protein

Today, I want to talk about protein in many different angles. First, most people know protein as food type along with carbohydrates and fats. This is definitely true, but protein is more than just food. Just as other animals have fats and protein (and maybe some carbs), we are made of these things. We know perhaps from the media that muscle meat is rich in protein and low in fat. However, even in the most unexcercized parts, proteins definitely exist. In almost every cell, there are proteins, fats, and sugar... and lots of water.
Proteins are very interesting things. Essentially, they are many amino acids linked together in a linear manner by covalent bonds. However, they tend not to stay linear. Think about putting a string in your pocket. It doesn't stay stretched (there's an entropic cost to it). It folds. Amazingly, proteins typically fold in very specific ways and this special 3D conformation gives them biological function. For example, some proteins can link many different sugars together to make glycogen (our form of temporary sugar storage... before converting excess to fat). In fact, if we didn't have protein, all such cellular processes would shut down.
That made me ask why is protein emphasized when building muscle? Is it because muscle contains a lot of protein? Is this related? So... I did a quick search on the makeup of muscle cells and realized that yes the contracting mechanism requires protein. Actin and myosin are two important proteins that allow the muscle cell to function (I should have known this already...).
I'm sure there are more elaborate explanations, since just supplying the ingredients for making muscle doesn't mean more muscle (as I'm sure most sitters are aware :)).

... Time to stop living on a chair and get moving.