You are aware that eating enough protein will help you gain muscle

 USA TODAY's Daryl Austin

During summertime, a lot of us pay more attention to both our appearance and how we feel. As the weather becomes warmer, we rush to the gym or devote our time exercising outside.

We want the physical prowess and endurance for working and playing hard, as well as the self-assurance to go into a room and feel good about how we look.

Although physical fitness and cardiovascular exercise are essential, the food we eat to support these activities is even more important. Although a varied diet is beneficial for daily health and function, protein is the nutrient necessary for maintaining and growing muscle. 

Describe protein. 

Amino acids, which are more compact building blocks, form the complex molecules known as proteins. They combine to form the macronutrient that is essential for cell development and repair, enhancing the structure, function, and control of one's organs and tissues in the body. 

Protein specifically targets the growth and development of muscular tissue. According to Walter Willett, MD, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, "Amino acids are the main building block for muscle." In essence, "our body reassembles these building blocks into muscle" after our digestive system disassembles the protein building blocks we consume. 

Why does protein aid in the development of muscle? 

According to Loren Fishman, MD, professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Columbia University and medical director of Manhattan physical health and Rehabilitation, this development happens in part because muscle tissue "is made of protein fibres." He claims that muscles contract when protein fibres move past one another. "Muscle contraction always damages these sliding protein fibres, and you need to consume protein in your diet to repair and replace them," he explains. This is why eating protein-rich foods is so crucial. Muscle growth and expansion may result from the procedure of repair and regeneration. 

I want to grow muscle, what quantity of protein should I eat?

According to the dietary recommendations for Americans, one should consume 0.8 grammes of protein for every kilogramme of body weight each day. Accordingly, a 160-pound individual should consume roughly 57 grammes of protein daily.  

But if building more muscle is the aim, the amount must be higher. "We must consume about 10% of our calories as protein to maintain our muscles, and just a little bit more than this will be enough to gain muscle," suggests Willett. He claims that a good diet, which includes plenty of protein-rich foods, provides most people with enough protein for gaining muscle. Animal items including beef, swine, poultry, and fish, as well as seeds, pecans, beans, and lentils, are rich in protein. Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese, or eggs all include protein. 

"Almost everyone gets a sufficient amount of protein to gain muscle," says Willett, through frequent ingestion of such meals. But we need to strive for muscular increases; merely consuming extra protein won't do it. Resistance training, such as weightlifting or the use of exercise bands, as well as any repetitive activity that targets certain muscle areas are all types of physical exercises that help muscles grow. Climbing stairs or riding a bike can assist build up our thighs but won't do much for our arm muscles, so keep in mind that we only add to the muscles that we employ. 

In other words, Willett adds, "loading up on steak and cheese will give us lots of protein," but if we don't simultaneously target a variety of muscle parts through correct workout routines and resistance exercise, we aren't going to see the results we want.