Health & Fitness Blog

In our last fitness articles we discussed the types of fats, fitness and weight loss tips, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).Today we will discuss the facts about building muscles and diet. Macronutrients like protein, carbohydrates and fats helps in building muscles. Despite the fact that carbohydrate and protein synthesis are vital to build muscles, many of us don’t pay enough attention to the food we eat.

One can write a book on muscle building and diet.  Even though science is fairly straightforward, researchers have determined that a person trying to build muscle needs between 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. Many nutritionists like to use the lower number of 1.5 grams per kilogram of body. Trainers in health centres tend to round the number up to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily for building muscles.

A lot of extra protein ie more than 2 grams per pound of body weight may not help for muscle building. Protein has two qualities that help in weight loss and may curtail weight gain. First protein is metabolically expensive for our body to process, our body burns 20% of each protein calorie just digesting it (for carbs is 8% and  fats 2%).This is called thermic effect of feeding, second protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer, this is great tool for fat loss but not advisable  when you trying to gain muscle. On the other hand for fat loss via strength training we need to take in more than the recommended upper limit of protein while cutting back on fats or carbs. Without extra protein your body could lose muscle mass with fat, and lost muscle means a slower metabolism which can stall weight loss and fat can be regained at a faster pace.

The highest quality protein is found in meat, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products. And the use of whey protein and meal replacement powders seem to be grudging support among nutritionists because of the convenience, the high quality of protein and safety of these supplements.

The timing of protein intake has gotten more attention recently. Research at university of Texas shows that ingesting a protein-carb supplement before strength training leads to more protein synthesis than a post workout supplement does. The most likely reason of this is that the blood flow increases during exercise, so if we have more protein in blood during exercise, more protein goes to the muscles thereby helping in muscles building.