What to Know About Weight Loss and Extra Protein Intake

Here we compile important information shared at the May 2016 American College of Sports Medicine congress, attended by more than 6800 sports physicians, sports dietitians and exercise professionals. Main topics: what determines our degree of hunger; gut flora and weight; weight and sleep ; and protein supplements..

Weight Control

• Hunger, the sensation driving eating behavior! Hunger is actually proportional to muscle mass: a muscular athlete becomes hungrier and needs more food than an athlete with less muscle.
• Our digestive system contains hundreds of microorganism types (gut flora, microbiome). Their profile differs between overweight and lean people. Mouse experiments showed that overweight mice obtain more calories from the same food. Transferring their microorganisms to lean mice also caused weight gain. Thus, "even water makes me gain weight" has a scientific basis. To make our microorganism profile leaner, we should eat fiber-rich foods, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
• Weight control sleep is strongly associated with it. A study followed 123 overweight adults seeking weight loss; those getting sufficient sleep lost more. Another study followed people with undiagnosed sleep apnea , affecting one third of the 77 overweight participants, and found greater weight loss in those without apnea. Thus, sleep quality and duration are key considerations in weight loss.
• Consuming most daily calories in the early part of the dayhelps maintain fitness. A 20-week study of 420 people found that late lunch eaters lost less weight than early eaters. Approximately % 7-10 of consumed calories are spent on digestion and absorption, but this proportion falls for calories consumed late.

Related Topic: How Can Breakfast Reduce Heart Disease Risk?

• Eating disorder patients receiving treatment exercise : can they participate? Contrary to common belief, activity lasting no more than 30 minutes, including yoga, weightlifting and aerobic exercise, has been found beneficial for increasing muscle mass and weight.
• Protein
• Protein is recommended in weight-control diets because it promotes fullness and prevents muscle loss. However, with insufficient carbohydrates, some energy needs are met from protein, so adequate carbohydrates and protein should be consumed together.
• A major mistake among many people exercising today is thinking that extra protein is the key to building muscle. The basic step is regular resistance exercise, with progressively heavier weight training.
• Athletes should pay attention to how much protein they consume as well as when they consume it. A study found that consuming protein 4 times daily in 20-gram portions produced more efficient muscle development than 2 daily portions of 40 grams or 8 daily portions of 10 grams.
• We should determine protein needs according to body weight . Approximately, a 55 kg athlete is advised to consume 15 gr protein per meal, a 68 kg athlete 20 gr, and a 90 kg athlete 25 gr. Most athletes consume more; extra protein alone is insufficient for muscle development.
• Older agerelated muscle loss may be prevented by consuming 40 grams of protein before bed. Besides preventing loss, this contributes to muscle growth.
• Weightlifting is followed by a 2-day period in which protein intake supports muscle development; the best time to replenish carbohydrate stores is 1-2 hours after exercise. The best post-exercise recovery diet combines carbohydrates and protein.