Is Protein amount a myth?

[GrumpyLumpy]

I have a detailed excel workbook and I have tracked everything I’ve done exercise and diet wise since 4 June 2018.

On 24 Dec 2019 I was 49 years old and 209 lbs. with 15.8% Body fat at 6’ 2” tall. This was according to a digital scale I bought and yes, I know they are not very accurate but it gave me a repeatable baseline.

Calipers had me at 13.6% BF but are a pain to use so I use the scale knowing there is about a 2% difference.

I decided to experiment with my protein intake and on 30 Dec 2019 had started an additional 170g of protein powder a day with eating breakfast and dinner which put me at around 200g of protein a day when before I was just eating three meals a day and exercising.

On 1 Sept 2021 I was 192.4 Lbs. with 14.1% BF on the scale.

So in almost two years of 200g of protein a day there really hasn’t been a significant increase or decrease IMO.

The bodyweight decrease can be attributed to a small increase in cardio over those two years but honestly, I don’t look or feel much different.

So what do you all think? Is protein intake highly exaggerated or is it really that important and I’m just the exception to the rule?

[SuffolkPunch]

What are you even expecting it to do? In what sense is it a "myth"?

Also, you didn't tell us what your protein intake was before adding the additional 170g

I think the bottom line is going to be that you haven't controlled for any other factors that influence whatever outcome it is you are trying to measure... not sure what this can tell us.

[air2fakie]

Not an exception to crappy training and nutrition/stat tracking, excel spreadsheet or not. Think you're focusing on the wrong variable.

[air2fakie]

Also, you didn't tell us what your protein intake was before adding the additional 170g

30g/day apparently, which obviously wasn't accurate.

I decided to experiment with my protein intake and on 30 Dec 2019 had started an additional 170g of protein powder a day with eating breakfast and dinner which put me at around 200g of protein a day when before I was just eating three meals a day and exercising.

...

So in almost two years of 200g of protein a day ...

[desslok]

I would suggest reading ALL of the stickies in this section and the exercise section. Its clear you don’t understand any of the basic concepts. And to make zero progress in 2 full years is a darn shame.

[GrumpyLumpy]

What are you even expecting it to do? In what sense is it a "myth"?

Also, you didn't tell us what your protein intake was before adding the additional 170g

I think the bottom line is going to be that you haven't controlled for any other factors that influence whatever outcome it is you are trying to measure... not sure what this can tell us.

I would eat an egg sandwich for breakfast, a can of soup or a tuna sandwich for lunch and usually chicken or steak for dinner with a vegetable and starch.

Not an exception to crappy training and nutrition/stat tracking, excel spreadsheet or not. Think you're focusing on the wrong variable.

What variable do you suggest tracking when doing a protein increase experiment?

30g/day apparently, which obviously wasn't accurate.

30g a day sometimes less.

[faithbrah]

Not an exception to crappy training and nutrition/stat tracking, excel spreadsheet or not. Think you're focusing on the wrong variable.

this... OP, how have your lifts progressed? what kind of program are you doing?

we have no idea why you're only telling us about your protein intake instead of the countless other critical variables

edit: i just read your newest post and might've misunderstood what you were asking, but oh well

[air2fakie]

What variable do you suggest tracking when doing a protein increase experiment?

You could prob trash your spreadsheet and do a training program improvement "experiment", and see better results.

[paulinkansas]

Are you doing any progression with your lifts? By progression I mean every week or two you do an additional repetition to each set, or you increase the weight a little bit and do the same number or reps, or a combination of both.

[SuffolkPunch]

You didn't say what you are expecting to happen...?

I would be hard put to keep my protein intake under 100g a day just from regular food - without any supplemental protein.

If you are over 1.6g per kg of target bodyweight then no, you can't expect any additional effect on muscle growth if that's what you are getting at.

[GrumpyLumpy]

this... OP, how have your lifts progressed? what kind of program are you doing?

we have no idea why you're only telling us about your protein intake instead of the countless other critical variables

edit: i just read your newest post and might've misunderstood what you were asking, but oh well

The only thing I changed was my protein intake.

Are you doing any progression with your lifts? By progression I mean every week or two you do an additional repetition to each set, or you increase the weight a little bit and do the same number or reps, or a combination of both.

All my work outs are the same intentionally to see if the increased protein would changed my physique.

You didn't say what you are expecting to happen...?

I would be hard put to keep my protein intake under 100g a day just from regular food - without any supplemental protein.

If you are over 1.6g per kg of target bodyweight then no, you can't expect any additional effect on muscle growth if that's what you are getting at.

I was hoping for a increase in muscle mass but with the only change being the increased protein and no noticeable change in my physique I guess I answered my own question and didn't need to post here.

Have a good day all.

[air2fakie]

I was hoping for a increase in muscle mass but with the only change being the increased protein and no noticeable change in my physique I guess I answered my own question and didn't need to post here.

Correct, the myth you yourself created that increasing protein intake on its own, without proper training and overall nutrition, will result in a noticeable increase in muscle mass - is just that, a myth. Good luck!

[desslok]

I would eat an egg sandwich for breakfast, a can of soup or a tuna sandwich for lunch and usually chicken or steak for dinner with a vegetable and starch.



What variable do you suggest tracking when doing a protein increase experiment?



30g a day sometimes less.

You say you only ate 30gm of protein a day, in the same post you list several meals that contain substantial amounts of protein. Its not a myth, its “the Legend of the crappiest spreadsheet ever”

[TolerantLactose]

All my work outs are the same intentionally to see if the increased protein would changed my physique.

Expecting a positive change in physique with no change in physical demands is foolish. Anyone with even a bit of knowledge of training theory could have told you that.

What a waste of 2 years.

[Mrpb]

I use the scale knowing there is about a 2% difference.

The difference is much larger than you think it is.

For example: "So one could lose 4% body fat, yet BIA might show an increase in body fat of 4%."

https://weightology.net/the-pitfalls...impedance-bia/