When it comes to maintaining or building lean muscle, most people immediately think of protein. And if we allow ourselves to be seduced by Instagram influencers, we’d be shovelling protein bars and shakes around the clock!
Yes, getting enough protein is important - it provides the raw materials your body needs to repair and grow. But protein is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle. It’s also important to consider quality over quantity.
If you’ve ever wondered why simply adding more protein doesn’t automatically mean more muscle, here’s why:
1. Insulin sensitivity matters.
Muscles need insulin to absorb and use nutrients effectively. If your body is insulin resistant, nutrients get shuttled into fat storage instead of into your muscles. Improving insulin sensitivity through diet, exercise and managing visceral fat is essential for muscle health.
2. Mitochondria are your energy engines.
Strong, efficient mitochondria help you produce the energy needed for recovery and performance. When they’re sluggish, your energy drops, your recovery slows, and muscle growth is compromised.
3. Inflammation is the enemy of recovery.
Chronic inflammation, often linked with visceral fat, interferes with muscle repair. Reducing inflammation through diet, lifestyle, and stress management sets the stage for better muscle health.
4. Stress and HRV tell the story.
Your heart rate variability (HRV) is a window into how well your body is handling stress. High stress, low HRV and elevated cortisol all work against muscle repair. Managing stress through lifestyle choices is just as important as your training plan.
5. Progressive strength training is non-negotiable.
Without progressive overload, muscle simply won’t adapt. Your body needs the signal that it’s time to grow stronger. Protein alone won’t do that - training does.
6. Sleep and intermittent fasting boost your growth hormone.
Most repair happens at night, during deep sleep. Miss out on quality rest and you block one of your most powerful muscle-building tools. Intermittent fasting also provides your body with a surge of growth hormone, protecting your lean muscle and stimulating growth and repair.
The bottom line:
Hi quality protein – specifically that high in leucine - is a vital ingredient, but it’s not the recipe. Lean muscle is the result of a system that includes insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial health, reduced inflammation, stress balance, progressive strength training, and restorative sleep. When all of these elements work together, that’s when you see real results - not just in muscle, but in overall health and resilience.
After four decades as a fitness professional and international competitor, I can tell you with certainty: muscle is built by a lifestyle, not by one nutrient.
