A fitness fitness expert has slammed a popular fitness diet as 'vomitious' and 'dirty' in a scathing attack.
Diet crazes come and go, but the diet du jour has met with serious criticism from a professional fitness instructor who has worked with some of Hollywood's most famous names.
This diet is of course the protein diet, which holds that its adherents should supercharge the amount of protein they eat each day in bid to increase their muscle mass.
Protein is an essential building block of the body, but the protein heavy diets - known as 'protein-maxxing' - go far beyond the daily 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, around 54g for someone weighing 150lbs, to as much as 100g a day.
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For context, according to CNET this is the equivalent of four eggs, a can of tuna, three beef meatballs, 2 ounces of turkey bacon and 3 ounces of turkey breast.
Fitness expert Tracy Anderson has worked with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow, and it's safe to say she's not a fan.
Speaking to The Cut, Anderson, who favours a vegan diet, said: “Eating 100 grams of animal protein a day? It is vomitous to me.
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"It’s dirty, and it’s bad for the environment, and it’s harmful to the animal, and the people, in my opinion, look terrible.”
Anderson went on to explain that she no longer eats red meat.
“I’ve been vegan a couple of different times in my life, and I will never eat a four-legged animal again,” she said.
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“When I was on world tours with Madonna, I had young Thai coconuts shipped to me wherever I was, and I was hacking them off with a machete and drinking them.”
Of course while eating red meat is definitely bad for the environment, having Thai coconuts delivered to you around the globe probably isn't great for the environment either.
However, when it comes to protein consumption having too much, as with the vast majority of things, can absolutely be bad for you - it's the dose that makes the poison.
For example, consuming too much protein can change the composition of your pee, which over time can put you at a higher risk of kidney stones.
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And let's face it, everyone grimaces at the mere thought of having to pass a kidney stone.
But it's not just that, as getting your protein from red meat also sees a higher intake of saturated fat, which can increase your risk of heart disease.
While a medium rare ribeye can be a tasty treat occasionally, you don't need to be gnawing at something's flesh every day to get the protein your body needs.
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Other easy and tasty sources include beans and pulses such as chickpeas, as well as nuts, grains, and tofu.
Word by Kit Roberts
The FOODbible Team