There are all kinds of diet recommendations all over the bodybuilding magazines and websites that advise to divide your eating into different "ratios" and "percentages" for building muscle mass and gaining weight.Some recommend high fat, low carb, others say moderate carbs, moderate fat, high carbs, low fat, etc. But the one thing that each and every one of these "weight gain" / "muscle building" diets say is it must be HIGH in protein.Well, I'm here to tell you the TRUTH. It is NOT necessary at all to eat a diet high in protein to gain muscle weight.Just about everything you read says to eat 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.Some even go as high as suggesting you have to not only eat high, but massive amounts of protein to build muscle and gain weight.
This MYTH is due to 3 reasons:
1) Everyone thinks that muscle tissue is made up mostly of protein
2) Everyone thinks that either high amounts of fat or high amounts of carbohydrates will cause you to get fat
3) Everyone thinks that protein has a "thermogenic" (inner-body temperature raising) effect, which helps burn fat
All three of these beliefs are completely wrong! (In this article I am going to give you a very brief explanation, but in later articles I will go into more detail).
First, muscle tissue is NOT made up of mostly of protein. Muscle tissue is 70% WATER.The other 30% is made of GLUCOSE, and AMINO ACIDS. Your muscles need just as much glucose (which is what carbohydrates are converted into), if not MORE than protein to gain muscle size.Those that have medically studied the physiology of the human body know that amino acids are what make up protein.
However, the body uses whatever amount of amino acids it needs at that particular moment. The rest it stores for later use.It is NOT true that you need to be eating a "steady stream" of protein to gain muscle weight.........your body keeps a little "pool" of stored amino acids.Protein is by far the most difficult macronutrient to break down and digest.The higher the amount of protein you eat the more stress you are placing on your digestive system.Oh, by the way, what do you think happens to any excess protein??? It turns it into FAT!
Have you ever noticed how you feel when you eat a huge burger or steak?
Even after several hours have passed, it still feels like you've got that entire piece of meat just sitting and rotting in your stomach.
How much benefit in gaining muscle weight do you think that's going to give you?
Have you ever drank those disgusting protein shakes or eaten those chalk-tasting protein bars? You get gas, you feel bloated, and you might even get the "runs" (diarrhea).That's a major sign that your body is NOT properly digesting all of that protein!!!
There are several real-life examples of athletes that don't consume massive amounts of protein to gain muscle weight, yet have tremendous physiques, are in excellent health, are powerful, fast, and agile.
To just name some of them:
Andreas Cahling - Swedish champion bodybuilder and Olympic gold medalist in the ski jump
Keith Holmes - World champion middleweight boxer
Bill Manetti - Powerlifting champion
Stan Price - World weight lifting record holder; bench press
Art Still - Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs MVP defensive ends, Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame
Chris Campbell - Olympic wrestling champion
Peter Hussing - European super heavyweight boxing champion
You can eat all the protein in the world and not gain one pound of muscle weight if you aren't eating enough calories!!!!!
Remember, it doesn't matter what we've been fed by the magazines and companies trying to sell us their latest protein concoction. It all comes down to the calories!
In my next article I'll cover the 2nd and 3rd misconception everyone has about protein.
Friday, 26 March 2010
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Protein Supplement
Finding the best protein supplement is no easy task. This is a huge market with many contenders vying for their slice of the market. In general, the best supplements of any kind are ones that your body knows how to digest and absorb naturally. For this reason, organic or natural protein supplements can be the best choices.
Hemp Powder
One of the best protein supplements you can take is hemp powder. Hemp is simply a fantastic food as it contains eighteen different amino acids, high levels of magnesium, zinc, iron and vitamin E. However, hemp powder has two additional benefits as well. It is very high in fiber (up to a whopping fourteen grams!) and it contains omega fatty acids as well.
The Nutiva brand of organic hemp powder is very good as it has 11 grams of protein per 120 calorie serving and is very low in fat. The amino acid profile is part of what makes hemp powder such an attractive protein supplement. There are many other powder supplements, to say the least. However, hemp powder will work very well for most people.
Spirulina Powder
If you are looking for an alternative to hemp powder but want still want your protein in a supplement form there is an often overlooked alternative that is simply fantastic. A high quality (and the key words are "high quality") organic spirulina is an exceptionally good way to boost protein intake. In addition to a high protein level, there are many other health benefits to be had from spirulina.
Yes, spirulina is green. However, mixed into fruit juices, spirulina barely has any flavor at all. When I first started drinking spirulina, I just shut my eyes and pretended it was another color.
One of the best spirulina's on the market is Source Naturals Organic Spirulina. What this amazing little blue-green algae packs into ten calories, borders on the absurd. A mere teaspoon of organic spirulina provides two grams of protein, 150% of Vitamin A, 150% of Vitamin B12, 30% of Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5), 30% of iodine, 15% of iron as well as Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and potassium. But that isn't the entire nutritional spread. Spirulina is also rich in amino acids, loaded down with chlorophyll and is infused with antioxidants. It is believed that spirulina is even good for your heart.The term "superfood" is bantered around quite a bit these days, but spirulina definitely qualifies as one. In order to match the protein level found in many protein powders, you may have to take about 30 grams of spirulina per day. But for those thirty grams, you will be getting an amazing amount of nutrition for the same cost of many high-quality protein powders.
Recommended Foods with High Protein- Egg Whites and Sardines
The first two options that we have discussed are both good for vegetarians and vegans. However, there is a third option that is animal based. This high protein "secret" used by body builders is guaranteed to give you a protein boost. Egg whites are almost pure protein. Just twenty calories of egg whites will give you 4.7 grams of protein. This means that five egg whites will give you about 24 grams of protein, with very little added fat.
If you are looking for another way to supplement your protein, consider sardines. They are low in calories, absolutely packed with protein with about 24 grams of protein per 120 calorie serving, and you also get the heart healthy benefits of omega-3 acids.
Whether you choose to supplement your protein with vegan powder options, egg whites, sardines or all of the above, remember that they are low in calories, extremely healthy ways to get more protein into your diet. These options are all great ones, because they also have added secondary health benefits. If you are getting additional vitamins and minerals with your protein supplement, you really can't go wrong. Add these healthy protein supplements to your diet, and you'll stay lean and healthy.
What do you think is the best protein supplement?
For even more free tips and advice on best protein supplements, come check out what's inside the number one site for health and fitness on the net:
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Johanson
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