Hi all,

Sorry if this is redundant, but I couldn't find a clear explanation one way or the other, and doing a general search through the archives for "protein" returns a lot of hits - imagine that! :p

I've been following the rule of 1g of protein per lb of body weight, instead of the 40:40:40 rule. It works out to be about 45:35:20, so it's not a HUGE departure, but still I wonder: isn't protein intake arguably as important during cutting as during bulking, since in each case you're trying to maximise muscle tissue?

I'm concerned about maintaining as much lean mass as possible during my cutting phase, especially since I don't have a weight target, but rather a single digit body fat percentage target. The closer I get to that target, the lower my weight, and the lower my protein intake will go (OK, granted not much lower, since I should be at 10% BF by 175lbs). But doesn't it make sense for me to ingest more protein so as to discourage lean mass loss, or at least maintain a minimal level? Or is weight training/cardio more important in maintaining muscle mass?

Thanks for any thoughts!

Patrick

http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/251prot.jsp

i read this a few days ago, it made me crave for chicken breasts so damn much!

2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight is roughly 0.9 g per pound - i.e. pretty close to the old 1g per pound rule. So where does the 40:40:20 rule come from then?

Patrick

2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight is roughly 0.9 g per pound - i.e. pretty close to the old 1g per pound rule. So where does the 40:40:20 rule come from then?

Patrick

One thing you will soon learn is that there are 100000 rules in fitness. And guess how many are 100% correct? Probably none.

They all depend on a person's goals and how someone reacts to a particular "rule". You need to play with what you read and see what works best for you.

Protein is important every day, whether building, cutting or whatever. The body has a need for protein all the time, and if there isn't any circulating around in the blood (because you've eaten some in the past few hours), the body basically says "Hey, there's some protein over here in the muscles - let's take and use it." Don't let that happen.
---trainiac!
www.clintphillips.com