Hot topic: Protein and Building Muscle

This topic came up in conversation today and I figured I'd write a short post about it...since a) it's such a popular topic and b)because most people have no idea what they are doing in terms of protein intake and building muscle. Just being honest.

Okay. Protein. What does it do in the body? Well, protein make up enzymes (very important), they are involved in the contraction of muscle fibers (for all you meat heads) and they help to repair and maintain our bodies, and they are involved in the majority of the functions of each cell in your body (woah...I guess they are suger important).

SO let's talk numbers. The majority of healthy individuals require 0.8 grams of protein per KILOGRAM of body weight. FOR example, if you weight 180 lbs....180lbs divided by 2.2= 81.8 kilograms. 81.8kg multipled by 0.8 grams of protein per kg= about 65.5 grams of protein. That is the estimated amount required for a 180 lb person. What does 65 grams of protein look like you ask? Well, one greek yogurt is about 15 grams of protein. One egg has about 9 grams of protein. Meat depends on the amount and type but let's say a serving (4-5oz) of meat is about 20 grams. You do the math, it's not that hard to get the recommended amount since Americans typically eat a lot of meat.

Even if you are lifting weights, your body still does a pretty good job at only needing that 0.8 grams per kilogram. If you are a professional body builder, you may require up to 1.0-1.2 grams per kilogram....but that's for hardcore body builders. NOT a typical meat head in the gym. AND just for the record, I have nothing against meat heads...but I use the term in a sarcastic and playful manner. :) promise.

SO let's talk about another aspect of all of this. IF you take in MORE protein than you need, it places an added stress on your kidneys. Not going into all of the reasons why this is happening, but you can message me if you are really interested. LONG STORY SHORT, you do not want to add stress on your kidneys. They are your whole bodies filtering system and trust me, you don't want your kidneys to be stressed out or pissed off.

Additionally, if you just consume a bunch of protein and you don't really lift weights, you are not going to add muscle. You will add more body fat. SO if you are going to be ingesting a multitude of protein shakes and not lift much of anything, you are going to end up adding body fat and wasting a bunch of money.

In my opinion, I'm not so sure that protein shakes are necessary in order to gain muscle mass. If you eat enough calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates in the form of food, and you are lifting according to a hypertrophy exercise program, you'll be all set. There are plenty of people who gain muscle mass without the use of protein shakes. HOWEVER, if that's your cup of tea, go for it! I'm not knocking it, I just don't see that it is necessary. That's all.

Alright, hope this helps any of you who are trying to add muscle or just aren't seeing the results you'd like. OR just someone who's interested in protein/muscle mass.

Hope all is well!


Caitlin