If you’ve been on TikTok the last few weeks, there’s little chance you missed the “protein bor” craze. Like most other TikTok trends, you were probably a little puzzled before soon getting up to speed and then — as is usually the case — totally, irreversibly immersed.
For those not in the know, “protein bor” refers to Irish fitness TikToker James Doyle, or Protein Bor Papi, as some users have ordained him. Hailing from County Westmeath in Ireland, he reviews protein bars and other workout snacks in a thick Mullingar accent. The rest, as they say, is history.
We’d have been daft to pass up the opportunity to meet someone so passionate about protein bars, so we invited James over to Myprotein HQ for an exclusive chat about how he came to be a universally beloved meme.
Meaning of protein bor
The first question on our mind was an obvious one. What on earth is a “protein bor”?
James's accent can be impenetrably thick to the unacquainted. To many people on TikTok, he pronounces protein bar as “bor”. This, basically, is why he went viral. There’s not much more to it.
Where did protein bor come from?
We may now know what protein “bor” actually is, but we still have a few questions. First, what encouraged him to start tasting and rating protein bars?
“I was just doing it for craic. I started by doing a protein shake. One day I bought one and I went to drink it and I was in the van on my own. Up until then I didn't really do any audio videos. I didn't do any talking. And so I was like: ‘I’ll just go for it.’“And I put up that video of me trying the shake. And it took off. So I was like surely I can do these for bars too. So I started doing protein bars and I kept doing them and they just kept going up in views.”
What makes a good protein bar?
If anyone knows what makes a good protein bar, it’s James. But his reviewing criteria is surprisingly simple.
“If it tastes like it's not a protein bar, it's a good protein bar, basically.”
Genius.
What’s his favourite protein bar?
We’ve got them all — Crispy Wafers, Baked Cookies, Layered Bars, Crispy Layered Bars, Impact Bars, and many more. But which is the favourite of the newly crowned protein bar connoisseur?
“Well, I’ve tried a good few now, as you could imagine. I had one of those Baked Cookies today. That was cool. I had that for breakfast this morning. But in terms of bars, I liked the White Chocolate Peanut Crispy Layered Bar. It’s one I keep a keen eye on. The Impact Bars are very good as well. I really do like them.”
James opted for a certified classic for his favourite supplement.
“My favourite supplement is definitely creatine. I know it's very bog standard. And in terms of protein, I love Clear Whey Isolate. I had the Peach Iced Tea, absolutely deadly. I absolutely love it. I used to buy the normal one in the shops, but getting one with protein in is so much better. The Mojito Clear Whey Isolate as well is absolutely to die for.”
While James’s supplement choice is pretty standard, he doesn’t follow the crowd with his workout routine.
“I don't do push, pull, legs. When I go to the gym, I like to make sure that the muscle group I'm working is dead to the bone. If I go to train chest, I want my chest to be falling off.“My workout split right now is chest and triceps on a Monday. Then I have shoulder back and triceps on Tuesday and then legs on Wednesday. And I repeat that, with some days off. I like to do individual muscle groups. I just feel it gives a better mind-muscle connection.”
Take home message
He’s risen to TikTok fame in next to no time, but he sure knows what he’s talking about when it comes to protein bars. Sorry, I should say protein bors.
For more reviews delivered in a cracking Irish accent, you can find James on TikTok at
After completing an internship with Myprotein, Emily returned to university to finish her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Marketing.
With experience in lifestyle writing, Emily aims to entertain and educate through her work. Her focuses include recipes, real and inspiring stories, and working with writers to help provide easy-to-digest evidence-based research.
Her work on recipes has been previously featured in The Supplement magazine, with a particular focus on high-protein, nutritious meals, plus advice on how to properly fuel your body.
Outside of work, Emily’s top priority is food. She’s a self-professed star baker and a connoisseur of all things baked. In her spare time, she’s either cooking up a storm, our looking out for the opportunity to try out Manchester’s newest restaurants. But as a huge fan of carbs, if it’s not pasta or pasta-adjacent, she’s not interested.
If she’s not in the kitchen, she’s tucked up with a book for an early night, or you’ll find her in the gym working up a sweat. Afterall, all those carbs require quite the appetite.
