On December 5, 2025, former Olympia competitor-turned-coach George Farah argued against what he called" the biggest lie in bodybuilding," which is protein intake.

"For decades, we were told to eat an immense amount of protein. One gram per pound or more. Two, three, four grams per pound bodyweight,” said Farah. However, Farah always believed that athletes didn't need so much protein.

Kai Green's coach referred to a meta-analysis that found far lower amounts of protein intake yielded similar results. "The sweet spot for bodybuilding muscles is only about 1.62 grams, to be exact, of protein per kilo, not pound,” he said in the video. “What I'm trying to tell you is that so that's basically less than half of what most bodybuilders choking down nowadays," he added.

For instance, someone weighing 175 pounds needs roughly 130 grams. "Beyond that number, studies show zero extra benefit for muscle growth," said George Farah.

George Farah has led by example

In the same Instagram reel, the former pro explained that he used a lower amount of protein during his contest prep back in the day.

"I stood on the Olympia stage, competing against the best in the world, eating less protein than most of today's influencers recommend, and I still manage to you know build an elite muscles," said George Farah.

During his prime in the mid 2000s, Farah competed in top bodybuilding shows. Some of his best performances came in the 2005 Mr. Olympia, where he placed 12th among legends like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler.

Farah believes he could compete with some of the best to ever do it, not because he loaded up on protein. "Real growth comes from smart training recovery balance, and the right nutrients, not drowning yourself in protein shakes," argued the former pro.

Yet, what do you think about the bodybuilding coach's take on protein intake? Give us your take in the comments.

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi