Are you getting enough Protein?
Protein, protein, protein! Whether you’ve ever worked out or not, you probably relate protein to the gym.
Although protein has a thorough history, it’s rare that the average person actually knows what it’s used for, or how it could benefit you.
Within the gym environment protein is considered the holy grail of gains. One of the first questions I get from almost every client I’ve trained is “What kind of protein powder do I need to get?”, and although protein powder can be a great source for you, it's not where the protein conversation ends.
First let’s outline what protein actually is. ‘Protein’ is the name of a group of amino acids which are vital for your body to perform various functions, mainly building and repairing muscle tissue, hence its connection to the gym. Every person has a certain requirement of daily protein for them to maintain healthy bodily function, that’s personal to them.
The majority of protein eaten by the average person comes from animal sources, which have more complete protein per kg than most other foods. A benefit of animal sources is that they contain all the different amino acids, making it easier to ensure you’ve hit a complete profile of the essential nutrients. Animal protein sources include; lean meat (beef, lamb, pork etc), poultry (chicken, turkey, duck etc), seafood (fish, prawns, crab etc) and dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese etc).
However, you don’t have to eat animal products to ensure you get all the protein you need. You can get protein from many different foods. Some of which contain the most protein are beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
We need protein in our diet to ensure proper tissue repair and growth. This need is magnified if you are a regular gym goer. When you train you break down muscle tissue which requires a level of protein to repair and strengthen. The question of how much protein you need has been the subject of much debate over the years. But what I’ve found works is:
2.2 grams per kg of bodyweight for daily protein intake (depending on how long you have been training). The current recommendation from top researchers is 1.6 - 2.2g per kg of bodyweight.
If you’re reading this and thinking, well I don’t really want to put on loads of muscle. Don’t worry! Adding in extra protein won’t turn you into the hulk overnight but it will aid in recovery from your gym sessions. To put on additional muscle you first need to train incredibly hard but also be in a calorie surplus.
If weight loss is your goal then protein should be a top consideration. It is fairly hard to break down in the body and actually requires energy to do so. This in turn will increase the amount of calories you burn through the day. Now with that said I’m not saying protein is free calories and you still need to think about your calorie intake throughout the day, however it may mean if you increase your protein while decreasing calories from other sources, it may aid in weight loss.
The bottom line is protein is hugely important and is probably something you should look towards increasing. When you do so you will see the difference!
