A Doctor Defeated by Chicken Ham Reveals the Truth About Protein: A Complete Guide to Protein to Stop 'Drinking It Just Because'

Who are you drinking that 'protein' for?

Open Instagram and it flows by again today.

'Morning routine🌿 Beautiful body with protein!'
'That girl is drinking it too✨ The trending protein'
'Get your ideal body just by drinking it! Monitor price for a limited time only'

Hey...Are you working out?

If you aren't, that protein is, unfortunately,just calories.

I'm sorry. But I'm telling you because it's the truth.

There is no magic powder. There is no powder that makes you lose weight just by drinking it, nor is there a powder that builds muscle just by drinking it, in this world.

However—the interesting part of today's story is that it's not 'all a lie.' Let me start with my own grand failure story.

The road to describing protein as vomit

A while ago, during a period when I wasn't exercising, I tried my hand at protein for the purpose of a 'meal replacement diet' (I am someone who has made every possible mistake, as usual).
Also, being simple-minded,
I had this mysterious image like 'dieting girl = protein!'

A brand produced by a certain YouTuber was on sale due to a product change, so I bought strawberry and chocolate flavors.

I drank it.

...It tasted like vomit.

This isn't a problem with my vocabulary. It really tasted like that.

I thought, 'Maybe I can eat it if I freeze it and make it into ice cream,' so I tried it. That's called creativity.

...Yeah, it was too much like vomit, so it was impossible.

Since I had no choice, I gave it to my mother, who was having trouble because she had lost weight as she aged. My mother drank it without a single complaint. My mother is tough.

The protein shaker is now used as a measuring cup.
It's a convenient size for drinking a little barley tea.

Now that I've started training for my first full marathon, as for protein—I'm not drinking it.

I still haven't shaken the trauma of how bad it tasted.
Instead, I've been diligently buying chicken breast and making chicken ham.
It's delicious. It's the best. I make it every week.
It tasted incredibly better when I made it with Costco chicken breast. If anyone wants the recipe (though it's barely a recipe), let me know.

That said, it's still that thing that lets you get protein easily.
Even though I've parted ways with it, it's still something I'm curious about.

To begin with, what exactly is 'protein'?

Protein is a supplement made of powdered protein.

Protein is an essential nutrient for survival, serving as the building block for all tissues in the body, including muscles, organs, skin, hair, and nails.

The recommended daily intake is about 50g for adult women and about 65g for adult men.

…So, how much is this? If we convert it into familiar foods, it looks like this.

Protein content per serving of food. For a woman's daily requirement (50g)...
Oikos (Plain, unsweetened) 1 cup, approx. 13g → approx. 4 cups
Salad chicken, 1 pack, approx. 20g → approx. 2.5 packs
Chicken ham (200g, 1 piece), approx. 46g → almost enough with 1 piece
Firm tofu (1 block, 300g), approx. 21g → approx. 2.5 blocks
Silken tofu (1 block, 300g), approx. 16g → a little over 3 blocks
Natto (1 pack, 45g), approx. 7.4g → approx. 7 packs

7 packs of natto. If you eat that every day, your family will be put off.

Looking at this table, many people will realize, 'Maybe I'm not getting enough after all.'
Women with small appetites and people on diets who are reducing their food intake need to be especially careful.

That's why I can understand why there is a demand for protein.
The problem is that the 'way of drinking' and the 'purpose' are misaligned. That's all.

There are three main types of protein.

Whey protein (derived from milk, fast absorption)
Best for quick replenishment after muscle training. 90% of the store shelves are this. A staple for the muscle training crowd.
There are also two types: WPC (concentrated, cost-performance focused) and WPI (purified, almost all lactose removed). If you have a sensitive stomach or are lactose intolerant, choose WPI.

Casein protein (derived from milk, slow absorption)
Suitable for replenishment before bedtime. A type that gradually reaches the muscles while you sleep.

Soy protein (derived from soybeans, slow absorption)
For those who are lactose intolerant or prefer plant-based options. Popular among women because it contains components similar to female hormones.

If you choose 'protein just because,' you'll end up drinking a type that is completely different from your purpose. Start by knowing the types.

What happens if you drink it without doing muscle training?

Excess protein becomes calories.

It is either converted into energy by the liver or stored as fat. Just because you drink protein, the unused portion does not automatically turn into muscle.

During the period when I was drinking protein for meal replacement diets, as for my weight—it didn't change. I will be honest.

But here is one interesting story.

Dietary Induced Thermogenesis (DIT) Do you know this concept?

It is the fact that you consume calories even when digesting and absorbing food. Moreover, the consumption rate varies significantly depending on the three major nutrients.

Calorie consumption rate during nutrient digestion
Protein → approx. 30%
Carbohydrates → approx. 6%
Fats → approx. 4%

Just by eating protein, 30% of the ingested calories are consumed.

This is the medical reason why it is said that 'protein is hard to gain weight from'.

In other words, drinking protein itself is not a complete waste in terms of calories. The only problem is that 'it won't become muscle unless you exercise'.

Then, why are there people in the world who say 'I lost weight with protein'? The truth behind that is as follows.

