Even though it is difficult for those of us who workout and understand the importance of nutrition – what we should and shouldn’t eat – there are still those with seriously misled anti-protein attitudes and beliefs. Unhealthy starvation-dieters, the anti-fat proponents, women who think protein will make them bulky. Such misconceptions are still strong in society, and this a not a healthy thing.
For those of us with a true understanding of the essential benefits of adequate protein intake, it is always a shock to watch people suffer at the hands of their own misconceptions. If you are still unsure about the importance of protein, these 5 reasons should bring the message home.
1) Protein Does Not Bulk You Up
Some women believe that eating too much protein or using protein powders will make them bulky. This is completely incorrect. People don’t get bulky unless they do serious weight training.
It requires years of dedicated high intensity body building exercises to generate bulkiness. However, lean toned bodies are what makes you look good, not just thin. This can be achieved with higher repetitions, bringing about a good shape without getting bulky.
Women simply don’t bulk up just buy upping their protein intake because they don’t have the testosterone levels that men have. It is testosterone that creates the bulkiness in men.
So even if you ate 10 chicken breasts 10 salmon steaks a day you’re not going to bulk-up. Muscle-mass in women is generated in women by weight training and testosterone supplements.
2) Food High in Protein Don’t Make You Fat
Are you concerned that eating too much protein will make you fat? If so, choosing protein wisely will actually help you burn off excess fat.
The misconception that protein foods can make you fat comes from the fact that some protein foods also contain a lot of fat. However, lean proteins are your best friend no matter what diet your on or what your fitness aims are. Low-fat cottage cheese contains only 1 or 2 grams of fat, lean re meats just 6 – 8 grams, egg-whites and white fish are virtually fat-free.
However, it is important to state that we need fats too – they are essential to health. Just like a car needs high-quality oil to run smoothly and healthily, we are no different. If you use crap oil then the car will have a shorter life and a less pleasant one. For humans the healthy fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. These fats support healthy joint function, brain function (the brain is 60% fat! ), and produce healthy hormones in the body that fight inflammation and counteract stress.
Olive oil, red-colored fish like salmon, avocados, peanut butter, nuts and seeds are all great sources for these essential fats.
3) Protein Controls Hunger
Nobody likes feeling hungry and this is why appetite suppressant pills sell by the bucket load. If we turn to excessively low-calorie diets in a desperate attempt to lose weight, we can be guaranteed to feel hungry for many hours in the day, counting down the time to our next meal or snack. This is no fun and the reason people look for help with their hunger pangs.
The simple answer to all this is just to eat more protein. Each meal and snack should feature protein of some kind.
Protein does not have any affect on our blood sugar like carbohydrates do. Simple carbs and sugars are especially bad news, causing blood sugar spikes and the inevitable crash. This crash to you and me is unpleasant hunger pangs, cravings for sweet foods and irritability.