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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

How Much Protein Do You Need?


Calculate your protein needs
By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Are you confused about how much protein you need? Many athletes and exercisers are increasing their protein intake to help them both lose weight and build more muscle, but is that the right way to go? It makes sense that, since muscles are made of protein, eating more dietary protein will help you build more muscle. However, science tells us that isn't always the case.

A Little Bit of Science

Proteins are the basic building blocks of the human body. They are made up of amino acids, and help build muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs. Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body, and most of it (around 60% to 70%) is located in the skeletal muscles.

There are 20 amino acids that are required for growth by the human body and all but eight can be produced in your body. These eight amino acids, called essential amino acids, must be supplied by food and/or supplements. The other twelve non-essential amino acids are made within the body, but both essential and non-essential amino acids are needed to synthesize proteins. What does all this mean? It means that if you don't supply your body with the essential amino acids it needs, your body may be limited in the amount of protein it can use to build muscle.

Getting the Right Kind of Protein

Foods that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These foods include beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk and just about anything else derived from animal sources. Incomplete proteins don't have all of the essential amino acids and generally include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts. So, if you're a vegetarian, does this mean you can't get complete protein? Not at all. Below is a chart listing some incomplete proteins. To get all of the essential amino acids, simply choose foods from two or more of the columns.

Grains              Legumes         Seeds & Nuts                Vegetables
Barley                Beans               Sesame Seeds                 Leafy Greens
Corn Meal         Lentils               Sunflower Seeds             Broccoli
Oats                   Peas                 Walnuts                                               
Rice                   Peanuts             Cashews
Pasta                 Soy Products     Other Nuts
Whole Grain Breads

Most experts believe that most people get more than enough protein daily. In fact, some believe the average sedentary American eats about 50% more than the recommended daily amount, which ranges from 40-70 grams each day depending on your gender, age and situation.

If you're an exerciser, however, your protein needs may increase since resistance training and endurance workouts can rapidly break down muscle protein. A position statement published by the ADA, DOC and ACSM breaks it down further to recommend:

· Endurance Athletes: 1.2-1.4 g/kg (0.5 -0.6 grams per pound)
· Strength-Trained Athletes: 1.6-1.7 g/kg (0.7-0.8 grams per pound)

What if you're trying to build more muscle? Shouldn't you eat even more protein?  Not necessarily.  There's evidence that bodybuilders, much like exercisers or athletes, do require more protein but that any more than double the RDA won't necessarily help you build more muscle. In one study, experts studied three groups of weight lifters: A low protein group (0.86 g/kg), a moderate protein group (1.40 g/kg) and a high protein group (2.40 g/kg) and found that, "There were no effects of varying protein intake on indexes of lean body mass."

In essence, the more you exercise, the greater your protein needs will be. However, taking it too far, for example more than doubling your protein intake, won't necessarily help you build more muscle.

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

Example: 154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day

Calculating Protein as a Percentage of Total Calories

Another way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. To do this, you'll need to know how many calories your body needs each day.

First, find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is by using a BMR calculator.

Next, figure out how many calories you burn through daily activity and add that number to your BMR. This gives you an estimate of how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.

After you've figured out your maintenance calories, next figure out what percentage of your diet will come from protein. The percentage you choose will be based on your goals, fitness level, age, body type and metabolic rate. Most experts recommend that your protein intake be somewhere between 15 and 30%. When you've determined your desired percentage of protein, multiply that percentage by the total number of calories for the day.

Example:

For a 140lb female, calorie intake=1800 calories, protein=20%:
1800 x .20 = 360 calories from protein. Since 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, divide protein calories by four:
360/4 = 90 grams of protein per day.

No matter what your calculations are, remember that there are no magic foods or supplements that can replace the right training and the right diet. The foundation of any program, whether your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, is a combination of strength training and a healthy diet that includes carbs, with a balance of protein and fat.


Enjoy the freedom(✿◠‿◠)

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Tips For Swimming With Your Locks


There’s a way we can still keep our LOCKS fabulous and flawless, while still having fun in the water during the summer which is almost over for some areas, but not where I live in sunny Florida. If you’re hesitant about getting in the pool, fret no longer,  here is the solution!

All you have to do is follow these simple rules before taking a dip...

Coat the hair with conditioner

Before jumping in, apply conditioner to your hair to protect it from the chlorine.  I would suggest a clear watery conditioner rather then a creme one.  However, read the labels. Some conditioners have ingredients that work against chlorine and could cause damage. After the conditioner is applied, braid your locks into two to four braids or more and then place a cap on if you can find a large one to hold down those thick long locks.  Then you’ll be good to go.


Shampoo hair immediately afterward

As much protection as the swimming cap and conditioner provided, its imperative you shampoo your hair right after getting out of the pool especially if the water seeped under your cap. By doing so you’re not preventing the chemicals in the pool to settle in your hair and cause serious damage.


