On a quest for abs!

Leebesstoad, thanks for your reply!

My macros are very clean. Meals range from 6-8 (usually) and I try to have a higher ratio of protein/carbs/fat
The myth about protein consumption used to be an issue but after some extensive research I found out the opposite to be true.

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"You Can Only Digest/Assimilate 30 Grams of Protein per Sitting?"

Myth – If you eat over 30 grams of protein it is wasted. False. Your body digests/assimilates a very high percentage of the protein you intake. This myth that anything over 30 grams per meal can’t be assimilated is complete nonsense.

A French study compared two groups:

* Group A consumed 80% of their daily protein intake during one meal.
* Group B consumed their daily protein intake over the course of multiple meals.

Data revealed that both groups produced about the same results with regards to protein synthesis, nitrogen balance, etc. So the bottom line…it’s ok to eat more than 30 grams of protein per sitting. It will not go to waste.

Source:
http://hugegainer.com/muscle-building-protein-intake-myths-facts/


Another study as to the "damage" to kidneys due to protein consumption:



High Protein is Harmful

Myth #1: "High protein intake is harmful to your kidneys."

The origin: Back in 1983, researchers first discovered that eating more protein increases your "glomerular filtration rate," or GFR. Think of GFR as the amount of blood your kidneys are filtering per minute. From this finding, many scientists made the leap that a higher GFR places your kidneys under greater stress.

What science really shows: Nearly 2 decades ago, Dutch researchers found that while a protein-rich meal did boost GFR, it didn't have an adverse effect on overall kidney function. In fact, there's zero published research showing that downing hefty amounts of protein—specifically, up to 1.27 grams per pound of body weight a day—damages healthy kidneys.

The bottom line: As a rule of thumb, shoot to eat your target body weight in grams of protein daily. For example, if you're a chubby 200 pounds and want to be a lean 180, then have 180 grams of protein a day. Likewise if you're a skinny 150 pounds but want to be a muscular 180.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/food_myths/High_Protein_is_Harmful.php#ixzz2aMJFj1U6

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I really haven't implemented cardio yet and haven't lost too much weight pounds wise. I still train my legs and abs with kicks, body squats, and lunges and will continue to do so until my wrist is fully healed. I have also been training with Frank Zane's vacuum pose 2-3x times a day to strengthen the abdominal wall.

Good luck to you as well!

Then to your argument I would ask the same as well. Show me FACTS AND RESEARCH of said protein consumption quantities not absorbed fully passed ( x ) amount. Until then I have found various articles that contest your argument but none as "credible" and "factual" as the one below.....Here is an article from a LEADING authority:

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Interview: Peter Lemon, Ph.D.
The World's Primary Protein Assimilation Expert

Peter Lemon Ph.D. is considered one of- often the- leading authority on protein intake and its effects on athletes and performance. His seminal research, widely published in respected academic journals, has been used as the launching pad for numerous expert opinions, studies, and observations. He is Chairman of the Exercise Nutrition Department at The University of Western Ontario (Canada).

MM: In looking over a number of the pieces of research regarding optimal protein intake, I've noticed that's there's been a gradual increase in protein intake recommendations. Perhaps the most quoted piece for protein intake has been your piece for the American Physiological Society, Protein Requirements and Muscle Mass/Strength Changes During Intensive Training in Novice Bodybuilders (Journal of Applied Physiology, 1992; 73[2]: p767-775). The funny thing I've noticed is that even the people opposed to higher protein for athletes may take out selected portions of your research to support their arguments. But you're clear about recommended protein intakes for both beginning body builders and advanced bodybuilders, which are rather high compared to what many others have suggested, even when they use you as a resource. You've suggested 1.4 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day (.6 to .73 grams of protein per pound) as an overall template. Your friend and sometime research partner Tarnopolsky, suggests that even higher amounts seem useful for elite weightlifters when he studied advanced lifters who were taking 2.2 to 3.5 protein grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day (editor's note: using this as an example, abbreviations hereafter will be 2.2 - 3.5 pg/k [protein grams per kilogram of bodyweight]; to get the grams of protein per pound, divide the number of grams of protein per kilogram by the 2.2 pounds contained in each kilogram. For example, 2.2 to 3.5 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight equals 1 to 1.6 grams per pound [2.2 divided by 2.2 =1; 3.5 divided by 2.2 = 1.5909, or 1.6]). So what we're getting is that the latest research seems now to support anecdotal information related by elite bodybuilders and powerlifters: That somewhere in excess of a gram per pound of body weight is substantiated and optimal.

