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Is red meat essential for muscle mass?

UCSMiami

UCSMiami

Well-known member
Virtually gave up red meat at the commencement of quarantine on/about March 15
Maybe had 1 steak and two burgers since.
Can I substitute with protein powder and amino acid powder?
I have lost strength since gym reopened three weeks ago. Did not return to red meat in the diet. Use chicken, fish, some pork. Did not eat much protein or anything during the quarantine. Lost about 8lbs of bodyweight.
 
my friend and i bought a cow, had it butchered and now we both have 2 full freezers of red meat...i aint giving up my red meat for nothing!!!

btw-son in law is big time hunter, also have another freezer full of venison, turkey and duck...

hope that helped!!!
 
Hahahah. It is my GF who is anti-red meat. Plus no heavy lifting during quarantine meant no desire to eat especially not red meat. Back at the gym three weeks now and notice the downturn in strength. Would like to get it back quickly. If it means returning to 4x weekly red meat consumption then ok.
 
UCSMiami said:
Virtually gave up red meat at the commencement of quarantine on/about March 15
Maybe had 1 steak and two burgers since.
Can I substitute with protein powder and amino acid powder?
I have lost strength since gym reopened three weeks ago. Did not return to red meat in the diet. Use chicken, fish, some pork. Did not eat much protein or anything during the quarantine. Lost about 8lbs of bodyweight.
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The answer is no and the answer you already said in stating you didn’t eat much protein. If you aren’t keeping up macros regardless of source and training then you will lose strength and size. Macros should preferably come from Whole Foods and only use supplements like a powder as needed.
 
UCSMiami said:
Hahahah. It is my GF who is anti-red meat. Plus no heavy lifting during quarantine meant no desire to eat especially not red meat. Back at the gym three weeks now and notice the downturn in strength. Would like to get it back quickly. If it means returning to 4x weekly red meat consumption then ok.
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red meat has more than just protein...if you aren't eating red meat i would suggest creatine and carnitine supplementation.
 
Red meat is not essential, but it is a great source of zinc, b vitamins and iron. You’d have to get those elsewhere.

That said, I eat red meat daily.
 
UCSMiami said:
Hahahah. It is my GF who is anti-red meat. Plus no heavy lifting during quarantine meant no desire to eat especially not red meat. Back at the gym three weeks now and notice the downturn in strength. Would like to get it back quickly. If it means returning to 4x weekly red meat consumption then ok.
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4x per week is a lot to you???
I eat red meat at least once, sometimes twice per day 😱
 
You will put on more muscle faster with red meat than without it. Its essential if you want to make the most gains for your hard work. As a powerlifter, I always eat more beef during periods where I am testing 1 rep max. It easily accounts for 10% more strength and as a natural - the is huge.
 
Ptlhains said:
You will put on more muscle faster with red meat than without it. Its essential if you want to make the most gains for your hard work. As a powerlifter, I always eat more beef during periods where I am testing 1 rep max. It easily accounts for 10% more strength and as a natural - the is huge.
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if you look at nature predators are top of the food chain-what do predators eat?
 
I eat red meat maybe once or twice every six months and I’m moving along just fine. Turkey, pork, chicken, eggs, and vegetarian options. Never been big on red meat. Your problem seems to be more with diet and lack of training during gym closures. You’ll get it back pretty quick.
 
I personally notice a big and positive difference with a few steaks a week and beef as much as possible in my nutrition! ...I’m in the same predicament as you, lost strength and size in ‘quarantine’...It’s slowly coming back.

Especially if natural, steak/beef is about the best thing one can do 🥩

(Longhorn steakhouse and a local hibachi steak/chicken place are 2 of the things I missed most!)
 
Woody said:
I eat red meat maybe once or twice every six months and I’m moving along just fine. Turkey, pork, chicken, eggs, and vegetarian options. Never been big on red meat. Your problem seems to be more with diet and lack of training during gym closures. You’ll get it back pretty quick.
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This. Red meat over other protein sources has no correlation to better gains.
 
Woody said:
I eat red meat maybe once or twice every six months and I’m moving along just fine. Turkey, pork, chicken, eggs, and vegetarian options. Never been big on red meat. Your problem seems to be more with diet and lack of training during gym closures. You’ll get it back pretty quick.
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This. Red meat over other protein sources has no correlation to better gains.
 
