intake if you exercise regularly (exercise is a core part of the Perfect 10 Diet to
boost growth hormone production). As a matter of fact, most people need only
15 percent protein in their daily diet.
However, there are exceptions on the Perfect 10 Diet. For individuals who are
involved in heavy anaerobic activities, such as body builders and others who are
involved in weight lifting, the Perfect 10 Diet can be adjusted to include more
protein.
If you are a guy who is doing a lot of anaerobic activity and wants to build big
muscles, you should consume 25 or even 30 percent of your daily caloric intake
from protein. This amount won’t harm your thyroid or your health, because all
the excess protein will be used to build muscles. The rest of your macronutrients
should come from carbs and fat. A good equation would be 40 percent
carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 35 percent fat, because getting 20 percent
of your calories from protein may not be enough.
In other words, your protein requirement on the Perfect 10 Diet depends on
you—your physical build and your activity level. That’s what a flexible,
versatile diet like the Perfect 10 Diet is all about. It’s custom-tailored because
everybody’s activity level is different, and it can vary from time to time,
depending on your exercise routine. If you’re a body builder, this diet is perfect,
and if you’re a sedentary senior citizen, this diet is also perfect. The Perfect 10
Diet has two optional snacks in case you work out regularly and want to focus
on building muscle.
There are multiple formulas to determine your body’s protein requirements,
and they can be complicated. I like to use a simple and practical formula: if
you’re sedentary, eat protein in 1 to 2 of your 3 daily meals. If you are involved
in some exercise or anaerobic training, such as working out 2 to 3 times a week,
eat protein in 2 to 3 meals. If you are involved in heavy weight lifting, eat
protein in all your 3 meals and maybe in one of your snacks. Isn’t that easy?
Most people require 50 to 160 grams of protein daily, and the rest should come
from carbs and fat. Remember, your protein requirement on the Perfect 10 Diet
depends on your activity level. Twenty percent of total calories is the average
requirement needed for most people on the Perfect 10 Diet in combination with a
moderate exercise program.
Protein Sources
The protein sources I recommend are based on the protein itself rather than the
amount of fat or cholesterol the food may contain. This is because saturated fat
and cholesterolrich foods have no relationship to heart disease. While no protein