You no doubt recognise that protein is important for ensuring muscle growth and a diet rich in protein is beneficial, though there are many arguments when it comes down to specifics such as how much you should consume per day – it seems no-one can agree – not even the so-called experts or professional bodybuilders.
I will explain shortly what I believe is the ideal amount of protein for your specific bodyweight and what has served me well over the years, and believe me when I say I have experimented a lot with my protein intake.
Firstly let me put to rest one myth which is that protein alone is the key factor when it comes to building muscle – this simply isn’t true. If you neglect your other sources of energy which are carbohydrates and fats then your body isn’t going to be running at peak efficiency and your muscle gains will suffer for it.
For the natural bodybuilder, which is one who isn’t taking illegal substances, the minimum you should eat per lb of bodyweight is 0.5g, or grams. I have experimented with all manner of intakes from the smallest to the highest and have found there’s no benefit to eating anymore protein than 0.5g – the rest will simply be excreted by your body, such as in your urine.
My recommended food sources for protein and those from which I obtain it are cuts of meat with sirloin steak being my favourite, fish such as tuna (I prefer cooked cold kippers myself) and chicken – leave the skin on, it’s a great source of fat and is simply delicious. Other great sources are milk if your stomach can handle it and most certainly eggs – do not throw away the yolk as it is the most nutritious and best part of an egg. Bodybuilding doesn’t have to be a chore.