Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

edmund_the_destroyer OP wrote (edited )

The fitness industry is forehead-deep in misinformation, so I'm fully aware I could be spouting nonsense. But I follow a moderately strenuous calisthenic routine most days, and my understanding is that:

a.) Exercisers and especially people frequently working their muscles to fatigue need high protein intakes to repair and build up muscles. Recommendations range from 1 gram per day per kg of lean body mass all of the way up to 1 gram per day per pound of lean body mass.

b.) High protein meals provide more satiety for the same amount of calories than meals with comparatively higher levels of fats or carbohydrates (simple or complex). I'm morbidly obese, and I find it easiest to control my total calorie intake by incorporating 150 calories from some kind of protein powder mixed with water once or twice a day in addition to my other regular meals. Other snacks or drinks or simply drinking water alone leave my appetite higher.

It would be a wonderful truth for everyone that abhors the slaughter of animals for human food if it turns out our species' protein needs are modest. But I'm not aware of evidence along those lines. (Edit: To clarify, I've read the claim that our protein requirements are modest in many pro-vegetarian and pro-vegan publications. But I have never seen evidence to back it up or any athletic or muscular person making the claim they built their fitness on a low protein diet.)

1