Protein and muscle health expert debunks the 30/30 rule, and says this is what matters most

A photo of a man in the gym with strong abs.

When I first heard about the 30/30 or 30/30/30 rule (depending on who you speak to), I must admit, it nearly hooked me. The method, which recently gained significant traction among the fitness community and those looking to build muscle and lose fat, involves consuming 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, followed by 30 minutes of "steady" exercise.

However, any exercise trend that takes off on TikTok probably shouldn’t be taken at face value. As a personal trainer, I dived into the rule and drew my own conclusions — rooted in some truth, but also hyped up for marketing purposes.