Best Protein Food And How Much To Take

We join a gym, go daily without fail, workout rigorously, give up on our social life to have that ripped body and also turn a blind eye to our favourite Chinese and Continental delicacies that we crave for! But even after six months of keeping up with this torture, our body refuses to show signs of improvement, let alone having a shape that would make us wear a tee that would make us look like Adonis.

And here’s what happens next. We talk to different kinds of coaches and beefed up gym-mates who tell us, “Dude, you need to add some serious protein to your diet to get long-lasting mass.” We make a beeline to a supplements store, buy the most popular protein on the rack and start feeding on it as if our lives depended on it.

Yes, protein helps us grow muscles. Yes, it helps us in revitalising our cells and, yes, it helps them recuperate from the stressful strains of the gym and heavy lifting. But, as they say, “Excess of anything is bad,” the same implies to proteins too. Needless to say, half of us don’t even know how much protein is enough protein for our body. And without knowing of this pivotal information, most of our gym work and diet ends up having an adverse effect on our body.

Methods of calculation

Firstly, the daily intake of protein depends on your age and the activity level that your body endures itself into. For example, the amount of protein that the weight trainers and teenagers require is much more than what a sedentary individual would need. Now, there are a few calculations that can be used in terms of protein recommendations that you must know of to make life simple. And the easiest way is to go by the total percentage of calories per day.

In other words, it’s safe and within normal limits to consume twenty to thirty per cent of your total daily calories from optimal protein sources such as lean meats, eggs and dairy products. What it means is, if you are a male consuming 1,800 calories per day and 20 per cent of the calories are derived from protein, the calculation would be: 1800 x 0.20 = 360 calories from protein. Since one gram of protein is equal to four calories, divide protein calories by four, which comes to 90 grams of protein daily.

For the ones who do not workout
RDA (Resources Development Administration) has set the safe measure for protein consumption at 50 grams a day, which might look a bit low on numbers. But if you meet this level of intake, in all likelihood, it’s unlikely you will suffer from any deficiency in dietary protein. What one needs to understand here though is that the RDA originally set the standard based on ‘normal’ people, which was a sample of sedentary people of somewhat normal BMI of 18.5-25 with a mixed diet of adequate calories. Therefore, if your goals are merely to live a regular life and not regularly partake in any physical activity, the standard mentioned above will suffice your needs.

Who and how much?

Depending on both–body weight and activity level–the amount of protein needed for everyone else can be a debatable topic. Although there are no specific guidelines, there is some research that gives approximate ranges:

- The base level (assuming no activity and no desire to change body composition) is around 0.8g per kilogram body weight 64g for an 80kg person.
- An athlete or highly active person, or a person who is sedentary and looking to lose body fat would do well with a range between 1-1.5g per kilogram. This equates to 110-140g daily for for a 80kg person.
- If you are an athlete who trains extensively to benefit and influence your body composition then you should be consuming around 140-200g of protein every day.

Diet tips to increase your protein intake

Chicken
• Chicken breast, 3.5 oz – 30 grams protein
• Chicken thigh – 10 grams (for average size)
• Drumstick – 11 grams
• Wing – 6 grams
• Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz – 35 grams

Fish
• Most fish fillets or steaks, 3-1/2 ounces – 22 grams protein
• Tuna, 6-oz can – 40 grams

Eggs and dairy
• Egg, large – 6 grams protein
• Milk, 1 cup – 8 grams
• Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup – 15 grams
• Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8 to 12 grams, check label
• Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz
• Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz
• Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz

Beans (including soy)
• Tofu, 1/2 cup – 20 grams protein
• Tofu, 1 oz – 2.3 grams
• Soy milk, 1 cup – 6-10 grams
• Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc.) – about 7-10 grams per half cup
• Soy beans, 1/2 cup cooked – 14 grams
• Split peas, 1/2 cup cooked – 8 grams

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Jim Stoppani - The Body Weight Training God!

There are people who like working out and there are people who ‘just love working out.' There are also people who do not like touching the weights much in the gym and only use their body as a tool to help them workout and get better, get fitter! And here we are with a name that stands out in the field of body building/athleticism and physical science all across the world.

And that name is Jim Stoppani!

Who is he?

Jim Stoppani received his doctorate in exercise physiology with a minor in biochemistry from the University of Connecticut. Following graduation, he served as a postdoctoral researcher in the prestigious John B. Pierce Laboratory and Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Yale University School of Medicine, where he investigated the effects of exercise and diet on gene regulation in muscle tissue with great success.

He was awarded the Gatorade Beginning Investigator in Exercise Science Award in 2002 by the American Physiological Society for his groundbreaking research and is one of the most respected name in the domain.

