We are often asked what you need to eat when you do a certain sport or work out in a certain way. A lot of people, especially young people, are very eager on getting sufficient protein. They drink protein shakes, eat eggs every day and eat large portions of meat. But do you really need that much protein to build muscle mass?
Understanding Protein Needs
According to science, you need to have 0,8 g of protein per kilo body weight per day to maintain your muscle mass. If your weight is 80 kg you need 80 x 0,8 g = 64 g protein spread out throughout the day to maintain your muscle mass. Most people get a lot more protein than they need and they don’t need to think about if they get enough.
Muscle Building and Recovery
When you do weight lifting and you want to increase your muscle mass, your protein need is a little bit bigger. You need approximately 1,5 g of protein per kilo body weight. If your weight is 80 kg you need to intake 80 x 1,5 g = 120 g protein spread out throughout the day. You might benefit from eating a small meal with protein just before your workout and again just after you have finished your workout. After your workout, your body needs to recover. During the recovery, you can continue with meals containing the protein your body needs to build muscle mass. The body can only turn over 20-25 g of protein per hour. Therefore, you need to divide your protein need into several smaller meals. Nupo produces a protein bar called Protein Bite. It weighs 40 g and it comes in three different flavors. It contains 12 g of protein. It is suitable to have in your bag and it can be eaten both before and after your workout.
The Role of Glycogen in Fueling Your Workouts
When you exercise or work out you use energy. The energy you use comes from the glycogen stored in your muscles. The glycogen comes from the carbohydrates you eat. When the carbohydrates are digested and absorbed in your body they will be loaded as glycogen in your muscles. When you do physical activity, you use glycogen in your muscles. Your muscles can only store a certain amount and it is beneficial to eat or drink something that contains carbohydrates before your exercise or work out to fill up the depots.
Carbohydrates and Glycogen for Better Performance
After your workout, it is also a good idea to eat or drink something that contains carbohydrates to fill up the now more or less empty depots. When you do high-intensity sports such as running, swimming, or biking your diet and especially the carbohydrates are extremely important according to your performance. When you do a sport such as weight lifting or bodybuilding, your glycogen levels are important according to your performance. A lot of athletes are focused on especially getting enough protein, but the glycogen levels are also important when you have to do your best performance whether it is one kind of sport or another.
Health consultant, Team Nupo.
