The Importance of Protein and Exercise

So you want to lose weight and get fit? You may have heard some say that it’s as simple as calories in and calories out. That is true to some extent. But what do you want to really look like when you reach your goal weight? Without a good plan of proper nutrition and exercise, you may lose some weight, but not tone up as much as you would like. Just losing weight may mean you still have unsightly belly fat and/or cellulite.

The truth is that both protein and exercise are necessary to maintain muscle while losing weight. It is important to maintain muscle because it leans and tones your body and it helps you increase metabolism. So how do you know if you are getting enough protein? Complete proteins are available from lean animal sources, but ingesting a variety of plant proteins throughout the day will allow your body to create complete proteins from them as well. The following are some examples of protein-rich foods:

• White meat poultry without the skin

Most people can get enough protein through diet alone. So why do we need to be concerned with it? When the amount or intensity of exercise increases, your body’s need for protein increases as well. Indeed, athletes need more protein than your average couch potato. Likewise, those who are beginning or increasing a personal training program need to be mindful of their protein intake. The combination of lean protein and lower carbohydrate intake can spark a more rapid, impressive effect. So what exactly are the benefits of protein?

• Protein is satisfying, helping you control hunger and maintain your diet.

It has been found that there is a synergistic effect of combining exercise with a higher-protein diet. How exactly does protein help? After exercise, tiny tears have formed in the muscles. Protein helps repair the microdamage and maintain muscle tissue. The additional effect of lowering carbohydrates relative to proteins results in lower insulin levels, which permits the body to burn more fat.

A 2005 study had women consume 1,700-calorie diets while participating in either light exercise or more intense exercise. Half in each group were prescribed a high-protein diet in which 30 percent of their calories were from protein, and the other half were told to eat more carbs and get only 15 percent of their calories from protein. In the group participating in light activity, those who ate the higher protein diet lost a little more weight and maintained more muscle.

In the group participating in more intense exercise, the high protein dieters lost much more weight and all of it was fat loss as opposed to muscle loss. The intense exercisers who ate more carbs lost more muscle and burned less fat. Additionally, those who exercised at high levels and ate plenty of protein burned more belly fat. This is an added benefit, as fat in the belly and around the organs is more harmful to our health than fat in other areas of the body.

So if you want to get lean and fit and improve your health, your weight loss and fitness plan should include both adequate protein intake and appropriately-challenging exercises. Together, protein and exercise will help your body find its healthy, attractive form.

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