Anyway... enough of that
Protein
Of late I’ve been asked about protein !! Now I’m assuming they aren’t talking about protein already in the body and what atoms, amino acids, bonds and chains there are, but protein shakes etc so here are my interpretations and ramblings about the mystical protein……
Basically protein is a key nutrient for the body. Without going into the nitty gritty of breaking down amino acids and polypeptides, it provides growth, building new tissue and also maintenance like repairing damaged tissues, organs (post surgery peeps may be asked to up their protein intake), and it does a lot more. It is a key to sports success as usually someone training heavily wants muscle growth and also the muscles are torn (microscopically of course) during training sessions and need continual repair and that’s where our friendly protein steps in. It is not really a “fuel” source for the body (as it has a small output) and carbs and fats are burned first but can be used if other fuel is low, like if you’re not eating enough !!!!
I hear nearly daily people will say that “you are training therefore you need to have protein shakes”
False !!!
Protein shakes, bars, cookies, puddings and god knows what else are all SUPPLEMENTS. They supplement where your diet (or lifestyle) cannot.
You can find many different sources of protein from whole foods such as milk, eggs, fish, meat, lentils and even veggies.
Now the recommended intake for protein is debatable… It depends on many variables. The recommended dietary intake (RDI) in Australia
Activity Level (Body weight/Day) | Gram of Protein/kg |
Recreational Exerciser (adult) | 1.0-1.4 |
Resistance – Trained (maintenance) | 1.2-1.4 |
Resistance – Trained (gain muscle) | 1.4-1.8 |
Endurance Trained | 1.2-1.4 |
Intermittent, High Intensity Training | 1.2-1.8 |
Weight Restricted Sports | 1.4-2.0 |
(Supplied by http://www.mrsupplement.com.au/how-much-protein-per-day )
Now it’s actually easy to get to these amounts when something as simple as an egg for breakfast has nearly 6 grams of protein… a small omelette of say and egg and 2 egg whites will give you a minimum of 12 grams of protein… that’s not including any other cheeses, milk, veggies added to your omelette. Say for lunch you have a chicken breast (with salad, on a sandwich, whatever) Just ½ a chicken breast is over 25 grams of protein… Dinner… Steak anyone?… a small/med 100g steak will have about 33gm of protein…. so what’s that just adding some basics up? 70gm of protein without even trying !!! Not including any drinks with milk, a yoghurt snack, cheese on that sandwich, some veggies with dinner etc etc…Geez even 2 x tablespoons of peanut butter will give you 8grams of protein !!!!
Now with all that said… I personally DO have a protein shake every intense training day !!! Why you ask when I would definitely have more than enough to cover my recommended intake…. One other great thing about protein is it helps you feel fuller for longer. After training I am RAVENOUS !!! Without that shake by the time I get home from the gym and prepare dinner I would have picked my way through a million extra calories not needed and my dinner portions will be rather over the top. So it’s my post workout snack and does the same job as my morning snack so I don’t go nuts for lunch :) The fact that it is a protein shake is because I can pop the powder in my gym bag and leave it in the car for the day and it will still be fine hours later for use after wrecking myself…. chicken fillet and broccoli would not fair as well :)
Now in saying protein shakes… Remember they do add onto your overall calories (if you’re counting)… And some add on a hell of a lot !!! The same as a full meal such as dinner !!!.... I recommend going to a health shop, talking to nutritionists, talking to basically any people truly in the know and deciding on one suitable for you as they can all be different. Protein powders can be casein, whey, egg, soy, rice and even pea. They react differently to your body. Something that works for someone else may not work for you !! Some have added stuff like caffeine and stimulants…..There are MANY different drinks out there !!!! I took about 4 years to find that perfect powder for me and now hope to god the company stays afloat, keeps making it, and doesn’t “upgrade” it…. Would be nice if the chocolate did actually taste like chocolate though….. :)
Protein bars, cookies etc etc also have their place !! A quick snack or maybe a treat, some of those bars are pretty yummy. I always pop a bar into my bag if I think I may just get held up at a do or going shopping, whatever… yes it’s processed crap at the end of the day, but to me it’s better than picking up a sausage on bread or something….. at least I’ll know I’m getting at least a little nutritional benefit along with the other preservatives….
One thing I should mention is you can have TOO MUCH protein… It puts a lot of stress on the ole kidneys and increases the formation of kidney stones (unfun). It also binds you…. yep… no number 2’s….and there is also research of the excretion of calcium through urine correlating with high protein diets so watch out for your bones people. Of course like all research tests will always continue so just be nice to your body and normal.
I hope this helps a bit and please keep in mind, this is MY PERSONAL interpretation. If you are truly puzzled over protein seek professional advice !!!
References
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