Bodybuilding Workout

A major constituent of our body is protein. The extent of protein in our body is about half the dry weight of the body. Protein is sourced largely from the natural diet. High protein can be obtained from chicken, fish, beef, lamb and legumes including lentils and beans. Amino acids are produced with the digestion of the proteins. These amino acids act as the source of energy. Some of the amino acids are also converted into hormones or are used in the production of new proteins. About 22 different amino acids go to make up protein. The number of amino acids in a protein could comprise of 50 to tens of thousands of amino acids. Amino acids are further categorized as non-essential and essential amino acids. The human body can make the non-essential amino acids while the food supplies essential amino acids.

The recommended dietary intake of protein is 0.75 gram per kilogram of body weight for adult women and 0.84 gram per kilogram of body weight for adult men. The need for protein depends on the age and weight of the person. The main source of protein are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, seeds and nuts, beans and lentils, soy products, grains particularly wheat.

The athletes as well as bodybuilders undergo a tough training. Excess protein may be taken to recover from the training and for muscle repair. Twice of what the less active people take is recommended as a reasonable excess protein intake. But there are those bodybuilders who take much more protein than this. It is generally believed that excess protein consumption does not do any harm. But then people with kidney, overweight and diabetes problems are advised not to take excess protein as this may be harmful. Additional intake of protein is heavily promoted by the powdered protein supplementary industry. These are costly when natural food such as skim milk is a cheaper source of protein. Some of the products marketed include Ny-Tro Pro-40, BSN No-Xplode, BSN Cell Mass, BSN Syntha-6 and Purple Wraath bodybuilding.

Protein intake recommended by some weight trainers as well as bodybuilding coaches is in the ratio of 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrate and 20 percent fat. In the case of a 4000 calorie intake for bodybuilders which is a reasonable intake, it will mean four times the protein intake which is twice of what is acceptable.

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