Protein Misconceptions
I have a friend who wanted to get ripped before summer, what she did is she cut a lot of calories coming from her protein sources in her diet and ate a lot more vegetables, some olive oil and vinegar on salad, So I had to ask her “where did all of your protein go?” the answer was “I don’t need protein, I want to be ripped and slim not bulky!”, Believe it or not, she believed that protein will only get bulky as in big muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Here are some other stuff I keep hearing amongst my friends especially when you mention “Whey Protein for Women”
• Protein is ONLY important to get bulky
• You shouldn’t use whey protein powder unless you want to get bulky
• Women should NOT use whey protein powder because it will give them bulk muscles
• Protein will make you FAT
all of the points mentioned are just common misconception of protein, here is a fact about protein “If you really want a toned body then you need PROTEIN”
You don’t have to be a bodybuilder to eat or drink your protein, it takes people some time to get big muscles and have that muscular natural bodybuilder physique and it is even harder for women because they don’t have the testosterone that men do.
The muscle mass you have will depend on how hard you train and whether or not you are lifting weights to put your muscles and pressure and tension.
In case you think eating protein will get you fat, think again. Your body can’t store protein as a nutrient, so you see your body will either use the protein, get rid of it, or use it as an energy source.
You should learn to choose your protein source wisely, picking the right source will help you shed the extra weight you need to get rid of, I’m not saying you only need protein and nothing else, you still need fats and carbs in your diet but not any kind of fats you should have Healthy Fats like olive oil.
Protein helps you control your hunger and gives you sustained energy, If you include eggs in breakfast it will help you stay full for longer than having a cookie or muffin, although the muffin will give you satisfaction for a while, it spikes up your blood sugar then it crashes again which is one of the reasons you usually get cravings, but that’s another story. Constant or sustained energy levels will help you get those cravings under control.
So you might say “OK am convinced, now how much protein should I be consuming?” the answer is there isn’t a correct number, there are numerous studies saying aim for 1.5 to 2 grams per body pound but some people get away with eating 1 gram of protein per body pound and others even go as low as 0.5 grams, you have to keep testing and playing around with that number till you get the best results based on your body needs if you start losing muscles then you need bump that up a little, assuming you have a balanced diet and not just eating once a day.
Some people like to consume around 30 grams of protein each meal and others consume 50 grams, That will depend on your body type, you will need to figure out what’s best for you.
Here are some good protein sources to consider:
Meat, Poultry & Fish
• Lean beef cuts • Chicken breasts • Salmon • Lamb Legs • Turkey • Cod • Cottage cheese • Eggs • Sardines • Prawns.
Seeds & Nuts
• Poppy seeds • Pumpkin seeds • Cashews • Hazelnuts • Macadamia • Sesame Seeds • Pine nuts • Sunflower seeds • Brazilian nuts.
If you don’t have enough time in your day to eat your protein or for some reason you cannot eat it at work, consider having whey protein once or twice a day, or maybe even a meal replacement.
do you have any friends who think the same? let me know what questions you get from your friends below.
