Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha

in foods such as fish, poultry, eggs, red meat, and cheese.

    VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN PROTEIN POWER
    Before you freak out over our love of animals, let us say that we are aware that you can get complete proteins by combining grains and beans. You still won’t be able to completely make up for the boost in testosterone created by animal protein, but we realize that some of you won’t eat animals for moral reasons. Many vegan-friendly sources can help you reach your protein goals, but from our experience it’s harder without the help of meat.
    Then again, that’s why protein powders exist. And if you’re vegetarian, then you can enjoy eggs. And the pescatarians can have fish. So we have nothing against this population, and vegetarians and vegans will definitely benefit from our diet; however, we will not be specifically providing a vegetarian diet. Sorry. It’s not personal. Everything we’ve seen and all the science we’ve read indicate that vegetarianism—while healthy—will not optimize your hormones. And that’s our primary goal.

    THE WORLD’S BEST MEAT
    As two of the world’s foremost carnivores, we’ve done our fair share of eating protein. And there are few things we enjoy more than cooking up our own grass-fed, organic steaks. While organic foods can be overrated, that is not the case with meats and fresh produce. The best meat we have found is provided by U.S. Wellness Meats. We ordered cases of meat during the writing process, and this protein fueled not only our bodies but also our minds. Trust us on this one: their customer service is top-notch, and the only things better are the taste, flavor, and variety. If you’re looking for something a little more rare (pun intended), check out Exotic Meats USA—they have some really interesting choices, ranging from crocodile to black bear. For our favorite cuts of meat, visit www.engineeringthealpha.com.

    HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO I NEED?
    One of the most frequently asked questions about protein is, how much?
    The interesting thing about that question is that it really encompasses two completely separate and diametrically opposed viewpoints. The first is minimalist: How much protein do I need to eat? Or, more succinctly, what is the minimal effective dose? Then, there is the maximalist: How much protein can I eat? Which really means, how much protein can I eat before it becomes either ineffective or dangerous? *
    In order to best answer these questions, we’ll look at this from the perspectives that matter most: fat loss and muscle gain. In both of these cases, the answer is a lot lower than you’d expect.
    Fat Loss
    For fat loss, you can really get away with as little as 0.5 grams per pound of LBM—which for most people will be anywhere between 60 and 90 grams of protein. A remarkably low number, compared to what you hear from most fitness pros.
    Now, as we said, this is a minimalist approach . . . and so 0.5 grams per pound of LBM should be enough to help you hang on to all your lean mass, drop fat, and keep energy levels up. Having said that, it’s arguable that a slightly higher intake of protein would allow you to lose fat a little faster because of the thermic effect of food. Protein is very metabolic, meaning that up to 30 percent of the calories are burned during the digestion process. Another thing to consider is satiety. Higher protein consumption leads to greater satiety after eating, and so you’d be less hungry, and that makes it a lot easier to be compliant with your eating plan.
    Muscle Gain
    A minimalist approach to protein for muscle gain is really interesting; again, you actually need a lot less protein than you’d imagine.
    In fact, in most cases, you could get away with 0.5 grams to 1 gram per pound of LBM. That’s right—assuming you are consuming adequate calories, there is some research to illustrate that, provided you’re getting all essential amino acids, you can gain muscle with as little as 0.5 grams per pound of LBM, according to The International Society of Sports Nutrition.
    If this seems extremely low, it’s because it is. Nevertheless, the research illustrates that it’s accurate, and we’ve seen a few people thrive on this.

    HOW TO EAT MORE PROTEIN WHEN LOSING FAT
    If you’re like us, you want to find out how to squeeze in as much protein as possible. We have experimented quite a lot with low-carb and high-protein diets, and we find that the more intense your weight training is, the more protein you can ingest