Protein
Protein is probably one of the most highly disputed topics within the world of exercise nutrition. There has been an ongoing debate among doctors and strength coaches as to what the best timing, sources, and amount which to take protein. Popular bodybuilding websites and strength trainers recommend taking 1.25 grams per pound of body weight a day, while many doctors recommend no more that .77 gram for athletes. Vegetarian sources swear by plant based proteins, while others advocate lean chicken breast. However, there is a consensus around one fact: protein is essential in building lean muscle mass.
At Cali*stenics, we do not take this statement lightly, as we greatly attribute our body transformations to an increased "smart" intake of quality protein. Our "smart" intake consists of a comprehensive method that was thoroughly researched by us, drawing upon information from university classes on nutrition and scholarly articles.
From this, we have compacted our beliefs into 3 main points. These tenets are what has worked best for us and allowed us to see the most gains. We acknowledge that everyone's body type is a little different, and what might work for us may not be the best for you. However, know that these tips play a large part in our physique and use it as a guide to start your transformation!
At Cali*stenics, we do not take this statement lightly, as we greatly attribute our body transformations to an increased "smart" intake of quality protein. Our "smart" intake consists of a comprehensive method that was thoroughly researched by us, drawing upon information from university classes on nutrition and scholarly articles.
From this, we have compacted our beliefs into 3 main points. These tenets are what has worked best for us and allowed us to see the most gains. We acknowledge that everyone's body type is a little different, and what might work for us may not be the best for you. However, know that these tips play a large part in our physique and use it as a guide to start your transformation!
Pro-tip #1: When
The most important aspect of consuming protein is the so called "window of opportunity" after your workout where your body requires high quality protein to initiate protein synthesis. Since the core principle of our workout is to push each set to muscle failure, completing our workout will result in substantial muscle breakdown. This requires an almost immediate infusion of complete amino acid chains to repair and rebuild muscle.
Consuming 20 grams of protein during this 15-30 minute window will ignite a metabolic adaption phase that your body uses to restructure your muscle fibers for maximum strength and efficiency. This is your body's natural way of adapting to meet the challenge you just faced next time with more ease. |
This phenomenon is well researched, with multiple articles discussing the importance of post workout protein. One article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition even goes as far to say that not consuming protein during a period of resistance training can even be counterproductive in muscle gain.
After your workout, think of your muscles as a sponge: ready to suck up amino acid chains they need for growth!
After your workout, think of your muscles as a sponge: ready to suck up amino acid chains they need for growth!
Pro-tip #2 What
Walking into any nutrition shop will show you that there exists a wide variety of opinions and options for what type of protein to take. Ask ten different gym-goers for what kind of protein is the best to take, and you will get ten different answers. Therefore, know that the advice we are going to give has the basis of scientific research and has worked for us and the people that we train.
The best protein comes from natural animal sources. Only animal proteins contain the complete amino acid chains that your body cannot produce on its own during protein synthesis. Beans, nuts, and grains are all good sources of protein, but a leading study shows that you need to consume 20-25% more plant based protein to reap the same benefits that animal proteins contain. Great options for natural animal protein is any kind of fish, poultry, lean beef, lamb, milk, or hard cheeses.
The best protein comes from natural animal sources. Only animal proteins contain the complete amino acid chains that your body cannot produce on its own during protein synthesis. Beans, nuts, and grains are all good sources of protein, but a leading study shows that you need to consume 20-25% more plant based protein to reap the same benefits that animal proteins contain. Great options for natural animal protein is any kind of fish, poultry, lean beef, lamb, milk, or hard cheeses.
However, in consuming the necessary 20 grams of animal protein post workout, it is inconvenient for most people to cook up an elaborate meal in the kitchen. In fitting with most people's busy lives, we do advocate consuming a high quality protein shake to fulfill your protein requirements during the 30 minute "window."
Now, discussing what type of protein supplement is the best can take up a whole another article page. So, lets start with the basics: |
--Whey protein: Cheap, complete, and easily digestible, whey is a great source of protein that can be taken anytime, as it is a medium digesting protein. Ensure that the whey is micro-filtered, so that you are getting the highest quality of protein without the fat, lactose, or cholesterol that comes with "garbage whey."
-- Whey isolate and concentrate: From the same source as regular whey, these types undergo a process that makes the protein more digestable and rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. Absorbed in the bloodstream within minutes, isolates and concentrates should ONLY be taken post workout.
-- Casein: separated from milk via ultra filtration, calcium caseinate is one of the slowest digesting proteins available. It's micellar structure enables it to release amino acids in a steady state for a prolonged period of time. This makes it an ideal protein to take just before bed or during breakfast.
-- Egg Albumen: A form of dried up egg whites, this protein is slower dissolving than whey but faster dissolving than casein, making it a good all around protein choice.
So, knowing the facts, which protein is the best to take? The Answer: all of them.
We recommend consuming a protein shake that contains a blend of all of these protein types so that you get the fast absorbing action of whey while enjoying the sustained release of egg and casein proteins.
-- Whey isolate and concentrate: From the same source as regular whey, these types undergo a process that makes the protein more digestable and rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. Absorbed in the bloodstream within minutes, isolates and concentrates should ONLY be taken post workout.
-- Casein: separated from milk via ultra filtration, calcium caseinate is one of the slowest digesting proteins available. It's micellar structure enables it to release amino acids in a steady state for a prolonged period of time. This makes it an ideal protein to take just before bed or during breakfast.
-- Egg Albumen: A form of dried up egg whites, this protein is slower dissolving than whey but faster dissolving than casein, making it a good all around protein choice.
So, knowing the facts, which protein is the best to take? The Answer: all of them.
We recommend consuming a protein shake that contains a blend of all of these protein types so that you get the fast absorbing action of whey while enjoying the sustained release of egg and casein proteins.
Pro-Tip #3 How much
There has been conflicting research about the amount of protein the active human body should consume. Back in 1992 and 2001, a couple studies came out that seemingly linked excess protein intake (30% of total calories) to an increase in ketones in the blood stream, which can weaken the kidneys and cause failure. However, among the current exercise nutrition academia, there exists the notion that our kidneys are meant to filter protein from our bloodstream, and that older studies that found correlation between protein intake and kidney failure may actually show research bias from feeding their research subjects protein rich sources that also came along with higher fat content.
Today, most medical doctors agree that your body cannot process more that .9/gram of protein per pound of body weight that you have; any more will become excreted from your body as waste. For athletes, these researches suggest anywhere between .7/gram-.9/gram per pound.
If you follow our workout schedule of intense calisthenic activity, you can consider yourself an athlete trying to build muscle. Therefore, at Cali*stenics, we shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of weight. But, since our diets consist so extensively of fruits and vegetables, we usually hit the comfort zone of .7-.9/gram. This is the psychological trick that we use to keep things simple and ensure that we are getting enough protein. Find an option that works for you!
Today, most medical doctors agree that your body cannot process more that .9/gram of protein per pound of body weight that you have; any more will become excreted from your body as waste. For athletes, these researches suggest anywhere between .7/gram-.9/gram per pound.
If you follow our workout schedule of intense calisthenic activity, you can consider yourself an athlete trying to build muscle. Therefore, at Cali*stenics, we shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of weight. But, since our diets consist so extensively of fruits and vegetables, we usually hit the comfort zone of .7-.9/gram. This is the psychological trick that we use to keep things simple and ensure that we are getting enough protein. Find an option that works for you!