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What makes a person look old? Is it their wrinkles, gray hair or dentures?
Yes in part, but mainly it is their body, or specifically lack of a “body”. Lack of muscle is what makes someone look old! Are you fighting the battle with age and losing?
I know I was! After having 4 children in less than 4 years, I looked closer to 48 than 28. I was disgusted! So I joined the gym, worked out at least 5 days a week and followed a traditional diet. It took me about 4 months to realize that what I was doing was not creating the body I desired. It wasn't until I doubled my protein intake that my body started looking younger and better. Up until then, I was Protein deficient!
Do you workout without getting results? You may be protein deficient also. I've noticed that 9 out of every10 of my clients were protein deficient when I originally assessed their diets. In my opinion protein deficiency is the #1 reason that people (especially women) fail to attain the body they desire. Protein is the building block of every cell in our bodies and without protein muscle simply disappears.
Other than age there are many other factors that can accelerate muscle loss:
- Pregnancy
- Sickness
- Malnutrition
- Inactivity
- Dieting
- Overtraining
The only proven and effective way to maintain/rebuild your muscle mass is to weight train and eat properly. Without both components, you will have limited success.
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How Much Protein Should You EAT?
Eat your goal bodyweight in grams of protein daily. I want to weigh 125; therefore I want to eat 125g of protein per day. Each gram of protein has 4 calories, so I should have at least 600 calories per day from protein. Listen to this bonus: calories from protein require about 1 calorie per gram to digest, so you actually burn calories just by eating protein.
The Basics about Protein:
- Protein has 4 calories per gram
- Protein takes extra energy to digest, up to 1 calorie per gram.
- Protein is essential for muscle maintenance and growth.
- It can be converted to use for energy.
- It takes up to 3 hours to digest.
- The most popular proteins are animal, milk based and soy based.
Why Do I Use Protein Supplements?
TIME - It takes 25 minutes to make a chicken breast and less than 1 minute for a protein shake. Let's face it, life is hectic and unfortunately most proteins are not readily consumable. They need to be cooked and don't sound too appetizing at times. Also, the volume of protein needed is hard to fit into our busy lives. As a result, supplementation has become an essential way to help us meet our daily needs.
My recommendations for supplementation:
- Use it as a supplementation, not a foundation
- Generally consume no more than 1-2 servings a day of a protein supplement
- Find a brand or flavor that you like, use it as part of a meal or a special treat
- Consider consuming it with optimal timing: pre-workout and post-work
My Recommended Purchases:
Whey protein is one of the most pure ways to get great quality, easy to digest protein in your diet. It also tastes good and is very convenient:
Syntrax Nectar : Fast, easy to mix with just a spoon, easy to clean up and tastes good. I like the cherry flavor.
EAS MyoPro Whey: My staple protein, chocolate and vanilla are both very good.
Champion UltraMet Meal Replacement Shakes : I love this meal replacement. It has great protein/carb ratios and tastes awesome in just water (like chocolate cake batter or pudding). Chocolate is my favorite!
Important things to remember when consuming a higher protein diet:
- Protein requires a lot of water to digest, so drink extra water. Be especially aware of this during the hot summer months.
- Make sure to eat your veggies also. Too much protein without enough fiber/water is not good, so eat 2-3 large servings of veggies a day.
The Bottom Line:
It is impossible to build a great looking body without consuming adequate protein daily!
It works if you work it,
Take care and GET BUFF!
xoxoxo~Michelle Berger.
To learn more about Michelle and the online personal training/coaching programs she offers, please visit her website:
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