DHC meal replacement diet, the truth behind that theory

Something that was popular a while ago. That theory is simple.

Replace one meal (approx. 500-700 kcal) with protein (approx. 100-150 kcal) ... → calories are significantly reduced → you lose weight.

You are not losing weight through the power of protein, but simply through calorie restriction.

There is actually almost no need for it to be protein.
Theoretically, eating one meal's worth of chicken ham would have the same effect. And it's delicious.
If anything, it doesn't even have to be protein; anything that fills your stomach is fine.

Moreover, the pitfall of meal replacement diets is that you rebound the moment you stop.
While you are on extreme calorie restriction, your body enters energy-saving mode.
The moment you return to your normal diet, your energy-saving metabolism works at full capacity and you rebound.

This is the exact same structure as GLP-1, isn't it?
Dietary restrictions without an exit strategy are rebound machines.

I will hit you with the numbers. A serious comparison of chicken ham vs. protein

Chicken breast (skinless) has 23.3g of protein and 105 kcal per 100g.

One piece of chicken ham (approx. 200g) has about 46g of protein. The calories are about 210 kcal.

On the other hand, for protein, a standard whey WPC provides about 22–24g of protein per serving (approx. 30g), about 110–130kcal, and costs about 150–300 yen.

Chicken ham (200g) approx. 210kcal approx. 150–200 yen
2 servings of protein approx. 220–260kcal approx. 300–600 yen

When comparing the same amount of protein, chicken ham is cheaper, more filling, and tastier.

Due to the weak yen, whey protein prices continue to rise.
Chicken prices are also rising, but chicken ham still offers excellent value for money.

The only strength of protein is its convenience.
Just put it in a shaker and shake, it's portable, and you can drink it immediately after exercise.
The question is whether it's worth paying for this convenience.

If you're going to drink it anyway, I want you to drink it correctly.

Since we're at it, I'll also teach you the correct way to drink it.

Within 30–45 minutes after exercise is the standard (Golden Time)
This is the time when muscle synthesis is most active. If you are into strength training, drink it here. If in doubt, this is the only choice.

Morning is also effective
During sleep, you go about 8 hours without consuming protein.
By consuming enough protein at breakfast, you can prevent muscle breakdown and maintain your basal metabolism.
If your breakfast is just a sweet bun, it's worth adding protein.

Casein is the only choice before bedtime
Whey is absorbed too quickly and is not suitable for before bedtime.
If you want to supplement before bed, use casein or soy.
(Though this is really only for serious strength trainers...)

Not needed before exercise
The idea that 'drinking it before exercise gives you strength' is an urban legend.
Protein does not have an immediate effect as an energy source.
Before exercise, you should have carbohydrates instead.

Here is how to choose based on your goal:

• Quick replenishment after strength training → Whey WPC (cost-performance focus) or WPI (absorption focus)

• Lactose intolerance → Whey WPI or Soy

• Before bedtime → Casein

• Prefer plant-based → Soy

• Cost-performance focus → Whey WPC

※ Before bedtime is for those who are serious about strength training. Normal people don't need to worry about it.

👑 Something special I want to tell those using GLP-1

The following information is intended for those who are using or considering using GLP-1 (such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, or Rybelsus).

GLP-1 powerfully suppresses appetite.
Once you start using it, you will be surprised at how little you can eat.

This is the problem, and it starts a negative loop of inability to eat → protein deficiency → muscle breakdown → lower basal metabolism → rebound the moment you stop the medication.

One of the reasons I rebounded four times is exactly this.
I was so obsessed with losing weight that I neglected to consciously consume protein.

Moreover, during sleep, you go about eight hours without any protein.
If you skip breakfast because you have no appetite, muscle breakdown accelerates even further.

Especially while using GLP-1, consciously continuing to consume protein is of the utmost importance.

In terms of being able to consume it even when you have no appetite, this might be the only situation where protein is truly useful.
Even as a chicken ham expert, I might choose protein only while using GLP-1. That is how important this is.

I have written in detail here about the correct protein strategy to combine with GLP-1 and the exit strategy to prevent rebounding.

[The Truth About GLP-1 | Exit Strategy to Prevent Rebounding→]

Conclusion: The Right Way to Spend Money on Protein

To summarize.

• Protein without exercise is just calories.

• Losing weight through meal replacement diets is due to calorie restriction, not the protein itself.

• It is true that protein is 'less fattening' because it consumes 30% of its calories during digestion.

• But exercise is absolutely necessary to build muscle.

• Chicken ham is superior in cost-performance; the only strength of protein is convenience.

• Only while using GLP-1 does protein become truly important.

Please stop buying it just because an Instagrammer is drinking it.

Before that, buy chicken breast. Make chicken ham. It is delicious. You don't even need to give it to your mother.

As a more fundamental way to medically control appetite and metabolism, there is the option of GLP-1. I explain this in detail here, including my own failures.

Next time...

It's obvious that you'll lose weight if you don't eat.
I want to lose weight while still eating.
I'll discuss how to eat in a way that minimizes weight gain based on blood sugar control for those people.

I want to know this myself, so I'll study it and summarize it. lol

Also, tips for dealing with post-meal drowsiness ☝️

See you in two days 🌷