If we think of it only as a protein source, then no. But if we take into account the micro nutrients (which we should) then it has a richer profile than many other protein sources. But as long as you get your daily amount of those micro nutrients you can choose the protein source that suits you best imo.
 
Bagofturdwind said:
This. Red meat over other protein sources has no correlation to better gains.
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There is a huge correlation to better gains lmao. All the main strongmen eat primarily red meat in order that they can gain and hold there gains. They have more gains than anyone has ever had gained before.
 
Ptlhains said:
There is a huge correlation to better gains lmao. All the main strongmen eat primarily red meat in order that they can gain and hold there gains. They have more gains than anyone has ever had gained before.
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Lol....
 
Ptlhains said:
There is a huge correlation to better gains lmao. All the main strongmen eat primarily red meat in order that they can gain and hold there gains. They have more gains than anyone has ever had gained before.
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There’s an enormous difference between correlation to gains and correlation to “better” gains, like I stated. You will not find an unbiased study that concludes red meat was superior at building muscle mass than other proteins when all other variables are accounted for (daily amino acid profile and macro+micro nutrients). Sure you’ll find some that find a correlation with red meat consumption and hypertrophy, but that’s not at all what we’re arguing here. If the question is, is red meat essential for best gains, the answer is absolutely not.
 
Bagofturdwind said:
There’s an enormous difference between correlation to gains and correlation to “better” gains, like I stated. You will not find an unbiased study that concludes red meat was superior at building muscle mass than other proteins when all other variables are accounted for (daily amino acid profile and macro+micro nutrients). Sure you’ll find some that find a correlation with red meat consumption and hypertrophy, but that’s not at all what we’re arguing here. If the question is, is red meat essential for best gains, the answer is absolutely not.
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I agree that you don't need red meat to make 'gains'. The results of all top strongman and my own testing is enough for me to know that its absolutely essential if you want to make more and quicker gains. If you want less gains for your effort, don't eat red meat. You will still get there, but no where near where you would have got with red meat (natural or not).
 
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Ptlhains said:
I agree that you don't need red meat to make 'gains'. The results of all top strongman and my own testing is enough for me to know that its absolutely essential if you want to make more and quicker gains. If you want less gains for your effort, don't eat red meat. You will still get there, but no where near where you would have got with red meat (natural or not).
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Scientifically and nutritionally this doesn’t make any sense. You can get the same macro and micro nutrients and calories from other food sources. Saying red meat is essential because others do it and have good results is quite the logical fallacy.

Furthermore, how can you say that red meat creates more and quicker gains? If strongman have always primarily consumed red meat, you have no basis to compare their diet or the effects of different protein sources.
 
Woody said:
Scientifically and nutritionally this doesn’t make any sense. You can get the same macro and micro nutrients and calories from other food sources. Saying red meat is essential because others do it and have good results is quite the logical fallacy.

Furthermore, how can you say that red meat creates more and quicker gains? If strongman have always primarily consumed red meat, you have no basis to compare their diet or the effects of different protein sources.
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If man do thing that work, how could other thing work?
 
Ptlhains said:
I agree that you don't need red meat to make 'gains'. The results of all top strongman and my own testing is enough for me to know that its absolutely essential if you want to make more and quicker gains. If you want less gains for your effort, don't eat red meat. You will still get there, but no where near where you would have got with red meat (natural or not).
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If you diet the same macro and calorie count and eat nothing but eggs (both whole and extra whites) and/or chicken instead of red meat you probably wont notice a difference in gains.
 
thebigt said:
my friend and i bought a cow, had it butchered and now we both have 2 full freezers of red meat...i aint giving up my red meat for nothing!!!

btw-son in law is big time hunter, also have another freezer full of venison, turkey and duck...

hope that helped!!!
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I support this message.
 
thebigt said:
damn, man you can't see the correlation between the animal world and humans?
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So you’re implying that hawks, whales, snakes, (primary predators- different ecosystems) are big because they consume met? Hawks have large skeletal mass and well whales are mostly fat.

Sure, a lion is muscular.
 
tyga tyga said:
So you’re implying that hawks, whales, snakes, (primary predators- different ecosystems) big bone structure, no muscle mass or consist of mainly fat.

Sure, a lion is muscular.
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lol....what is purpose of this post-you just wanting to argue?
 
