Nutrition Basics: Protein - The Building of Lean Muscle
Get a little tip on Protein
I came to truly understand the significance of the saying, “You are what you eat”, when I started competing in figure in 2003. For the first time in my life, I began to look at what I ingested on a very specific level, out of necessity at first, and then, as I watched my body begin to transform, out of pure fascination and awe. I have a naturally athletic build, am coordinated, and never had trouble with learning a new sport or activity; I thought had a pretty good handle on what foods I needed to eat to keep fit. Early on in my career as a trainer, I understood that carbohydrates and proteins were necessary to maintain the basic viability of the human body, but it wasn’t until I learned how these nutrients actually worked in the system that I came to really appreciate the role nutrition plays in reaching fitness goals. Perhaps the greatest inspiration I have ever had, nutritionally, was when I discovered the importance of protein.
The most important function of protein is to build up, keep up, and replace the tissues in your body.
Your muscles, your organs, and some of your hormones are made up mostly of protein. Protein forms the major components of muscles, skin, tendons, blood vessels, hair, and cores of bones and teeth. It helps you grow, heal wounds, and make up collagen - the connective tissue that helps give your body its shape. Proteins also generate energy, help regulate blood sugar levels, and boost your immune system. If you do not take in enough protein as a food source, the functionality of these tissues and systems will begin to decline, and, quite literally, life would be impossible.
Since protein is responsible for the growth and development of lean muscle, it is the MOST important tool for re-shaping the physique. Muscle provides the metabolic “engine” of the body, creating the energy to move our limbs. The more energy we expend (exercise), the hotter the engine burns (increased metabolism); the higher the metabolism, the more fuel needed to feed the engine, the stronger and bigger the engine grows, and so the cycle continues. Two very cool things happen during this cycle; muscle gets leaner, harder and tighter, and unwanted fat melts away. To fuel this engine, this lean muscle, you must ingest plenty of quality protein.
How much is “plenty”?
Most people err on the side of conservancy when it comes to protein. As a rule of thumb, the average person needs approximately .8 to one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day to fuel their normal activities NOT INCLUDING EXERCISE. So, a 125-lb woman needs 100-125g per day; a 200-lb man, 160-200g; and so on. (If you are an avid exerciser, or an athlete, this amount could be higher; if you have some other extenuating circumstances or health situations, this amount could be lower.) I know, this sounds like a lot, right? Not really, when you consider how much the body relies on protein for its functionality (see paragraph #2).
But how do I get all this protein in, you may wonder? I would need to eat all day! And it’s so much – I will be too full! Not necessarily; there are many ways to get all your protein in, and, if you’re body (the engine) is demanding the fuel (food), you will be hungry for each and every meal or snack - we will talk about food portions and balance in another article. What happens if you don’t get enough protein on a regular basis? In a nutshell, your body begins to cannibalize itself – literally! If there is no readily-available protein-based food, the body needs to burn something, so it turns muscle into fuel, and uses that. This is a very unhealthy and detrimental cycle to get into, as so many other negative effects take place – slowed metabolism, storing of unwanted body fat, lowered immune functioning, and deterioration of hair, skin and nails, just to name the big ones!
Proteins can be found in many sources, the most popular of which are meats, eggs, whey powders, and a little dairy.
There are also many good vegetable-based proteins available as well, such as legumes (beans), soy, buckwheat, hemp, brown rice and pea. All proteins are made up of various amino acids, and differ somewhat in their design; some are more useable by the human body than others, and are better-tolerated and processed, depending on each person and their needs and nutritional lifestyle. My recommendation for finding the proteins that work best for you is to try them out – and don’t be afraid to ask for advice and guidance from a solid nutritional source that knows what’s what!
