How Much Is Enough?
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
There is a lot of information on just how much protein you need to eat to gain the muscle you want to. It is true that protein builds muscle mass, but it can also be burned as energy instead of being used to build and recover muscle tissue. So what is the right balance? As an athlete, you need carbohydrates and protein both to reach a balance that will yield results. Bodybuilders need a carbohydrate-based diet since carbohydrates are stored in the muscle for energy. If your muscles are low or depleted in carbohydrates, then you cannot expect a lot from your muscles while lifting weights. High protein diets don't provide enough "fuel" for your muscles to let you work out hard enough to build the way you would like to. The best training diet contains sufficient protein, not loads of protein, to build, repair, and strengthen muscle tissue, as well as grow hair, nails and regenerate red blood cells. The key is that excess protein is not stored as protein in your muscles, but burned as energy or stored as fat or glycogen. You want to use it, not burn it.
There are different needs for different athletes, but a good balance is always present in success. For instance, weightlifters will often seek protein while runners will avoid it, looking for carbohydrates, but without a balance, neither will succeed in their goals. We have yet to come to a definition of exact protein needs, but we do know that for an athlete, the need is more than the RDA states, which is 0.4 grams per pound of body weight. In fact, you could double that and be at a good intake of protein. If you don't have the right balance of protein and carbohydrates, then you could be hindering your gains. Those who do intense exercise or endurance training, seeking high carbohydrates and low protein would get 5 or 10 percent of energy from burning protein and thus, it would not be used for muscle repair and growth. The same is true with a dieter on a low calorie (too low) diet.
There is a study by a Dr. Lemon (Lemon et al. 1992) where 22 year old men trained in the gym for an hour and a half, six days per week. These men required about 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight to stay in protein balance. This would mean a 150 lb male would need 102 grams of protein per day. There are others who say to take in 1.0 - 1.5 grams per pound of body weight. The World Anabolic Review will tell you just that. This is an understandable intake if you are a hardcore body builder or on steroids as you will certainly use it, but do not neglect the carbohydrates you will need to burn in place of the protein. Someone on Deca-Durabolin for instance, would need significantly higher amounts of protein due to the nitrogen balance and protein synthesis caused by the steroid. These people have trained their muscles however, and therefore store more protein than they burn, thus the growth response is better.
Carbohydrates are necessary for both the runner (endurance athlete) and the bodybuilder, because they are stored in your muscles as energy or fuel when needed. Unlike carbs, protein, when it is stored, is stored as fat or glycogen. So, if you are burning the protein instead of the carbohydrates, you will be low on glycogen in your muscles and the protein will not be used to build and recover them, the whole reason you are eating the protein to begin with. One third of a person's dinner should consist of protein rich foods. The rest should be carbohydrate rich foods. For instance, eat a carbohydrate rich breakfast, then a lunch, which is 1/3 protein and 2/3 carbs, then a dinner of the same proportions. Do not focus the meal on proteins, but make the proteins the enrichment to the meal. Fish, chicken, lean meats, etc' can be added to enrich a good meal, don't make them THE meal.
Carbohydrates are important to maintain high energy and to train at your best throughout the day. Proteins will build and recover your muscle tissue, like you desire, but only if you eat the right balance. A high protein/low carbohydrate diet will lead to fatigue, glycogen stores being depleted, and frustration because you are training hard and not gaining the mass.
The next key to success is rest. Rest periods are very important in any exercise program. Tired muscles require adequate time to heal and grow. If you over train, you could require days or weeks of recovery. In a report about swimmers, it was shown that a two and a half week taper was insufficient to recover from the staleness of a six-month season. So, if you are working out; get your protein, get your carbs, and get your rest.
It is a common thought and concern that carbohydrates are fattening. They are not. Too much fat is fattening. In one teaspoon of fat you will find 36 calories. In one teaspoon of carbohydrates you will find 16 calories. Now, how much of that is converted into fat is limited, because you burn the carbs for energy when you workout. Fats are stored. There are four calories in one gram of carbohydrate; four calories in one gram of protein; nine calories in one gram of fat; and seven calories in one gram of alcohol.
