OF ALL THE macronutrients, none has been endowed with more qualities than protein.
Even the “protein” itself is derived from the Greek word “proteus” meaning the first or most important one. Protein is undoubtedly important and involved in so many different functions and processes in the body.
In saying that, there has been a huge push in recent years for products containing protein. So let us now take a balanced look at the different types, why it plays an important role in our diet and achieving our goals and how much we actually need on a daily basis.
Structure
Protein is a collective of about 20 different amino acids classified as “essential” and “nonessential”. Nine are classified as essential. What that means is that our body is unable to manufacture them.
Ideally, we need a full range of amino acids for different reasons. Animal proteins like meat, chicken, fish and eggs contain the full range of essential and non-essential amino acids, thus these are classified as “complete of high quality” proteins.
What people may not realize is that protein is also present in fruit, vegetables, salad leaves, grains, beans, lentils and legumes. We nearly always associate protein with meat and are not aware that we can get all the protein we need from a healthy range of fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes.
Protein powders
There are many different types of protein which are now for sale in powder form. Essentially these different types are absorbed at different rates in the body.
So whey protein which is derived from milk, is absorbed into the blood stream very fast (usually about 20 minutes) to something like casein which takes hours to hit the bloodstream.
Then there are other types of protein which fall somewhere in between. So directly after a workout, people consume whey protein and maybe at night people consume casein to help build muscle as growth hormone is released by the pineal gland in the deep part of sleep.
Food sources
Protein sourced from foods will take longer to hit the bloodstream. We are however designed to digest and assimilate all the amino acids from different foods naturally.
The cleanest sources would be beans, lentils and legumes along with grains and vegetables. The only grain to contain all nine essential amino acids is quinoa.
Protein from meat sources and eggs carry saturated fats which can encourage fat storage and high cholesterol. Again, a balanced diet containing a variety of foods is best.
The repair process
When we exercise we damage muscle fibres. Micro-tears occur in the muscle tissue and these need to be repaired. Depending on the amount, the body will rebuild the muscle fibre bigger and stronger. People take protein supplements to help with this.
Generally, a few things need to happen to help repair. As we exercise our bodies are breaking down muscle — this is known as catabolism. We are in a catabolic state.
The amino acids may be used to create new energy (gluconeogenesis). Once we have finished exercise we want this breakdown to stop and rebuilding to start. This rebuilding is known as protein synthesis.
Before the repair process occurs, certain things need to happen. A hormone called insulin or IGF-1 needs to be produced in order to signal growth and amino acids need to be present in the bloodstream.
That is why we need to eat carbohydrates and protein following a workout. Research tells us that this anabolic or rebuilding phase will last for about two hours in the body no matter how much protein we eat. Then blood amino levels drop and we rest.
After 3-4 hours or another change in amino acid levels in the blood, the rebuilding starts again and this usually maintains for 24-48 hours.
My goals
Of course, the type of exercise you are doing will dictate the type of body, unless and machine you are building. So, a bodybuilder will require a lot more protein than a long-distance runner. There are many factors determining how much you should take.
There has been a huge amount of research into this question and the good news is that there are definitive answers. Any confusion out there is generally created by supplement companies trying to get you to consume lots of their productd. The Australian Institute of Sport along with several other sources agree on quantities based on body weight and exercise type. Here is what that looks like
This the total daily amount. You must remember that you are getting protein from your food as well. A chicken breast typically contains about 20 grams of protein. A cup of brown rice contains 5 grams and even a full head of romaine lettuce has about 8 grams. The truth is that you won’t need to supplement that much.
Using protein
My best advice to those who wish to gain muscle mass is as follows. The important number is your overall daily amount of protein. Remember you need to take in carbohydrates to start protein syntheses. Finally, and probably most importantly — most building and tissue repair occurs when you sleep. If you want to build muscles get casein or drink milk-based products before bed. During the first two deep phases of sleep, growth hormone is being pumped out of your body signally rebuilding.
For those wishing to get lean. Firstly, protein does not burn fat — exercise does.
The easiest way to get lean is cut down on refined fats and oils. Do lots of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Eat lots of nutrient dense foods like salads, vegetables and berries and use protein to kill appetite. Protein signals our body to reduce the production of the hormone Ghrelin — “the hunger hormone”. So, having some protein with our meals helps dampen the appetite and kill cravings.
In terms of how much you should take in a meal or shake, research indicates there was very little difference between taking 25g of protein and 40g of protein. You cannot store it in the body for very long (blood amino acid levels and actual muscle is the only way to store it) so taking it at regular intervals works best.
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If the truth was known, I’d say nearly all counties are back training. Dubs and Monaghan unlucky to be caught out.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: I play for galway and we are not back
@Lorrimore: Ah Joe he did say nearly.
@Lorrimore: not a gone for a run with a team mate or two?
@Lorrimore: hard to imagine a couple of lads wouldn’t be going for runs together etc – wouldn’t be human if weren’t doing that
@BMJF: even the dogs go round in pairs in Galway.
Suspending managers means nutin. Players involved need suspension. It’s a farce. Managers will still do exactly wat the did before ban. A token suspension to appease the masses.
