Why Protein Shakes Are VERY Important After Your Gym Session !

Find out how protein shakes can help you add the extra 5 lbs, lose the extra weight around your stomach or help you get cut for a contest.

 

 

 

These days, it seems like there are more and more people taking in more protein in some form or another. Even if you just walk around your local grocery store, you'll most likely find an assortment of protein-enriched cereals and even "high"-protein oatmeal. Whether the type of protein... it's all about one thing: protein.

 

Even though one of the best ways to get the amount of protein that your diet requires is 

best through solid food, it's not always the easiest thing to get all of your protein through solid foods. Especially if you are someone who has a full time job, kids, etc. meaning you don't always find yourself having time to prepare meals. Therefore this is where protein shakes take place.

 

 

The Benefits 

 

The big question is, why is it that so many people who work out take protein shakes after their workouts?

 

With that being said, protein is used to produce muscles. Proteins are also used to create hormones, cellular messengers, nucleic acids, enzymes, and immune-system components. Without the right amount of protein, our bodies can not put together the structures that make up all of the cells, tissues, organs, nor can it generate the substances that are needed for cardiovascular function, muscle growth, contraction, and healing. Also without the adequate amount of protein our muscles would not heal up as quickly and could potentially lead to overtraining, which can lead to injury. 

 

 

How Much Should You Take In?

 

The minimum amount of protein that a person should take in for building muscle is 1 gram of protein per pound of their body weight (for instance, if you weigh 175 pounds then the minimum amount of protein that you should take in is 175 grams for muscle growth).

 

Any additional protein that is over the amount that you should take in helps to speed up the healing process.  If you find yourself taking in large amounts of protein, you should then make sure to supplement your diet with calcium and magnesium, seeing as large amounts of protein has been said to deplete the amount of calcium and magnesium in the body. 

 

 

When Are the Best Times To Take In Protein? 

 

Simply drinking a protein shake is not enough to build muscles and help build them quickly. However, more importantly is to know when to drink a protein shake and what type of protein to take for maximum absorption and maximum results.

 

Many people do not realize that muscle is not built in the gym alone just by lifting weights. In fact, only a small amount of your time is devoted to working out at the gym. So you ask, "what do I do then with the other 23 hours I have left in the day?" What you find yourself doing after your gym session up until your next session for your muscles is extremely important when it comes to building muscle mass. After a workout your muscles have been put through a large amount of stress, they are being depleted of protein, which is made up of amino acids and stored sugar, aka. Glycogen. This causes your muscle tissues to break down. Now is the time for you to take action and get those muscles of yours back into its anabolic state! This is the perfect time for when a protein shake is needed! 

 

That way the protein can be delivered to your muscles, so it can begin healing the "micro tears" in your muscles. It has been said that solid food takes more time to digest and break down the protein inside of your body, therefore sometimes it is best to take a protein shake immediately after your gym session, since it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the muscle after ingestion. This is an advantage that drinking a protein shake has. 

 

Another important time to take in a protein shake or a slow burning protein (ex: cottage cheese) is before you go to bed. This will provide your muscles with protein, seeing as your body will slowly be depleting of protein while you sleep. 

 

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Regardless of your fitness goals, protein should always be regarded as a foundational nutrient of any nutrition/dieting program. It is a necessity for achieving excellent progress in physique enhancement and performance. The best thing about protein is that even if you don't find yourself being someone who is generally active in sports or trains with weights, you can still enjoy protein by the anti-aging effects that a high protein diet can result in. However, the only way that you can truly find out how beneficial protein can be for you, is to just try it out yourself! 

 

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The Importance of Water In Your Diet and How Much of a Difference it Can Really Make in Fitness!

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Want a great diet tip?

 Drink MORE water.

       Most of us take it for granted. But have you ever actually stopped for a second to think just how important water really is in your life? For the human body it is truly a vital resource, and is essential for our health and survival. A human can go weeks without food but only approx. 5-7 days without water. When the water in our body is reduced by 1 percent, a person becomes thirsty. At 5 percent, the muscle strength and endurance in our body declines significantly and causes us to become hot and tired. When the loss reaches 10 percent, blurred vision and delirium occurs. Where as in a 20 percent reduction of water, results in death.  

    Intaking large amounts of water is extremely important during weight loss because it provides the body hydration WITHOUT those unwanted calories. If you drink non-caloric fluids like water, before or with a meal it can help someone who is on a diet feel full sooner. Therefore, in addition to not adding any calories, drinking water can also replace or avoid unnecessary food calories that are found in snacks or additional meals. 

    Another important thing about drinking water, is that it helps to flush out wastes from the body, which is ESPECIALLY important during times of fat metabolism and weight loss. 

BELOW are six reasons why you should drink more water : 

1. Water Can Help Control Calories: For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn't have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher calorie beverages (ex: soda, juice, etc.) can certainly help.

2. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good: Our skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Many people do not realize that dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration. 

3. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function:  Having adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation. 

4. Water Helps Energize Muscles: Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which often can result in muscle fatigue. When our muscle cells don't have the correct amount of fluids, they tend to not work as well and our performance can suffer. Drinking enough fluids is important when exercising. 

5. Water Helps Your Kidneys: Body fluids transport waste products in and out of our cells. The main toxin in the body is called blood urea nitrogen, this is a water-soluble waste that passes through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine. When the body is getting enough fluids, urine flows freely, is found to be light in color and free of odor. When your body is not getting enough fluids, your urine concentration, color, and odor increases because the kidneys trap extra fluid for bodily functions. If you find yourself drinking too little water, you can potentially be at higher risk for kidney stones. 

6. Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids: Our body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. When a person is low on fluids, their brain triggers the body's thirst mechanism. 

Here is a way to help you drink a gallon a day, this is what I found helps me to do: 

If you want your diet to work, you need to drink plenty of water. Water can fill you up, decrease your appetite, and help your body get rid of waste from that fat you’re burning. So what are you waiting for? Water is available right now from your tap, and it's free.