Protein

Protein intake is needed to help in the process of repairing and recovering your muscles especially after resistance training workouts.  We all know that protein is found in meats, legumes, lentils, nuts, supplements, etc.  We eat proteins in our daily diet and then they are broken down into amino acids in the digestion process.  There are 9 essential amino acids plus Amino Acid Leucine our body needs and is gained through our diet.  Protein and Amino Acids have several jobs in our body including creating tissues, forming enzymes, helping with cell transportation, maintaining fluid balance, aids in hormone production, and play a role in a healthy immune system.

Mostly commonly we are aware of the need for high protein intake if we are in the process of growing our muscles and maintaining a healthy weight.  How much protein do you need?  Your total daily protein intake depends on your weight, how active you are, and what your individual goals.  NASM suggests individuals need anywhere between .8 to 2.2 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight.  If you do not workout then .8 grams of protein is the perfect number for you.  (Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 and this will give you your kilograms.  For example, I am 135 pounds and in kilograms I am 61.36 kg.)  Check out the chart to see your ideal protein intake based on your activity level.

So now we know have an idea of how many grams of protein to include in our diet daily.  Where is the best place to get our protein from our food?  NASM recommends the Amino Acid Leucine is the main source for increasing muscle growth & recovery.  The foods with the highest amount of leucine are chicken breast with 2.0 grams per standard serving.  Soy supplements have 2.1 grams, whey supplements have 2.6 grams, fish has 1.8 grams, and pork loin has 1.9 grams.   

How often should I eat my protein?  NASM recommends that 4 meals a day should be consumed with at least 20 grams of protein per meal or .4 grams of protein per kg of body weight.  This is key to aid in protein synthesis where the protein we eat is broken down into amino acids and combined with other amino acids to form new proteins leading to lean muscles.

Should I consume protein immediately after working out?  NASM has two recommendations on this:

1. Individuals who already have lean muscle mass this is important to maintain your current muscle.  For those just starting out it is less important.

2. What is more important is consuming a carbohydrate source and protein source as a post workout.  This aids in the replenishing your muscle glycogen.

---