Complementing Proteins vs. Supplementing Proteins
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February 22, 2022

Complementing Proteins vs. Supplementing Proteins

If you are vegan, vegetarian, or even eat meat like me, and want to drastically reduce your intake of saturated fat, you may be wondering how you’re going to satisfy your body’s amino acid requirements without consuming animal protein. No worries, I have a plan for you.

In the world of proteins, it is important to note that your body needs both essential and non-essential amino acids to function at its highest level. Essential amino acids are the ones you must consume in your diet. Non-essential amino acids are the ones your body makes naturally.

When you eat the muscle tissue of an animal, you are essentially eating yourself. The more protein we eat that is the same as our body, the higher the quality. These proteins are labeled “complete proteins.” Plants on the other hand do not have the same protein as the ones in our body so therefore they are labeled “incomplete proteins.”

To expand on this, complete proteins contain all of the essential amino acids, where incomplete proteins lack at least one. All forms of animal proteins just so happen to be complete.

Many cultures have been able to make complete proteins by combining two incomplete proteins. This process is called “complementing proteins.” A couple examples are rice and beans and tabouli salad. If you were to just eat the beans or just eat the grains, you would not be getting the full array of amino acids. But as soon as you mix the two, you do.

There is a caveat to this, though. The old school thought process was that you need to combine incomplete proteins together in meals to get the benefits. However, it has now been shown that you can have them at any time throughout the day. As long as you consume various incomplete proteins within 24 hours, your needs will be met.

You also have the option of “supplementing proteins.” When you supplement proteins, you mix an incomplete protein with a complete protein. Examples include macaroni and cheese and cereal and milk. In both cases, you mix an incomplete protein (in this case the grain) with a complete protein (the dairy product). Adding meat to a veggie stir fry is another example of supplementation.

So, there you have it. Whether you are a meat eater or a non-meat eater you can still get all the amino acids you need to thrive by supplementing or complementing. Either way, your body will thank you and allow you to live your best life.

Preston Ray No Comments , ,
February 9, 2022

Rapid Diets, Weight Loss and Exercise

According to the CDC, 42.8% of adults aged 40 to 59 are obese. Most Americans agree that diet and exercise are the best ways to lose weight. But statistics show that people who choose a rapid diet plan put half the weight back on after 1 year of having lost the pounds they desired.

And after 3 years, the most rapid dieters are back to their original weight. So why is weight loss so difficult in the first place? The answer is, it’s anti-biological. Simply put, if you lose too much weight you will die. To keep this from happening, the body does six things.

  1. EATING HABITS.
    The body recognizes your eating habits and tries to get you to maintain them.
  2. SENSORY ENHANCEMENT.
    As soon as you begin to eat less, the smell and taste of food is enhanced to convince you to eat more.
  3. DECREASED METABOLIC RATE.
    Your hypothalamus will signal the body to decrease your basal metabolic rate, which reduces your caloric expenditure.
  4. FOOD OBSESSION
    Your mind/body becomes obsessed w/ food. You think about it more and may even dream about it.
  5. EATING-INDUCED EATING
    The more you eat, the more you want to eat.
  6. YOU BECOME DEPRESSED
    After 3 months of dieting, 30% of dieters become depressed.

And don’t forget to exercise! Humans and animals with the lowest body fat percentages move more often than their counterparts. Whether it’s strength training with a professional trainer or dancing at home in your basement, daily movement is a must.

Lastly, weigh yourself daily. Self-weighing has been proven to help those who do diet and exercise daily self-correct before unwanted weight piles on. And, don’t be alarmed if the scale fluctuates a little each day. Look for significant changes monthly, not daily.

Preston Ray No Comments , ,
February 2, 2022

Exercise Efficiently

Far too often, we look to supplements, energy drinks or energy bars to help make us perform more efficiently. The main idea behind these items is that they promising some sort of increase in size, strength or energy. But really, the main thing they increase is profits.

Don’t be fooled! The best way to improve performance and efficiency is to simply exercise on a continual basis. This is often referred to as frequency of training. Here are a few reasons why this is the case.

  1. The greater the exercise, the greater the replenishment. Eating after exercise replenishes your glycogen (stored carbohydrates) to levels that were higher than when you began.

    When athletes “blood dope,” they are in essence trying to illegally do what they can do legally by simply exercising and refueling immediately afterwards. The more glycogen stored in your liver and muscles, the longer you can train. The quickest, safest and easiest solution is to eat healthy whole foods and avoid the pricy supplements.
  2. Water and carbs are the best substances you can put in your body before, during and after exercise. We’ve already discussed why to do it after you exercise. Now let’s look at before and during.

    Before is important because most exercise lasts between 10 and 90 minutes. It is duringthis time that your body uses carbs to provide your muscles with energy. The type of exercise intensity exhibited here uses the anaerobic lactic acid system of the body. For that reason, it is best to include carbohydrates in your diet to fuel your workouts.
  3. The actions of the muscles and of cellular metabolism both occur in an aqueous solution. That means the importance of water can’t be emphasized enough. If you’re going to lift weights, run or do any sort of exercise including walking, you’re going to need water.

    The daily requirement varies from source to source, but you definitely want to drink at least 16 oz before, during AND after your workouts. Plus, as a rule of thumb, for every pound of weight you lose through sweat, you should have an additional 16 oz. It also doesn’t matter if it’s bottled. Tap water is just as good.
Preston Ray No Comments , , ,
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