Fun Fitness Friday #4 and an Awesome Surprise

Wow, it's totally August already? Where's the summer going? Pretty soon pumpkin recipes are going to popping up all over the place and turkey's are going to start running and hiding. Ok, maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but time is flying.

We have a couple of things to talk about today. Just to answer a few quick questions on people who may have got confused on what carbs to eat, like rice vs. wheat... the answer is it doesn't really matter. Use the Nutrition Facts on the back of the box or bag... it's your best friend. I always look at total calories, carb grams, and fiber. You want the most fiber you can get in ratio to the carb grams. So in the long run... it won't matter whether it is rice or wheat, quinoa or buckwheat, oats or barley... just make sure that you like how it tastes, and that there is a good amount of fiber there.

Ok... Protein. I won't lie to anyone here. Protein is my best friend. It's cheap, it's always around when you need it, and you can treat it however you want and it won't get mad at you. Everyone needs protein. Yup, I know I'm bias because I'm a bodybuilder, but protein does more than builds muscle...

Protein other odd jobs include: neurotransmission (think brain signals), Hormone regulation (kinda important to ladies, right ;), Enzyme production, DNA and Genetic codes, the list goes on forever. Do you like your hair and nails? Those are made of protein too.

So do you need a lot of protein? I mean, they do a ton of things in the body. Well, research shows that the absolute bare minimum is measured at 0.8g/kg of bodyweight. That number is a little low, in my opinion. For instance, let's say you're at least a little active during the day, or you did some chores around the house, or perhaps you're resting because you're sick. You're going to need more protein than that. You need to heal any body tissues that are under stress. So, a better equation is... 1.2g/kg of bodyweight. So if you're 150 lbs...
150 / 2.2 = 68kg.... 68kg x 1.2 = 81 grams of protein

This is just a ballpark type number. I would give this number to most women, and shoot just a little higher if they are looking to gain some muscle mass in the gym. If you are looking to gain muscle and are a man... The number is about 1.8g per kilogram of weight.

Why do women need less? Well, I'm not sexist... honest. Sometimes, the women in my life do make things a little more cra... um I mean interesting, but the real reason is easy. Proteins are composed of materials called amino acids. Don't be afraid of the word, they are just particles that are building blocks, like Lego's. Really cool Lego's that do a ton of cool stuff in your body. However, they are acids... and too much acid can do bad things. Ever leave a tooth in a glass of Coke for a few days... yup the acid ate it.

So, when your body eats too much acid, it becomes more acidic. See this pH scale for information. When the body becomes acidic, it wants to balance it out to become more alkaline, and tip the scale the other way. Buffers are released to combat the acid... which are mainly Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc. Now, for women who have a problem with osteoporosis (it's actually a common cause for vertebral fratures), eating too much acid can cause a problem. The bones have to leech and release Calcium and place it into the bloodstream, in order to make the blood and body less acidic. Less calcium = weaker bones = more prone to fractures.

Now, I don't want to scare you away from protein. You will not break your bones by eating it. I just want to stress about two things... use moderation... and eat a well balanced diet. You are more at risk by drinking sodas that contain 'phosphoric acid', than by eating too much protein. Your body will use the protein for whatever healing and processing it needs at the time, and then use the rest for energy if neccessary.

The best way to balance out a diet is by supplying it with vegetables and fruit. These super foods contain Boron, which keeps all of those minerals in the bone. Then there are phytochemicals, anti-cancer agents, and a whole cache of microminerals you need in them. Eating a balanced diet is key, but you already knew that.

For the vegetarians, vegans, or people that just don't like meat... don't dispair... proteins are also plentiful in plants. While animal proteins are often complete, meaning they contain both esstential (aminos you have to ingest in the diet), and non-esstential (aminos your body can make from other materials)... plant proteins are not complete. One very knowledgeable blogger pointed out the idea of "pairing proteins" together. For instance... Corn does not have Lysine in it... but black beans do. So what do we have to do?

Enter Black Bean Corn Salsa. By combining the two, your body now has a complete protein. It's kind of like math, except there are no numbers... and they make me hungry :)

Ok, that's a ton of information right there... To summarize...

• Protein is needed for more than just muscle, and is very important to maintain a healthy body
• Shoot for somewhere from 1.2 - 1.8 grams of complete protein per kg of bodyweight
• Maintain a well balanced diet with fruits and vegetables to keep your body in a more neutral acid - base balance
• Always eat "protein pairings" to get complete proteins as much as possible

Ok, now with that out of the way... Teresa, a wonderful blogger over at Mexican-American Border Cooking, awarded me this Brillante Weblog Award. It's my first award! I'm famous! No seriously... it is very awesome, and I am very lucky to have such great friends over here in the blogverse. We're scattered all over the world, but yet we're so close, ya know? I have to award this to five other people... so let's see...

Veggie Girl - Always health conscious, always has a great story to tell, always a sweet commenter

She Runs, She Eats - She makes me laugh so much I think we share a brain sometimes

Hungry and Frozen - Her stories and life in a world down under are priceless. I found Nigella through her :)

Vanilla Sugar - We both love working out and pizza... if that's not a bond I don't know what is

Clumbsy Cookie - The creativity and effort she puts in her sweets has no bounds. She bakes outside the box, and I love it.

So there you have it. Pass it on to 5 others, and spread the good love and cheer. Next week, we'll talk a little about healthy fats, and answer any protein questions. Oh, and yes, I will put up workout and exercise info for those that are interested. Sky is the limit here, folks. Thanks for reading everyone, and enjoy the weekend!
Odd job here
Lego here