Charlotte - Did you see this on the Open Forum? Someone asked about too much protein being bad for you (which I've been told by my sis who's a dietician before). I just thought of you cuz I know you're currently trying to build. I copied this from the post:
Excessive protein is more of a problem than not enough protein. In fact, in studies that have tested for adequate protein intake (to see if subjects remain in positive nitrogen balance), it's difficult for researchers to come up with a diet that offers too little protein, unless it is based on junk food or citrus fruits.
Excess protein (as in the amounts most Americans get, not even counting the Atkins people) stresses the kidneys, leads to an acidic condition of the body that can leach alkaline minerals (calcium, magnesium, all of the ones that are essential for bone health) from the bones or take them from what is ingested so the body doesn't absorb them, and can compromise the immune system (according to Andrew Weil, a well-respected complimentary medicine expert). Animal proteins are particularly acidifying because of the sulfur-containing amino acids they contain in greater quantity than plant proteins.
While protein is important, it is often overemphasized (depending on what diet people are trying to sell at the moment, or what profit losses the meat and dairy industry is having, so it seems). The RDA for protein is based on average human needs, DOUBLED as safety factor. There is no need to get more than that.
For exercise recovery, it's important to replenish glycogen stores soon after exercise, in order to reverse the catabolic (breaking down) process the body is going through. A perfect after-workout feeding has about 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein. See here:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/Nutrition_articles.asp?id=627&page=3
Extra protein may be necessary for those who are looking for humungous, abnormally large muscles (ie: male body builders, who are hardly a model for good HEALTH), but endurance athletes, like ultramarathon runners who run more than 100 miles in a race, eat a carb-heavy diet.
Most populations that enjoy good health eat from 55-70% of their calories from carbohydrates (whole food carbs, not processed carbs).
