Are High Protein Diets Just Hype?

David Revell - GymNation high performance Personal Trainer - gives his views on the importance of high protein diets in achieving your desired goals. 

You can contact David on +971 058 508 6122 (call or whatsApp) anytime for a free complimentary session and more advise on the right diet for you.

When people are new to the gym and are starting on their fitness journey, a lot of the time they’re not convinced when I tell them how important protein is when trying to gain the results they desire. Protein is critical when it comes to building muscle, becoming strong and lean and can also aid hugely in fat loss. There’s plenty of research that has been done to back this up too.

There are huge benefits to introducing a lot of protein in to our diet including fuel for workouts, repairing muscle tissue post workout and building muscle. However, protein can also help to burn fat as it is great for suppressing hunger, which prevents us from eating as many carbs and fats, leaving us feeling fuller for longer.

Research was done on two groups of people who had a calorie deficit, in which one group had a low protein amount and the other had a high protein amount. The group with the high protein diet not only lost more body fat than the low protein group, but also gained muscle mass rather than losing muscle mass like the low protein group did.

There are no ill effects to eating a lot of protein, and research has proved this. However, I would always recommended drinking between 2-4 litres of water daily, regardless of the diet you choose to follow. 

Protein is also a crucial component when it comes to cells in the body. It’s used to build cells and repair tissue like skeletal muscle, bone, hair, finger nails, cartilage, skin and blood. Like carbs and fats, protein also provides energy, but because it has so many important functions it can’t be stored, the body first relies on carbs and fats to function. This doesn’t mean that we should eat ten chickens per day, as excess protein will be converted into and stored as fat. This also doesn’t mean we should cut out carbs and fats altogether as each macronutrient has its own benefit and is vital to keeping us alive and well.

The best sources of Animal protein include:-

• Skinless Chicken
• Steak
• Turkey
• Lamb
• Pork
• Salmon
• Tuna

Plant Sources:-

• Pinto Beans
• Lentils
• Black beans
• Chickpeas
• Quinoa

Egg and dairy:-

• Greek Yogurt
• Cottage Cheese
• Regular Yogurt
• Skimmed Milk
• Large Egg

Protein supplements such as protein shakes and protein bars are also a great way of increasing protein intake, as it can be a challenge to reach the amount needed just with every day foods.

Consistency is key when it comes to getting results. Diet is just as important as  exercise, if not more so, and keeping protein levels at a high level day in, day out will help achieve body composition and fitness goals.

You can contact David on +971 058 508 6122 (call or whatsApp) anytime for a free complimentary session and more advise on the right diet for you.