Beyond the Gym: The Role of Protein in Personal and Strength Training Success

Did you know that what’s on your plate can help you while you’re at the gym?

Join hosts Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher as they dive into the vital role of protein in muscle health and strength training.

What’s the ideal protein intake you should aim for every day? And where can you get proteins from, in the first place? Whether you’re just starting out or enhancing your regimen, this episode will equip you with the knowledge to optimize your protein intake for maximum personal training and health gains.

• Hosts Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher begin the conversation by discussing why dietary protein consumption is so important for muscle health.
• Dr. Fisher explains how dietary habits are more important than your engagement in muscle-building exercise for the fact that, while you may engage in strength training a couple of times a week, you eat every single day.
• Muscle protein synthesis is the process of muscle regeneration, while muscle protein breakdown is the destruction of muscle protein cells.
• As we age, we have an elevated muscle protein breakdown compared to our anabolic youth. 
• To combat the natural breakdown, it’s important to ensure we engage in things that will elevate our muscle protein synthesis. 
• Dr. Fisher unpacks the concept of amino acids and touches upon essential and non-essential amino acids.
• When it comes to diets, Dr. Fisher typically advocates for a whole food, less processed, relatively varied diet.
• Dr. Fisher brings the topic of animal-based and plant-based proteins into the conversation.
• Remember: the engagement of strength training is the boost to muscle protein synthesis to try and hang on to every ounce of muscle we’ve got – and proteins are going to help to do that.
• Dr. Fisher goes into the differences between plant-based sources of proteins, animal-based proteins, and supplemental proteins.
• When it comes to animal-based proteins, grass-fed or free-range poultry or beef are at the top of the list. 
• For Dr. Fisher, the UK Government's recommendation of 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is way too low.
• Evidence-based studies by Dr. Stuart Phillips, Brad Schoenfeld, and colleagues show that the amount of protein for muscle protein synthesis is between 1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.
• As far as meal planning and protein intake are concerned, Dr. Fisher suggests being in the region of 32 to 44 grams of protein per meal.
• Constantly feeling hungry? It may be that you aren’t consuming enough dietary protein to keep you full for long enough between your meals, says Amy.
• Amy goes into the “blood sugar rollercoaster”.
• As we age, our muscle protein breakdown increases – meaning that we have a higher need for protein to combat that with more muscle protein synthesis.
• Dr. Fisher and Amy share some final considerations about the role of protein, especially for those who haven’t paid much attention to their dietary habits or who have just started engaging in strength training.

 

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

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Dr. Stuart Phillips

Brad Schoenfeld

Previous episode - How to Lose Fat Without Muscle Loss: Science-Backed Solutions with Dr. Wayne Westcott

 

 

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