Build Muscle Mass - Most of us get way more protein than we need. Many experts believe that the average sedentary American is getting around 50% more than they can possibly use. That’s extra calories and, if it comes from meat and dairy, extra saturated fat and cholesterol too. If you consume more calories than your body can use, it stores the excess as fat. Too much protein also puts a strain on the liver and kidneys as the body tries to deal with what isn’t being incorporated into enzymes, muscles, cellular membranes, and connective tissue by dumping the rest via these important organs. Those not working out regularly should be eating only a fraction of the protein they get and could use less refined sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories in general too.
Part of the problem is we all eat like we’re major athletes, even when we spend most of our time sitting chained to a desk, at a computer, commuting, or sprawled on a couch in front of our television. Our bodies are still running on the instincts that served them well for thousands of years when humanity had to actively work for food. We spent our days cultivating fields, hunting, fishing, dragging heavy loads, carrying large jugs of water, pulling carts, pushing stones, lifting, crouching, bending, and moving more in one day than many of us manage in a week now.
Part of the problem is we all eat like we’re major athletes, even when we spend most of our time sitting chained to a desk, at a computer, commuting, or sprawled on a couch in front of our television. Our bodies are still running on the instincts that served them well for thousands of years when humanity had to actively work for food. We spent our days cultivating fields, hunting, fishing, dragging heavy loads, carrying large jugs of water, pulling carts, pushing stones, lifting, crouching, bending, and moving more in one day than many of us manage in a week now.
Our bodies are hardwired to desire food often, beg for the richest, densest foods, and store the excess as fat. These yearnings and processes kept us from going extinct when cold winters, famines, and scarcity came. The modern world has changed the way we should treat food and ourselves. Either we need to actually seek out the exercise that served to balance our eating or we need to eat less or probably do both. These are our choices if we want to counteract the quite deadly combination we have created of more accessible food, sedentary living, and the body’s natural tendencies to store or dump what it doesn’t need.
If you want to Build Muscle Mass, then you get to continue eating more. Athletes require more protein than non-athletes. They also need more calories as an active body burns through fuel more effectively and more rapidly. This may surprise many, but getting the protein and calories you need are both possible on a vegan or vegetarian diet. All plant food contains protein in some amount, from sweet fruit to leafy green, and as stated earlier most of us get too much.
The average American only needs between .2 and .6 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. That makes about .4 or .5 plenty, and that amount is easily supplied with protein-rich plants. Beans, legumes, lentils, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and grain all contain fairly large amounts of protein.
Most plants aren’t considered “complete” proteins as they may be lacking in one or two essential amino acids, but this is easily counteracted by eating a variety of food. The old idea that vegans need to carefully pair protein sources with each meal to supply their protein needs has been debunked. The body doesn’t store amino acids long term, but it takes time to digest and absorb protein. Amino acids remain in the body for days and the correct combinations do not have to occur during the same meal or even the same day as long as you are getting all the essential amino acids throughout a 3 to 4 day period.
If you want to Build Muscle Mass, then you get to continue eating more. Athletes require more protein than non-athletes. They also need more calories as an active body burns through fuel more effectively and more rapidly. This may surprise many, but getting the protein and calories you need are both possible on a vegan or vegetarian diet. All plant food contains protein in some amount, from sweet fruit to leafy green, and as stated earlier most of us get too much.
The average American only needs between .2 and .6 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. That makes about .4 or .5 plenty, and that amount is easily supplied with protein-rich plants. Beans, legumes, lentils, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and grain all contain fairly large amounts of protein.
Most plants aren’t considered “complete” proteins as they may be lacking in one or two essential amino acids, but this is easily counteracted by eating a variety of food. The old idea that vegans need to carefully pair protein sources with each meal to supply their protein needs has been debunked. The body doesn’t store amino acids long term, but it takes time to digest and absorb protein. Amino acids remain in the body for days and the correct combinations do not have to occur during the same meal or even the same day as long as you are getting all the essential amino acids throughout a 3 to 4 day period.
Most
of us get way more protein than we need. Many experts believe that the
average sedentary American is getting around 50% more than they can
possibly use. That’s extra calories and, if it comes from meat and
dairy, extra saturated fat and cholesterol too. If you consume more
calories than your body can use, it stores the excess as fat. Too much
protein also puts a strain on the liver and kidneys as the body tries to
deal with what isn’t being incorporated into enzymes, muscles, cellular
membranes, and connective tissue by dumping the rest via these
important organs. Those not working out regularly should be eating only a
fraction of the protein they get and could use less refined sugar,
saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories in general too.
Part of
the problem is we all eat like we’re major athletes, even when we spend
most of our time sitting chained to a desk, at a computer, commuting, or
sprawled on a couch in front of our television. Our bodies are still
running on the instincts that served them well for thousands of years
when humanity had to actively work for food. We spent our days
cultivating fields, hunting, fishing, dragging heavy loads, carrying
large jugs of water, pulling carts, pushing stones, lifting, crouching,
bending, and moving more in one day than many of us manage in a week
now.
Our
bodies are hardwired to desire food often, beg for the richest, densest
foods, and store the excess as fat. These yearnings and processes kept
us from going extinct when cold winters, famines, and scarcity came. The
modern world has changed the way we should treat food and ourselves.
Either we need to actually seek out the exercise that served to balance
our eating or we need to eat less or probably do both. These are our
choices if we want to counteract the quite deadly combination we have
created of more accessible food, sedentary living, and the body’s
natural tendencies to store or dump what it doesn’t need.
If you
want to build muscle, then you get to continue eating more. Athletes
require more protein than non-athletes. They also need more calories as
an active body burns through fuel more effectively and more rapidly.
This may surprise many, but getting the protein and calories you need
are both possible on a vegan or vegetarian diet. All plant food contains
protein in some amount, from sweet fruit to leafy green, and as stated
earlier most of us get too much.
The
average American only needs between .2 and .6 grams of protein per pound
of body weight each day. That makes about .4 or .5 plenty, and that
amount is easily supplied with protein-rich plants. Beans, legumes,
lentils, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and grain all contain fairly large
amounts of protein.
Most
plants aren’t considered “complete” proteins as they may be lacking in
one or two essential amino acids, but this is easily counteracted by
eating a variety of food. The old idea that vegans need to carefully
pair protein sources with each meal to supply their protein needs has
been debunked. The body doesn’t store amino acids long term, but it
takes time to digest and absorb protein. Amino acids remain in the body
for days and the correct combinations do not have to occur during the
same meal or even the same day as long as you are getting all the
essential amino acids throughout a 3 to 4 day period.
- See more at: http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/build-muscles-as-a-vegan-or-vegetarian/#sthash.ZyFuOVP2.dpuf