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Food, food, food!
Hi my name is Mark Swayne, I am a level 3 personal trainer & nutritionist. I am a complete nerd when it comes to improving fitness & lifestyle. Over the coming weeks and months it is my aim to bring you science based facts and actionable tools, about everything to do with fitness & lifestyle.
I thought we would kick off with food, over the next few weeks I will guide you through the roles of food in our body, the different diet strategies (pro's & cons) and the affects of food on your emotions and wellbeing.
It's no wonder there is so much confusion when it comes to food, you only have to watch the news or look at google news feed to be told you should be eating this, or you should eat less of this, or the latest celebrity says eat this to look like this. Keto, vertical, 5:2, intermittent fasting, Mediterranean, south beach, plant based, paleo, carnivore and so many more. With all these so called miracle diets, which one is right for you? Well stick with me and I'll guide you through them, giving you the facts about each, when one might be right for you, and when it might not be right. My opinions and experience of them and enough information for you to decide how you would like to eat.
In answer to the question which is right for you? The answer is surprisingly simple. The nutritional plan that is right for you is one that, fits your current lifestyle and in line with your values and goals, The one that fuels your performance, provides you with all your macro & nutrient needs, gives you plenty of energy & one that you can adhere to and enjoy.
To start with lets take a look at the 3 main macros, protein, carbs & fats. Both protein and carbs contain 4 calories per gram while fats contain 9 calories per gram. The bodies preferred source of energy is from carbs or fats, Yes protein can be used as energy, but as this is such a valuable nutrient and performs so many essential functions in the body that the body will always prefer carbs or fats as energy over protein.
So lets start by taking a look at protein, what does it do, how much do I need, and some of its many functions.
Protein comes from the Greek word Proteos, meaning primary. Protein consists of small molecules called amino acids. Your body can produce some amino acids, but there are 9 amino acids know as essential amino acids that it can not produce. These 9 essential amino's therefore need to be consumed by us in our diets. Generally animal protein provides all 9 essential aminos in the correct ratio for your body to make full use of them. It is possible to obtain all 9 amino acids from plant based products, although this can be more challenging as very few contain all 9.
The current DRI (dietary reference intake) of protein is 0.36g per lb of bodyweight per day. This is about 55g for a male, and 45g for a female. The latest research shows this may just be enough to prevent a deficiency, but nowhere near enough to support optimal living. The amount of protein required depends on many factors, activity level, age, muscle mass, physique goals & overall health being just a few.
So ok, how much should I have? That will depend on your lifestyle and goals. If your goal is weight loss for example, a diet that is 30% of total calories from protein has been shown to be beneficial in both loosing weight and then maintaining a healthy weight. A high protein diet increases the production of peptide PYY a gut hormone that signals a feeling of satiety, it also decreases levels of the hormone ghrelin known as the hunger hormone. In addition to these it can also boost your metabolic rate due to proteins thermic affects in the body. Adding a good amount of protein to any meal can slow the digestion of other nutrients such as carbs, reducing the steep rise in blood sugar and insulin. Based on a diet of 2000 cal per day, 30% would equate to 150g of protein per day.
Build Muscle: Muscles are largely made up of protein, as with most body tissues muscles are dynamic & constantly being broken down & rebuilt. To gain muscle your body must synthesise more muscle protein than it breaks down, in other words there needs to be a net positive protein balance in your body, often called nitrogen balance. A common recommendation to gain muscle is 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass. Although 1.5 - 2g is not unheard of. As long as your body is able to digest and assimilate the amount of protein you consume, this means that your digestion and gut must be working optimally (I will cover this in a later blog)
Do I need a protein supplement? In short No, although they can make it easier to consume additional protein, and they taste quite good to. I do see benefit to having a whey shake after training, Whey is rapidly absorbed by the body, starting the recovery process by shuttling amino acids into the muscles trained.
Older adults have significantly increased protein needs also, in fact up to 50% higher than the DRI. A higher protein intake has been shown to help prevent osteoporosis & sarcopenia, both of which are significant problems among older adults.
Are there any negative health effects? Protein has been unfairly blamed for a number of health problems. Some people believe it can cause kidney damage & osteoporosis, there is no science to support these claims. In fact studies have shown that a higher protein intake may lower blood pressure & help fight diabetes, which are 2 of the main factors for kidney disease. As far as the claim that high protein can lead to osteoporosis, research shows that it can prevent this condition. Overall there is no evidence that a reasonably high protein intake has any adverse effects in healthy people trying to optimize their health.
The bottom line: Getting enough protein in your diet is very important, offering numerous benefits. Including helping you loose & maintain a healthy weight, gain muscle, improve your body composition and metabolic health.
Did somebody say berry supershake, yes please.