This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over. They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.
One of the problems with diets is that they are often standardized. As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual physiology and metabolism. They provide a cookie-cutter approach to weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual case. As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them. This process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail. The dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you through your dieting dilemmas.
Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a lack of support. You may have family members who can eat whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound. As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation. Also, you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your weight problems. In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues. This can be particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort to combat their weight problems. Bulimia is a serious disease which must be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient. Thankfully, there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.S. specifically focusing on bulimia.
Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories. You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it. For instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with calories—as many as 600 in a single serving! You may also be indulging in sugary sodas—another source of extra calories. By taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.
Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer. You might go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick results. The problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week. That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see appreciable weight loss. Discouraging? It can be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.
You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for life. This means that you must change the way you look at food. It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more. As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul. If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose weight, but to become healthier. A fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone. Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully.
Protein
Protein is vital for the healthy growth, development and repair of virtually all cells in the human body; from nails and hair to skin, organs, tissues and ligaments. In fact, protein accounts for around 17% of your total body weight!
Amino Acids
All proteins are made up of different combinations of around 20 amino acids, which are often referred to as 'the building blocks of life'.
Amino acids are categorised into 2 groups: 11 non-essential amino acids produced naturally by the body, and 9 essential amino acids which the body is unable to manufacture directly and must be consumed regularly as part of a healthy diet.
Sources of Protein
Protein can be found in both plant and animal matter, making it possible for non-meat eaters to get all they need from a meat-free diet.
Protein from plants
No one plant contains all the essential amino acids needed by the body. This means that non-meat eaters should aim to consume a combination of different plant sources within their diet on a daily basis.
Good sources of plant protein include: soya products, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and grains such as rice.
Protein from meat
Meat contains all the essential amino acids needed by the body. Good sources include oily fish such as fresh tuna, sardines and trout, as well as poultry, meat and animal produce such as eggs.
Protein Supplements
Due to the role of protein in building muscle tissue, it is often taken as a supplement for those looking to support and maximise the effects of their workouts. Holland & Barrett stocks a huge variety of protein supplements including:
Whey protein
Whey protein has one of the highest biological values of any protein supplement and is very kind on the digestive system.
Hemp Natural Protein Powder
Free from additives, preservatives and pesticides, Hemp Natural Protein Powder is a natural way to support your protein intake.
Protein Bars
For those who prefer the added convenience of a snack bar rather than a milkshake powder, protein bars are ideal.
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Every cell in the human body contains protein. It is a major part of the skin, muscles, organs, and glands. Protein is also found in all body fluids, except bile and urine.
You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy.
Food Sources
Protein-containing foods are grouped as either complete or incomplete proteins.
Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids. Complete proteins are found in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products such as yogurt and cheese. Soybeans are the only plant protein considered to be a complete protein.
Incomplete proteins lack one or more of the essential amino acids. Sources of incomplete protein include beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and grain. A small amount of incomplete protein is also found in vegetables.
Plant proteins can be combined to provide all of the essential amino acids and form a complete protein. Examples of combined, complete plant proteins are rice and beans, wheat cereal, and corn and beans.
Side Effects
A diet high in meat can contribute to high cholesterol levels or other diseases such as gout. A high-protein diet may also put a strain on the kidneys.
Recommendations
A nutritionally balanced diet provides adequate protein. Protein supplements are rarely needed by healthy people.
Vegetarians are able to get adequate amounts of essential amino by eating a variety of plant proteins.
The amount of recommended daily protein depends upon your age and health. Two to three servings of protein-rich food will meet the daily needs of most adults.
For recommended serving sizes of protein for children and adolescents, see age appropriate diet for children.
The following are the recommended serving sizes for protein:
* 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish (a portion about the size of a deck of playing cards)
* 1/2 cup of cooked dried beans
* 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, or 1 ounce of cheese
Select lean meat, poultry without skin, fish, and dried beans, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products often. These are the protein choices that are the lowest in fat.
