Any benefit to extra protein without a workout?

protein
#1

Hey folks. I’ve been seeing excellent results in following your recommendations for workouts and seeing improvements in muscle by adding additional protein to my diet and increasing to 1-1.5+g of protein per lbs of lean body mass. Thank you!

I tend to workout a muscle group every 2nd day. Repeating the same muscle group every 6 days.

On the off-days, not doing any weight lifting, is there a benefit to muscle building by keeping to the higher end of that protein range? Or am I wasting it since there was no workout done that day?

I’ve read mixed things so I’m wondering what you folks think.

#2

Beyond ensuring I get enough on lifting days I really don’t think about protein TBH. I think my natural inclination leads me to higher protein/lower fat anyway…it’s just the way I eat.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #3

Protein is utilized for lots of stuff not just building muscle mass. As long as you eat sufficient fat for fuel, you can’t eat too much protein until you start to smell like ammonia. At that point, yes cut back a little.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

The body can maintain a small store of amino acids in the labile pool, but it has no real way of storing quantities (such as it can store glucose and fatty acids). I’d guess that you don’t need to keep your intake up as high on the days you’re not working, but go with your appetite. There is not a direct correspondence, day by day, between what the body uses and what we eat. It averages out really closely over several days, but we don’t need to be precise each day.

#5

Thanks for the responses!

I thought that extra protein that wasn’t used to rebuild/repair is then turned into glucose and/or fat for storage. That article that @amwassil posted set me straight. And I didn’t know that what a ‘labile pool’ was before now. This is why I keep coming back. Thanks folks!

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #6

This article by Amy Berger should be required reading for everyone. Does the forum have a suggested ‘required reading’ section? The article is technical enough to present the facts clearly and concisely, plus (Amy’s forte) written simply and directly enough that ordinary folks can understand it. In addition, Amy cites multiple other sources that are well worth reading. This single article is an absolute gold mine of useful, scientifically and technically accurate information that can be easily applied by any one.

You’re welcome. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

#7

Total daily nutrition > specific nutrition per meal.

Under special pro athlete like circumstances meal timing matters. For %99.999 of us it does not.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #8

You just opened a can of worms. :crazy_face: There are lots of folks here who are nowhere near pro athlete and are going to disagree with you about the importance of meal timing. I’m not one of them, although I will say that eating within a couple hours of going to bed is probably not a good thing to do. I think you should go to bed on an empty stomach.