The Protein = Muscle Connection

How's your protein intake?  Do you know how much protein you ingest in a day?  Dietary protein requirements are usually expressed as 15 to 20 percent of total calorie intake.  If you are not getting enough protein to maintain muscle mass you could shortchange your fat loss.  How?  Muscle burns more calories than fat, so you want to maintain and even increase muscle mass with resistance training in order to fire up that metabolism and keep it steady for burning calories.

A recent study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise demonstrated that consuming whey protein (20g protein / serving) 30 minutes before resistance training also boosts your body's metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout. In practical terms, consuming 20 grams of whey protein before exercise and another serving afterward will most likely yield the double benefit of increasing both fat burning and muscle build-up at the same time.

• Resistance exercise promotes muscle building, but just how much muscle mass you gain is highly variable, and depends on factors including your nutritional choices
• A new review found that consumption of ~20–25 g of a rapidly absorbed protein, such as whey protein, may serve to maximally stimulate muscle building after resistance exercise in young healthy individuals; high-quality leucine-rich proteins, such as whey, may be particularly important for the elderly to maximize muscle protein synthesis as well
• It is generally believed that there is only a two-hour window after exercise that allows your body to optimize muscle repair and growth, and supplying your muscles with the right food, such as whey, during this time is essential; however, researchers suggested that consuming whey not only immediately following your workout but also for up to 48 hours after resistance exercise may still offer some muscle-building benefit
• Strength training offers limitless benefits above and beyond muscle building, including weight loss, improved posture and improvements to back pain, making it an essential part of any comprehensive fitness plan.

Depending on your age, sex, and fitness level, you should adjust your protein intake.  Some protein should be ingested at every meal for the best benefit and digestion.  A nutritionist or trainer can help you figure out how much protein you are taking in and how to add more to your diet for maximum benefit. 

Some information in this article taken from Peak Fitness: Mercola.com