resistance training

There is a lot of confusion out there about protein. Some recommend having massive amounts of it, others recommend having small amounts.

To further complicate matters, the supplement industry has flooded the fitness market with the whole notion of protein shake overload.

Thus, without any more delay, here is how to optimize your protein intake for the fastest rate of fat loss:

1. Constituents: It’s made out of 20 amino acids. And some of those amino acids cannot be produced by your body, thus you have to get them on a consistent basis from your food. This is one of the reasons why vegetarians need to focus on combining grains with legumes, so that they can get all types of amino acids.

2. Its primary functions: Not only does protein make up skeletal muscle, but it’s also used to make reaction-accelerating enzymes, to make oxygen-transporting hemoglobin and to get your body to secrete satiety hormones. In fact, of all the macronutrients, protein produces the highest level of satiety.

3. Associated misconceptions: There is a lot of confusion out there, and perhaps the biggest myth is that eating more will reduce muscle burning. In reality, eating more protein increases muscle burning. This happens because your body becomes more efficient at burning protein for energy.

4. The dangers of having too much: Too much of anything is bad for you, and protein is no exception here. Perhaps the biggest downfall of excessive protein intakes is a reduction in stored muscle energy which in turn decreases the intensity of your workouts. And less intense workouts translate into less calories burned.

5. How much: I recommend having in between 25-30% of your calories come from protein. This is the highest amount you can have while not suffering from the negative side effects. At this level, you will maximize feel full hormones and slow down digestion rates.

Protein intake does not have to be a confusing subject. As long as you ignore all the marketing hype and stick to what has been proven by research, you will be just fine. And remember that taking action here is the number one ingredient for success!

Author Katherine Crawford, a fitness expert and recent arm fat sufferer, teaches women the best tricep arm exercises. Figure out how to get sexy and toned arms by visiting her website about how to shake weight quickly and permanently now!