• FreeTrainers.com Forums
• Specific Diets & Nutrition
• Reasons to increase protein - need help

Group: Specific Diets & Nutrition

Reasons to increase protein - need help

kirby00 Posts: 238 Joined: 2002/11/05	2003/07/21, 01:29 PM Hi all - My roomies and I are helping each other get back on track with good (clean) foods, cardio and weight training. Yeah! Support group :) When discussing a "good" diet, I suggested that we should all be conscious of our protein intake and try to have some at most meals. One of my roomies went through most of nursing school and has a hard time understanding why this is so important. I said - We're going to be lifting. Muscles are made of protein & they need it to grow. She said that muscles are made of amino acids, which are present in a lot of things (just not the whole strands). Ok, that one didn't work. We need to have protein with most meals (frequent, small meals) so we don't have that blood sugar drop associated with the quick digestion of carbs. She agreed with this one. Whew! But...can someone help me with some other (scientific) reasons? Also, if there's some errors in what I've stated, please correct me. Much thanks in advance. -Kirby
7707mutt Posts: 7,686 Joined: 2002/06/18	2003/07/21, 01:36 PM Well she is right about the amino acids. But when you workout you are in fct ripping and tearing the muscle fibers. The amounts of amino acids you get from other foods is by no means enough to repair the damage. So in order to gain LBM anf decrease over all bodyfat a good diet balance with protein, carbs(the right ones) and fats is needed. As a normal (re:non-weightlifting) person they do not need as much protein as one that does indeed lift. If she wants like actual medical journals I guess I may be able to get some refrences together. She needs, to realize that if you do not get the required amount of protein and still maintain a high level of weight training what she is headed for is a bad muscle injury. -------------- Eat More, Drink More, and Lift Harder than you thought you could, welcome to Becoming!