Rob Here! First of all I would like to wish all of our readers a mildly belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I know it’s a little late, but I honestly don’t feel the holiday season is over until our Body Transformation Challenge ends over here at the club. Giving the gift of fitness for one and all! Anyways, before I get horribly philosophical and start talking in run-on analogies… Part 2 of our New Years 3 part diet column… Protein!
My diet has been high protein since I can remember, and most likely even before I was aware of protein’s importance in the human body. It is the building block of life… literally! Proteins… aka chains of combined amino acids (the true building block of life), play many different and yet equally important roles within the human body. These roles include but are not limited to Functionality as enzymes, signaling/binding/transportation molecules, and structural building blocks; all leading to one very important source… Your Diet!
One of the most important functions of proteins and amino acids within the Human body is that action of enzymes. The role of an enzyme is to stimulate chemical reactions (kind of like baking soda in white vinegar, only on a biochemical level). Thinking from a chemists point of view (rather objectively I might add), we are walking and talking science experiments. As I am typing this blog there are chemical reactions occurring in my entire body, causing the release of specific hormones and chemicals triggering all kinds of crazy stuff like digestion and cell replication. What happens is the enzyme which is basically a folded clump of amino acids comes in contact with what is called its substrate breaking apart the chemical at their contact points causing a release of energy and a resulting new set of compounds! This is easiest understood in the body’s various styles of metabolisms. The Creation of ATP (aka the cell’s energy source made within the mitochondria) and the release of energy from it are all caused by a chemical reaction between substrates and enzymes resulting in proper functionality of the cell. In other words, if it wasn’t for enzymes… we would just be a mass of linked, unresponsive chemical bonds!
Proteins also act as the “messengers” of the human body… signaling different functions, allowing transport of molecules into and out of the cell, as well as binding to different compounds. Insulin is a great example of a signaling protein! It allows the passing of various nutrients (predominantly glucose) through skeletal muscle and adipose tissue’s cell membranes kind of like a doorway. Protein bonds to its receptor site, opening a gap allowing glucose to pass through the otherwise impermeable cell membrane. It also acts in a similar way to signal specific actions, such as DNA replication and other cell actions via RNA (messenger DNA). In each of these functions the protein acts as a binding property. With this in mind, it also plays a roll in our immune system. Proteins (aka antibodies) bind to the receptor sites on foreign and dangerous substances/organisms in the body, breaking them down and rendering them incapable of function. Sounds fun, right? So that chicken soup is good for the soul thing really does have a little clout in keeping you healthy!
Lastly, I am sure you are all very familiar with Protein’s most conventional and well known function. The human body stores protein various ways but the most common is as skeletal muscle tissue. The storage of skeletal muscle tissue is a typical function; however our necessity is based off of our physical demands. The more demanding the lifestyle is to the human body, the more consistent the muscular storage. Muscle mass is stimulated by muscular hypertrophic (this is not always the result of consistent weight training) gaining and specified training; just as strength and endurance stimulate different storage functions and bodily chemistries. Post-workout recovery revolves around healthy and consistent protein intake, as well as carbohydrates and fats to compliment the body’s demands. Progressive exercise, as we all know, is a mild form of physical damage. Weight training specifically, creates micro-tears within trained muscle tissue. Once protein is consumed, the body processes it into free roaming amino acids which then stimulates and helps aid a function called “Protein Synthesis” helping recover that damage.
Protein consumption, much like carbohydrate and fat, is best measured according to activity level and the individual’s height/weight. There is no one magical number, but many different and highly debatable guidelines as to how much to consume on a daily basis. A well trained athlete would need far greater amounts of protein more frequently than an individual that trains 2-3 times a week and works in an office. The same goes for carbohydrate and fat intake. Portion control is everything, and depending on your physical demands you can make an educated decision on how much your body truly needs. Always remember that what you take in and don’t use, doesn’t just leave your body without a little consequence. The human body will store excessive calories as glycogen and adipose tissue, so control your intake and find a moderate gram/bodyweight ratio to help you keep the best control over your nutrition!
One of the most important things I learned, thankfully at a very young age while training in high school… is the concept of calories in, calories out. You can very easily consume massive amounts of protein, very little carbohydrate and moderate fats according to some diet you read in a magazine; but in the end if your calorie intake exceeds your calorie expenditure throughout any given day… it leads to either weight maintenance or gain. Regulation and controlled healthy eating is everything. To keep your sources restricted to just 2 of the 3 macro nutrients in hopes it will magically cause you to lose weight will only lead to some kind of disappointment; as well as various health issues following excessively long time periods of ketosis for example. Do your best to keep your diet varied, and healthy to prevent your system from functioning in a survival type bodily condition, but also keep your portions balanced and controlled to compliment your goals and keep you feeling, and not to mention looking, your absolute best!
And as always… next time your friend turns to you and says “Hey,_______ Have another 8oz steak! I don’t want to throw it out!”… just tell them “Hey Friend, I’ve already achieved my proper meal intake for the day in comparison to my calorie output. Do you want me to conduct gluconeogenesis and store all of that extra triglyceride in my adipose tissue?!… Buy some Tupperware!” Either they will totally understand, or you would have completely dropped a mental bomb and they will not know what the heck to say! I hope you are all having a fantastic holiday week!
“Life’s Tough, Get Fit!”
