Importance of Protein for Quick Muscle Recovery

May. 16, 2013

By Lauren Rae

TRYM Fitness, CPT & Sunwarrior contributing writer

You’ve decided to make a life change. It’s time to discover and reach your new fitness goals once and for all! Whether your goals include gaining, maintaining, or losing weight, adding resistance training and building lean muscle mass is an absolute must. However, beginning a new workout regimen can be daunting. Not only do you invest a good amount of time and the commitment to leading a different lifestyle, there is always the fear of the inevitable muscle soreness and fatigue.

The good news is the amino acids (all 20 amino acids combine to create complete protein) we create naturally and consume in our daily intake of food can not only aid in the growth of lean muscle, they are also responsible for aiding in a quicker recovery. What is uncommonly known is that protein is also responsible for repairing tissue, burning fat, and building a strong, whole body capable of intense athletic performance. If your fitness goals include any of those qualities, protein is a MUST!

On average, we require 40–60 grams of complete protein daily. Those looking to achieve greater fitness goals and pursue building lean muscle could consume close to their body weight in grams of protein. Our bodies naturally make about 300 grams of protein every day. So how can we get the optimum levels of protein? What type of diet allows for the levels needed to achieve high performance in our workouts?

The average person consumes 2–3 meals a day; however, they may not be consuming the necessary amount of nutrients to keep our bodies performing properly. Eating 5–6 small meals that contain a lean protein throughout the day can keep your body’s metabolism running efficiently and prevent the body from burning muscle for fuel rather than fat.

Amino acids are essential for this process of maintaining life and are therefore commonly referred to as the building blocks of protein. When all twenty essential, nonessential, and semi-essential amino acids are consumed or created internally, a complete protein is produced. For example, L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in your body and is known for its ability to aid in tissue health and repair. Many athletes supplement with glutamine, either in capsule or powder form, as most of the naturally produced levels are depleted during exercise. Having high enough levels of glutamine will help delay the onset of muscle fatigue and aid in a fast recovery.

More good news: Sunwarrior vegan protein contains a balanced array of amino acids and when used to supplement an exercise program, can aid in the building of lean muscle mass as well as recovery. Adding 1–2 servings of Sunwarrior protein to your daily diet is a fast, easy, and delicious way to supplement your diet with protein and additional meals without blowing your calorie intake. Sunwarrior is a high quality product that not only tastes great in shakes and recipes, but will help you recover quicker and reach your fitness goals faster. It is predigested, meaning it has already been broken down into the amino acid profile and is more easily digested and absorbed into the body. This also means you need less protein per gram per serving than other types of protein that may have more protein per serving, because you will be able to break down and absorb all of it fully.

While the only true way of overcoming muscle soreness is rest, adding in natural supplementation of protein and amino acids can speed recovery and get you back into your training regimen. So what are you waiting for? If you want to burn fat, build lean muscle mass, and reach your health and fitness goals, supplementing your diet with Sunwarrior protein will aid you in your fitness journey and help you reach your goals faster. Try this Inspired Wellness recipe after your next workout! Leave a comment below with your favorite Sunwarrior protein shake recipe.

Strawberry Milkshake