Mandatory Proteins

1. To maintain muscle mass you must take in .8 grams per pound of body weight 

2. To gain muscle mass you should take in approximately 1.2 grams per pound

Proteins: Proteins are built from a series of 20 different amino acids.  They carry out more functions within the cell and human body than research can even keep up with.  Your body needs the proper amount of protein to function as well as it can and even more when trying to grow and recover lean muscle.  This is significant with burning fat because the more muscle you gain the more calories you will be burning.  When I was taking cell biology I felt like proteins were always being talked about.  As a student I would be hearing about enzymes and ligand binding but as a personal trainer I would just try to figure out how this would help me in the gym.  In any nutritional situation protein should be your best friend.  Above is approximately how much protein you should be taking in.  This is a good basis to go by but be careful for those trying to stay lean that you don't over do it.  Protein cannot be stored as protein.  It is either excreted or stored....again not as protein.  This is why taking in smaller amounts throughout the day is so important.  Another thing to consider is that proein is not passive.  It will pass through the kidneys at times without ease.  This is why hydration should go hand in hand with a high protein diet.  

My Challenge To You:  

Begin adding correct proteins to your diet-Lean meats, fish, nuts, and low-fat dairy.

More Information: 

Abstract of high-fat and high-protein diets in mice and how it relates to glycemic index and fat loss.  

"Consumption of a high-fat (HF) diet results in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Weight loss is often recommended to reverse these metabolic alterations and the use of a high-protein (HP), low-carbohydrate diet is encouraged. In lean rats, consumption of a HP diet improves glycemic control. However, it is unknown whether this diet has a similar effectiveness in rodents with impaired glucose tolerance. Rats were fed a HF or a chow (CH) diet for 6 weeks and then switched to a HP diet or a CH or pair-fed (PF) to the amount of kcals consumed per day by the HP group. Following the diet switch, body weight gain was attenuated as compared to HF rats, and similar between HP, CH, and PF rats. Despite similar weight progression, HP and PF rats had a significant decrease in body fat after 2 weeks, as compared to HF rats. In contrast, CH rats did not show this effect. Glucose tolerance was attenuated more quickly in HP rats than in CH or PF rats. These results indicate that a HP diet may be more effective than a balanced diet for improving glycemic control in overweight individuals."