(ThyBlackMan.com) Most people who begin exercise programs become consumed with carbs and fats, but rarely spend as much intellectual energy on the benefit that is singularly responsible for how our body sustains its growth and adaption to the physical environment: protein. Protein is a macro nutrient, a substance required in relatively large amounts by living organisms, in particular.
In short, protein is a necessary building block for achieving optimal results for lifestyle exercise.
Here’s what I have noticed about protein ingestion by the average person: people tend to abuse the amount of protein they consume. Succinctly, people too often use protein as meal replacements rather than for its primary purpose, which is to build and sustain body tissue.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), which is the minimum amount you need to be healthy, is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound) of body weight per day – 46 grams for an average woman.
Here’s the rule of thumb for using protein for achieving optimal results for the gym and beyond: the more active the lifestyle the better protein works. In other words, don’t drink protein shakes throughout the day because you don’t feel like cooking.
You will see a strong physique, greater strength, firm muscles and increased energy with intelligent use of protein.
Here are five ways protein can help to achieve optimal results.
Protein Helps to Reduce Appetite
Protein goes a long way toward curbing our appetite and hunger levels – especially late in the evening, when our willpower is tested. In short, protein improves satiety, or feeling full, which naturally decreases your desire or craving for bad snacking. If you do find yourself hungry at night, reach for something protein-based.
Rule of thumb: If you eat more protein during the day, you will greater condition your body to reject empty-carb (read: bad stuff) binging at night.
Protein Builds Stronger Muscles
The first principle of losing weight is to build muscle. Muscle and fat cannot equally co-exist. That’s where ingestion of protein comes in. Protein is a building block of muscle tissue. A person who lifts weights but is neglectful of protein intake is leaving a lot of progress on the table. You simply cannot build muscle without adequate protein consumption.
Protein Increases Strength
The whole purpose of building muscle is to increase strength – stronger muscles and stronger bones lead to a stronger body (something to consider as we age). A diet lacking in protein results in a weakened and deconditioned body.
Protein Helps to Burn Fat
The second principle of losing weight is burning fat. The key to burning fat is boosting metabolism. And that’s where protein comes in. People who increase protein intake tend to lose weight automatically, according to studies. That’s because ingesting protein helps your body to burn fat stores more efficiently. Of course this works better when ‘empty calories’ are restricted.
Protein Helps to Keep the Weight Off
Reduce the empty calories and increase protein intake and you will see in the aggregate – not only a stronger body and increased energy – but also, over time, you will realize sustained weight loss. That means you will see less “yo-yo” weight loss and more consistent results.
Protein is a necessary building block for achieving optimal results for lifestyle exercise.
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitestrategiescoaching.com.