There are three macronutrients necessary to base a healthy diet on: carbohydrates, fats and protein. In this article I will look at protein for building muscle and burning fat. Protein is found throughout the body: in muscles, skin, bones. It was recognized by ancient Greeks as being the primary building block of the body and it is necessary for, among other things, muscle growth and repair. More fundamentally protein is created from twenty-two standard amino acids (there are in total more amino acids than this, but these are the ones that constitute protein). Of the twenty-two standard amino acids, nine are known as essential amino acids while the remainder are non-essential amino acids. An essential amino acid cannot be synthesized by the human body and they must therefore be ingested as part of one’s daily diet. Protein itself cannot therefore be created by the human body and must be taken in as part of a regular diet.
Protein for Building Muscle and Burning Fat
A fundamental point then is to recognize that in order to build muscle you need to be taking in protein regularly (a portion with each meal preferably). Losing weight is possible, easier even, without protein but it must be remembered that your weight loss in that case will include a loss of muscle mass (losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing). You should also consider that if you are successful in building muscle your overall weight may well increase (depending on where you are starting from and even if you are also burning fat). Your aim is to build muscle AND burn fat. For this result then using protein for building muscle and burning fat is necessary.
An interesting and relevant point is that of the three macronutrients, protein requires the most energy to digest. Known as the thermic effect, digesting protein raises your metabolism higher than either carbs or fats during the digestive process. (This should not be confused with burning fats, carbs or protein once they are digested). Raising your metabolism and keeping it raised it considered a primary method of burning fat. Eating smaller meals more often is also a good way of ensuring your metabolism remains strong while others advocate consuming protein before sleeping to ensure that your metabolism keeps ticking over.
The best sources of protein include fish, turkey, chicken, lean beef, eggs (preferably egg whites. Eggs are something you may wish to experiment with. The egg yolk is a good source of protein and various nutrients but also containｓ cholesterol), Greek yogurt and whey protein (found in protein shakes). The actual amount you take in is also something you are going to have to figure out by yourself. The commonly accepted amount is 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of total body weight for people who are seriously exercising on a regular (5-6 days a week) basis. So if you weigh 200 pounds you want to be consuming 200-300 grams of protein a day. Hard gainers though may struggle here just to consume that quantity and it should be remembered that excess protein will either be turned to waste or stored as fat. Everyone’s digestive system is different and one’s kidneys and liver (used to process protein) will function at different levels for different people. This is why drinking plenty of water is important: protein is difficult to fully digest and makes the digestive system work hard. Water smooths this process. These figures are guidelines only and are for athletes engaged in vigorous activity intending to build muscle. At the other end of the scale an adult should be looking at around 0.8 grams of protein per pound of weight for maintenance.
One of the best times to take protein is following a work out. Again, there is all kinds of science suggesting different windows of opportunity for optimal muscle growth but aiming to eat a source of protein within an hour of a workout is a good place to start. As with all other areas, experiment for yourself and find out what works best for you.
In summary using protein for building muscle and burning fat can be an effective approach to take towards building lean muscle and getting ripped. Protein is a primary component of our body (as are therefore the standard amino acids) and we need to replace it on a meal to meal basis. This will promote muscle growth which in turn will lead us to burning more fat. By making the body work to digest protein we will also burn fat. Protein keeps our metabolism high and allows us to reap the full benefits of training for muscle growth.
