PROTEIN TALK BY JOE JOHNSON

Why You Need Protein and How Much

First there was the low-fat, no-fat craze. Then came the era of abandoning all carbohydrates. These days, people like to rage against the evils of gluten. But no matter the trend, there’s one thing people will always agree on—and that’s the need for protein.

If someone told me how to eat, but couldn’t explain the science behind it, I’d consider it a huge red flag. So before we dive into understanding why protein is essential to our diet (and why you probably need more), I think it’s important to understand not only what proteins are, but the important role they play in the body.

Proteins serve a variety of incredibly important functions in the body. First of all, they are structural—meaning proteins actually take up space and create the body’s tissue and organs. But they are also functional—meaning proteins serve to do the majority of the work in cells. Proteins transmit signals in the body (hormones), fight viruses (antibodies), facilitate chemical reactions (enzymes), and transport atoms and small molecules within cells throughout the body. And if you’re a personal trainer like I am, this is proteins’ biggest selling point—proteins build and repair muscle.  In other words, if Superman were an organic compound, he would be a protein.

I may risk getting a little too technical here, but stick with me. Proteins are made of long chains of amino acids. Within a protein, multiple amino acids are linked together through peptide bonds—creating unique three-dimensional structures, each with a separate function. Imagine proteins like building blocks or Legos: each chain of amino acids can link and bond with the next and the next, until you have large formations and folds, creating what scientists call “macromolecules.” But even as macromolecules, protein bonds are too small to see—even under the power of a microscope.

People are born with or can create most protein-building (aka proteinogenic) amino acids. In fact, of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids, 11 occur naturally within the body. But 9 of those essential amino acids won’t exist in your body unless you consume them in your diet.

And that brings us to food.

In my work with My Joe Body, I help people of all walks of life look their very best. My philosophy is, if you’re going to do the hard work, you might as well look great doing it. But as you know now, exercise is only part of the equation. To build and repair muscle tissue after an intense workout—you guessed it. Your body needs protein. And according  to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest What We Eat in America report, that message is coming across loud and clear. Men over the age of 20 consume an average of 98.9 grams of protein every day. But depending on your body weight, that could be far too much, or far too little.

For the average person, I recommend consuming 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight each day. Since there are about 2.21 lbs in every 1 kilogram—take your body weight and divide it in half to estimate the number of grams of protein you should consume. In other words, a 120 lb woman should consume roughly 54 grams of protein each day. For clients on an intense body-building regime, I suggest increasing that number to 1 gram of protein per pound.

Choosing the foods that get you to that target number? Well that’s the fun part. I often suggest sticking with lean meats and fish for protein—since they pack a high protein punch with very little fat. And there are ways to get protein in other places, as well. Eggs, peanut butter, edamame—and of course, the highly beloved ancient grain, quinoa—these all offer 6-8 grams of protein per serving. Stay clear of marketing ploys to get you to buy products high in sugar and carbohydrates that claim to be enhanced with “Protein.” Whether you’re lifting weights, or practicing yoga, if you’re unsure of where to start in building your protein plan, Bodybuilding.com keeps a running list of the top 40 protein-packed foods. It’s a great reference.

Ultimately, no matter what happens in the future of fad diets—protein is sticking around. No one wants to live in a world without Superman.

-Joe Johnson is a credited fitness coach and personal trainer. Learn more about Joe at www.myjoebody.com.

Meal Prep Recipes

Happy Friday everyone! Here's our first meal prep recipe blog! Like we said last week, eating well when we have busy schedules is difficult. Meal prep might be an answer to your problems. Dedicate one day to cook so you can have a healthy week. You know what Benjamin Franklin said, "fail to plan, you are planning to fail!"

One of the most important things to invest in when meal prepping is tupperware. We cannot stress this enough. Being able to have all your meals ready to go in individual meals is the easiest way to just grab your meal and head to work, school, gym, or wherever your day takes you. Here are some recommendations for tupperware we find most convenient:

Rubbermaid's TakeAlongs Rectangles

Rubbermaid's Divided Easy Find Lids Container

LaCuisine 34oz Locking Divided Lunch Container

Frigidaire Bento Lunch Box Containers 2 Compartment

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Now that we have tupperware's ready, let's move on to the recipe! One thing to keep in mind is to contain all protein, starch, and vegetables. You should always incorporate healthy fats as well;) For this first post, let's cook some omelet muffins, lemon garlic chicken, baked sweet potatoes, and a garden salad.

