Eat Protein To Build Muscle And Lose Weight

Protein is the building block of the body; it is a major part of bones, skin, cartilage and blood.

These molecules composed of amino acids are essentials to the body, even if you are not practicing any sports. Protein is a macronutrient, along with carbohydrates and fats, which means we need a large amount of it.

We could have a long talk about the importance of protein in anatomy.

But in this article we will focus on what really matters here: building and repairing muscle tissue.

After a workout, your muscles have suffered and are in a state of recovery.

During this period your body is in an anabolic state, and primed for muscle growth.

Having protein post-workout will help your muscles recover and grow.

Your muscles grow when you rest after a workout.

It means you actually need to exercise in order to obtain muscle growth!

So don't believe that protein will build your muscles without any effort on your part.

You must aim for a 1g of protein per body pound (2.2g/kg) daily if you want to build muscle.

If you weigh 220 lbs (100 kg) you will have to eat 220 lbs of protein daily.

You don't need to eat high amounts of protein in all your meals.

Aim for 30g to 50g of protein per meal.

You can also add high protein snacks between meals to reach your daily goal.

Try to vary the recipes, so you don't get bored with eating egg whites and chicken every day.

Consuming whey protein is recommended but not mandatory, because your can obtain the same amount of required nutrients in your food.

Protein shakes have some benefits; it's fast-digesting, helps increase your calorie intake, and it is absorbed faster into the body and the muscles.

But if you want to eat a can of tuna post-workout feel free to do it (as long as it's not in the locker room).

Here’s a plan for men to build muscle mass:

And for women:

Consuming protein to help you lose fat is a great idea.

First of all, it will help you maintain your muscle mass you took so long to build up and food with high amount of protein takes more time to digest and requires more energy for your system to digest them.

Therefore, with protein:

• You will feel full longer
• You will burn calories during this process

We highly recommend you to get protein from animal sources, which contains all the essential amino acids that cannot be produced by the body:

• Fish
• Meat
• Eggs

You can also consume plant-based protein, which can be a great alternative for vegetarians and vegans, but it is important that you combine several food sources to get all the essential amino acids in your diet:

• Lentils
• Beans
• Nuts & seeds

Here is a summary of what we've just learned about protein:

• It's a major part of your: muscles, bones, skin, blood...
• Protein builds and repairs muscle tissue (if you work out of course)
• Eat more protein post-workout
• Protein can help you lose fat
• Get protein from complete protein foods (with all the essential amino acids)
• Aim to eat 1g of protein per body pound (2.2g/kg)
• Vary your protein sources to get all the essential amino acids