In our previous blog, we touched on the importance of protein as one of the three main macronutrients our bodies need to function healthily.
For some people, exercising and high-protein diets have been part of their lives for as long as they can remember, while some people are only just starting out on their fitness journey. However, no matter where you are in your process, one thing remains the same: embracing a high-protein diet can be a game-changer.
In this blog, Matt Durkin, our sports and nutrition expert, uncovers some of the benefits of incorporating protein into your meals, including how it can amplify your journey towards optimal health and fitness.
Muscle growth and repair:
Protein is important in any diet, but it’s even more important for those who are looking to increase their muscle mass and repair muscle after working out.
The macronutrient helps enhance muscle growth, repair muscle after training while also stimulating muscle protein synthesis (the muscle-building process) – it’s ultimately the building block for muscle tissue!
Weight Management:
Did you know that having more muscle means your body burns more fat when resting? Don’t worry, you’re not alone as this is a fact many people don’t realise!
Consuming a high-protein diet doesn’t just help you to build muscle, but studies have found that by consuming more protein than the daily recommendation, your overall fat mass will decrease, but your fat-free mass will be preserved – even if you’re having a standard number of calories[1]!
Plus, protein-rich foods help curb hunger cravings and promote feelings of fullness, which will ultimately help with calorie control and weight loss efforts.
Muscle preservation during weight loss:
Losing muscle mass is often a concern for many people looking to lose weight. Ultimately, when you aim to lose weight, you often end up losing all types of weight – not just fat! For this reason, it’s important for those wanting to keep muscle mass but lose fat to reposition their goals to be more focused on fat loss rather than weight loss.
With this in mind, when exploring a calorie-restricted diet for fat loss, it’s important to incorporate protein where possible to help avoid muscle loss. As a general benchmark for those looking to lose body fat, a protein intake ranging from 1.6g – 2.0g per kg is ideal. Although, in some cases, the recommendation would be even higher!
Improved Exercise Performance:
Whether your fitness regime includes endurance training or high-intensity workouts, having adequate protein intake can help optimise your performance and enhance your overall fitness level. Ultimately, protein plays a crucial role in fuelling and repairing muscles during and after exercise, meaning it has a huge impact on exercise performance and recovery.
For more insights into the benefits of protein, as well as exclusive workouts and recipes from nutrition experts, sign up to the 24KME club today: https://sci-mx.co.uk/pages/24kme
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[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7539343/#:~:text=Several%20clinical%20trials%20have%20found,calorie%20and%20standard%2Dcalorie%20diets.