Pound 4 Pound Protein Tactics
Michael Ferencsik Natural Bodybuilding Champ
Building muscle is science. You have to provide your body with the essential elements it needs to effectively tear down, strengthen, rebuild and grow. You can lift weights till you are blue in the face, but without the right ratio of nutrients in your system, you will never be able to build your muscles to their full potential.
Your muscle building system needs protein, complex carbohydrates and fat to function. If you provide it with a precise ratio of these 3 elements you will be able to Supercharge your fat burning and muscle building capabilities and achieve your goals twice as fast.
Protein is the primary ingredient in your muscle building ratio, it provides amino acids to your system and is the building block for growth. It is vital that you fortify your body with a steady supply of protein throughout the day to promote steady muscle development and minimize your chances of going into catabolic shock.
Catabolic shock is a bodybuilder’s worst nightmare! Your body uses its own muscle mass to feed itself when it is not nourished. It is an automatic survival tactic your body uses when it senses that starvation is imminent, to support itself and recover. Catabolic shock happens when your body is deprived of nutrients for prolonged periods of time, especially after strenuous activities like a cardio vascular exercise and weight lifting.
If you want to keep the muscle you’ve worked so hard to build, you have to Avoid Catabolic Shock at all costs!
So feed your muscles the protein they need to thrive. The exact amount is different for each individual, if your primary goal is to build muscle your protein intake will be slightly higher than an individual interested in fat loss. To determine the exact amount of protein your body needs to build muscle you need to know 2 things:
1. Your lean body mass percentage
2. Your body weight
There are at least 3 ways (if not more) to determine your lean body mass. The easiest way is to just go to your gym and ask a trainer to take your lean body mass measurements. Its usually free to their clients if they are using the caliper method. Just remember to write the percentage down and write down the name of the person taking the test. This is important because you will want to go back to that same person each time you reevaluate your body fat. Each trainer measures in a slightly different spot using a slightly different method, so it is important to use the same person for precise measurements every time. This way we can be certain to measure our success accurately!
You can also use a body fat /weight scale to measure with, they are not as accurate as the caliper test, but it will give you a number to start with. The most accurate body fat test of all is the Bod Pod. This handy device will measure you lean body fat down to the last ounce! It is a Pod that you walk into and sit down in, while the trainer on the outside revs it up and starts taking measurements. It is fast and accurate and is recommended by recreational weight lifters and professional bodybuilder’s alike. Here is the Bod Pod Video my trainer made to demonstrate how simple and easy it is to get an accurate measurement.
Once you have those two measurements, you need to calculate how much of your body weight is actually lean muscle mass and how much is body fat. Here is an example:
A bodybuilder weighs 195 pounds
His body fat percentage is 20%
To find his lean muscle mass, first find how many pounds is fat he has
195 x 20% = 39 pounds
Now subtract how much fat from actual body weight:
195 – 39=156
So this bodybuilder has 156 pounds of lean muscle mass. This is the precise number he must use to determine how much protein to feed his body.
Now that you know how to figure your exact lean muscle mass, its time to determine how much protein your body needs. My trainer, Michael Ferencsik, recommends 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean muscle mass as a baseline for individuals interested in building lean muscle mass.
So you take your lean muscle mass of 156 pounds times (using our example above) 1.5 grams
156 x 1.5= 234 grams of protein per day
So, 234 grams is the precise amount of protein that is ideal for this 195 pound bodybuilder. This is the exact amount of protein he needs to ingest every day to build muscle quickly and efficiently. Warning! Most protein supplements tell you to use your total body weight to figure how much protein to take each day, do not fall into this rookie mistake!You must feed your body according to your own individual lean body mass, not total body weight!
Now that we know exactly how much protein you need every day, lets check out the facts about when and how to take your protein in order to get pack on some muscle!
TOP 6 PROTEIN TACTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Divide your protein intake up into 6-8 meals throughout the day, this will keep your muscle mass fortified and your metabolism charged and burning all day long. For example, if your body requires 234 grams of protein per day, divide 234 by 6 meals; which gives you 39 grams of protein for each meal.
2. The most important protein meal of the day is your post workout meal, mix up an easily digestible whey protein isolate shake and take it with you to the gym. It is imperative that you consume this no more than 1 hour after your weight training workout to avoid catabolic shock.
3. It’s best to supply your body with whole food protein sources like chicken and turkey breasts, lean cuts of pork, fish and eggs whites. I know it’s a pain to prepare 6 -8 meals every day but if you plan and prepare them ahead of time its a lot easier than you think.
4. Protein shakes are a great way to supplement your meals when you are in a rush, just make sure they are made of quality isolate proteins. Isolate is preferred because it is a higher quality protein and contains 90-95% pure protein where as a concentrate only contains 70-75%.
5. Try to diversify which type of protein supplements you use throughout the day, whey, soy, rice, pea and egg white protein powders are all readily available and effective. This will make sure your metabolism is constantly burning at optimum levels and feeding those muscles.
6. Make sure that you feed your muscles a slow release protein shake before bed, even though your metabolism has slowed while you sleep, it still needs protein to heal and build your muscles. 6-8 hours of sleep is a long time to go without any protein.
It is best to get the help of an expert to determine the exact amount of nutrients your body really needs to optimize your results and quit wasting time by guessing. Protein is just one of the 3 essential nutrients in the ratio, carbohydrates and fats play an important role in the muscle building equation as well. Your metabolism needs all three in just the right proportions to cut fat and build massive muscle as efficiently as possible.
