There is a lot of confusion out there about protein. Some recommend having massive amounts of it, others recommend having small amounts.

Even worse, some experts (and supplement companies) recommend having multiple protein shakes per day to assist in your weight loss efforts.

Thus, here are the essentials of protein for weight loss:

1. Its constitution: Protein is made out of amino acids. When you eat protein, it gets broken down into its constituent amino acids. Then, the digested amino acids get reassembled into the protein structures your body needs the most. The take home point here is that animal sources of protein have the best amino acid profile.

2. Function: Protein doesn’t just make up your muscle mass. It also helps create hormones, it forms enzymes which speed up chemical reactions in your body, and it helps transport oxygen in your body-the element which is essential for all energy production.

3. Misconceptions: Perhaps the biggest misconception about protein is that having more of it while dieting spares muscle mass. In reality, having more protein actually increases the burning of muscle mass. You see, carbohydrates are the main macronutrient that spares muscle wasting.

4. The dangers of having too much: Too much of anything is bad for you, and protein is no exception here. Perhaps the biggest downfall of excessive protein intakes is a reduction in stored muscle energy which in turn decreases the intensity of your workouts. And less intense workouts translate into less calories burned.

5. How much: I recommend having in between 25-30% of your calories come from protein. This is the highest amount you can have while not suffering from the negative side effects. At this level, you will maximize feel full hormones and slow down digestion rates.

Protein has become an extremely confusing macronutrient for most people. After all, with all the money to be made with high protein diets, the misconceptions and contradictions have run rampant. So take action on the advice in this article now!

Writer Katherine Crawford, a fitness physiologist and former flabby arms sufferer, instructs women on the best tricep exercises for their arms. Figure out how to get sexy arms by exploring her website about how to shake weight right now!

Tagged with: article food • beauty • Diet • dietary supplements • Exercise • fat • Fitness • Food • health • metabolism • nutrition • Weight Loss • weight loss program • wellness • women

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