| Being a fitness boot camp instructor and personal | | | | and muscle gain. Most protein foods are around 22% |
| trainer in Singapore, I usually ask my clients "How | | | | protein after cooking. E.g. a 300g steak might contain |
| much protein are you eating?" Most of the time, I | | | | 66g of protein. |
| have to say, "Eat MORE protein." They are just not | | | | All your protein should be as close to its natural form |
| enough for maximum muscle gain, fat loss, fitness, | | | | as possible. Eg. Chicken thighs instead of chicken |
| weight loss and strength gains! | | | | nuggets, pork chops instead of bacon and ham |
| Protein is great for all that! | | | | (avoid deli meats for their nitrates and fat content |
| Why? There're a few reasons. | | | | etc), fish slices versus fish balls. |
| 1. Great for building muscle, as well as restoring and | | | | Back to (one of the many reasons) why protein is |
| maintaining muscles | | | | good for fat loss: |
| 2. Has a satiating effect (makes you feel full for | | | | Protein is special because of its thermic effect. It is |
| longer) | | | | tough to digest so 25% of its own calories are used |
| 3. Has a great thermic effect (takes a lot of energy | | | | for its own digestion. This really adds up. Let's say |
| to digest - 25-30% of its own calories. E.g. When you | | | | that our 80kg man eats 180g of protein a day. Since |
| eat 100 calories worth of protein, you spend about | | | | protein is 4 calories per gram that's a total of 720 |
| 30 calories to digest it. For 100 cals of carbohydrates, | | | | calories from protein. 25% of this is used up in |
| only about 5 calories are used up in digesting it! ) | | | | digestion of protein that's 180 calories burnt each day |
| 4. Helps to give healthy blood cells and enzymes | | | | just as a result of how much work the body has to |
| 5. Good for immune system | | | | do in digestion of this nutrient alone! |
| Good sources of protein: | | | | Since his intake is about double the average person's |
| Fish - any kind is great, just make sure it's cooked in | | | | that means that he has an extra 90 calories burnt |
| a non fried manner. Make an attempt to stay away | | | | each day just because of his increased intake. That is |
| from farmed fatty fish and eat fish from clean, | | | | equal to an extra 10 minutes of brisk swimming each |
| unpolluted fishing grounds. | | | | day and will result in about 1kg extra of fat loss (all |
| Poultry and eggs - eat your poultry non-fried. If you | | | | other things being equal) every 10-12 weeks. All this |
| have a safe, clean source of fresh eggs, eat them as | | | | for "free" just because we have increased protein |
| lightly cooked as possible, to keep the nutrients in | | | | intake. |
| the yolk intact | | | | A word on Protein Myths |
| Meat - Lean cuts of any animal are good. Don't try to | | | | For clients doing personal training or fitness |
| hard to cut out the fat though - you need some of | | | | bootcamps in Singapore or elsewhere, there is the |
| those fats to absorb the good stuff in the meat, like | | | | general misconception that excess protein causes |
| some of the vitamins and minerals. Meat from game | | | | you to have serious health problems. |
| animals or free-range grass-fed animals are more | | | | Well excess anything makes us fat. Protein "seems" |
| nutritious and healthful. | | | | even worse than that according to many old wives |
| Shellfish - all good, make sure its prepared hygienically. | | | | tales. If those tales were correct, excess protein |
| Again, buy (or catch) shellfish from clean, less polluted | | | | would make our kidneys explode! But they don't. In |
| fishing grounds. | | | | fact there are no studies that show that high protein |
| Dairy - Full-fat cheese, non-sweetened yoghurt | | | | diets affect kidney function. NONE. ZERO! |
| Low-carb protein powder - don't make this your main | | | | There are however studies that show that people |
| source of protein though. | | | | who have EXISTING kidney problems should not |
| How much to eat? | | | | take excess protein. This is like saying "you shouldn't |
| Men should eat 1.5-2g per pound of protein of | | | | play soccer if you have a broken leg..." well of course! |
| bodyweight and women should eat slightly more than | | | | However that is not saying that people playing |
| half of that, spread over 5-7 meals for good fat loss | | | | soccer will DEFINITELY break their legs. |