PROTEIN FOR PROGRESS?
- by Martin Kimberley
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- 05 Feb, 2021
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There's quite often a lot of confusion surrounding protein requirements to make progress. Its a useful to prioritise whether you're looking to build muscle, or lose body fat! Here's why. . . . . .
For everything over that (which should be pretty much everybody!) requires some consideration. A blanket prescription of protein doesn’t really work, as goals need to be taken into account when calculating daily protein requirements.
Firstly, whether someone should be in a calorie deficit to lose body fat, or a calorie surplus to build muscle need to be considered.
The calorie and protein requirements of someone wants to build a lot of lean muscle tissue, has an active job , and trains with heavy weights, 4-5 times per week will be different to the person with a sedentary job, who weight trains maybe once or twice a week.
With that being said if we’re looking to reduce body fat, we should also consider prioritising our protein intake.
This is because protein has been shown to provide more appetite satiety (it makes us feel fuller) it ensures that we maintain lean body mass, whilst reducing body fat levels.
This is evidenced in a 2016 - 4 week long study, demonstrated this with protein intakes split into two different amounts, and consumed by two different groups, the higher protein amount, and the lower protein amount.
With the amounts being either:
1.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight
or
2.4 kilograms of bodyweight
Otherwise, generally healthy people looking to optimise their nutrition, should experiment with calorie amounts.
BUT REMEMBER: In order to progress towards fat loss, you need to be in a calorie deficit, and in order to progress towards muscle gain, you need to be in a calorie surplus. The methods by which to achieve either of these are down to personal preference.
If you have a specific question about nutrition, protein or anything else, please feel free to shoot me an email on Martin@Liverpoolstrengthco.co.uk
Ps - A fantastic resource for all things nutrition is EXAMINE.COM, its our go to when we need to investigate something that seems a little fishy, or sounds too good to be true, and it consists of a collection of research data, and topics, with a whole section dedicated to protein, which can be found at: https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
In the dimly lit comedy club, amidst the laughter, clinking of glasses, and low level murmur of conversations, a familiar face stepped up to the microphone — our very own Danny from the gym.
As he began to spin tales and crack jokes, it dawned on me: comedy is a lot like training.
They both share parallels, obviously in slightly different senses, but they are certainly there.
We actually spoke about this afterwards, whilst enjoying a couple of pints of Guinness
But anyway, Danny, with his effortless humour, was a testament to the principle of repetition.
Meet Adam
A guy who decided to flip the script on his lifestyle
and embrace the barbell.
After a few years of no exercise, he strolled into the gym, took a firm grip on a bar, and set his sights on becoming a stronger, healthier version of himself.
Fast forward a couple of years, and Adam had not only found his groove but also a super reliable gym buddy in Colin (AKA Big Col).
Their lifting journey led them to toy with the idea of powerlifting competitions, and the progress they made was incredible!
In around six months, they were winning competitions and on the cusp of national (and international competitions).
But this story isn't about trophies; it's about a journey.
And after a successful team competition, a first dip of the toe into the sport of powerlifting, Adam was on the verge of qualifying for the English Championships and making strides toward the British Championships.
All seemed splendid until his next competition day.
Despite stellar training and perfect prep, something felt off.
His squats faltered, his bench wasn't much better.
and his deadlifts, usually his stronghold, were a struggle.
It was clear - something was amiss.
But Adam's got grit.
He wanted to make it right and pushed through.
In a weird turn of events, he had a hard time with a weight he'd breezed through in training.
After a successful attempt, it was obvious something wasn't right.
He'd got his total.
What he needed to get to the English Championships, but we'd expected a lot more.
Sat in the back room, Adam looked a little dazed, and hazy.
A shiver of concern rippled through both of us.
He stumbled and staggered towards the platform. Panic flashed.
His second attempt, no matter how hard he tried was glued to the floor!
What was going on? It was a mystery.
Adam, undeterred, lined up for one more shot at 207.5kg - a weight he should've handled.
He yanked, it reached his knees, then disaster struck.
He stumbled back, I had to catch him and walk him off the platform.
Turns out, Adam had unknowingly rewritten his story.
All the hard work, weight loss, and gains in fitness had made his blood pressure plummet!
His body was so much fitter and healthier that he no longer needed the high blood pressure meds he'd taken for years.
Adam's doctor revealed he'd achieved the opposite of hypertension - hypotension!
And today, Adam is healthier, stronger, and smashing goals like a champ.
And as a side note, he's been on to compete in the English championships, the British championships, AND he even won a medal at the commonwealth championships over in Canada!
Now, if you're not a fan of old-school cardio, don’t really fancy doing a boatload of burpees, and could think of nothing worse than plodding along on a treadmill then head over HERE , and book your 'No Sweat Intro'.
No gimmicks, no catches, lets just have a conversation about where you're at right now, and where you'd like to be.
A lot like what happened with Adam.
It's time to write your own story.
You won't regret it!
PS - Here's that link again: > N O SWEAT INTRO <