Can I reduce protein intake during SD?

[Ruhl]

Can I reduce protein intake during SD? Do I need a high protein intake during periods of no training to maintain muscle mass or do I only need a high protein intake when training?

 

[baby a]

Almost 500 posts and you are still asking questions such as this......??? You should try reading and studying like others on this board so that you could answer all of your own questions....

 

[ZMT]

no

just have 1,5 - 2 gr of protein per kg of body weight as long as you are free of AAS

 

[Totentanz]

You could reduce it a bit, but I wouldn't go too far. The prescribed amounts of protein range greatly, but usually if it makes up around 20-30% of your daily calorie intake, you should be fine. You don't need insanely high amounts of protein as long as the protein you are getting isn't total crap.
Protein from real foods like beef, chicken, milk, etc should be enough to satisfy your protein requirements during SD. I usually save my whey for when I'm on an HST cycle.

Of course you should make sure you are getting enough calories during SD as well. 20-30% of your daily calories will only be enough protein if you are eating enough calories.

 

[imported_dkm1987]

Just to add, it also depends on what your goals are during SD. If trying to cut, 1. you shouldn't be SD'ing and 2. You may get some TEF benefit from keeping protein higher.

 

[Lance]

DKM,

I don't understand the not SD'ing if cutting advice. If i'm not mistaken, wouldn't you lose out on the anabolic stimulis if you went right back into lighter weights at the end of a HST cycle, thus not as muscle sparing?

 

[Falco]

What you are really asking is, "should you lower your calories during SD?" . . . and the answer is "no." If you found you put on too much fat in your last cycle, then you over estimated your caloric need, so in that case you would want to lower, but that would be for the entire cycle not just SD.

Your protein input should not be that high anyway. Based on the info provided in the FAQs and Lyle's site, optimal protein level should be around 1.6-1.8 g protein/kg of FFM (convert that to 0.72-0.81 g/lb FFM). This, for most of us, is much lower than the generally accepted 1 g protein/lb of body weight, but the later is much easier to calculate. Assuming you don't have any pre-existing medical problems, there is really no danger in eating 1 g protein/lb of body weight, it is just not optimal for hypertrophy, and it certainly assures that you will get more than enough protein in your diet.

Long story short - just eat the "right amount" of protein carbs, fat, & calories and maintain those levels all the time, even through SD.

 

[imported_dkm1987]

Quote[/b] (Lance @ May 31 2005,6:53)]DKM,
I don't understand the not SD'ing if cutting advice.  If i'm not mistaken, wouldn't you lose out on the anabolic stimulis if you went right back into lighter weights at the end of a HST cycle, thus not as muscle sparing?

Exactly the point but not in correct alignment. If cutting calories the effect of SD is no anabolic stimulus plus a BMR drop due to the drop in calories, hence more muscle lost.

So if cutting calories it would be better to continue on back to 15's or even 10s to help reduce the catabolic effects of dieting instead of going into SD.

 

[Lance]

I was thinking along the lines of < calories during cycle, maintenance for SD, then back to < calories for next cycle.

I figured after your post 5's (or wherever you end), going straight into the 15's would give no hypertrophic stimuli, since your muscles were allready conditioned to such heavier loads. Thus SD at maintenance, and if you follow Lyle at all this will possible help your leptin set point at a new lower bodyfat, then start a new cycle cutting away again.

If what you said is the case, i can't see why i don't start bulking for a HST cycle, then don't even SD and just start cutting into a new HST cycle. Lean gaining withing a couple months. =)

 

[imported_dkm1987]

Quote[/b] (Lance @ May 31 2005,8:35)]I was thinking along the lines of < calories during cycle, maintenance for SD, then back to < calories for next cycle.

I figured after your post 5's (or wherever you end), going straight into the 15's would give no hypertrophic stimuli, since your muscles were allready conditioned to such heavier loads.  

If what you said is the case, i can't see why i don't start bulking for a HST cycle, then don't even SD and just start cutting into a new HST cycle.  Lean gaining withing a couple months.  =)

That would work also.

True, but during a severely restricted energy intake hypertrophy isn't happening at a great rate (if at all) but muscle tissue loss isn't desired either, therefore why SD and contribute to the loss. This is considering that the first 4 or 5 days of SD are still anabolic or at least anti-catabolic in nature due to the carryover of the stimulus.

Possibly, yes. As I mentioned above the carryover effect would carry you for a few days, then the continuation of tension on the tissue would help prevent some catabolism during the cutting phase.