from what i have read in various nutrition books and magazine articles, 100grams of protein is way to much. the body makes its own protein, what it needs from food are the essential amino acids, and nitrogen, this is why obtaining protein from the diet is neccassary.
Protein is hard for the body to digest, so the best time to eat high protein foods is in the morning. This gives the body the entire day to successfully break it down. You ecspecially do not want to eat high protein foods before sleep, this will force the digestive system to work when it should be at rest.
If you are living in America and you are not a vegetarian, you really should not be concerned with attaining enough protein, you probably are getting more than enough, without a doubt. You are better off focusing on getting as much balanced nutrition as possible, that probably means eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts.
One more thing, you will not keep your muscle by eating lots of protein, this is definetely a myth, you stop atrophy from working out. Atrophy can start about 2 weeks after you stop working out, do not try to gain mass by eating more protein, it just wont work. If you want to gain mass i would suggest hitting the weights and eating a balanced nutrient dense diet.
A balanced diet is key. Amino acids contribute to carbs being converted to protein. Consumption of them (amino acids) as food in items such as tomatos will help break down carbs so that the energy of the food is distributed where it is needed, anything less is stored as fat or evacuated.
Accelerated breathing brought on by cardio vascular training in turns burns calories which are gained from burning the fat supplies as well as residue energy from food.
Over consumption of protein can cause things such as acne or other imbalances in the body.
In the end, food consumption needs to be balanced between the required elements (carbs, protiens, vitamins..etc). Supplementation where there is not a natural source.
And it should all be based on you as a person, height, weight, metabolism, even lifestyle.
Just wanted to add an interesting point I picked up from some vegan friends. Soy and vegatable protiens do not contain all of the amino acids your body needs to repair tissue efficantly. If you have ever met a vegan whose fingernails are soft, brittle, or flaking you know what I mean. While red meat contains the most protien per weight it is for the most part unhealthy. Substituing say tofu for meat for all but one meal a day is a good idea. You don’t need that much meat just a bit. Remember chicken has less protien than fish, and fish contains Omega-3 fatty acid which is good for your heart. Tofu has the least amount of protien per weight, but it helps fight cancer. Also it is always easier to add missing item to you diet than to eliminate unhealthy one from it.
I on the other hand eat egg sandwiches, cheese steaks, and pizza, but I live in Philly and I’ll most likely die of lung cancer. LOL
I can’t believe the misinformation in this thread. Honestly, you people don’t have a clue. Have you even taken a look into the actual mechanisms by which foods are digested?
Nuts are very good. The fats contained therein are not saturated or trans-fatty acids, and are thus healthy.
Eggs MUST be heated. The amino acids contained within become MORE available to the body once heated.
Red meat is your friend. It has a lot of protein, and is absorbed better than most fish.
Soy is your enemy, unless you are a post-menapausal woman, or want to grow breasts. Please go to www.testosterone.net and do a search for “soy protein.” You will be surprised at the estrogenic effects and testosterone supressing effects you’ll find.
Also, check your total caloric intake first. If you’re not eating enough fuel to do your workouts, plus a little bit more, you’ll never get bigger and stronger.
And if anyone wants to know where I got my info, then just ask. I’ll assure you know its not from myths or misinterpreted health magazines.
Red meat has its advantages, and disadvantages. I’m not going to try to do a rundown, since I’m not a nutritionist, except to say this:
The bit about red meat staying in the colon wrapped in mucous membranes is bullshit. Period. Ask any licensed proctologist how long anything stays in your intestines/colon. This sort of crap (no pun intended) is how clinics sell “colonic irrigation” treatments to people.
Interesting info, WCJoe… thanks for posting it. I checked out the articles on that site, and added it to my growing knowledge of diet and nutrition.
As for my current diet… I’ve been enjoying some positive results with it thusfar. I try to include some of the following with every meal:
For protein - chicken breast, tuna, beans
For carbs - rice, whole wheat bread
For fiber - bran
I also eat some green, leafy vegetables and broccoli.
For snacks I will drink a protein shake (With fruit juice… not milk… I seem to have a problem with milk) or eat a peach, pear, or apple, or a handful of unsalted nuts.
I’ve started to get a lot of use out of my bamboo steaming trays. I like to steam chicken breasts more than fry them because they always feel so “heavy” when you fry them. I will occasionally bake them, but that takes a lot longer than steaming.