Sports Nutrition 101 – What Is Protein Good For and What Foods Are Sources of Protein?

By Daniel, on November 3rd, 2011%

Bodybuilder Vector Image © by Vectorportal

If you’ve read even a little bit of advice on maintaining a healthy diet while following a workout regimen, you have no doubt seen some mention of how important protein is. But what does protein actually do for the body and what role does it have in sports nutrition?

Protein is a macronutrient, which means that your body has to have a lot of it. Vitamins are known as micronutrients, your body only needs a few tiny grams per day of most vitamins to receive their benefits. But the body has no way to store protein, so you either use it or lose it. This does not mean that you should start chugging protein shakes at every opportunity though. Like everything else in diet and exercise, moderation and smart choices are the key.

Protein is an essential building block for many different parts of our body. It is found in our hair and nails, in our blood, and in our cells. Proteins are used in the creation of hormones and enzymes and protein is used to build up our muscles. Bodybuilders love to pack on the protein to build definition and bulk, but if you are just looking to stay healthy and in shape, you don’t need to be doing what they do. You can get all the protein you need by making some smart dietary choices.

As you probably know, red meat such as steaks and hamburgers contain protein, but they also contain a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fats are a no-no in sports nutrition. They clog arteries and provide no nutritional benefit, so sucking down burgers to try and get healthy just isn’t going to work. You can eat red meat, just make sure you limit yourself to 3-5 servings per week. If you want to enjoy meat, it’s going to have to be the healthier options like chicken, turkey, and some types of fish.

Chicken and turkey are great food sources of protein, especially the leaner breast cuts. You can get several grams of protein for serving without worrying about clogging your arteries. Turkey is also a good choice, and is a bit leaner than chicken so it makes a great addition to your sports nutrition diet. Cold water fish can provide you with protein, but some fish are very high in fat. Even if it’s the “good” fat, you still don’t want to overdue it. So try some tuna or salmon next time you are out instead of the 16 ounce ribeye, your heart will love you for it and you’ll get almost half of your daily recommended intake of protein.

But pound for pound, ounce for ounce, you really can’t beat the good old bean for sports nutrition protein intake. Beans contain a ton of protein AND fiber. Fiber is important for keeping the intestines moving right along (you know what we mean) and for controlling blood sugar. There are a million different choices when it comes to beans, and all of them are good additions to any sports nutrition diet.

So if you are looking to stay healthy, then protein is an essential nutrient that you need to make sure that you are getting enough of. Protein is good for the hair, nails, blood, and skin as well as helping build muscle mass and maintaining proper bodily functions. So be mindful of your diet and substitute out some red meat choices for lower fat options like beans and fish that are packed with protein and fiber.

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Get Healthy, Get Outside

By Daniel, on November 1st, 2011%

Walk © by aka Kath

Staying in shape is important for a good health and a long life, but if you don’t stay motivated you will soon stop exercising and the flab will start coming back. There are a lot of different ways to maintain motivational levels such as mixed workouts and exercising with a buddy, but one of the best ways to keep your workouts more interesting is to simply take them outdoors.

While there might be a lot of eye-candy in the gym, there’s not much else to look at except machines and the same TV shows you’ve already seen a hundred times. But when you step outside you never know what you are going to see or experience. But being outside does more for your workout than just increasing your motivation, it can also enhance your workout.

First off, if you are runner, then running out of doors has a ton of benefits over treadmill running. The most important of these is the varying terrain. Unless you are exercising in a dry lake bed, your outdoor route is bound to be full of varying levels of elevation and surface types. Running up and down hills and across gravel, grass, and asphalt all cause your legs to have to exercise different muscles or part of muscles that just wont get used while on a treadmill. It won’t make you into a marathon runner overnight of course, but it is more beneficial and more interesting than running on a rubber belt.

Second, there’s the sunshine. When the Ultraviolet light from the sun hits your skin, your body produces Vitamin D, an incredibly important nutrient. Vitamin D can also be found in foods such as red meat and fortified milk, but the natural production from sunlight is better (and free). In addition, the exposure to the sun will help you develop a decent base tan which will help you fight off sunburns.

Finally, there’s the air you breathe. In an enclosed space like your gym, the air is stagnant and possibly full of airborne microbes. Most likely you won’t get the plague from the air in your gym, but in most cases the outside air will be much cleaner. When you are working out, your body needs as much oxygen as it can get, and there will be more available oxygen outside than inside.

So next time you workout, whether it’s running or simple stretching and light weights, take it outdoors. Enjoy the sunshine and the clean air while your body produces Vitamin D and soaks up the sun. You’ll feel better, get a better workout, and enjoy the whole process a lot more.

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Boston to Celebrate 125th Year of their Famous Marathon

By Daniel, on October 13th, 2011%

ING RUN © by sophiea

Believe it or not, but the Boston Marathon will be 125 years old next year. The city is gearing up for the milestone by adding a few more races to the calendar. Runners will be able to compete in an additional half marathon in October, a 10k in June, and a 5k on the weekend of the actual marathon.

Competitive runners will have a shot at a prize in each race, and the over all men and women’s series champions will take home an extra $100,000 each.

If you are a recreational runner (and you should be) then a big city marathon like the Boston Marathon is something you need to experience at least once in your lifetime. There is nothing quite like the thrill of having thousands of people all around you, running with you or just standing on the side cheering you on.

via ESPN

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