Protein? Confusing Info Abounds

If you are self-reflective at all and each year, take a look at your habits either physically or nutritionally. That means you may be looking at your diet/way of eating. As a wellness professional with one of my qualifications & training include nutrition, I can see the mixed messages that confuse people. If you are confused about what to do, don’t give up but rather keep trying until you get the right combination to foods and portion sizes to get you to feeling great and goal weight and muscle tone. Intuitive eating, listening to your body is also very important. Do you really need seconds, thirds? Is your body deficient in what is in your hand or fork about to hit your mouth?

Let’s start with if you work out, but this can also be a general number of where you may wish to start with how much protein you need in your daily diet.

How soon you should begin your recovery nutrition post workout?

Within 0 – 15 minutes and the first 2 hours post workout is really crucial to replenishing your body with what it needs to recover. If you go hard day after day and don’t refuel the body with food & hydration before, during, or after, then you are putting your immune system at risk as well as overreaching which can lead to injuries. 24-48 hours post exercise initial repair to muscle continues as well.

According to Dr. Robert Wolfe the maximal amount of protein eaten at one time that will support muscle repair and maintenance is 20-35 grams of animal-based protein. I don’t personally consume animal-based protein, so I go for plant-based and in the same range. This is why it’s important to have protein every 3-4 hours.

Albumen protein (egg whites) are a complete protein supplement and the most digestible and longest lasting. Sorry, but I can’t bring myself to do an egg white shake post workout! Yuck! Instead, I incorporate cooked egg whites into my daily diet usually along with some vegetables and my vegan cheese. Why just egg whites? I like the taste of just egg whites and when I add my vegan cheese, I am getting fat grams I prefer the taste and calories from.

What amount of protein to best help with protein and muscle repair is needed 1.2 grams/kg of body weight? (1 kg = 2.2. lbs).

Example: I will use myself as an example

125 lbs (56.81 kg)
56.81 kg x 1.2 grams of protein = 68.172 grams of protein daily will be needed at minimum to repair.

If I wish to gain muscle, then I use the 1.8 grams of protein daily.

56.81 kg x 1.8 grams of protein = 102.258 grams of protein daily.

I will tell you that I mostly fall on average between 65-80 grams of protein daily because I am very active and wish to keep and build muscle mass. Remember that each year past the age 25 that we lose 1/2 percent muscle which is why strength training becomes that much more important to keep up with.

What does the above calculation mean to you? Are you getting enough protein? If you are loading up on all animal protein, you may be getting too much fat and slowing down your metabolism because it takes so long to digest animal protein if not in form of protein shake.

Have you ever heard that amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and proteins are the building blocks of muscle?

You may wish to consider taking in amino acids (BCAA supplement) just before a workout so your body can use this for fuel and keep you from bonking and having the ability to work out hard enough to get the results you are aiming for.

Who else needs accountability and a fitness professional with my over 30 years of experience getting people feeling and looking great? Semi-private 30-minute personal training via zoom twice weekly can get you on track. Choose from 10 session intro package plus functional movement screening or 25 session package.

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If you haven’t had a functional movement assessment with a professional observe the way you move different joints and movements with your hips, shoulders, wrists and spine then how do you know you are doing the most effective strength training, flexibility or cardio program? Hire someone like me to get you on track with a program to help you reduce current pain, eliminate pain, improve your current program or enhance your athletic performance.

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Energy Fitness /Owner/Dir. of Training
(Club 29 Fitness Inc.)

898 N. Hwy 25 Bypass
Greenville, SC 29690 (Travelers Rest area)