If your social feeds look anything like mine, you’ve probably noticed the same algorithmic chant: one gram of protein per pound of body weight or you’re doomed to noodle-arm oblivion. Deputy editor Marina Bolotnikova’s new Future Perfect feature, pointedly titled “You’re being lied to about protein,” blows that bro-science straight out of the squat rack — and it’s a delight to watch the myth crumble in slow motion, like a barbell dropped without clips.
Marina walks us through the actual research and shows that muscle gains plateau at a much lower number of grams of protein per pound — meaning the average lifter can retire their daily triple-scoop sludge without sacrificing their gainz . Even better? You can hit those numbers with lentils, tofu, and the occasional Impossible burger; study after study finds plant and animal proteins build muscle equally well — much to the horror of influencer culture that sees beans as leg-day betrayal.
The piece isn’t just a science lesson. It’s a reminder that the stories we tell ourselves about food have real-world consequences: for our wallets, our arteries, and, yes, the planet and the animals on it. That’s classic Vox journalism — evidence-driven, skeptical, and willing to ask whether the pursuit of a bigger biceps peak is worth torching the climate (spoiler: probably not).
If reporting that clears the fog of fitness fads — and, frankly, lets you reclaim precious fridge space from an army of Greek yogurt tubs — matters to you, I hope you’ll consider becoming a Vox Member today. Your support keeps journalists like Marina chasing facts instead of macros, and it lets us keep publishing stories that separate real science from protein-powder puffery.
Thanks for reading (and for lifting responsibly).
—Bryan Walsh, editorial director