Jim Stoppani the author

He has written thousands of articles on exercise, nutrition and health and is author of:

- Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength (Human Kinetics, 2006)

- Co-author of the New York Times Bestseller, LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle (Rodale, 2010)

- Co-author of the book Stronger Arms & Upper Body (Human Kinetics, 2008)

- Co-author of the chapter “Nutritional Needs of Strength/Power Athletes” in the textbook Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements (Humana Press, 2008).

One of his achievements is that he is the creator of the Platinum 360 Diet as found in the book, LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle (Rodale, 2010) and creator of the diet program found in the book, Mario Lopez’s Knockout Fitness (Rodale, 2008), which are followed by a huge audience that likes to live a healthy and sound life.

Where he stands different
It seems that with Stoppani we have a man who properly studied what he is writing about and in his articles makes sure to point at the science that backs his words. The claim at the top his website, “using real science to design real programs for unreal results,” should find a lot of you in rejoice.

Dr. Stoppani has been the personal nutrition and health consultant for numerous celebrity clients, such as LL Cool J, Dr. Dre, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Mario Lopez, and has appeared on the NBC television show Extra as an extra life changer.

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What Does Alcohol Do To Your Gym Training

Most of the people, are aware of the imprecations when it comes to consuming alcohol and the potential effect it can have on their lifestyle. And hearing from your training partner that he/she can not come to the gym on a given day, because they partied too hard the night before, should not come as a shocker of a news.

This may just be a one-off example, but we are here to talk about what are the real effects of alcohol on your training over a lengthier period of time.

Concentration Levels: Scientific researches over the years have proved that alcohol severely reduces your mind’s ability to accept and process information and can occur almost instantaneously. It has also been seen to alter both hormonal functioning and glycogen metabolism and with reduced glycogen metabolism your body will always be short on receiving energy supplies.

Not only this, but alcohol consumption can also lead to errors of judgment and diminished levels of focus and motivation that easily be termed as detrimental to one’s normal life.

Dehydration: This probably is the most common after-effect of alcohol consumption and can play a major role in your gym regime going for a toss. It is a known-fact that your body’s water supply is heavily utilised during alcohol consumption in an attempt to metabolise the alcoholic toxins. And this results in water being diverted away from other bodily functions that are essential to keep you hydrated. Even small percentage adjustments away from your body’s optimum hydration levels can create large discrepancies in your performance levels, thus, bad or no gym sessions.

Energy Levels: Alcohol has a limiting effect on the metabolism of various substances within the body. And one of these substances, probably the most relevant to your workout too, is carbohydrate. If the process of carbohydrate metabolism is compromised, then ultimately, the fuel to power the body i.e. glycogen is reduced below the desired level. This can result in premature fatigue and diminished endurance and strength.

Recovery Rates: Intake of alcohol reduces your body’s ability to absorb protein, resulting in a less readily available supply for your muscles if you intend to gain a certain level of fitness. This reduction means, that both, recovery and growth rates are diminished.

This could ultimately affect your ability to continually train on consecutive days and can later become a more frequent habit. Alcohol consumption has also been negatively correlated with the production and release of your body’s own growth hormone.

Supplying Oxygen: One of the many side effects that alcohol consumption has is the heart’s ability to carry out its responsibilities to the fullest. This may not be noticed in a sedentary individual but for those undertaking training it can impact massively on cardiovascular fitness levels and the ability of the heart to supply oxygen to the working muscles.

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Branch Chained Amino Acids

Most of the people, who have slogged hard in the gym would know, without a doubt, that consuming Branch Chained Amino Acids (BCAA’s) in supplement form before and after workout can contribute to measurable gains in not only muscle strength, but also in size.

Now the question that might crop in your mind is- that job is done by proteins too...so what's the big deal about BCAA's? Well, allow us to tell you a little more about it.

What is BCAA's
The very first thing that you need to know is that BCAA’s are the building blocks of protein and they make up over 30% of the muscle tissue in your body. When you intake a high quality protein source of food, the protein is broken down through digestion, leaving you with BCAA’s which are then sent through the blood stream and used as fuel, to repair and build your muscle, and many other important functions of your body including brain function.

BCAA's simplify the job of converting each amino acid (Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine) into energy during intense exertion. Therefore, the more BCAAs that are present in the muscles, the more they will be used for energy, slowing the breakdown of muscles cells and preventing catabolism. In layman's language, BCAAs trigger protein synthesis, increase energy expenditure and have been shown to improve glucose tolerance.

The best part? 

Even if you are inactive for some time in relation to your workout, BCAA's help you minimize fat gain and muscle lose from inactivity.

