Protein

 

The Truth About Protein

Eating Protein at the optimal times enhances the effects of strength training. One common misconception that most people have is that the more protein you eat, the more muscle you'll build. Actually, you need to *work* the muscle, over load it, so to speak, by regularly increasing the workload, or amount of weight you are lifting, to build strength. The exercise shreds and breaks down the muscle fibers, and the protein *helps* to repair and rebuild the fibers. Complete protein, (see below), help the body to build and repair body tissues, including muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Protein is also important for the synthesis of hormones, enzymes, and antibodies, as well as for fluid transport and energy---to a certain degree. Contrary to popular belief, protein is not a primary source of energy, unless you do not consume enough calories or carbohydrates. It is only then that protein is broken down and used for energy instead of being used for it's intended jobs. Thus, it is one of the main reasons that a low carb/high protein diet is unsafe, unhealthy, and destined for failure in the long run.  It is important to remember that excess protein is stored in the body as fat!

 

The process of reparation and rebuilding of stressed tissue gets underway before exercise even begins, when amino acids roaming the bloodstream are pulled into the muscle, priming it to heal and repair after a workout at the gym. The average person needs about 0.8 -1.0 grams of protein Per kilogram of body weight to maintain the muscle you already have. (Not to worry, it's not that complicated--- that's considering you eat normally; everything in moderation.) Protein needs for athletes will be slightly higher, about 1.5 -2.0 grams per kg of body weight.

 

Use the following formula to determine your individual protein needs:Your weight in lbs.______ -:- (divided by) 2.2 = your weight in kilogramsthen: your weight in kg___ x 0.8 = protein requirements for day.

 

That's about: 1 cup of milk or yogurt

1 ounce of cheese

3/4 cup cottage cheese

7 grams of protein are found in: 1 ounce of meat and in one egg.

 

Obviously, it's easy to get more than the required amount of protein in our diet everyday, without trying! And remember, just because something is good, doesn't mean that *more* is better!

 

Your protein *amount* shouldn't be your only consideration. You may also want to focus on the *timing* of your protein intake. That means you may not have to eat more protein, you may just need to eat smarter. Since the body cannot store protein, it makes sense to feed it to your muscles when they need it most. Researchers at the University of Texas found that drinking a sports drink fortified with a small amount of protein and some carbohydrates prior to weight lifting resulted in superior lean mass gains than drinking it afterwards. More importantly, very small amounts of protein were necessary to achieve these gains, as little as 6 grams. (Slightly less than a container of yogurt or an ounce of lean meat.) The combination of increased amino acids and bloodflow dramatically increased the delivery to the muscle.Danish sports medicine experts found that eating a mere 10 grams of protein along with some carbohydrates immediately after training brought about marked increases in muscle mass. When the snack was consumed as little as two hours later, there was no improvement. Many sports nutritionists believe the optimal time to eat protein is as close to training as possible. Ideally, before and after a workout. Careful planning can make your protein intake go a long way--- by consuming small amounts of high-quality protein, ideally divided among six small meals throughout the day. This can actually be beneficial in your weight loss program, as well, as eating smaller meals more frequently can stimulate the metabolism and actually help to increase the amount of calories you burn during the day!

 

On another note: while plants can be rich sources of protein, their proteins are less complete than those from animals. Vegan athletes need to carefully combine food to maximize protein intake. It is recommended that vegan strength trainers increase their intake of complementary proteins by about 10 percent over and above their omnivore counterparts.

 

Vegetarians should not have a problem meeting their protein requirements since a vegetarian diet, while not inclusive of meat, does contain animal protein in the form of eggs, dairy and other sources. Since Vegans do not consume any animal protein at all, it is essential to understand how to combine the right plant based foods in order to meet your daily protein requirements!

 

Recommended reading: Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy; The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by: Walter C. Willett, M.D.

 

 

*A complete protein is a protein source that contains all eight essential amino acids in the sufficient proportions to support normal biological functions. In adults, the eight essential amino acids are:
Phenylalanine
Valine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Isoleucine
Methionine
Leucine
Lysine
These amino acids are called “essential” because the body cannot make them, so they have to be supplied through diet. Recently, histadine has been added to this list as well, as scientists discovered that adults cannot synthesize it.
Meat is not essential to the human body, *complete* protein, is! Milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese are good examples of animal proteins. Vegetable based foods that contain complete proteins are: Quinoa, Buckwheat, Hempseed and Soybeans.