Our bodies are composed of approximately ten trillion cells, which poses challenging problems for structure and communication. All of these cells must be connected strongly together, to allow us to stand and walk. The infrastructure holding us together, however, must also be malleable enough to allow repairs, to allow us to heal from wounds. These many cells must also communicate with each other, ensuring that each plays its own proper part. Many different molecules in our bodies are involved in this complex infrastructure of support and communication, and integrins play a central role.
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The needs of children and adolescents also vary according to their age and weight. A full list of recommendations for dietary protein is available from the Australian Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) website.
Most Australians eat far more protein than they actually need, so deficiencies are rare.
Sources of protein
Some sources of dietary protein include:
* Meat, poultry and fish
* Eggs
* Dairy products
* Seeds and nuts
* Beans and lentils
* Soy products
* Grains, especially wheat and less so rice, barley and corn.
Amino acids explained
Proteins are made up of chains of smaller chemicals called amino acids. There are about 20 different amino acids that, in different combinations, make up the countless millions of proteins available in nature.
A protein can consist of between 50 and tens of thousands of amino acids, linked together by a kind of ‘glue’ called a peptide bond. There are two broad classes of amino acid: those that can be made by the human body (non-essential amino acids) and those that can only be supplied by food (essential amino acids).
Nutritional value explained
A protein’s nutritional value is judged by how many of the essential amino acids it provides and in what quantity. Different foods contain different numbers and amounts of amino acids. Generally speaking:
* Animal products (such as chicken, beef or fish) contain all of the essential amino acids.
* Plant proteins usually lack at least one amino acid. Exceptions to this are soy products and the seed of a leafy green called Amaranth (consumed in Asia and the Mediterranean).
Strict vegetarians can solve this dietary problem by eating a combination of plant foods. For example, a meal containing cereals and legumes provides all the essential amino acids found in a typical meat dish.
Digestion of proteins
A protein-rich food, such as meat, is broken down into individual proteins by the gastric juices in the stomach. Pancreatic enzymes released into the first portion of the small intestine (duodenum) split the proteins into their separate amino acids. The amino acids are absorbed by the small finger-like projections (villi) lining the intestine walls, and taken to the liver via the bloodstream.
How amino acids are used
The human body uses amino acids in three main ways:
* Protein synthesis - new proteins are created constantly. For example, as old, dead cells are sloughed off the skin surface, new ones are pushed up to replace them.
* Precursors of other compounds - a range of substances are created using amino acids: for example, the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) serotonin and the ‘fight or flight’ chemical adrenalin.
* Energy - although carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source, about 10 per cent of energy is derived from protein.
The toxic byproduct ammonia is excreted
One of the byproducts of protein metabolism is ammonia. In high levels, ammonia is extremely dangerous to the body, so it is converted into urea. This water soluble chemical is collected by the kidneys and eliminated from the body via urine.
Amount of protein needed each day
Some people - such as growing children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers - need slightly more protein than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). However, most Australians consume more than enough dietary protein, so deficiencies are rare.
For elderly people, it is likely that protein intake at the upper end of the RDA range is desirable to maintain muscle mass and strength, which is a crucial component of walking ability.
Strenuous exercise doesn’t mean you need extra protein
Contrary to popular belief, people who exercise vigorously or are trying to put on muscle mass don’t need to consume extra protein. Studies show that weight-trainers who don’t eat extra protein (either in food or protein powders) still gain muscle at the same rate as weight-trainers who supplement their diets with protein. A very high protein diet can strain the kidneys and liver, and prompt excessive loss of the mineral calcium.
Symptoms of protein deficiency
The human body can’t store protein, so it must be supplied on a daily basis from the foods we eat. Strict vegetarians who don’t consume any animal products at all are at increased risk of protein deficiency if they don’t eat a wide range of complementary plant proteins. Symptoms of protein deficiency include:
* Wasting and shrinkage of muscle tissue
* Oedema (build-up of fluids, particularly in the feet and ankles)
* Anaemia (the blood’s inability to deliver sufficient oxygen to the cells, usually caused by dietary deficiencies such as lack of iron)
* Slow growth (in children).