Clarifying Shampoo

If all you have is what you normally use to wash your hair, that’s fine. However, if you have a clarifying shampoo, now’s the time to use it. The clarifying shampoo is specific for getting rid of the chlorine and other chemicals that can harm your hair. If you’re unsure of which type of clarifying shampoo to use for your texture, talk to your stylist and ask for his or her opinion.  There are plenty of Clariftying Shampoo's to choice from.


Conditioner

If you feel a need to condition again then go right ahead.




Enjoy the freedom(✿◠‿◠)

Friday, September 17, 2010

Five Stages Of Loc'ing

I read this entire book before I decided to lock my natural hair.  I really enjoyed this book and learned so much and Lonnice was very entertaining.  I suggest this book to add to your collection. 


Five stages of loc'ing your hair from the book "Nice Dreads" by author Lonnice Brittenum Bonner.

1. Coils — Coils resemble tightly coiled springs that look like baby spirals and can be as small as a watch spring or fluid and loose as fusilli. Hair can be as short or as long as one likes. The key factor here is that your hair is able to form and hold a coil, but the hair within the coil has not yet begun to intertwine or mesh.

2. Sprouts and Buds — Known as Sprouting or Budding in that miraculous moment when the magic has begun. First, you shampoo your hair and notice that all of a sudden, the coils don't all wash out like they used to. You may notice that some of your coils have little knots of hair in them, about the size of a small pea. This knot is more or less the nucleus of each lock; the hairs in your coils have begun to intertwine and interlace. Individual coils may seem puffy and lose their tightly coiled shape; this is part of the process and shouldn't be disturbed. What is important here is to keep the original scalp partings, to allow the spinning process to become established for each individual lock. Don't redivide your budding locks, twist them to death, or get to patting them down, trying to make your hair look "nice," because you'll just end up with a badly packed, busted-out do.

3. Teen or Locking Stage — This is when the buds and sprouts truly begin to look like locks and few, if any, locks shampoo out or come out during sleep. The peas you saw and felt in the budding stage have expanded, and the hair has spun into a network of intertwining strands that extend throughout the length of individual locks. The locks may be soft and pliable or feel loosely meshed, according to your hair's texture. This is the growing stage of lock development, and it extends into the lock's mature stage. Shampooing doesn't loosen these locks. They have dropped, which means they have developed enough to hang down versus defying gravity. This is when you start to relax and feel more confident about locking.

4. Mature Stage — Each individual lock is firmly meshed or tightly interwoven. Some loosely coiled hair textures may retain a small curl or coil at the end of the locks, but most will probably be closed at the ends. You will begin to see consistent growth because each lock has intertwined and contracted into a cylindrical shape. Think of each individual lock as a hair strand in itself. The new growth is contained in the loose hair at the base or root of each individual lock, and regular grooming encourages it to spin into an intertwined coil that will be integrated with the lock.

5. Beyond Maturity — Think of this stage as akin to the shedding stage of hair growth. After many years, depending on the care you have lavished on your locks, some locks may begin to thin and break off at the ends. For the most part, this deterioration can be minimized and controlled by monitoring the ends of your locks for signs of age and getting regular trims.


Enjoy the freedom(✿◠‿◠)

Friday, September 10, 2010

How To Curl Sisterlocks



Instructions


•Step 1

Visit local hair care stores. Purchase a solution for hair setting. (I use Taliah Waajid's Crinkles & Curls)

•Step 2

Purchase perm rods, lock loops,soft spikes, pipe cleaners if you don't have any. (Use what you feel comfortable with)

•Step 3

Take small sections of hair and lightly spray the locks with your purchased solution.  If you don't have any that's okay just use plain water will still do the job.

•Step 4

Choose your desired size perm rods, depending on the size of the desired curls. For tighter curls, choose smaller rods. For larger curls, choose larger rods. ( For the most tightest curls use pipe cleaners)

•Step 5

Roll sectioned areas with perm rods. Secure the rods into place. When the solution is dry, unroll the perm rods, and enjoy your curly look.

Enjoy the freedom(✿◠‿◠)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Side PonyTail With Side Bangs

Hi Freedom Lockers,  Today I was trying to figure out a new style.  I came up with a side ponytail to my left and side bangs to my right.  I used an ouchless band and added a few barrettes for adornment.

                           Front View
Side View Of Long Bangs
Side View Of Pony Tail
Almost 3 years and some of my ends are not locked :(

Back View
From this picture looks like my ponytail is centered but, it is to my Left.  I also let my ends drape down in front of me instead of letting the ends fall down my back.

I was very pleased with this style.


Enjoy the freedom(✿◠‿◠)

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