In my 20-30s, I was a long distance cyclist which required a high carb diet and I had persistent belly fat. Now I primarily lift weights and eat a high protein diet and I have lost all the belly fat and as an added bonus, my posture is no longer perma-hunched.

Which version of you would have done better at something like... running around with your kids at the park? Or running a mile to catch a train?

My main point is that defined abs and a giant chest and arms have little to do with health and performance, but the body-building culture has convinced us all that they do. It got ridiculous in the 90s when Arnold and Stallone were portrayed as heroes good at everything due to their big muscles, when the reality was that Arnold needed help wiping his own ass when he was at his biggest.

But if your goal is attracting a mate or intimidating other males bench press and bicep curls are your path.

I am also coming from a place as someone who hit 315 on bench in my mid 20s but felt like an old man.

Technically, I would have been far more injury prone running during my cycling days because of the terrible imbalances due to "mono sporting" as a cyclist. And I am not a musclebound gym rat now either. I spend more of my exercise time walking than anything else these days.

Not trying to sidestep your point here though and I understand and agree with what you are getting at re: over focus on lifting.

Eating too much protein is quite difficult if it's not processed. The same goes for fat. It's why people can lose a lot of weight quickly on the keto diet. You put on weight or feel hungry when eating carbs because they can't satiate your hunger.

I don't kid myself. I know the feeling of being hungry when I'm supposedly full. I know the feeling of being sleepy after a big lunch. If you stop eating carbs you get neither of those things.

The obsession with protein is rooted in the fact that your body hungers for protein, and eating whey protein is definitely not the healthiest way to consume it.