I’ve never understood why so many people are obsessed with protein. Are these people training to be football players? Do they want to be bodybuilders? If you’re trying to stay in shape and healthy, there’s no need for extra protein. If you’re consuming an average diet, there’s enough protein to meet the daily allowance. Protein builds muscles. So, if you’re trying to avoid bulk, I would avoid eating too much protein.
More Protein Does Not Mean Losing Weight
I know some prefer a high protein diet because there’s fewer calories. The problem is that many people turn to meats that are high in saturated fats. As I said before, I avoid foods that are messy to clean up, and this includes bacon and red meats. The body only needs 50-60 grams of protein a day. You can get this by eating lean meats and dairy. You can also get about 5 grams of protein in a half of cup of beans, which is equal to a 3 oz steak. As I mentioned before, legumes are part of the Blue Zone diet. Not only do they provide fiber to clean out your system, they also reduce the level of bad cholesterol.
Eating more protein does not mean you’re going to lose weight. Besides the risk of gaining too much girth, there’s also problems if you eat this way long-term. The Mayo Clinic reports that this diet is harder on your body to digest and that prolonged intake of proteins without other foods may put stress on your kidneys and increase the chance of heart disease.
Protein Mixes
For those who are taking protein mixes to gain strength, there are better sources. The only thing you’re doing to your body is creating stress on your digestive system by making your kidneys and liver process a highly concentrated ingredient. As the Harvard School of Health reports, protein mixes have never been approved by the FDA. For some reason the FDA allows the manufacturer to manage the safety of the products. Other research reported by Harvard Health discovered that 134 protein mixes contained 130 types of toxins, and included heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury. It also tested for pesticides and other additives linked to cancer and other health conditions. Do you really want to put these in your body? Do you want to take the risk? Besides having concentrated amounts of protein, manufacturers add sugars to make them more palatable. Unnecessary sugars are never good for the body—especially when you’re drinking them. Some of these mixes contain 1,200 calories! This increases the chance of weight gain and a spike in blood sugar. You may be getting results with larger muscle mass, but as you age and your weight training is reduced, it will appear as bulk. You will look heavy and you will spend the rest of your life trying to lose it.
People are looking for a magic pill to make them stronger and healthier and the only way you do this is by exercising and eating right. If you want to build bulk, just snack on nuts periodically, or add other protein rich foods to your diet.