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Health & Nutrition |
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This
Month's Question:
I’m new to weight training. What’s better for developing muscle – machines or free weights?
Answer >> |
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Spinach and artichoke side
This quick, energy-revving side dish makes a great companion to any protein.
more >> |
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Want to be a lean, mean muscle machine? Check out all you need to
know about the key muscle-building ingredient: protein.
| Power-Packed Protein |
Oxygen
#50, pg. 64 |
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By Karen Ansel, MS, RD
You want nothing more than to be lean and sculpted. And you know it takes
more than simply serious training to get you results. But you may not have
to eat more protein, you may just need to eat smarter.
Anatomy of a muscle
Protein makes up about 45 percent of total body weight. (This figure, as
reported by Sports Nutrition: A Guide for the Professional Working with
Active People, is only a textbook estimate, as there is some variation depending
on sex and body composition.) And depending on your level of physical activity,
you need an intake between 0.25 to 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body
weight just to maintain the muscle you already have. But if your goal is
to grow and develop those muscles, that amount isn’t going to cut
it. “Protein needs of strength training athletes should be the same
for males and females, about 1.5 to 2 grams of protein (varies with amount
and intensity of exercise) per kilogram of body weight per day based on
research studies,” says Kristine Clark, PhD, RD, of Penn State’s
Center for Sports Medicine.
  But
just because some is good, doesn’t mean more is better. The body is
only able to build so much muscle in a given period of time – for
most women that’s about a pound a week, with one pound of pure muscle
containing somewhere between 70 to 105 grams of protein. Building an extra
pound requires an additional 10 to 14 grams of high quality protein per
day. And there’s no point eating more than you need, because unlike
fat and carbohydrates, the body can’t store protein: the excess either
gets burned for energy or broken down to urea and excreted.
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Tips for maximizing protein intake
• Protein can be dehydrating, so don’t skimp on water. Strive
for at least two liters a day, more if you are training.
• Carbohydrates are the number one fuel to help you power through
your workouts. As little as one intense training session can quickly zap
all of your body’s stored glycogen, leaving you with less energy for
future workouts, so don’t miss out on this critical nutrient.
• To get the most mileage from the protein in your meals, divide the
one closest to your workout into two mini-meals so you can eat half before
training and half afterwards.
• Avoid protein myopia – when you become so protein focused
that other nutrient packed foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains
are crowded out of your diet.
• Supplement your protein intake with extra calories (yes, you read
right). Converting protein into muscle is an energy-requiring process, one
that calls for roughly 200 extra calories a day, over and above those burned
during exercise.
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What are Your Nutrient Requirements?
All you highly active ladies, here’s what your body needs to get lean
and sculpted:
• Calories: multiply your desired body weight by 16.
• Protein: multiply body weight by 0.75 to get optimal protein intake
in grams. Then multiply by four for total protein calories.
• Carbohydrates: multiply body weight by 2.4 for recommended carbohydrates
in grams. Then multiply by four for carbohydrate calories.
• Fat:
Add protein calories to carbohydrate calories. Subtract this total from
total calories. Divide by nine to determine fat grams.
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To read the full article, pick
up a copy of Oxygen
#50
today!
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