Mediterainean Diet (cant spell that for the life of me) and its pretty dang low in protein compared to the norm in bb'ing. I was very surprised how little of muscle i lost. i did lose some (also quit all drugs except for 250mg test weekly) so imo what i lost was mostly water.

i do kinda regret pounding so much protein for years during my competition and serious bodybuilding days BUT no doubt, i was a "better to have too much than not enough" but i had zero regard for my health....

anyway, point is i think most eat far more protein than they need.
-F2S

I think you are overestimating the damage high protein diets have on people. I still have yet to see any evidence linking high protein diets to anything dangerous in otherwise healthy people. I doubt you did much damage to yourself eating excess protein amounts.

I think people are being a little melodramatic in this thread and it's not based on much evidence.

**broken link removed**