Just Three Ways to Get Lean With Protein

1. Ample Quality Proteins

Body size and overall activity must guide protein intakes. However, a good rule of thumb for the hungry young male bodybuilder is to eat a minimum of 1.5 grams of quality, complete proteins per pound of bodyweight. Some very hard-training individuals, lab measured to be in negative nitrogen balance over a 72-hour period at 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, have overcome plateaus in muscle mass gains and strength by increasing their protein intake to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight!

Additionally, some individuals seem to have a high level of carbohydrate intolerance (meaning they can not produce effective insulin responses to metabolize the carbohydrates), and for these individuals. I actually recommend up to 2.25 grams per pound of bodyweight. In these cases, a hard training, lean, 200-lb. male would normally shoot for at least 300 grams of protein a day. If he has difficulty with carbohydrates, he should move his protein to as high as 450 grams per day.

Believe it or not, with all we know about medicines today, frequent small doses of protein are the most effective blood sugar balancing agent!

2. Eat Small and Nutrient Dense – But Often

Theoretically, you should ingest quality protein 5 to 7 times a day for a few reasons. As I alluded earlier, protein feedings all but stop yo-yo patterns in blood sugar levels. You will not experience the intense hunger pains, weakness, irritability, headaches, muscle weakness, sweats and dizziness some people get associated with low blood sugar. Frequent feedings prevent overeating at any one time and can modulate the storing of more body fat. Also, digestion is much easier, and it keeps the flow of flood throughout the digestive tract at an even pace. Finally, frequent feedings elevate the metabolic rate so that your body fat levels remain lower!

3. Protein Rotation

Most bodybuilders know of only 5 solid protein sources: beef, non-fat milk, eggs, chicken and tuna. The problem with this is that when you consume the same protein foods over and over, you are limited by the weakest amino acid in any one protein. Some bodybuilders actually develop relative states of allergies to these repeated proteins. That’s right! All athletes who train under my guidance are tested for food allergies - and it turns out that a lot of them have some relative state of allergic reaction to beef, eggs, chicken, and milk proteins.

Therefore, I rotate and substitute other protein foods such as shrimp, scallops, turkey etc. and use supplements to rebuild the integrity of the digestive track. I do not advise that my athletes eat the same protein source 2 days in a row. Usually, within 2 to 6 weeks, any allergy to a given protein is gone and the protein can be reintroduced. In my own case, I got rid of my signs of beef allergy in two weeks but it took 4 weeks to get rid of my egg allergies.

Get Lean With Protein

In summary, you CAN accelerate anabolism if your protein intake is high in quality and high in frequency of ingestion; if your digestion and absorption are maximized; if you use BCAAs before, during and after your workouts; and, finally, if you rotate your proteins.

Protein is one of the key nutrients that need to be present on a bodybuilding diet at all times in order for muscular gains to happen. It still amazes me how many people purchase all sorts of advanced bodybuilding supplements hoping to make some quick muscular gains but yet still miss the boat when it comes to having the nutrition basics covered; especially something as important as adequate protein intake. The end result of such practice, of course, is lack of bodybuilding gains and a slimmer wallet.

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