My personal trainer Michael Ferencsik, is the 2008 International Natural Bodybuilding Association’s Forever Natural Champion. He designed the Metabolic Burn Diet System that I have been discussing with you here today. It comes to you for free with his Muscle Maximization eBook where he reveals all of his time-tested tips, tricks and secrets to building muscle and eating like a champion.
Your muscle building system needs protein, complex carbohydrates and fat to function. If you provide it with a precise ratio of these 3 elements you will be able to Supercharge your fat burning and muscle building capabilities and achieve your goals twice as fast.
Protein is the primary ingredient in your muscle building ratio, it provides amino acids to your system and is the building block for growth. It is vital that you fortify your body with a steady supply of protein throughout the day to promote steady muscle development and minimize your chances of going into catabolic shock.
Catabolic shock is a bodybuilder’s worst nightmare! Your body uses its own muscle mass to feed itself when it is not nourished. It is an automatic survival tactic your body uses when it senses that starvation is imminent, to support itself and recover. Catabolic shock happens when your body is deprived of nutrients for prolonged periods of time, especially after strenuous activities like a cardio vascular exercise and weight lifting.
If you want to keep the muscle you’ve worked so hard to build, you have to Avoid Catabolic Shock at all costs!
So feed your muscles the protein they need to thrive. The exact amount is different for each individual, if your primary goal is to build muscle your protein intake will be slightly higher than an individual interested in fat loss. To determine the exact amount of protein your body needs to build muscle you need to know 2 things:
1. Your lean body mass percentage
2. Your body weight
There are at least 3 ways (if not more) to determine your lean body mass. The easiest way is to just go to your gym and ask a trainer to take your lean body mass measurements. Its usually free to their clients if they are using the caliper method. Just remember to write the percentage down and write down the name of the person taking the test. This is important because you will want to go back to that same person each time you reevaluate your body fat. Each trainer measures in a slightly different spot using a slightly different method, so it is important to use the same person for precise measurements every time. This way we can be certain to measure our success accurately!
You can also use a body fat /weight scale to measure with, they are not as accurate as the caliper test, but it will give you a number to start with. The most accurate body fat test of all is the Bod Pod. This handy device will measure you lean body fat down to the last ounce! It is a Pod that you walk into and sit down in, while the trainer on the outside revs it up and starts taking measurements. It is fast and accurate and is recommended by recreational weight lifters and professional bodybuilder’s alike. Here is the Bod Pod Video my trainer made to demonstrate how simple and easy it is to get an accurate measurement.
Once you have those two measurements, you need to calculate how much of your body weight is actually lean muscle mass and how much is body fat. Here is an example:
A bodybuilder weighs 195 pounds
His body fat percentage is 20%
To find his lean muscle mass, first find how many pounds is fat he has
195 x 20% = 39 pounds
Now subtract how much fat from actual body weight:
195 – 39=156
So this bodybuilder has 156 pounds of lean muscle mass. This is the precise number he must use to determine how much protein to feed his body.
Now that you know how to figure your exact lean muscle mass, its time to determine how much protein your body needs. My trainer, Michael Ferencsik, recommends 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean muscle mass as a baseline for individuals interested in building lean muscle mass.
So you take your lean muscle mass of 156 pounds times (using our example above) 1.5 grams
156 x 1.5= 234 grams of protein per day
So, 234 grams is the precise amount of protein that is ideal for this 195 pound bodybuilder. This is the exact amount of protein he needs to ingest every day to build muscle quickly and efficiently. Warning! Most protein supplements tell you to use your total body weight to figure how much protein to take each day, do not fall into this rookie mistake!You must feed your body according to your own individual lean body mass, not total body weight!
Now that we know exactly how much protein you need every day, lets check out the facts about when and how to take your protein in order to get pack on some muscle!
TOP 6 PROTEIN TACTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Divide your protein intake up into 6-8 meals throughout the day, this will keep your muscle mass fortified and your metabolism charged and burning all day long. For example, if your body requires 234 grams of protein per day, divide 234 by 6 meals; which gives you 39 grams of protein for each meal.
2. The most important protein meal of the day is your post workout meal, mix up an easily digestible whey protein isolate shake and take it with you to the gym. It is imperative that you consume this no more than 1 hour after your weight training workout to avoid catabolic shock.
3. It’s best to supply your body with whole food protein sources like chicken and turkey breasts, lean cuts of pork, fish and eggs whites. I know it’s a pain to prepare 6 -8 meals every day but if you plan and prepare them ahead of time its a lot easier than you think.
4. Protein shakes are a great way to supplement your meals when you are in a rush, just make sure they are made of quality isolate proteins. Isolate is preferred because it is a higher quality protein and contains 90-95% pure protein where as a concentrate only contains 70-75%.
5. Try to diversify which type of protein supplements you use throughout the day, whey, soy, rice, pea and egg white protein powders are all readily available and effective. This will make sure your metabolism is constantly burning at optimum levels and feeding those muscles.
6. Make sure that you feed your muscles a slow release protein shake before bed, even though your metabolism has slowed while you sleep, it still needs protein to heal and build your muscles. 6-8 hours of sleep is a long time to go without any protein.
It is best to get the help of an expert to determine the exact amount of nutrients your body really needs to optimize your results and quit wasting time by guessing. Protein is just one of the 3 essential nutrients in the ratio, carbohydrates and fats play an important role in the muscle building equation as well. Your metabolism needs all three in just the right proportions to cut fat and build massive muscle as efficiently as possible.
My personal trainer Michael Ferencsik, is the 2008 International Natural Bodybuilding Association’s Forever Natural Champion. He designed the Metabolic Burn Diet System that I have been discussing with you here today. It comes to you for free with his Muscle Maximization eBook where he reveals all of his time-tested tips, tricks and secrets to building muscle and eating like a champion.
