Hello, dearest friend of Dunk Day! Thanks for joining us on another Phase Two topic.
Today we’re talking protein, and I must confess, this is the most out-of-my-element topic we’ve talked through. I will add any and all necessary disclaimers that talking about nutrition can be hard for some people, and that I am very fortunate that I have never had to seriously watch what I eat. I think I eat fine, but I’ve never had to count calories or consciously think about what I’m eating and I know that is a luxury not afforded to everyone. I’m also fortunate to be in a position where I can play with my diet and that is another luxury I don’t take for granted.
Here are my takeaways from this chat and from implementing this into my life:
Tracking calories/protein/anything food related is a commitment. I tracked what I ate for nearly a week and went through three apps before even finding a free offering that made it easy to do, and that was before I tracked a single meal. Big props to anyone that has ever done this!
This is the most gymbro thing I’ve done in pursuit of a dunk. Seems like this topic is inescapable and I like to think I’m barely on social media. I’m happy in my own weird little lane of the gym, not seeking hella gains, but at the same time…
My physical gains through the last year+ have felt consistent but if there’s a chance I’m leaving anything on the table that could be solved outside the gym, I’m all over it.
170g of protein is…a lot.
On the flip side, it isn’t actually as bad as it would seem to hit that target. For example, when I go into the office, I tend to get takeout for lunch, and a Chipotle bowl with double chicken is about 80g of protein. Nearly halfway there with just one meal! Similarly, I’m replacing my Potbelly order with the highest protein option, the grilled chicken club. If I can’t work it all in through my meal choices, there are little “snacks” like the Fairlife protein shake at 30g that can get me there. How do I get Fairlife to sponsor Dunk Day?
I’ve only been on this journey for about a month, so I have no idea if I’m going about this right way long term. My future sister-in-law, who studied as a nutritionist, was a little concerned about my kidneys when she heard this protein goal, so stay tuned for my next physical (this is a joke, we don’t do HIPAA violations at Dunk Day).
As Coach Doctor Andrew said, we’re talking about a sample size of one, far from statistically significant if I remember anything from my stats days in college. I think I did alright in that class, for the record. So, don’t go making any changes in search of your own gains based on what you heard/read on Dunk Day!
Full transparency, dearest reader, this has not been my favorite topic or change in my life on this ridiculous quest to dunk a basketball. But this wasn’t going to be all fun and games (or mobility and jumping) so it’s okay to add something in I’m not as fired up about. Let me add that topic four was by far my favorite and I can’t wait to share it with you soon! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic, any prior Phase Two topics, or even what you think about the “podcast” style we went with for Phase Two, so hit up the comments below!
Thanks, as always, for jammin with me. We’ll conclude the Phase Two discussion in the next post, keep an eye out for it!
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