How Much Protein?
Q: Is the old "gram of protein per pound of body weight" rule still good? I hear some coaches say we need less and some recommend 300 grams a day for a 200 pounder.
A: For a 200-pound lean male, 300 grams of protein per day would be the minimum. In fact, I think the rule should be closer to 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight, assuming the person is lean.
For about 70% of the population who isn't carb tolerant, 2 grams per pound is good for mass gains. It can make a huge difference. Personally, I couldn't get above 192 pounds until bodybuilder Milos Sarcev convinced me to get 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. In no time I was up to 205, lean.
Now, if a person is carb tolerant (he handles carbohydrates very well), that value would drop to 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
Someone like Christian Thibaudeau, who's not carb tolerant, should be getting 2 grams of protein per pound, but a guy like Milos Sarcev, who can wake up and drink a gallon mixture of 50% maple syrup and 50% dextrose without it affecting his blood sugar, I'd say 1 to 1.5 grams. Rare guys like Milos need to eat 70% of their calories from carbs.