Every moment of everyday the cells making up our bodies grow, divide and die. Of which all processes are dependent on protein as it is the vital building blocks of our cells. In general most women and dancers do not meet their daily protein requirements. Protein – originating from the Greek protos, meaning “first” – is so appropriately named as it is essential to put meat on our bones and to grow hair, blood, connective tissue, antibodies, as well as make enzymes and hormones that help regulate metabolism, growth and so much more. The Recommended Dietary Allowance or RDA for protein is a 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, RDA is the amount of a particular nutrient you require to meet your basic nutritional needs. That means it is the minimum amount you need to keep from withering away and getting sick and as such not the specific amount you should be consuming daily. Protein generally has a bad reputation amongst the average South African and women more specifically. We tend to think that it is only important for “gym botjies” and rugby players – but this is a complete misconception. Consuming enough protein is absolutely necessary whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, recover from a tough rehearsal, feel more satisfied after a meal or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle. So what is this mighty essential-protein and what happens when you eat it? Just the same as with carbohydrates and fat, protein also provides us with energy. However, in that it provides so many other important functions and cannot be stored, the body relies first on carbohydrates and fat for energy. Protein gets digested into amino acids that are absorbed by the small intestine and distributed throughout the body. Cells take what they need and rearrange amino acids to make new proteins or repair older ones. Since the body cannot store protein any excess amino acids are converted into glucose and stored as glycogen to use as energy reserves, or converted into fatty acids and stored as fat. Getting the right amount of protein is important so the body can perform these functions on a daily basis. However just the same – too much of anything in your diet can have a negative effect, which is why it is necessary to ascertain what your protein requirements are (linked to your goals of course) and follow this guideline. Protein is found in a variety of foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy and even some grains. Meats, poultry, fish, eggs and soybeans are complete protein sources — meaning they are a source of all the amino acids required by our body. Other protein sources like legumes, some nuts and seeds, grains and leafy greens, do not provide adequate amounts of the essential amino acids on their own - but can when eaten in combination with other foods to create a complete protein source. A good example of this would be a good old peanut butter sandwich on whole grain low GI bread. The wheat flour contains the amino acids that the peanut butter lacks and vice versa – and so put together you have a complete protein source packed with all the amino acids you require. So it is not always necessary to only rely on meat, dairy, eggs, fish and poultry as protein sources. So I understand that I need it – but how much is enough? For most active dancers who dance/exercise daily for at least 1 hour, their daily protein requirement for maintaining lean muscle mass may be calculated by multiplying their body weight by a factor of 1.2-1.4. For dancers or individuals who are also actively exercising and training to build muscle they would apply the same principle however, they would use a factor of 1.4-1.8. The number obtained from this calculation is then the target daily protein intake needed for that person. People who are less active may use a factor of 0.8 – 1.2. So now that I know how much I need – how do I implement protein into my diet? Here are some tips on how to go about increasing your protein intake and getting the best results from doing so. 1. Spread your protein foods throughout your meals throughout the day: The best way to capitalize on your ability to digest, absorb and utilise protein is by distributing it evenly throughout your meals and snacks. You can plan this by taking the total grams of protein you require daily, since we now know how to find that out, and dividing it by the number of meals and snacks you plan on eating. 2. Consume your protein immediately after training: Having a high-protein snack or meal within an hour after training is best as this is when muscles are able to nutrients they can use to repair and grow. 3. Eat your proteins with carbs: this is specifically important to do after completing strenuous aerobic exercise because protein is necessary for muscle repair and carbs are needed to restock energy stores. 4. Eat more high protein plant sources: all of us (and the earth) can benefit from eating more plant-based protein sources. This is because they offer more than just being a source of protein - beans, peas, quinoa and lentils for example are rich in other nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals. 5. Keep it leaner: for those of you that eat meat – try to make the leaner choice. Choose skinless chicken and red meats with very minimal fat, and use 90/10 minced beef, which would be 90% lean meat and only 10% fat. Try your best to have red meats (like burgers and steaks) only once or twice per week as it is typically high in saturated fat.
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AuthorDanielle Gemeliaris has been dancing for half her life and has always been passionate about food, nutrition and the science behind them. The knowledge she gained through her studies, as a dancer and her experience as a health and wellness coach through Herbalife, has made her uniquely qualified to help dancers better understand nutrition and the role it plays in their lives. She hopes to offer the readers of this blog the opportunity to gain a basic working knowledge of nutrition, the role it plays for dancers and learn how to make better more informed food choices in the future. Archives
April 2019
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