Very high protein diets are dangerous
Some weight-trainers and bodybuilders believe that high protein diets lead to increased muscle mass. This isn’t true - it is stimulation of muscle tissue through exercise, not extra dietary protein that leads to muscle growth. Fad diets that favour very high protein and fat intake, combined with very low carbohydrate intake, may be harmful. The drawbacks of very high protein diets include:
* Very high protein diets usually advocate very low intake of carbohydrates. Glucose, made when the body breaks down dietary carbohydrate, is the body’s preferred fuel source. If the body doesn’t receive enough dietary carbohydrate, it will break down muscle tissue to make glucose. This causes muscle wastage, reduced metabolism and a build-up of ketones (byproducts of protein metabolism).
* Low fibre intakes can result in constipation, bowel disorders and increased risk of colon cancer.
* There is evidence to suggest that the heart may not function as well if its main source of fuel is ketones.
* High intake of animal products (which is usually recommended in such diets) can also be high in saturated fats and cholesterol, which is associated with a range of conditions including heart disease.
* The liver and kidneys are put under strain because they have to detoxify and eliminate unusually high quantities of protein by products. Kidney problems may be exacerbated in people with diabetes.
* There is an increased risk of developing gout and gall bladder colic.
* Greater losses of body calcium may increase the risk of osteoporosis.
* Increased risk of dehydration puts the body under pressure.
* Recent research shows that weight loss over one year is not greater on a high protein diet when compared to safer low fat eating patterns.
A complete beginners guide to Protein, Protein Powder and Protein Shakes
When it comes to burning fat and building muscle, protein is a nutrient that will make or break your results. If you're confused about how much protein you need, which type of protein is best, or when you should eat it, our protein Q&A will help you separate protein fact from protein fiction.
How much protein do I need?
The UK Food Standards Agency recommends that adults take in around 55 grams of protein per day. However, studies show that regular exercise increases your need for protein, which means that active people need a lot more. For best results, most experts recommend that you consume around 2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. To work out how much protein your need, multiply your bodyweight in kilograms by two (e.g. an 80kg man would aim for 160 grams of protein per day).
When's the best time to drink a protein shake?
Most experts recommend taking protein shakes in two servings: one an hour or so before you train, and another dose immediately after training to help repair muscle damage and fuel the growth of new muscle tissue. Protein shakes are a great way of getting protein in to your system, and is quickly absorbed by the body. Protein shakes are also a quick and easy way to consume the supplement, making it ideal for people on the go. Promax is the UK's no. 1 selling protein powder and is perfect for supporting lean muscle and recovery, whether your goal is size & strength, sports performance, or getting lean
Can protein help me lose fat?
Not only does protein help you build muscle, it also plays an important part during a fat loss programme. As well as helping to preserve lean muscle, which is easily lost when you cut back on your calorie intake, protein also helps with appetite control, making it easier for you to stick to your diet. Products like Promax Diet protein powder are proven to aid weight loss and lean muscle definition
What happens if I don't eat enough protein?
An occasional low-protein day will not affect muscle growth. But if you don't get enough protein in your diet on a regular basis, then your body starts burning muscle for energy and your progress in the gym will grind to a halt.
What are the best sources of protein?
As far as your body is concerned, there are two different types of amino acids (the building blocks of protein): essential and non-essential. Non-essential amino acids are amino acids that your body can create by itself. Essential amino acids cannot be created, and therefore the only way to get them is through food.
Many foods, including nuts and beans, can provide a good dose of protein. But the best sources are animal proteins like eggs, meat, poultry fish and whey. Animal protein is complete - it contains the right proportions of the essential amino acids your body can't make on its own. Vegetable sources are usually low on or missing certain essential amino acids. Promax Extreme powder is designed to provide your body with the highest quality whey protein to support rapid muscle growth, strength and recovery and help you get enough in your training plan to get the results you want
What are the benefits of whey protein?
Whey protein is one of the two major proteins found in milk, the other being casein. It's one of the most popular sources of protein with athletes and gym users wanting to burn fat and build muscle, and with very good reason.