Dr. Lemon: Well, yes. We have collaborated with Mark Tarnopolsky, and our data clearly suggests that protein requirements are greater for active individuals ---whether they're bodybuilders or other athletes ---than the official dietary recommendations in either Canada or The United States. But, if you look at these requirements, they were derived from people who were essentially sedentary. In other words, the existing requirements were derived from a different population than we're talking about now. We need to look at the data for active people that has come out recently, and that's what both Mark and I have been doing. We've used a couple of different techniques. One is the nitrogen balance technique, which is what's used to determine the requirements classically, and also some newer techniques that involve metabolic tracers which allow you to follow where a labeled amino acid goes when you give it to an individual, either through injection or through diet. You can then make estimates of the rate muscle is developing by measuring protein synthesis. It's kind of interesting, because if you give more amino acids or more protein in the diet than is necessary what happens is the excess is not stored in the body as muscle, but is oxidized: used by the body as energy, and so you can tell when you have exceeded the amount that an individual needs. When we do those studies with bodybuilders we come up with numbers that exceed existing recommendations by about 100%. The current recommendation is .8 grams per kilo of bodyweight for all adults, but we're coming up with 1.5 -1.7, depending on the study and the technique used. So, I think at this point there will be some debate, relative to the exact amount required, but there is a greater need for protein for these types of individuals. A few years ago I visited McMaster University, where Mark Tarnopolsky is, and we conducted several experiments. One involved giving differing amounts of protein and studying the amount of protein synthesis using these metabolic tracers. The athletes received .9 pg/k bodymass; 1.4 pg/k; and 2.4 pg/k. The interesting thing was when the bodybuilders went from .9 to 1.4 there was actually an increase in their rate of protein syntheses. So, in other words, their muscle development was adversely affected by the .9 pg/k.

MM: But not by the 1.4 pg/k ?

Dr. Lemon: Exactly. Their protein synthesis rate was higher at the 1.4 pg/k level. This would indicate 1.4 pg/k was closer to what they need to consume than the .9 pg/k, which has been the universal recommendation. So this would clearly suggest that if you consume the current recommendation and you're a bodybuilder, your results are going to be sub-optimal.

MM: What happened when the consumption went from 1.4 pg/k to 2.4 pg/k?

Dr. Lemon: That's really interesting, because protein synthesis did not increase further. This suggests that at least in that population, the 2.4 pg/k exceeded the optimal amount of protein. So, we concluded that somewhere between 1.4 pg/k and 2.4g/k would be optimal. That fits in with some of the other work we've done with other measures, such as the nitrogen balance technique that indicates an intake of about 1.6 pg/k to 1.7 pg/k is optimal. If that's all correct ---and you'll get a debate from some people because some of this work is fairly new ---then it means that bodybuilders may be correct in their interpretation that their protein needs are higher, but they're not as high as they think they are. As you mentioned earlier, many of them consume diets in excess of 2 grams per kilogram, which would appear to be excessive. I'm not sure exactly why that would be the case, but I have 2 possible explanations. One is that if you were taking other substances that were anabolic ---and certainly some bodybuilders do that, taking substances and drugs that might enhance protein synthesis ---then the higher protein intakes may be advantageous under those conditions. That's one possibility. Another possibility is that there is some sort of feed forward system if you're on a high protein diet for a longer period of time than we've studied. Then that stimulates muscle growth. These studies that we do are typically over a few weeks or perhaps a month, That's because the controls we need are difficult to maintain for that time or longer. But athletes clearly train for years. But you put some one on a 3 pg/k diet per day for years and there may be some long-term changes, so it's going to take a while to sort all of this out. But I'm convinced that these individuals benefit from higher than recommended intakes.

Currently I'm recommending 1.6 pg/k to 1.8 pg/k because I think that's optimal, based on what we've seen so far. Also, protein is expensive, and if you're simply excreting the excess, there's no need to take in so much. Until we get data suggesting that 2.5 pg/k or 2.7 pg/k is beneficial, I'm not going to make that recommendation.

