Protein

Protein

Protein is often associated with big bulky bodybuilders in the gym and with packing on loads of muscle.  If I had a pound for every time I heard one of my female friends and family say that they don’t want to eat protein because they don’t want to get bulky, I would be rich!

Why do I need protein?

Protein is an essential macronutrient (macro) to our health – the other two macros being fats and carbohydrates (watch out for the blogs on these!).  It is the building block to our anatomy and many bodily functions including the production of enzymes, chemicals and even hormones.

Further to this, proteins do most of the work in each and every one of our cells.   Our hair, nails and skin, as well as our bones, need protein to grow and be strong.

Studies have even shown that a high protein diet can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

It is the macro that builds and repairs body tissue, including muscles.

So all in all, pretty important, even if you aren’t in to being a body builder!

Will protein make me bulky?

In a word: No!  Yes, protein repairs and builds muscle, but what makes you ‘bulky’ is a calorie surplus i.e. consuming more calories than you are consuming (see my calories blog from earlier)

The bodybuilders you see have spent years carefully eating in surplus and working out endlessly.  Eating a chicken breast a day and weight training 3 times a week will not get you ‘jacked’!

How much protein should I consume?

For someone that just wants to get in to decent shape, I would say that you want to aim for around 1.4g – 2g per your weight in Kg.  So, a 65KG person should aim for around 91-130g of daily protein.  That may sound a lot if you are not used to prioritising protein, but it really isn’t.  And for someone who is actively trying to build muscle, I would actually recommend more than that.

This naturally leads to the question - what if I consume too much protein?  Excess protein is broken down in to amino acids and some will be passed out in urine and the rest … well that depends.  If you are in a calorie surplus overall, as mentioned above, then the energy from the excess protein will be stored as fat.  If, however, you are in a calorie deficit, then the excess protein is simply used as energy.

Where do I get protein from?

The easiest way to get protein is from animal products: chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, beef.  Do note though, that these come with other macros (fats and carbs) and calories.  The lowest in calorie and purest in protein would be you lean white meats such as chicken and turkey.

Fish is a great source of protein too.  A lot of fish come with fat too, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  I love to hit my protein target with salmon and tuna sashimi.

Egg whites provide a decent punch of protein – 5 medium egg whites will give you around 20g protein for under 100 calories!

And last, but not least, is it possible to hit your protein target as a vegetarian or vegan? Absolutely!  With offerings from the likes of broccoli, tofu, legumes, cheese, quorn as well as vegan protein powder to mention a few, we have so many options out there now.  Being vegetarian or vegan is no longer an excuse to not be able to up your protein intake.

What are Amino Acids?

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.  There are 20 different amino acids which in different combinations make different proteins that the body needs.  Of these 20 amino acids, 12 can be produced by the body, however, 8 (some scientists argue 9!) of them we cannot and must be sourced from our diet.  These are referred to as essential amino acids.

Most animal products are high in all of these essential amino acids and are referred to as complete proteins, so if you are a meat eater, sourcing these will be fairly easy.

Although plant based foods contain essential amino acids, they tend to be in low doses and so are referred to as incomplete proteins.  Further to this, not only as a vegetarian/vegan would you have to eat more to get the same levels of essential amino acids, you have to make sure you are eating a variety of different non animal products to get all of the 8 essential amino acids.

So if you would rather source your protein from non animal products, you will have to think about it a little more and eat the right combinations in order to get them all.  For example, if you have toast, which is low in 2 certain amino acids, pairing it with beans which is high in those very two amino acids would give you complete amino acids in the same meal.

If this is something you need help with – this is certainly something we can put together for you in a meal plan (shameless self plug there!).

In conclusion, protein won’t alone make you look like you are about to walk on to a body building stage.  Protein will, however, help your body to do what it needs to do in order function.