If you have ever spent any time in Venice, California, or in Leyner’s kitchen, you might have seen someone gorging himself on obscene amounts of egg whites prior to a workout.

Protein is a very important component of the diet, especially for athletes, but the amount of protein needed is often grossly overestimated. Eating tons of extra protein doesn’t actually do much toward boosting your muscle mass and strength.

If your description of exercise is flipping channels with the remote and occasionally getting up to pee, then your protein needs are about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For a marathoner that number increases to 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram body weight. If bodybuilding is your gig, you may need up to 1.8 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. The timing of protein intake is also important. If you eat your egg whites with some carbohydrates within an hour after exercise, this combo stimulates the release of insulin and growth hormone. This leads to the growth of muscle.