ValiantThor08 said:
Another cow for this man on the house.
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i think a better title for this thread would be...if you don't eat red meat will you grow as much muscle or as quickly-and even that seems debatable...

for me personally i just plain like the taste and fullness i get from it.
 
thebigt said:
i think a better title for this thread would be...if you don't eat red meat will you grow as much muscle or as quickly-and even that seems debatable...

for me personally i just plain like the taste and fullness i get from it.
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I agree. My favorite meat.
 
thebigt said:
lol...planing on going on a fishing trip this weekend, hopefully i will have fish to add to my stash!!!
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I’m not the hunting type but I ran into this just a couple of days ago not far from my house. The thickness of those horns are amazing never seen it like that around me.

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Resolve10 said:
That is cool, but that is one person's situation.

I know forums like to argue some miniscule things but this thread is great. :ROFLMAO:

OP didn't ask if maybe there were some hyperminiscule benefits. If you guys are going to point things out like that it would help to have reasons why. There are vitamins and minerals (and things like types of fats and creatine etc) that are different in red meat (which is such a broad term anyways) than other proteins, but they aren't things that you can't get from a varied diet of other foods, so I don't see what is so magical about just red meat at this time.

It tastes great though and the iron is a big one for some people so occasional red meat consumption is probably a decent idea, but I'd also argue too much isn't good either. :unsure:
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Right, so everyone has 'one person's situation' or there own opinion.
 
Resolve10 said:
Or science and an understanding of how things interact and work.

Edit: I am not discounting personal experience it is important, I just think it is disingenuous to try and propose that just red meat is so important to state that you are going to miss gains from not having some. It takes away from all the other hard work and other things you and others may have done, as well as eat red meat, that has gotten them to where they/you are now.
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Again that's your opinion - from my experience and the experience with many people I have worked and trained with over the years is that you will get more gains and strength from having regular red meat in your diet. I am allowed my opinion regardless of if you think its disingenuous or not. I think people need to try things for themselves and judge there results before discounting if something works or not. I am not stating my opinion to win some argument. I am stating it based on over 40 years of training / dieting and that I would like see my fellow brothers get more from all there hard work and dedication. ty.
 
Resolve10 said:
That is cool, but that is one person's situation.

I know forums like to argue some miniscule things but this thread is great.

OP didn't ask if maybe there were some hyperminiscule benefits. If you guys are going to point things out like that it would help to have reasons why. There are vitamins and minerals (and things like types of fats and creatine etc) that are different in red meat (which is such a broad term anyways) than other proteins, but they aren't things that you can't get from a varied diet of other foods, so I don't see what is so magical about just red meat at this time.

It tastes great though and the iron is a big one for some people so occasional red meat consumption is probably a decent idea, but I'd also argue too much isn't good either. :unsure:
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Too much iron certainly can be bad. Why donating blood for men can be beneficial.
 
trubodywellness said:
Red meat provides quality protein, curbing hunger, and supporting muscle growth. It also contains conjugated linoleic acid, which takes a bite out of your belly fat. But many people have ditched red meat for poultry and fish, fearing beef's saturated fat. Again, this is a mistake.

As a rich protein source, red meat can also benefit muscle growth in people doing strength exercises
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Poultry and fish aren’t rich protein sources? Some fish are also high in healthy fats.
 
If you’re avoiding red meat for supposed negative health reasons then you have given into fear and propaganda that simply isn’t true. It’s fact that red meat is much more nutrient dense than other protein sources and if high quality than this is even more pronounced. Farmed pork, turkey, fish, chicken is quite void of nutrients and potentially full of harmful chemicals(especially pork). So if you’re just counting macros like a 20 year old meathead, then sure these sources will get your “protein” in. If you’re an adult and focused on long term health and wellness, then it’s blatantly obvious high quality red meat is at the top of the hierarchy.
 
I like to eat alot of red meat in the off season when I'm bulking up and I feel like I get a little stronger and fuller than on just poultry and fish
 
Woody said:
Poultry and fish aren’t rich protein sources? Some fish are also high in healthy fats.
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i love my red meat, but i also include poultry and fish in my diet at least 3 times a week often times more.
 
bigthug said:
I like to eat alot of red meat in the off season when I'm bulking up and I feel like I get a little stronger and fuller than on just poultry and fish
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Are you counting calories? If your not logging it it’s easy to get a few hundred calories extra a day from red meat and extra fat intake which is what really would make the difference.
 
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