MM: You talk about wondering why they would perhaps increase their protein intake, and what has been demonstrated to be optimal, and I think you hit on 2 really interesting points: One is the use of steroids, or prohormones or androgens to up the muscle mass. The second, which I see as going hand in hand with many bodybuilders, is that we're almost in an obsessive compulsive disorder where we would prefer to err on the "safe" side; the "safe" side being taking in enough protein to handle our muscle-building needs. This may not be safe at all.

Dr. Lemon: You have to remember that this response may be linear, as many bodybuilders assume. Increasing dietary protein may improve muscle growth up to some point, and then there may be a ceiling point or plateau. Beyond that there may actually be some adverse effects. I know what you mean: if 1.6 pg/k or 1/.7 pg/k is good, then 2.5 pg/k or 3.0 pg/k must be better. Right? In fact, it may not be. It may be good to go from .9 pg/k to 1.8 pg/k or so ---whatever that optimum is ---but after that there may be no more gain, with this possible exception: Unless you're ingesting another anabolic agent that may allow you to benefit from more protein. But we have not done those types of studies. However, some of the studies from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe have shown some benefits from very high protein intakes.

MM: Just how high are we talking about?

Dr. Lemon: We're talking about going from 2 grams to over 3 grams. Some of these studies are not translated very well, and some are almost anecdotal in their style, so we don't know how accurate they are. But that's where a lot of the bodybuilders get their information, because that's where strength athletes were very, very successful. I'm not sure all of that is factual; certainly we haven't seen benefits to protein intakes that high in individuals training and consuming a normal diet.

MM: That seems to be almost a universal lament, that these reports tend to be so heavily anecdotal, or using samples groups that are either very small or leave out the influences of many variables, and are really anecdotal in methodology.

Dr. Lemon: A lot of it was secretive. They were obviously using it for their own benefit. But I think they also used it as a technique to confuse people in the West. Rumors would intentionally or unintentionally surface, and they would make no attempt to refute them. They just let you believe that. There's no reason to believe their science is any better than ours; in fact, ours is much better than theirs ever was, because we have devoted so much more money to this research and technology. But they certainly applied the knowledge that either they obtained, or we obtained, to their athletes much better than we did ---perhaps to the detriment of the individual athletes themselves.

MM: You mentioned the downside of excess protein intake, and foremost in my mind is kidney damage. Let's say that a bodybuilder wants to err ---if indeed it is erring ---on the side of increased protein intake. What can they do to protect or minimize potential adverse effects of excess protein?

Dr. Lemon: Most of the adverse effects cited routinely, and kidney damage is certainly near the top of the list, I believe is overstated in the healthy individual. Certainly, if you look at research literature that deals with people with abnormal renal function or disease, high protein intakes can be hazardous. But I'm not aware of any data ---and I've looked throughout the literature ---suggesting that a healthy kidney cannot handle the type of protein loads we're talking about. The major concern (of excessive protein intake) would be from a dehydration standpoint. In order to metabolize, say, 2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, a lot more nitrogen needs to be excreted from the body. And that gets excreted primarily in the urine. Typically, what happens when you dramatically increase your protein intake, is that the urine volume goes up substantially. We've measured increases of 2 to 4 times on a high protein diet. If increased water loss goes on routinely and one doesn't attempt to compensate for it, one would become progressively dehydrated. This could become a problem, particularly for athletes who have excessive fluid losses due to sweating. One of the things that you commonly see recommended for individuals on high protein diets is increased fluid intake. There's also concern about calcium losses, and it's affect on osteoporosis, which is a serious bone debilitating disease, primarily in women. But there have been some studies that have shown protein supplements in high dosages can increase calcium loss in the urine, and that calcium loss will come, eventually, from bones and affect bone density. So I think the jury is still out on the potential of that problem. However, this concern may also be overemphasized, because the studies that showed this seemed to involve people who took protein supplements, rather than those who increased protein intake via food sources. So it may have something to do with the composition of the protein that was consumed. Certainly, because of the problem of osteoporosis, which is huge in the older population, we need to study this, because I would hate to see 20 or 30-year-old bodybuilders in 2 or 3 decades having bone problems due to high protein intake.
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The article continues but I also found this research paper by the same scientist that outlines this below:

"These studies indicate that for physically active individuals daily protein intake needs could be as high as 1.6–1.8 g/kg (about twice the current recommendation)."


source: http://jacn.manchester-mcmexpo.net/content/19/suppl_5/513S.full


Hopefully this adds some clarification and thanks for your reply!