Why take them?
There is one thing that you need to understand, and that is- Branch Chains are not similar in free form compared to whole form, let's say- chicken or whey protein. The best part is- in free form, BCAA’s are instantly digested and taken straight to the blood stream without going through the process of digestion, thus giving you better results.

Best time to take
There are people who take BCAA's before and after workout. And no they are not wrong in doing so. However, the best time to take these is while you are sweating it out in the gym, because when you workout, your body is constantly losing amino acids as you tear down your muscles via different form of weight lifting and cardio exercises. Consuming BCAA's while cracking those muscles would help you from not letting your body go catabolic and maintain the anabolic state with utmost ease.

Benefits

Better Testosterone, Cortisol Ratio and Muscle BuildingNot many people know that cortisol degrades the muscled, which can lead to fat gain. However, BCAAs have been found to minize its effect and the stress that comes with workout. Needless tosay, less cortisol means a more favorable testosterone to cortisol ratio that results in faster recovery and much better muscle development.

Leucine helps in gaining strength
There should not be a doubt in your mind, even for a second, for the fact that your muscle will only grow if you have strength in you to keep up with the schedule of your workout. If you lose on strength, you lose on everything. Studies have revealed that even the untrained gym-goers who take 4 grams of leucine a day in conjunction with a 12-week resistance training program can increase strength by 41 percent. And those are just the basic numbers that we are talking about.

Increases reaction time
Now that is something you can't be trained for, right? You either have it or you don't! However, reaction time can be improved if you have higher level of BCAAs blood levels. Studies say that if you eat three grams per kg of bodyweight of protein in a day, there are chances that your performance in the gym and in other activities that involve quick reactions, can significantly improve.

Some of the other benefits of BCAA's are: Improved insulin sensitivity, helps in reducing muscle soreness, lean muscle buildup and decreasing depression.

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Healthy Food To Store In Refrigerator

Have you ever counted the number of times that you open your refrigerator door each day, peering in and hoping to be inspired by the food that it stocks? Let's be honest here, it stands to reason that if you keep your refrigerator stocked with appetizing foods that also happen to be good for you, you're much more likely to eat healthy meals. But if you live, only to eat the stored junk food then may be you are just an exceptions case!

 
What is important to understand here is that the "out of sight, out of mind" principle applies to your fridge. Many of us, for example, have all the seasonal fruits and vegetables on hand, but tend to keep them buried in the crisper drawers at the bottom of the fridge and that might lead to we ending up not eating them and them going waste. In all likelihood, you are more likely to see, eat, and enjoy healthy foods if they're in a ready-to-eat form, staring at you from the eye-level shelves in your refrigerator.
Having said that, it is of common sense (mostly), that a healthy diet through out the day is the one that offers you a bit of everything, minerals, vitamins, protein, fibre et cetra. And if you ever wanted to know what could be the best food to store in your fridge, so that you could call it a healthy refrigerator- then you are reading just the right article!

Fresh Food Snacks

This could easily be termed as your primary fuel station. Place washed, dried, and cut-up raw vegetables in airtight containers on the top shelf. The same goes for washed, cut-up chunks of pineapple and melon. This way, they're the first things you see, and they're ready to eat- perfect for guys who live alone and at times are ignorant to eatables that are kept on the lower shelves. Berries are perishable, so rinse only before eating. Add a few hard-boiled eggs for a quick peel-and-eat protein boost.
Storage Duration: Consume all foods here within two or three days, and replenish.

Grab-and-Go Fuel

Organic yogurt and cottage cheese, which provide healthy doses of calcium and protein, earn prime placement in our list. Hummus and nut butters, which provide protein and good fats can be paired with sliced veggies and fruits. Nuts, particularly calcium-containing almonds and omega-3-rich walnuts last for months longer when they're chilled. Sounds just perfect; isn't it?
Storage Duration: 2-3 weeks

Whole-Wheat Pita Pockets and/or Tortillas

Switching from refined (or white) grain products to whole grains is one of the most powerful dietary changes you can make. Research has suggested that eating plenty of whole grains may lead to an assortment of health benefits, including lengthening your life span, helping with weight control, and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome, and some cancers.

