what's the scoop on protein?

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mimzy
mimzy Posts: 135 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I tend to go over on my protein intake...will that hurt my success?
I'm staying at or below all of the other categories. I always thought the more protein the better. Am I wrong?

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  • mimzy
    mimzy Posts: 135 Member
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    I tend to go over on my protein intake...will that hurt my success?
    I'm staying at or below all of the other categories. I always thought the more protein the better. Am I wrong?
  • squankish
    squankish Posts: 78 Member
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    my trainer told me to increase my protein because women are supposed to intake 1/2 of their body weight in grams of protein daily if they're trying to build muscle, so you're probably fine. it can cause you to gain weight though if you aren't exercising correctly... and even then, muscle weighs more than fat. really I don't know all that much about it, but that's what I've heard. hope that helps!
  • mimzy
    mimzy Posts: 135 Member
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    thanks! That makes me feel a little better.
  • pmkelly409
    pmkelly409 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    I love the internet...
    The scoop on Protein....
    Absorption

    To get into out bloodstream this protein must be must be broken down into single amino acids. To do this we need to add water! There are many many chains to break down here all of which require water, so another good reason to drink lots of water! This breakdown also requires certain key enzymes.

    How much Protein should we eat?

    About 1g of protein per 1 kg of body weight should be sufficient. In the UK we tend to eat far too much protein. This equates to about 10 - 15 % of your total calorific intake for the day.

    But increased training, physical or mental stress can increase an individuals protein requirement.

    Where do I find good sources of Protein?

    There are 2 different sources, animal and vegetable. Animal sources are form meat, fish, milk and cheese and tend to be high in saturated fat. Animal protein is a complete source of amino acids, i.e. they are high in the essential amino acids.

    Vegetable sources are usually beans, lentils, TVP, and quorn, as well as bread, pasta and rice, but these are incomplete as they do not contain all the essential amino acids, so a vegetarian must ensure that they eat across the vegetable protein sources to make sure they get a complete range, i.e. peanut butter sandwich or beans on toast.

    Examples of proteins sources:
    Lean beef - 32g per 4oz
    Chicken breast - 35g per 6oz
    Tuna - 40g per 6oz
    Tofu - 11g per 3.5oz
    Eggs - 6g per large egg
    Cheddar - 7g per 1oz
    Yoghurt - 11g per 8oz
    Lentils - 15g per 8oz
    Pasta - 4g per 8oz

    What happens if I don't get enough Protein?

    · Low energy
    · Low stamina
    · Poor resistance to infection
    · Mental depression
    · Slow healing of wounds
    · Prolonged recovery from illness

    What happens if I get too much Protein?

    · Strain on liver and kidneys

    · Contribution to bone demineralisation

    · Excess protein is stored as fat, must get a daily intake as it does not get stored as protein
  • pmkelly409
    pmkelly409 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    my trainer told me to increase my protein because women are supposed to intake 1/2 of their body weight in grams of protein daily if they're trying to build muscle, so you're probably fine. it can cause you to gain weight though if you aren't exercising correctly... and even then, muscle weighs more than fat. really I don't know all that much about it, but that's what I've heard. hope that helps!

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat - it is still just one pound!

    If you feed your body protein after you do strength training it helps to 'feed the muscle' or build it more efficiently.
  • mimzy
    mimzy Posts: 135 Member
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    Wow! That's great information! I didn't realize that excess protein would be stored as fat. I suppose I need to keep an eye on that number too. ....and I suppose I'll have to increase my activity a little bit today to help out with my excess.
  • Cassia
    Cassia Posts: 467 Member
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    my trainer told me to increase my protein because women are supposed to intake 1/2 of their body weight in grams of protein daily if they're trying to build muscle, so you're probably fine. it can cause you to gain weight though if you aren't exercising correctly... and even then, muscle weighs more than fat. really I don't know all that much about it, but that's what I've heard. hope that helps!

    1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat - it is still just one pound!

    If you feed your body protein after you do strength training it helps to 'feed the muscle' or build it more efficiently.
    i believe what they mean by that is that i cup of fat weighs less than i cup of muscle. Therefor you can look smaller yet weigh the same

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