165: More Than Muscle: The Protein Conversation

**Nick Bare** (0:00)
Well, guys, we've done it. You've been asking for years, and over these last couple months, we have been working on the product you've been asking for, which is a grass-fed whey protein isolate, offered in two delicious flavors, fudge chocolate and vanilla, which goes live today, March 16th, 2026, 10 a.m. Central Standard Time at bpnsubs.com.
All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of the podcast. Today, we're talking protein, everything about protein. And the working title of this episode is More Than Muscle, The Protein Conversation. Now, I'm a big fan, advocate, consumer, producer, all things of protein. Protein has been foundational for much of my life, for at least the last 18, almost 20 years now. But I think a lot of people get protein wrong, and they think that it is just a muscle building supplement or macronutrient, but it is much greater. It is much more important, it is much larger than that.
And that is my hopes in this protein conversation today. Now, in preparation for the podcast that I record, I do a lot of prep work. I do a lot of research. I'll listen to audio books. I'll read research papers. I'll listen to podcasts, read books, take notes, all the things, because I want to come into these episodes prepared to share accurate information, but also in a way that is easy to understand, consumable and interesting. And I'll be honest, as I listen to a bunch of different podcast episodes and listen to some sections of audio books from very educated individuals, very smart, they know their stuff, they've conducted research studies on their own. I found that a lot of the information about protein out there was almost just too much. It was over complicated, too much in certain parts of the science, and it lost me. And I just became uninterested because it wasn't applicable to me. And hopefully, this podcast conversation, discussion around protein is applicable to you. Now, there's some key takeaways. We'll just go really high level. One, protein is really important. I hope if you don't know that right now, by the end of this episode and this conversation, you realize protein is really important. And we should try to get in a lot of protein, probably more protein than we are consuming on a regular basis right now, on a daily basis. So number one, protein is important. Protein is, it's, it's really, I don't know how to drive that home any more meaningfully. It's really important. Number two, protein functions very differently in the body compared to carbohydrates and fats. Now, carbohydrates and dietary fat, these can normally act as fuel sources. Carbohydrates, which break down into glucose, are readily available energy sources, but both carbohydrates and fats can act as energy sources. Short-term, term, and long-term. Protein can be an energy source, but it is a very inefficient energy source. It is mainly used to build structures, maintain the integrity of muscle, of enzymes, hormones, many different things. So, protein is important. Number one. Number two, it functions very differently compared to the other primary macronutrients being carbohydrates and fats. And number three, if you don't take anything else away from this episode, hit your protein goals on a daily basis. Choose quality, nutrient-dense sources and lift weights. Incorporate resistance training into your regularly scheduled training program. You will build muscle, you will feel better, and you will set your life up for success, not just for performance and body composition goals, but for longevity.
You know, if you look at the people who are living long lives, and not just years on their life, but quality of years, the later they get into their lifetime, the more they age. If you look at the people who are really still getting after it, they prioritize protein, they work out, they move their bodies, they train, resistance training. They have muscle. That will add not just years on your life, but quality of years on your life, not just for you selfishly, but for the time and quality of time you can spend with other people, traveling with your family, playing with your grandkids, all of the things. And you might not be thinking of that right now if you are in your 20s or 30s or even 40s, but that time's coming and it's coming faster than any of us want it to. The best way we can set ourselves up for success, hit our protein goals, choose quality nutrient dense sources and lift your weights. Okay. Now protein. Protein is more than muscle.
I think when most people think protein, if you close your eyes and you say the word protein to yourself, what comes to mind? It might be one of those old school bodybuilding magazines. It might be just this jacked, pumped guy or girl in the gym. Maybe the classic Venice Gold's gym, golden era of bodybuilding nostalgia.