@Martin Glynn: Training restart date for offending counties should start a month later than counties who obeyed the rules,
@Martin Glynn: I agree, but it has to be tv rights as the reason why you don’t ban the players, the rules are there from a GAA point of view( never mind legal)so they all should be banned as well as the other county teams who done the same
@Martin Glynn: if you suspend all players who broke Covid rules you won’t have a league this year !!!
@Oliver Curley: which ones obeyed the rules?? Are you sure of which ones did? I wager very few if any have stuck to individual training or lads haven’t run further than 5km – it’s easy to criticise
@Oliver Curley: which ones obeyed the rules?? Are you sure of which ones did? I wager very few if any have stuck to individual training or lads haven’t run further than 5km
What is it about the GAA and the need to prove you are are a cute hoor when it comes to getting around the rules. Its almost like a badge of honor.
@Enda Flaherty: there are plenty of cute hoors in the GAA. If there is a rule set, some people love to able to say “We didn’t go by that rule”. Stricter punishment is needed for counties that break the rules. 12 week ban for the manager is no punishment really. Fine for the county board is the way to have it.
I’ve no doubt they’re all back in some capacity. However a 12 week ban for the bainisteoir is no punishment at all.
12 week ban should start from when training starts officially !
All counties now have a loophole(cleverly supplied by Dublin). Take a chance and if we’re caught we can suspend the manager, as that will have no impact whatsoever. Players and other team officials carry on without sanction, and manager will be back for the league. The suspension of the manager creates the impression that the powers that be are treating the matter very seriously. They must think we are all idiots. Do they really expect us to believe that the manager organized these sessions covertly and that the county board officers were unaware they were happening.
@Leonard O’mahony: supplied by the GAA last year when they banned Cork and Down manager for 12 weeks respectively one was reduced to 8 on appeal.
@Leonard O’mahony: and does anyone think that most counties haven’t been doing a bit?
Should have trained in Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi or any of the other retail majors. Socially distanced & outside!!! What we’re they thinking.l? Seriously, we’ve lost the plot at this stage, we haven’t a clue what our targets are or what’s even attainable. They’re in trouble due to breaking draconian, non-sensical, effing id!otic regulations
12 weeks is a joke, it has no impact.
Copy and paste job!
Trying to understand what’s meant by “serious error of judgement”.
As if the defence of reasonable mistake could be made, “I’m sorry, I misunderstood, mea culpa”?
What judgement was required to be made?
It was a deliberate decision taken to flout a rule that is very clear and unambiguous, impossible to misinterpret.
It couldn’t even happen to a bishop.
Simple really. County boards could be asked to disclose players travelling expenses, mileage etc. There’s many sponsored cars parked up at gyms across the country.
Once a clown,
Full head the ball that lad
Monaghan players are probably delighted they wont know themselves kicking the forward instead of backwards very negative manager
@john malonoy: kicking forwards is quite a negative tactic tbf
@john malonoy: kicking the ball forward i meant
@Cian Nolan: it’s a good tactic for a full back
What kind of society has Ireland become. Blaming teams who are training outdoors with pretty much zero risk but no blame to those making idiotic rules stopping people exercising outdoors.
No wonder Holohan is gone into hiding. NPHET said follow the science for the last year. Now when the science doesn’t suit their agenda, they say u can’t follow that science! Laughable.
@James Quinn: Holohan’s wife has passed away he’s on leave. Be better.
@James Quinn: tasteless comment regarding Holohan. Disgusting.
@James Quinn: do the honourable thing and withdraw that disgraceful comment about Holohan.
@Bruce Lee: I surely won’t apologise. He caused the deaths of over 1000 nursing home patients by moving untested patients from hospitals to nursing homes and then didn’t carry out 1 covid test for 3 weeks in the homes at the height of the virus from the end of March to the middle of April allowing to virus to spread like wildfire. He knew long before the virus came here that it affected the elderly but he done nothing about it.
The man is despicable as his behaviour recently showed when he wouldn’t apologise for the cervical scandal a few years ago. How u can defend him is beyond me.
@Paul Lee: Please elaborate there Paul. Have u been under a rock for the last few years an not witnessed Holohans behaviour? Ask Vicky Phelan and plenty more who are still alive what they think of Holohan. As u say, his behaviour surely was disgusting and no remorse for his actions.
Just ban counties who break the rules from this year’s championship,that’ll soften their cough.
Not good enough.
Suggest Government should delay opening senior GAA for 2-3 weeks.
Allow kids to participate.
BRAINLESS…& WE still CANT PLAY golf. Wake up Mehole & co.
But of course…it’s the Vote gaining GAA again. Wolfe ruined it for Golfers GAA get away with it.
No wonder is wasn’t classed as an elite sport. So much disrespect shown to guidelines and rules. Did anyone expect anything less from the GAA, players need punishing, not the management.
Not to mention character references being provided for r@pists- spouting rubbish that it’s not on the club/org behalf yet the author making a huge deal about the gaa connections & the org response is concern it might negatively impact them as opposed to a victim/survivor- toxic to the last
Should have trained in Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi or any of the other retail majors. Socially distanced & outside!!! What we’re they thinking.l? Seriously, we’ve lost the plot at this stage, we haven’t a clue what our targets are or what’s even attainable. They’re in trouble due to breaking draconian, non-sensical, effing idiotic regulations
It was just banty.
These inter county managers are on huge salaries. Will they continue to be paid while they are not working?
Cut funding to the county.