The final Video section of the April 8, 2010 Meeting is on Protein and Exercise
How Much Protein Do You Need?
http://exercise.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/protein.htm
What is protein? By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
Are you confused about how much protein you need? Many athletes and exercisers are increasing their protein intake to help them both lose weight and build more muscle, but is that the right way to go? It makes sense that, since muscles are made of protein, eating more dietary protein will help you build more muscle. However, science tells us that isn't always the case.
A Little Bit of Science
Proteins are the basic building blocks of the human body. They are made up of amino acids, and help build muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs. Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body, and most of it (around 60% to 70%) is located in the skeletal muscles.
There are 20 amino acids that are required for growth by the human body and all but eight can be produced in your body. These eight amino acids, called essential amino acids, must be supplied by food and/or supplements. The other twelve non-essential amino acids are made within the body, but both essential and non-essential amino acids are needed to synthesize proteins. What does all this mean? It means that if you don't supply your body with the essential amino acids it needs, your body may be limited in the amount of protein it can use to build muscle.
Getting the Right Kind of Protein
Foods that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These foods include beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk and just about anything else derived from animal sources. Incomplete proteins don't have all of the essential amino acids and generally include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts. So, if you're a vegetarian, does this mean you can't get complete protein? Not at all. Below is a chart listing some incomplete proteins. To get all of the essential amino acids, simply choose foods from two or more of the columns.
Grains Legumes Seeds & Nuts Vegetables
Barley Beans Sesame Seeds Leafy Greens
Corn Meal Lentils Sunflower Seeds Broccoli
Oats Peas Walnuts
Rice Peanuts Cashews
Pasta Soy Products Other Nuts
Many experts believe that most of us get more than enough protein daily. In fact, some experts believe the average sedentary American eats about 50% more than the recommended daily amount, which ranges from 40-70 grams each day depending on your gender, age and situation.
If you're an exerciser, however, your protein needs may increase since resistance training and endurance workouts can rapidly break down muscle protein. That means exercisers may need to increase protein intake from the RDA's recommendation of 0.8 g/kg to 1.2-1.8 g/kg.
What if you're trying to build more muscle? Shouldn't you eat even more protein? Not necessarily. There's been evidence that bodybuilders, much like exercisers or athletes, do require more protein but that any more than double the RDA won't necessarily help you build more muscle. In one study, experts studied three groups of weight lifters: A low protein group (0.86 g/kg), a moderate protein group (1.40 g/kg) and a high protein group (2.40 g/kg) and found that, "There were no effects of varying protein intake on indexes of lean body mass."
In essence, the more you exercise, the greater your protein needs will be. However, taking it too far, for example more than doubling your protein intake, won't necessarily help you build more muscle.
How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:
1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.
Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.
Example: 154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day
Calculating Protein as a Percentage of Total Calories
Another way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. To do this, you'll need to know how many calories your body needs each day.
First, find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is by using a BMR calculator.
Next, figure out how many calories you burn through daily activity and add that number to your BMR. This gives you an estimate of how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.
After you've figured out your maintenance calories, next figure out what percentage of your diet will come from protein. The percentage you choose will be based on your goals, fitness level, age, body type and metabolic rate. Most experts recommend that your protein intake be somewhere between 15 and 30%. When you've determined your desired percentage of protein, multiply that percentage by the total number of calories for the day.
Example:
For a 140lb female, calorie intake=1800 calories, protein=20%:
1800 x .20 = 360 calories from protein. Since 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, divide protein calories by four:
360/4 = 90 grams of protein per day.
No matter what your calculations are, remember that there are no magic foods or supplements that can replace the right training and the right diet. The foundation of any program, whether your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, is a combination of strength training and a healthy diet that includes carbs, with a balance of protein and fat.
Lack of Time for Physical Activity?
www.move.va.gov
Here are some ideas to help fit more physical activity into your day:
•Look for short periods of time (at least ten minutes) during the day in which you can do some physical activity.
•Walk to the mailbox.
•Park at the far end of the parking lot when at the store, mall, or work.
•Be active during lunchtime! If you bring lunch to work, you may have time to take a brisk walk.
•Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
•Plan and prepare meals ahead of time, so you’ll have time to exercise.
•Walk the dog a little longer at a brisk pace.
•Get your family to exercise with you. It’s a fun way to spend some quality time together.
•Keep a daily log; this can help you to see where you can fit in more physical activity.
•Replace part of your TV/computer time with physical activity.
•Do chair exercises while watching TV.
•Set aside a block of time every day for planned physical activity. Make being active a part of your daily routine just like brushing your teeth and taking a shower.
Low Fat Low Calorie Savory Ham and Rice Dinner Recipe
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Low-Fat-Low-Calorie-Savory-Ham-and-Rice-Dinner-57193
This is a tasty and satisfying one dish meal that's high in flavor and low in fat and calories! Based on a recipe from a Healthy Cooking book that says it has just 229 calories per serving, 15 g of protein and 7 g fat!
57 min | 15 min prep
SERVES 4
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 can low-fat cream of celery soup (Campbells makes one, it's called Healthy Request) or reduced-fat cream of broccoli soup
• 3/4 cup Minute Rice
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked ham
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• paprika
1. In saucepan combine carrot, celery, onion and water.
2. Bring to boil, reduce heat.
3. Cover and simmer 7 minutes.
4. Do not drain.
5. Stir in undiluted soup, uncooked rice, ham and poultry seasoning.
6. Pour into 1 1/2 quart casserole dish that you have sprayed with Pam.
7. Sprinkle paprika over top.
Cover and bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (169g) Recipe makes 4 servings
Calories 228 Sodium 62 mg
The Group Prayer Time (the last 20 minutes of the one hour meeting) is confidential and will never be filmed but I thought the readers of this blog might benefit by seeing the Group Time Agenda.
PIO GROUP PRAYER TIME
April 8, 2010
• Do you have negative thinking?
• Do you use Positive Affirmations in your self-talk or in your conversations with others? Can you?
• As a group, make-up and write down five Weight Loss Positive Affirmations and give them to Ellen at the end of the meeting. Put your table number at the top of the page.*
• Do you live in the present moment? Are you at peace?
• Do you feel sorry for yourself? Is it sapping your spiritual well-being?
• Discuss Peace Pilgrim’s statement – “Only those who are attached to God are truly free.”
• Do you look for a purpose in the difficulties in your life?
• Say the Hail Mary to Close the Group.
*MUST DO
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace….” Galatians 5:22-23
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