Keeping a pack of whole-wheat pita pockets or whole-grain tortillas in the refrigerator can inspire quite a few quick, healthy meals or snacks. The pita or tortilla can serve as a base for quesadillas, pizzas, and hot or cold sandwiches or wraps.
Storage Duration: 5-8 days

Miso

Miso, a fermented soybean paste popular in Japan, may be an unexpected item to store in your fridge, but you'll get tons of use out of this immunity-boosting spread. Mixed with hot water, the zinc-loaded paste dissolves into a tasty soup. Blended with other ingredients, it transforms into a full-flavored marinade for fish and meat entrees or a yummy salad dressing over leafy greens.
Storage Duration: Once opened, you can store Miso in the refrigerator for couple of months

Eggs
Protein-packed eggs are one of the most versatile low-cal foods. One large egg costs you approximately 75 calories, though various ways of cooking it will change the total. Keep a dozen in your fridge and use these easy egg ideas when you're stumped at supper or snack time.
Storage Duration: 3-4 days
Now that you know few products that you could store in your refrigerator that would enable you to indulge into a better and healthy eating habit, what are you waiting for?
Let's start eating!

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Top Three Mid Night Meals

You are not gripped by insomnia, but still you are awake till 3 a.m. It could be because you just can't let go of your favourite television repeat show that you missed during the day, or you are a sport samurai, watching every sport coming your way or worse still you are awake trying to get your dreadful office work out of the way, whatever the reason may be, it would not stop you from indulging in some amount of munching and even if you had your dinner late, you would again start feeling hungry but try not to reach out for the closest junk food in your fridge.

Some midnight snacks to get your hands on

Berries

They are the best fruits to eat at any point. They have great nutritive value with little or no fat. So you can gorge on them and continue as long as you like to. To make it a little more exciting you can garnish it up or even dump in a dollop of cream on it. If you know in advance that you would be staying up late, you could make an assortment of their kind and have them chilled at your convenience. They are rich in a lot of vitamins and minerals. The pigments that give berries their deep red, blue, black and purple hues are powerful, disease-fighting antioxidants. It is believed that antioxidant-rich foods offer protection against conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

Milk

Try to opt for the skimmed or the toned one. Low in calories, milk contains tryptophan that ushers in good sleep whenever you decide to dunk into bed. It also gives us calcium and vitamin D. According to studies conducted by a nutrition site fitday, it has a great calming effect for those who need to stay up for longer periods or are involved in stressful activities. You could make it more interesting by adding a spoon or two of drinking chocolate or even more healthier bet would be if you throw in handfuls of cereals into it.ht.

Corn cob

Most people fail to acknowledge that corn is a whole grain. Corn on the cob is a very healthy food. If you are using a small amount of butter you are okay, as long as it is part of an overall healthy diet lifestyle. Corn is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as sodium. It's also a good source of dietary fiber, thiamin and folate. However, 82 percent of the calories in this food are from carbohydrates. Corn is filling and can help you see through long hours quite easily.

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Lean Muscle Workouts

It has been proved time and again, especially in the last decade or so, that lean is in. And no, we are not talking about runway looks here, but the lesser mortals in streets in general! But the Chrisitan Bale look for The Machinistis also not desirable nor advisable. For, striking a balance between the two, is the way forward.

Where to start from?

If that is the first concern and question racing through your mind, then there is no crime, as yet, that you have committed. Most of the people who go to the gym are still unaware of the workout regime that can give them a lean look with high definition muscles, without looking bulky. And the answer to that is – compound exercises.

What exactly are compound exercises

Compound exercises are the ones that concentrate on more than one part of the body while you are working out. For example, when you do flat bench press with wider (normal) grip, it concentrates only on your chest and rest of the muscles are not used. Whereas, if you do flat bench press with closed grip, it gives impact on your triceps too. What they also do is tone the entire musculature, burn more calories and neutralise the tendency to gain bulk.

Here are few of the options that you should definitely include in your workout regime, to gain that toned look and get better results without gaining bulk...

Squats
Target areas: Quads, hamstrings, core, back, shoulders

How to do it

Slide under the barbell and place it on the trapezius, slightly above the posterior deltoid. Grab the bar tightly with the hands, and look straight ahead. To prevent the torso from collapsing forward, inhale and contract the abdominal muscles and then arch the back slightly while removing the bar from the stand. Step back a few inches, place both feet slightly wider than shoulder width and point toes slightly outward. Bend forward from the hips, and continue the movement until the thighs are slightly below parallel to the ground. Straighten the legs and lift the torso to the starting position, then exhale.

Deadlifts
Target areas: Erector spinae, trapezius, glutes, quadriceps, rectus abdominis (abs)

How to do it

Stand facing the barbell, legs shoulder width apart, abdominals contracted and back slightly arched. Bend the knees until the thighs are parallel to the ground, grab the bar using one overhand grip, and underhand grip. Inhale while lifting the bar by straightening the legs and then contract the back at the top portion of the movement. Exhale at the end of the movement. The best way to ensure that the dimensions of your thighs, waist and lower legs are in harmony with your upper body, you need to deadlift at least, twice-a-week. This is best done with more weight and less reps.

