1.If you eat more than 30 grams of protein at once you can’t use it all.
So the saying goes that if you eat more than 230g of protein in one sitting, the excess will be stored as fat or wasted. Research in the past has shown optimal protein synthesis occurs when consuming 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Once you increased this to 40 + grams of protein the rate of protein synthesis did not increase or decrease. So does this mean the extra 10+ Grams of protein was stored as fat?
Theoretically yes the protein would be converted to glucose and stored as fat - but this is a far too long and costly process for the body to go through. It is very unlikely you will gain any fat from excess protein consumption. Explorers in the past lived off of a near all protein diet and were found dieing of starvation! Not getting fatter.
2.High protein diets increase stress on the kidneys
The kidneys are part of an extremely efficient filtration system within the body, and are great at removing unwanted substances from the body. Excess protein consumption is the kind of stress the kidneys are built to deal with.
One fifth of the blood pumped out by your heart gets filtered by the kidneys every 1-2 minutes. A little extra protein in your diet is a tiny drop in the ocean in comparison with what the kidneys already deal with.
However a good measure to take when increasing protein is increasing water consumption too, your body creates more urine to flush out by-products of protein- synthesis , so this needs to be replaced. Although something that does put unnecessary stress on the kidneys which I would recommend cutting right away is ALCOHOL! Start with that.
3.You must consume protein immediatelty after your workout
Ever heard “you’ve got to consume your protein straight after you finish your workout”?
“You’ll lose all the work you’ve put in” Well to be honest it’s scary how often I hear this.
The aptly named “anabolic window” is the period after your training in which your body is most willing to accept nutrients - Specifically protein + Carbohydrates to be delivered to the muscles to aid recovery and promote muscle growth. At one time this window has thought to be 30 minutes to an hour long, however we know that it is infact much much longer even up to several hours after you finish your last set in the gym.
It is infact more important that adequate amounts of each micronutrient are consumed throughout the day and that these are consumed consistently.
4.A carb is a carb
Everyone assumes a carb is a carb no matter where it comes from. While the fact is that each gram of carb has roughly 4 calories, it’s the way the body breaks down the carb which is the real issue.
High GI Carbs are broken down quickly by the body, equalling a huge release of glucose into the bloodstream and a spike in insulin levels. These carbs can leave you feeling sluggish around 45 minutes after you’ve eaten, but these can be great for immediately after workouts,when you need refuelling. However low GI carbs take alot longer to digest meaning that glucose is released at a more steady rate into the blood. These are where the majority of carbs in your diet should come from, as they will keep you feeling more full for longer. They also usually contain more vitamins and minerals in comparison with simple carbs.
5.Fats make you fat.
Okay so out of these myths this one seems like it makes the most sense, the more fat we consume then logically the more we store on our body right? In truth though it is not fat that is the issue, it is eating calories beyond your means that is. Of Course eating highly fatty foods could be a contributing factor to an expanding waistline, but so can the foods that have little or not fat.
Avoiding fat is not the answer when trying to drop body fat and lose weight. Choose the right kinds fat to help you feel more satisfied and pair them with a good protein source and you might find you’re less inclined to grab those high calorie, low nutrition ‘naughty’ foods between meals.
As with everything, moderation is key.