How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscles?

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When it comes to body building, proteins for building muscles is one of the most misunderstood concepts. Also, it is not enough knowing what proteins and how much to have, it is also necessary to understand when to have the proteins to gain maximum benefits from your diet.

Proteins are one of the most important components for muscle repair and muscle building. However, you need to have the right combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat to build good muscles.

muscles

There are different TYPES of protein which are metabolized differently by the body.

  • Protein from Meat and Eggs
  • Protein from Grains
  • Whey Protein

It is not just about the nutrient that you take that accounts for muscle building, it is equally important when you take them. If you get your nutrient timing wrong, your body could end up storing the protein as fat instead of muscles. The body can metabolize whey proteins much faster than the ones from grains, meat and eggs.

Immediately after an intense workout the muscle glycogen stores would have got depleted. Whey protein, which is easily broken down by the body is good to have immediately after the workout. Also, coupled with whey proteins, you need to take carbohydrates that produce glucose with high Glycemic Index. This glucose will trigger an insulin response which has the property of driving the broken down calories to be stored as muscle glycogen.

How much protein your should have per day is very relative. The general rule of the thumb is that you can have 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. During the muscle recovery time much after your workout, you can have other proteins from grains, meat, eggs etc. This will be metabolized and absorbed much slower by the body aiding muscle recovery.

Right combination of protein, carbohydrates and fats taken at the right time with the right exercise workout routines is vital to muscle building. If you get this combination right, you will be able to build muscles and have a very good physique without too much effort. If you get this wrong, you will be left only with pain and frustration along with no gain of muscles.

Foods For Exercise

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When trying to eat right for exercise or sports, it can be difficult to choose the foods that will be best for your body. Some people can find it difficult to determine which foods will give them healthy, sustained energy and which foods they should avoid when playing sports or exercising.

To start, you can begin by understanding that the foods we eat can be divided into three categories:

foods

  • Carbohydrates
  • Proteins
  • Fats.

Carbohydrates are the primary source that the body uses for energy. Carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen, but too many carbohydrates and the body begins to store the excess as fat. Carbohydrates are either simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates, like fruit or energy drinks, are quickly converted into energy for the body, while complex carbohydrates, like pasta, take long for the body to process.

Protein is used as building blocks in the body’s cells and helps make bones, tendons, and other important aspects of the body. And because protein is not easily stored in the body, it is important to consume protein on a regular basis.

Fat is important because it provide cushioning for the body and is critical in some processes, but when the body consumes too many calories it starts storing fat, which can lead to health problems.

When participating in a sport or an exercise program, it is important to consume adequate amounts of food that will supply your body with the energy it needs. Carbohydrates will give your body most of the energy it requires. Carbohydrates, stored as glycogen, easily convert into energy for your activities and can provide both short spurts of energy and sustained energy. Protein is important to consume so your body can perform necessary functions. Most important, however, is to abstain for foods that are high in fat.

Best Protein for Weight Loss and Healthy Living

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Macronutrients are the major nutrients required by the human body. There are three types of macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In this article we will answer the questions:

What is protein?

protein

Why do we need protein?

What is the best protein for weight loss or for all around healthy living?

Protein is a necessary part of our diet. Protein is part of every cell in the body. It makes up the building blocks for our hormones and neurotransmitters. It is needed for muscle health, growth and recovery. A diet lacking in protein will result in illness and breakdown of the body.

Protein breaks down through the process of digestion into amino acids. There are a total of 20 amino acids. 12 of the amino acids can be made from carbohydrates, fats and other acids in your body. The other 8 amino acids are known as essential amino acids and you MUST get them from the food you eat – your body can’t make them.

Symptoms of a lack of protein and therefore a lack of essential amino acids can include:

  • muscle loss
  • hair loss
  • depressed immune system
  • low energy
  • decreased bone strength

There are two categories of proteins. Complete proteins provide all 20 amino acids. When you eat a complete protein the body can absorb 85-99% of the protein. Examples of complete proteins are beef, poultry, fish, milk cheese and yogurt. Sources for vegetarians include soy, hemp, tempeh and seitah. Incomplete proteins lack a variety of amino acids. These are plant-based proteins. Combining incomplete proteins can give you all 20 amino acids. Unfortunately, not all of it is digestible so the body cannot absorb as much of this type of protein.

How much protein should I eat?

According to Jonathan Bailor of The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and Live Better, “It’s important to aim for a minimum serving of about 30 grams of protein at least 3 times a day. When we eat 30 grams or more of protein it provides enough leucine to rebuild our muscle tissue. Without adequate levels of leucine we risk losing muscle tissue. 100 – 200 grams of protein a day is needed depending on your body’s needs. A smaller sedentary person needs less protein than the person who is actively bodybuilding.

Best Protein for Weight Loss and Healthy Living

The following are high quality sources of complete protein:

  • Grass-fed, organic beef – Grass-fed beef is cleaner, healthier and more flavorful than beef that is grain fed or grain finished.
  • Pastured chickens – this meat is rich in essential fatty acids and is a great source of protein. This can include any type of pastured poultry or wild game.
  • Pastured eggs – provides Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Omega-3, Vitamin E and Beta Carotene in higher levels than store-bought eggs.
  • Wild salmon is rich in Omega-3 and is a nutritious source of fat and protein.
  • Other seafood – protein in fish and shellfish is very easy to digest and the amino acids are more bioavailable (easier to absorb and use). Rich dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.

For those that enjoy that sort of thing – reptiles and amphibians are good protein sources and provide vitamins and minerals.

