The pair maintained a straight face toward the camera. Across the gym, the group had progressed to lackluster dumbbell lunges.
Finally, it was time for protein. The proteinmaxxers dove onto the buffet, piling generous amounts of hummus and pieces of rotisserie chicken onto paper plates. They tore open jerky and took slices of cold cuts. The sound of protein bars being unwrapped mingled with the buzz of chatter. Someone cracked a raw egg straight into their mouth. Aitor recorded as 23-year-old Jason Paz calculated the protein content in each food item.
“Forty grams,” he states, gesturing to a rotisserie chicken breast. “Eleven grams,” he adds, pointing to one of the Chobani cups.
Photo by Sam Stone
However, even though he appeared to be a macronutrient expert, Paz was not overly focused on proteinmaxxxing. “I enjoy working out,” he shares with me. “Usually, it’s just sprinting to work. Or sprinting whenever I feel like it.” But protein? Not a big deal. “I just know I have to eat healthily, eat enough, and eat when my body signals for it.”
His indifference toward protein was not uncommon. “Protein is unpleasant,” remarks Mabi Moeng, a 22-year-old paralegal. “It crosses my mind occasionally, but I’m not obsessing over protein all day,” admits 21-year-old Jline Inez. Pen Gerow was merely passing through the area, and like many others present, he primarily attended to meet new individuals. The protein was simply an added benefit. “I was hungry,” he states. No one at the Protein Slop Potluck seemed particularly concerned about protein.
Except for Francisco Pincay, one of the few potluck attendees wearing genuine moisture-wicking workout attire, who informed me that he diligently consumes at least 170 grams of protein daily. Sometimes, that comes in the form of shakes, steaks, chicken, or fish. Other times, it involves a complete mix of protein slop: a bowl filled with whatever protein is available, some carbs, and a splash of hot sauce. “Mix it all together, and that’s the dog bowl,” he explains.