Bent-over Rows
Target areas: Latissimus dorsi (lats), posterior Deltoid (deltoids), biceps brachii, trapezius, rhomboids, erector Spinae (spines) and rectus abdominis (abs).

How to do it

Stand with legs slightly bent and grab the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Then bend at the back at about 45 degrees, and slightly arch the back. Inhale and lift the bar up to the upper abdominal, or lower pectorals (near the chest). Lower the bar back down, and exhale at the end of the movement. These are brilliant for exercising the entire, upper back and shoulder area, and oh, also for the upper arms.

Some extra tips...

Planning your diet schedule

We recently came across a picture of actor Salman Khan that read '70% of the body is made in the kitchen and 30% in the gym.' But that doesn't mean that you have to over-eat or under-eat. It is advisable not to consume high protein diet in the early stages of your workout routine. Consume high protein diet only when you are working out hard, as protein has a tendency to get converted into fat if not taken out in the gym. Now that is something that you surely do not want.

Concentrating on cardiovascular training

It might just sound a bit contrary to our above aforesaid point, but truth be told, some degree of fat is surely needed to gain muscles. This is a result of tissue growth that is needed to support muscle gains and the fat intake from your diet. To ensure that the fat intake that you have gets neutralized, indulge in regular cardio training for about 20-25 minutes every alternate day. This will keep your bulk build-up in check and help you get that lean muscle mass.

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Best Pre And Post Workout Stretches

Before we get to the rules, it's important to understand the basic—but typically misunderstood—science of stretching. Firstly, a couple of definitions that would make you understand better the importance both, static and dynamic stretching!

Although it's often prescribed as an injury-prevention measure, static stretching before a workout might be the worst of all strategies. Because it forces the target muscle to relax, it temporarily makes it weaker. As a result, a strength imbalance can occur between opposing muscle groups. For example, stretching your hamstrings causes them to become significantly weaker than your quadriceps. And that may make you more susceptible to muscle strains, pulls, and tears in the short term. On the other hand, dynamic stretch is the opposite of a static stretch. In this version, you quickly move a muscle in and out of a stretched position. Example: A body-weight lunge is a dynamic stretch for your quadriceps and hips.

Now that you know the difference between the two, here is a list of few post and pre-workout stretches that would help you keep your body fit as ever and minimise the chances of any injuries in the gym.

PRE-WORKOUT STRETCHES

Crossover jumping jacks

Stand by keeping your feet more than hip-width apart and your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder level. Simultaneously, cross your arms in front of your chest and jump up just enough to cross your right leg in front of your left. Without pausing, quickly reverse the motion and return to the starting position.

Number of reps: 10-15.

Tight core rotations

Stand with your feet more than hip-width apart and your arms extended in front of you, palms together. Keeping your hips square and your core engaged, rotate your upper body to the right so your arms are in line with your right shoulder. Now quickly reverse, twisting all the way to the left so your arms are in line with your left shoulder.

Number of reps: 20-30

Super Dog

Kneel and place your elbows on the floor, bent 90 degrees. Slide your left hand forward and stretch your right leg behind you until both are straight. Raise your left arm and right leg as high as you can, forming a straight line from your fingertips to your toes. Hold for two seconds, then return to start.

Number of reps: 12 to 14 on each side.

POST WORKOUT STRETCHES

Quadricep Stretch

The quadriceps stretch is essential for any good post-exercise routine. In order to perform this stretch properly, start by standing tall with your arms relaxed by your sides and your feet planted firmly under your hips. Carefully bend your right knee, bringing your right foot towards your buttocks. Reach your right hand behind your back, and grab your right foot with your right hand. Hold this pose for 20 second, and release. Do it the same way on the left leg too.

Hamstring Stretch

The hamstring stretch is commonly used by individuals who engage in high amounts of cardiovascular activity or perform strength training exercises that target the hamstring muscles! This exercise is performed by sitting on the ground or on an exercise mat, with your legs extended in front of your body. Sit tall, with your spine in a straight line. Reach your arms overhead towards the sky, and take a deep breath. As you exhale your breath, bend forward from the waist, and reach your arms towards your feet. Extend your arms as much as possible, holding onto your calves, ankles, or feet if possible.

Side Stretch

This exercise can be performed by standing tall with your arms relaxed by your sides. Place your right hand on your right hip. At the same time, extend your left arm overhead, towards the sky. Inhale deeply, and during exhalation, bend your body to the right, bringing your left arm up and overhead. Hold this pose for 20 seconds, relax, and repeat on the other side of your body.

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