  • Greek yogurt – avoid yogurts with added sugars.
  • Shellfish – clams, oysters, mussels, snails – rich in iron, zinc, selenium, iodine omega 3, proteins.
  • Whey protein isolate – high protein concentration, good if you cannot get enough protein with whole foods.
  • Liver (from grass-fed or pastured animals) – a rich source of protein that also provides vitamin A, copper, choline, and B vitamins.

So eat your protein and enjoy eating real food! Stay tuned for future articles on fats and carbohydrates.

Using Protein For Women in Your Muscle Building Routines

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Protein for women offer additional health benefits beyond using the supplements for weight training and physical fitness. This has been proven in various medical studies, with the effect of the correct utilization of protein has been used in fighting heart disease, and cancer which is still in clinical trial phase.

However in the context of someone that is physically training, the supplementation of protein is used to provide fuel, which in turn provides energy to the muscles enabling the person who is training to work out for longer periods of time, and contributing to their strength.

protein

For those seeking a more professional muscle building approach, one should bear in mind that there are in fact very little differences and that of the male and female bodies, and muscle groups. Therefore any preconceived beliefs of men and women being entirely different, specifically within the gym environment are in fact untrue.

What is true however, is that there is a difference in the chemical processes between the male and female bodies respectively, in that the female will have more of a concentration of estrogen, which typically stores fat, whilst the male body has a concentration of testosterone. Funnily enough this very testosterone has been linked to hair loss, but that is a different story altogether.

One of the main motivations behind the toning and definition of the muscles by which can be done via muscle building and training routines, is that weight loss. By effectively implementing the correct supplementation of protein for women, the desired result and objectives will in all likelihood be achieved.

This is due to be exercise routine burning calories as well as the intake of protein for women products significantly reduced fat content, and can therefore be combined for a suitable diet and eating plan. In this instance you will most likely be getting the best nutrition, in addition to the exercise which will benefit your overall health and well-being.

One should also furthermore bear in mind that the belief exists that once the training has ceased the built up muscle mass converts into fat on the body, this is untrue and one needs to realize that the storage of fat, on the body, is caused by excessive intake of calories that are now not being burned because of this cessation of the training routine.

This is fueled by incorrect eating habits, as well as the lack of training. Many professional muscle builders prior to cutting back on their training programs actually enter into a building down phase, before stopping their training programs.

Protein for women is a value added aid in your dieting and workout programs, and should be implemented correctly according to your desired objectives and goals, whether it was muscle building or general fitness training. As stated protein for women is not reserved for those working out, but is used as an effective dietary supplement too.

The Top Ten Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss!

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In conjunction with daily exercise, including healthy snacks in your diet is crucial. There are fibrous foods and protein foods, which make up the two main sources of nutrition.

Food that burns fat needs a higher calorie amount in order to burn energy than what is actually present in the food content, which is a proven fact. The term “calorie negative foods” is used to describe this.

protein

Here is a series of healthy snacks to include in your diet:

#1. Apples

Apples contain a chemical called pectin that inhibits a cell’s fat absorption abilities. In addition, you will eat less since the fiber content in apples causes you to feel full more quickly. On a final note, the stored cellulite in your body is able to be dispersed through the food’s water absorption.

#2. Fruits Containing Vitamin C

Oranges, grapefruits, guava, sweet limes, papayas, lemons, tomatoes and tangerines are citrus fruits that contain high concentrations of fiber and Vitamin C. These citrus fruits are considered to be healthy snacks because of their ability to burn fat. The body needs a certain amount of Vitamin C to ensure proper function in fat burning.

The body is also able to burn fat more quickly because of the production of carnitine amino acid. Vitamin C is able to dilute any stored fat in the body, thus hampering its functionality. In other words, the fat in your body is more readily dissolved.

#3. Dairy/Calcium Foods

Products such as cheese, milk and yogurt enhance fat burning in the body. You could start making your own frozen yogurt popsicle to eat as a dessert.

#4 Nuts

While these boost metabolism and allow you to feel fuller more quickly, nuts are an ideal snack. However, avoid including any salted or processed nuts in your snacking. The most ideal choice would be to eat organic almonds.

#5. Frozen Juice Bars

You might as well have an ice cream truck visiting your street when you pull out one of those delicious frozen juice bars. Gidus has said, “They’re sweet and tangy, and anything frozen takes longer to eat”. “They’re just a few calories, and they’ve even got some vitamins.”

#6. Bubble Gum

You ought to ask yourself just how hungry you really are when you are thinking about grabbing that extra snack. You should take out a piece of bubble gum if you feel any uncertainty whatsoever. In fact, in a matter of sixty minutes, chewing gum could very well burn as much as eleven calories.

#7. Beef Jerky

You may be surprised, but this is quite a healthy snack to eat. There is approximately one gram of fat, twelve grams of protein and anywhere from seventy to eighty calories in an ounce of beef jerky.

#8. Avocados

This fruit makes you feel full more quickly since it is packed with fiber.

#9. Protein

Foods containing high levels of protein that burn more energy than what is stored during digestion would be oatmeal, low-cal dairy foods, whole grain foods, eggs and legumes.

#10. Green Tea

Green tea would be an ideal beverage to consume on a regular basis since numerous studies from the past have concluded that this drink actually boosts the metabolic rate.

The foods that have been outlined here are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to snacking your way through to weight loss. Feel free to download our free report from the home page on this website.

You will have to use more energy than you consume through food if you are going to lose weight, but you must also understand that not eating three times daily can actually pose adverse effects on your metabolic rate.

By incorporating these healthy, calorie negative snacks into your diet, you can be sure that you will realize the desired calorie deficit results in your weight loss. You can make your goals into a reality by eating these healthy snacks for weight loss on a daily basis.