Make Protein Work for You - Powerful Protein Tips

Protein supplementation can have a powerful impact on your exercise goals. If you have been wondering why protein is such an important macronutrient, read on to find out how to make protein work for you.

Many athletes would be happy with more muscle. Exercise, especially resistance training, increases your muscle building and repair hormones allowing your body to use protein more effectively for muscle growth.¹ A high protein diet may increase your muscle mass if used in conjunction with resistance training.² When used in combination with a reduction in calories, higher protein intake may assist with body composition and lean body mass, in conjunction with appropriate exercise.^{3, 4} Additionally protein supplementation may support body composition by decreasing hunger and increasing your metabolism, fat burning⁵ and body heat.^{6, 7} Suffice to say, you may find substantial benefit in using protein to support your body composition goals.

So how can you use protein most effectively with your training? The most important times for athletes to take protein is an hour before exercise, or immediately afterwards to maximise muscle repair and recovery. It is recommended for athletes to include protein in every meal, as well as a snack in between meals to maintain high levels of dietary protein. Refer to the Endura Paleo-Performance Eating Plan for some great ideas on high protein meals.

Soy and whey protein are two concentrated and highly bioavailable forms of protein which can really boost dietary protein levels. Endura Pro Body Bars contain 18 g of combined whey and soy protein, making them an ideal pre- or post-exercise protein hit or between-meal protein snack. To increase your dietary protein levels and support muscle improvement goals, try the delicious Endura Pro Body Bars in Deluxe Fudge or Mint Slab and make protein work for you!

How Much Protein Do I Need?

Protein is an important nutrient for athletes, however everyone has a unique body type and different goals to achieve. With so much variation it may seem difficult to know what your individual protein requirements are. Table 1 provides a simplified guideline to help you calculate your protein requirements and can be applied across both body composition and muscle building goals. These guidelines have been adapted from information provided by the Australian Institute of Sport.

Table 1. Daily protein requirement guidelines for athletes⁸

	Moderate Intensity Endurance Athletes (Protein g/day)		Elite Endurance Athletes (Protein g/day)
Weight (kg)	Male	Female	Male	Female
50-59	60-94	51-80	80-118	68-100
60-69	72-110	61-94	96-138	82-117
70-79	84-126	71-107	112-158	95-134
80-89	96-142	81-121	128-178	109-151
90-99	108-158	91-135	144-198	122-168
100-109	120-174	101-148	160-218	136-185
110-119	132-190	111-161	176-238	150-202
120-129	144-206	121-175	192-258	163-219

Remember, these protein guidelines provide daily totals to aim for and should be be divided between meals and snacks during the day (e.g. 90 g daily protein can be achieved by eating 20 g of protein at each main meal and two snacks of 15 g). By consuming your daily protein requirements, you will be able to support muscle growth and fat loss, shaping your body to maximise performance!

Powerful Protein Foods

If you are wondering which foods are highest in protein, look no further. Table 2 provides a useful guide as to which foods are highest in protein. So be sure to include these protein rich foods in your diet to maximise the impact of their crucial macronutrient.

Table 2. Protein rich foods.

By incorporating these foods in your diet, you can be confident your protein requirements are being met - helping you achieve your body composition goals more efficiently.

Paleo Recipes for Performance

^* References available on request.