WHY IS PROTEIN IMPORTANT?
Protein is the body’s building block and makes up all of our structures, whether it’s a muscle, ligament, bone, hormones or even hair. Protein is essential for all exercising individuals. The general population typically need about a gram of protein for every kilo of body mass each day, but this requirement dramatically increases if you do a lot of exercise or are really trying to build lean muscle mass.
Training provides a stimulus that stresses and damages the muscle, known as muscle protein breakdown. The combined effects of exercise and protein feeding results in the formation of new proteins, referred to as protein synthesis. Active individuals can use protein to promote recovery and support desired changes in body composition, with a range of related goals linked to training and protein ingestion; e.g. reduced body fat, increased muscle mass and development of muscle strength.
HOW MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD I EAT?
Exercising individuals typically need in the region of 1.4-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram body weight per day. As such, a 75 kg individual would need between 105 and 135 grams of protein per day. Even if you train just 2-3 times per week, your protein intake needed is likely to increase towards the upper end of this range. Additionally, a protein feed before bed is a good way to ensure you hit your target intake.
Protein is essential for active populations involved in weight training, gym classes or high intensity training, in order to promote muscle remodelling. If lean muscle mass is your goal, the prolonged rise in amino acids in the blood stream will help to stimulate the production rate of new muscle protein. As such, protein requirements do not vary much day to day and a high protein intake should be maintained daily.