What is protein & how it works



Let’s talk about protein – what it is, the benefits of eating protein and how to figure out if you’re having enough. Eating adequate amounts of protein is crucial to help you lose weight and gain muscle, recover from workouts at LTD, feel more satiated throughout the day, and maintain and improve your health in the long term.Screw all this reading, take me to the summary. What is protein & how it worksProteins are molecules in every cell of the body and are made up of amino acids (often called ‘the building blocks of life’. Like carbohydrate and fat, protein can provide energy, but the body will much more readily burn carbohydrates and fats as fuel rather than protein. Protein is broken down in digestion into amino acids which are used by cells to repair other cells as well as perform basic tasks in the body. The body doesn’t store protein, so once these needs have been met, excess is stored or used as energy.Just like eating too much carbohydrate or too many fats, consuming too much protein can lead to weight gain.2451735698500Where does it come from?Protein can come from animal or plant foods such as:Meat, chicken, fishEggsNuts and seedsDried beans and lentilsDairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheeseSoy productsHow much protein do I need to eat?This will depend on a variety of factors including your age, bodyweight, activity level, regularity of exercise. As always, THINK FOR YOURSELF and decide whether you should be in the upper, lower or middle ranges of our protein recommendation. What they sayThe basic recommendations (such as those from Dietitians Association of Australia) provide for 0.6-0.8grams of protein per kilo of body weight. For a 60kg woman, that means between 36g and 48g of protein per dayFor a 75kg man, that means between 45g and 60g of protein per day.It is more than likely that most people are eating this much protein without even trying. What we sayHOWEVER, these recommendations aim only to prevent deficiency and provide the absolute bare minimum. Such recommendations are not aimed at those seeking to improve body composition. Higher intakes of protein are particularly appropriate for people doing high intensity training and weight training (looking at you here). This is because, beyond the absolute minimum, protein is essential for good immune system function, metabolism, feeling full, weight management and performance. We need a small amount to survive, but more to thrive!A more appropriate recommendation (though still conservative) would be 1.4-2.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.This brings up our hypotheticals to:For a 60kg woman, that means between 84g and 120g of protein per dayFor a 75kg man, that means between 105g and 150g of protein per day.It’s always a good idea to start conservative and build on that base. If you increase your protein intake to what we recommend, you will see improvements in satiety, body composition and overall health.How do I eat that much protein?This shouldn’t be too much of an issue for you. If it is, just be assured that once the habit is formed everything will be second nature.It’s probably best to spread your protein out across the day. This could be broken down in 3-6 meals. If you aimed for 15-30 grams of protein per meal, per day, you should easily be able to hit your targets. A good rule of thumb to use is an open palm-sized portion of lean meat for women and 2x open palm-sized portions for men to hit your protein goals.-18097520510500-1809752128520Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Male protein portion (image courtesy of Precision Nutrition)00Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Male protein portion (image courtesy of Precision Nutrition)31369002129155Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2: Female protein portion (image courtesy of Precision Nutrition)Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2: Female protein portion (image courtesy of Precision Nutrition)31369001714500For women aiming to hit over 80 grams per day, that would equate to approximately 2 palm sized portions per day (chicken for lunch and fish for dinner) + some snacks (protein shake, Greek yoghurt). A sample meal planTotal = 115 grams of protein. 3253105452755Snack 2 (Post workout)Chocolate Protein shake (1 banana, spinach, 2 scoops chocolate plant or whey protein powder, milk or substitute)= 23 grams of proteinMeal 3 – DinnerGrilled Fish (Barramundi) (100grams) with baked vegetables (sweet potato, pumpkin) and mixed leaf salad.= 24 grams of protein00Snack 2 (Post workout)Chocolate Protein shake (1 banana, spinach, 2 scoops chocolate plant or whey protein powder, milk or substitute)= 23 grams of proteinMeal 3 – DinnerGrilled Fish (Barramundi) (100grams) with baked vegetables (sweet potato, pumpkin) and mixed leaf salad.= 24 grams of proteinNote: To decrease the overall protein in this meal plan, you could easily decrease the portion size (1 egg, less milk, 80grams chicken breast and fish, 1 scoop protein powder), or eliminate the protein from the shake and add in some extra spinach Meal 1 – Breakfast2 eggs on whole-wheat sourdough toast (1 slice) with a glass of skim milk/250mls of milk in coffee= 24 grams of proteinMeal 2 – LunchGrilled Chicken Breast (100grms) with salad (spinach and mixed leaf, roasted pumpkin, beetroot, balsamic vinegar)= 30 grams of proteinSnack 1 (Pre workout)Chobani peach yoghurt with 20grams home-made granola + 5 almonds= 15 grams of proteinYou can find some other examples of protein-rich healthy meal plans here and here and here.Protein quality matters!It really does matter where you get your protein from. The protein in processed $2 sausages from Coles is not equal to the protein in a fresh piece of pole-caught Atlantic Salmon. Protein quality has been linked to effects on diabetes, heart disease and cancer in addition to weight control. You are smart enough to make the decision. If it comes in a packet, has more than 1 ingredient and isn’t locally produced, it’s probably NOT going to be as healthy as grass-fed, organic, local produce and this WILL affect how you look and feel.Some extra notesThere is a limit to how much protein your body can consume in one go. This is individual, but a good rule of thumb is to limit intake to less than 45 grams per meal.You can over-eat protein. If you eat more than your body needs (whether it’s chicken breast or sugar) your body will store the excess as energy and convert it into fat.However, eating too much protein probably isn’t as bad as eating too much carbohydrate or fat. This is because protein isn’t as quickly or as easily converted into energy, and actually requires energy from your body to be converted.While 30% of the protein’s energy will go toward digestion/absorption, only 8% of energy from carbohydrate and only 3% of energy from fat will! High Protein diets can harm your kidneys! JUST KIDDING. This is a myth!In healthy people (obviously excluding those with kidney function issues) normal protein intake poses little to no health risk. Even a fairly high protein does (up to 2.8 grams per kilogram) doesn’t seem to impair kidneys in people who are healthy. NOTE: research appears to show that plant proteins are particularly safe.Plant based proteins can be a great addition to your diet.In addition to being great sources of protein, foods like beans, peas, quinoa and lentils, as well as low-fat dairy and eggs, are also rich in other nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals.When shopping for red meat, focus on lean cuts like pork and beef tenderloin or lean ground beef and search for organic, grass fed local produce.A general rule of thumb when shopping: cuts that have round, chuck, or loin in the name are usually lean.?Some cuts may take a bit longer to prepare (try marinating or braising) but if prepared right, they’re equally as delicious as some fattier cuts. Since ground meats are typically high in fat, look for the leaner options. But don’t eliminate your favorite fatty steak entirely – it’s important that you get in sufficient amounts of healthy fats from animal protein. Aim for 2 serves a week.If you enjoy fish, aim to eat it at least 2x per week.?Frozen or fresh, fish can be a great source of protein. Some–like salmon–are even rich in Omega-3s, a healthy, unsaturated fat.Summary – Here’s what you should knowProtein is a really important macronutrient that your body needs for proper functioning.Eating adequate amounts of protein will benefit your healthEating slightly higher amounts of protein can improve your body compositionWe recommend eating 1.6-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweightStart with open-palm sized portions of protein-dense foods 3-5 times per day.Protein quality matters! Look for organic, grass-fed, local produce.Resources ................
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