Breakfast

Omelet Muffins

Ingredients:

10 eggs (beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper)*1 for each omelet muffin

1/2 green bell pepper (diced)

1/2 tomato (diced)

4oz white mushrooms (diced)

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Line muffin pans with cupcake papers or silicone muffin cups. If using cupcake papers, spray them with cooking spray.

3) Place green bell pepper, tomatoes, and white mushrooms evenly into 10 muffin cups.

4) Poor the beaten and seasoned eggs evenly over the mix-ins. Your omelets will expand so make sure you leave a little bit of space at the top of each cup.

5) Bake for 20 minutes and poke the center with a knife to make sure it comes out clean.

6) Cool completely and place the muffins in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

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Lunch and Dinner

Lemon Garlic Chicken (Protein)

Ingredients:

8 medium lemons (cut into wedges)

16 garlic cloves (minced)

1 teaspoons cayenne pepper

4 teaspoons minced thyme

8 teaspoons fresh minced basil

4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

6 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 large ziplock bags

Instructions:

1) Squeeze 4 lemons worth of wedges into each ziplock bag. Leave the lemon wedges in the bags as well.

2) Add half of the garlic, cayenne pepper, thyme, basil, salt, and vegetable oil into each of the bags.

3) Place 3 pounds of chicken into each of the two bags.

4) Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, longer if possible.

5) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

6) Grease baking pans with olive oil to prevent sticking.

7) Place the chicken onto the baking pan.

8) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until juice is clear.

Baked Sweet Potato (Starch)

Ingredients:

6 sweet potatoes (pealed and diced into 1-inch cubes)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup honey

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Place a single layer of sweet potatoes on a roasting tray.

3) Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt, and pepper over the potatoes.

4) Roast potatoes for 30 minutes. Pierce with fork to make sure it's tender.

5) Drizzle a little more extra-virgin olive oil over the potatoes.

Garden Salad (Vegetables + healthy fat)

Ingredients:

4 romaine lettuce hearts

4 small plum tomatoes (diced)

1 cucumber (diced)

2 carrots (peeled and shredded)

2 avocados - healthy fat ;)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

Salt and black pepper

Instructions:

1) Toss lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots into a bowl.

2) Place the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper into a container and shake until the sugar dissolves.

Once all of your food is prepped and cooled down, place the chicken, sweet potatoes, and salad (without the dressing and avocado) into 10 tupperware's (2 meals per day, 5 days a week). Poor the dressing and diced avocado over the salad the morning before leaving your house each day.

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Now, you may have noticed that each of the menus were for 5 days. We did this on purpose so that you have the freedom to go out to eat or cook something different over the weekend. We hope this helps! Have a great weekend everyone!

Stretching Tips for People with Arthritis

Stretching is often overlooked but it is extremely important because it helps prevent injuries, improve flexibility and physical performance, and minimize soreness. Here are some tips for those who suffer from arthritis:

1. Warm up.
   Before stretching, you should always warm up your body. There are a couple of options for warm-ups such as hip circles, arm circles, arm swings, and heel-to-toe walk.
2. Hamstring and Ankle
   Now that your body's warmed up, it's time to start stretching! Sit on the edge of a chair with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Extend your right leg in front of you and flex your right toes to the ceiling. Next, slowly lean forward at the hips with your back straight. You should feel the stretch in the back of your thigh. Repeat with your left leg.
   
3. Calve Stretch
   Stand behind a chair with both hands on the back of the chair. Place your left leg behind you while keeping your left heel to the ground. Next, bend your right knee and lean in towards the chair. You should feel the stretch in your left calf. Repeat with your right leg.
4. Groin Stretch
   Stand behind a chair with both hands on the back of the chair. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Face your left foot towards the chair and point you right foot to the right. Lunge towards your right foot but don't let your right knee go past your toes. Repeat with your left foot.
5. Leg Swings
   Stand behind a chair and place your left hand on the chair. Stand sideways so that your left hip is facing the back of the chair. Swing your right leg to the front and back. Repeat with your left leg.
6. Exercise!
   Now comes the fun part. When exercising, be mindful of your own body. Challenging yourself is important but know your limits. Do not put yourself too hard because this can cause injuries. Also make sure to hydrate. Have fun!
7. Stretch
   Finish up your exercise by stretching again!