PROTEIN!!!!

Sorry for the long wait! There is so much to cover on just the basics, so I don’t know where to start! I know I will miss a lot, but we will add in as time goes on!

There are 3 basic types of calories we take in. Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fat. Alcohols are a special kind, but we will talk about them with Fats. Today, the focus is on Proteins.

Proteins are formed by a bunch of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s). The entire subject of BCAA’s could take weeks to cover if we were to go into specifics on each one, but it is suffice to say, some of the Amino Acids are formed in the Body to create protein for cells naturally, and others are not created, some are essential, and others not so much.

For those wanting to get into shape, Protein is your best friend. Per gram, Protein only amounts to 4 calories. In other words, if you drink a Protein shake that has 120 calories in it, and there are 24g of protein, roughly 96 calories or 80% of that drink would be made of Protein.

Eating Protein and taking a Protein Supplement is crucial for success. Protein really is a miracle in itself. Protein:

·         Acts as an Enzyme. Enzymes break down things to create energy. Thus, Protein creates energy!

·         Builds Muscle. Muscle Cells need protein to get stronger and bigger

o   NOTE: Ladies, Protein will not make you Bulky! Neither will Lifting Weights! You are missing a key element that I will discuss on a future day! DO NOT FEAR PROTEIN AND WEIGHTS! YOU WILL NOT BECOME HUGE AND MANLY!

(just to be funny.......)

 

·         Protein WILL NOT synthesize into FAT!

o   Protein can be used as a source of energy. It must be chemically changed in the body if there are no Carbohydrates or Fats being burned fast enough to keep energy levels going. However, because Proteins are not sugars like carbohydrates and fats are, they will not turn into fat!

·         Protein Boosts Your Metabolism

·         Protein Boosts your Immunity

·         Protein can decrease appetite

So, no matter how you look at it, Protein is the way to go!

But…… what kinds? When? How?

On the market, there are really 3 major types of protein.

Whey Protein:

                Whey is probably the most researched “supplement” you can buy. I really don’t feel like whey protein is a supplement because it really is just a food that you get extra protein from. In fact, the Whey protein comes off of milk and cheese and used to be the “waste” product. However, after you get the fats out of it, and just leave the proteins, Whey is a super awesome protein supplement to take each day. I personally recommend Whey every morning for part of your Breakfast, and 30 minutes after each workout. You can even take Whey before a workout to give you that extra go. For those of you planning on spending more than 1-1.5 hours in the gym, you may want to have it an 1hour-30 minutes before your workout. I would also recommend it if you are Ectomorph (Super Skinny) body type and want to put on some muscle. Here are a few reasons I love Whey:

1.       It is digested very quickly, and can give your muscles the nutrients they need to recover and grow

2.       Whey decreases Body Fat naturally

3.       Protects against overall strength loss

4.       Preserves Muscles during weight loss

5.       Builds Muscles while trying to build muscles

6.       Boost Immune system

So no matter how you “Whey” it, Whey is an awesome supplement to take (Terrible Pun I know but I had to put it in. J)

Casein Protein

I actually just recently started taking Casein Protein. It is pretty good stuff as well. It takes a minute to get used to the overall texture, but it is really pretty good. Casein protein is basically the same types of protein you would find in your cottage cheeses, and harder to digest proteins. That really is what makes this protein great. It makes you feel fuller longer, and actually is ideal for when you are going to be idle or sleep. Even when we sleep, we burn calories, and if there aren’t any in the stomach to take from, it will be burning off your muscles. By taking slow digesting protein you are:

1.       Protecting your muscles from being metabolized

2.       Slow digesting means you are burning calories to digest your food, meaning your metabolic level rises, meaning you burn calories in your sleep!

Now, as a caution, researchers have come out and stated that Casein Protein can cause cancer. The reason they say is because the high levels of Calcium in Casein will cause the cancer to come out. So….. all of you ladies out there, it supposedly is bad now to take those Calcium pills now, even though other Doctor’s recommend them. So, my personal opinion, everything causes cancer, and Calcium is needed in the body to contract muscles and build bones (let me know if you are interested in that, and Ill discuss it in depth further)

 

Lastly, Soy Protein

Soy has just recently come on in the past few years as a way for vegetarians, and more over Vegans to get their Protein in. So this has gotta be healthy right???

WRONG. Soy has actually shown in recent studies to raise cancer levels significantly. And for you Men out there, Soy actually raises the Estrogen level naturally in the body. For those of you that want your rock hard body, you know that you need to have naturally more Testosterone and less Estrogen for that to happen. My recommendation: Stay Away From Soy Protein. And please, don’t be a Vegan or Vegetarian.

The other basic ways to get Protein is through Meats. Fish, Chicken, and Egg Whites are probably your best bets on getting good Protein levels while minimizing Fat and Carbohydrate intake.

Beef and Turkey tend to be a little higher in fat. If you can get the fat off of the Turkey and the Beef, all the better. They have high protein levels, and Beef actually has natural Creatine for building muscle and Iron for your blood cells and other parts of your body.

Dairy, Cheeses, and Beans are also great sources. But they also can be high in fats and carbs, so take caution!

Pork is also great, but try to stay away from pork. It tends to be really high in fat, and the way pork is built up, it isn’t all that good for you. Guess the Jews and the Muslims have had the right idea for a couple thousand years!

 

So we went over a lot, but there is a lot more that we could go over. If you have a specific question you want addressed or put on, let me know and we will talk it up!

Before I close a word of caution. Going on a strict protein diet is not good for you and is extremely unhealthy. As stated before, your body can convert Protein into energy, but it is not Sugar Based. Your body actually needs sugar to run correctly. In fact, your Brain runs 90% on sugar alone. It is very important you throw fats (we will discuss good fats vs bad fats) and Carbohydrates into your meals each day. We will go over amounts and ratios in a future day too.

Protein is, in essence, and Acid. If you remember, everything is either an Acid or a Base on the Ph Scale. Proteins (acids) are canceled out by eating Carbohydrates and Fats (Sugars, or Bases). This is just another reason to not go on a strict all protein diet.

So, this weekend, if you are like me, you will probably go shopping for foods. Pay attention to the labels. Look at some foods that have higher amounts of protein and less carbs and fats. Make sure that the calories add up to having more proteins! As for my favorite proteins, I really like the Optimum Nutrition brand. Their protein powders are easy to mix, taste great, and come in a bunch of flavors. We will go over some fun things you can do with them too!

Until next time! Eat more Protein! And Don’t give up! You will never regret working out, but you will regret not working out!