What you burn and when. There are really several sources of energy, when you are doing low level exercise, such as walking or maybe the activity at your work if it is not just sitting in a chair (like me), you burn primarily fats for your energy. When doing light to moderate exercise, jogging or walking for instance, stored fat provides 50% - 60% of your body's fuel. When you exercise hard, sprinting, running, swimming, you rely mostly on the glycogen stores in your muscles for the energy. Now, there is a difference in how the trained and untrained body stores glycogen. There is a biochemical change that occurs when you train consistently for prolonged periods of time. Well-trained muscles will acquire the ability to store more glycogen than untrained muscles, about 20% - 50% more. For example, the untrained muscle has about 13 grams of glycogen per 100 grams of muscle. The trained muscle has about 35 grams per 100 grams of muscle. When carbo-loaded, a muscle has about 35 - 40 grams of glycogen. When you have a depleted supply or store of glycogen, you will "crash" and not be able to complete a workout or to train at your best, mentally and physically (your brain uses glycogen too). You naturally have about 1,800 calories in your body (not including calories from fat) in the following breakdown; Muscle glycogen, 1,400 calories - liver glycogen, 320 calories - and Blood glucose, 80 calories. These natural stores determine how long you can enjoy your workout before getting fatigued and needing to quit. Liver glycogen is transported into your blood stream, maintaining blood sugar levels needed for brain food. Foods must be consumed close enough to your workout to supply sugar (energy) to your brain, since unlike the muscles, the brain does not store glycogen.
So, to conclude, exercise is the key to gaining muscle, not a bunch of protein. In theory, to gain 1 pound of muscle per week, you need 14 extra grams of protein per day (that's like two ounces of meat). If you eat large amounts of protein rich foods, you may be storing more fat than burning it. And just so you know, the carbohydrates from soft drinks provide energy but no vitamins or minerals. The carbs from polymer drinks provide energy but no vitamins or minerals, unless fortified with them. The carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, and grains provide energy, vitamins, and minerals. Healthy fuel !!
To find out your correct balance of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates please see Jeremy Barnett for your personalized nutritional analysis today! Ask the front desk staff or Jeremy Barnett for an appointment.
JEREMY BARNETT FITNESS ADVANTAGE FT. MYERS, FL. FITNESS DIRECTOR ISSA CERTIFIED FITNESS TRAINER POST INJURY FITNESS AND REHAB TRAINER SPECIALIST IN PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
ONLINE FITNESS TRAINING MADE EASY
www.fitnessgenerator.com/fitnessdirectorjb
fitnessdirectorjb@yahoo.com
Drinks
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
A very popular item at breakfast or lunch, you can throw this together fast and have a good start to your day. Just about any combination is great, so put in your favorite fruits.
1/2 cup yogurt or milk 1 cup fruit juice (be sure to put some Ribose in these) 1/2 to 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit.
*you could throw in some powdered milk for an extra benefit. Maybe some graham crackers, grape nuts, almonds, walnuts, you name it!
Place all ingredients into a blender and whip till smooth (smoothie!)
Nutrition: 250 calories
80% carbohydrate 50 - 60 grams
10% Protein 5 grams
10% Fat 3 grams
Orange Pineapple Delight
Potassium boosting thirst quencher. 1/2 cup Orange Juice 1/2 cup Pineapple juice 1 medium Banana, cut into chunks
*Ice cubes or soda water, tonic water, or seltzer water are good additions. And Ribose!
Blend till smooth
Nutrition: 240 calories
99% carbohydrate, 59 grams
1% Protein, 1 grams
0% Fat, 0 grams
JEREMY BARNETT ISSA CERTIFIED FITNESS TRAINER POST INJURY FITNESS & REHAB TRAINER SPECIALIST IN PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
About the author: JEREMY BARNETT Fitness Director for Fitness Advantage in Ft. Myers, Fl. ISSA & IFPA Certified Fitness Trainer, Certified Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Certified Post Injury Fitness and Rehabilitation Trainer