FitnessShock Nutrition 101: Protein?

Now I know some of you are saying or have said, “Protein is for body builders, Protein will make me fat, I don’t want to get bulky and huge, Protein is not for me I want to be lean, Why do I need protein?”.

Did you know that protein is second to only water as the most abundant nutrient in the human body and all living tissue is made of the amino acids that are present in protein. These amino acids are what maintain the health of our skin, eyes, hair, and guess what, OUR MUSCLE. A body supplied with sufficient protein is a body that will be able to have the necessary building blocks to build muscle. The more lean muscle you body has, the less lazy fat it keeps. Based on those facts alone, “and there are more”, protein is necessary for fitness success.  Now if you have read this far, you have to be interested in finding out how you can add more protein to your daily diet.

You can find protein from all kinds of sources. There are natural sources for protein. For example eggs, chicken, beef, milk, etc.…. if it had a face, than it is protein. Also naturally speaking you can find protein in plants.  For example nuts, beans, rice, etc.… in which are considered incomplete proteins. An incomplete protein does not have all of the amino acids the body needs to build muscle. Incomplete proteins are best when paired up with a natural source of protein. There are also manufactured proteins. Manufactured proteins are your protein powders and bars. You can find protein supplements just about at any local store these days.  This is where protein can get just a little confusing and overwhelming. At the store you will see Whey protein, Whey Isolate, Casein Powder, Soy Protein, yada yada yada. How in the world can someone choose the right protein according to his or her fitness life style? We can go into detail regarding the differences of each and compare them but it is not necessary for this blog. I believe the answer lies right on the packaging label. When I purchase protein powder I look at the label and first see how much protein per scoop. Then second I see how much carb per scoop. My goal from the product is to get as much protein I can get with as little carb as possible. Carbs are our friend but we don’t want carbs to be our best friend. I will save carbs for another post.

How much protein do we need daily?

The jury is still up for this question. You can find tons of articles and post on this question alone. For this answer it really depends on your workout intensity plus duration and your fitness goals. I stand by the 1-gram to 1-pound ratio because it fits my fitness life style. My goal is to build muscle and burn fat. I have been implementing 1:1 for about two weeks. I will post a results update soon. All in all protein needs for one may not be the same protein needs for another. Here is a calculator by the University of Maryland Medical Center to calculate personal protein levels based on age, height, activity level, and your build.

http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/protein.asp

You can use the calculator to get your starting protein point. Than based on the results you are getting. You can increase or decrease the amount.  We are our own personal lab rat. LOL!

Here is a helpful link to a High Protein food list:

http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Protein_Foods.html

In conclusion, protein is necessary for your fitness journey.  Protein provides the platform for your body to repair and build muscle. Muscle is the platform for energy to burn fat.

StayFit!