Protein is an essential part of building our muscles. They are essential in cross-training to recover after your WODs. They help us recover after strenuous activity and feel strong and full.
It used to be hard to eat protein. Meat was a luxury and a bad season for agriculture could result in a lack of protein, due to a low harvest of beans or cereals.
Nowadays, we are lucky to have everything we need to eat. There are times, however, when we don't eat enough protein and we need to realize that. People who follow a vegan diet in particular are more likely to suffer from a protein deficiency if they have not calculated their macronutrients beforehand...
Beyond even vegans, you need to plan your macronutrients. If you don't know what you're eating, you can't optimize your nutrition to improve your performance.
Discover in this article the sufficient amount of protein in cross-training, where to find protein in your diet and the signs of protein deficiency.
How much protein is enough?
We only need enough protein. This ideal quantity is not an exact science: experts and athletes do not agree on a precise figure.
Between 1.5 and 2 grams per kilogram of body weight seems to be a good estimate for athletes who train with heavy weights. Beyond 2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight, nothing confirms the effectiveness of ingesting so much. Prefer to keep the ratio stated above.
Depending on this dosage, you can adapt your remaining macronutrients in order to
to optimize your energy expenditure and your performance during cross-training training. Your body prefers to fuel working muscles during exercise with glycogen and fatty acids.
Glycogen is a long chain of glucose that is stored in muscles and the liver. It is replenished by consuming carbohydrates. Fatty acids are obtained by consuming fats in our diet.
Now let's say you want to keep the same weight by slimming down (more muscle, less fat, you know the song...). If you eat too much protein in your diet, it decreases the amount of calories you can get from other sources of energy: fats and carbohydrates. Thus, you will repair the damaged muscle tissue following your WODs but you will lack energy.
You may feel this situation as a feeling of lethargy, a lack of energy during the day or during training, or even a lack of will to face the difficult challenges of your life.
Where to find protein?
Proteins come in many forms. Whatever your diet
food, you will have many possibilities to consume it. For example, a person who does not eat pork will always have the choice between several other meats which all contain more protein than necessary for our
daily diet.
Vegans also have many alternatives such as beans, tofu, seitan or cereals. Even spinach contains protein, so there are plenty of ways to get enough of it without thinking too much about it.
Signs of a protein deficiency
Certain signs can alert you to a probable protein deficiency. Some of the cases below can also be caused by other problems. Do not hesitate to consult your coach or a professional in case of doubt.
Slower recovery after training
When you perform your cross-training WODs, you're putting your muscles through the pan. The pain you then feel is the result of the damage they have suffered. To repair themselves, they need protein.
Protein is the building block of your muscles. They need it to rebuild their tissues and get back to normal as soon as possible. It's important to eat protein before and after a workout to ensure there's enough in your system to rebuild those muscles.
If you often find it hard to bounce back from a workout, it might not be because you're older or out of shape. This may be a sign that you need to increase your protein intake.
A lack of focus
If you have the impression of not being able to remember simple things and that you are often distracted, we are not sure of anything... But if this symptom is added to the previous one, it could be a sign that you are not using not enough protein, because your cognitive functions are affected.
Neurotransmitters rely on amino acids in proteins to send
dopamine and serotonin. When these hormones are disrupted, it affects your
mood and your ability to sleep, which then contributes to a lack of concentration.
Even your blood sugar is regulated by protein. If you have a deficiency, your
blood sugar will stop and affect your concentration. Again, these are not necessarily signs of low protein. On the other hand, the accumulation of these factors show that you need to eat more protein.