INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Muscles need protein to repair and build themselves. The amino acids in protein are what the body uses to perform these tasks. Therefore, your body needs protein to build muscle over time. As a vegan, protein will come from plant-based sources. Remember that many foods contain protein, not just animal products. If you're trying to bulk up, you really do not need that much more protein than an average person. An average person needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So if you weigh 120 pounds (54.4 kg), you need 43.5 grams (1.5oz) of protein per day. A casual exerciser, on the other hand, needs 0.5 to 0.9 grams (0.02 to 0.03oz) per kilogram of protein per day. So the same 120 pound person would need 27.2 to 49 grams (1 to 2oz) of protein per day. People who lift professionally have even higher protein needs. Always talk to your doctor or dietitian about the right amount of protein for you per day. It may be tempting to eat large amounts of protein to build muscle. However, your body does not need the extra protein. That is, it takes any extra protein and stores it as fat, which means that taking in more protein does not help you achieve your goal. If you are becoming serious about weightlifting, your body will need extra calories to gain the weight you need to build muscles. For instance, a male weightlifter who's just beginning needs about 18 calories per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 120 pounds, you need to eat at least 2,160 calories a day. Be sure that your calories aren't coming solely from carbohydrates. This is very hard with a vegan diet as so many foods that vegans lean towards are carbohydrate-heavy. That is, most plant-based proteins are only partial proteins, unlike meat and eggs. They do not contain all the amino acids needed to build muscles. However, when you combine proteins by switching what you eat during the day and adding variety, you can create complete proteins. For instance, wheat and rice do not have as much lysine, one amino acid, as other vegetable proteins, such as beans and peas. Where wheat and rice shine, though, is in methionine, another amino acid, which beans and peas do not have as much of. The point is to balance different types of vegetable proteins, such as eating both grains and and legumes some time during the day, to make sure you are getting the needed amino acids. Nut proteins can also help you balance your amino acids. Carbohydrates give you energy so you can workout. In fact, you need about 1,200 calories of a 2,000 calorie diet to come from carbohydrates. They key is to stick with complex carbs, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. While limiting carbohydrates is hard on a vegan diet, choosing the right type of carbohydrates is beneficial. As a vegan, you do have a number of options open to you for protein. For instance, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter has 4.5 grams of protein, while 1/2 a cup of legumes has 9 grams of protein. A full cup of grains has 6 grams of protein. A cup of beans has as much as 15 grams of protein.

SUMMARY: Get your protein. Calculate the amount of protein you need. Eat enough calories. Get complete proteins. Use carbohydrates to your advantage. Research how much protein is in your food.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Educate yourself about both depression and anxiety. As the saying goes, "knowledge is power," and this is true in helping someone with mental illness. The more you understand anxiety and depression, the better you can respond to someone's needs. Do some research about anxiety and depression online and/or talk to a psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, or medical doctor. You may want to look into how depression and anxiety often go together and what that looks like. For more information about anxiety check out How to Recognize Social Anxiety Disorder, How to Overcome Anxiety. How to Diagnose Depression may help you identify signs of depression as well. While depression and anxiety have specific markers for diagnosis, you may pick up on a person's warning signs before they fully develop depression or anxiety. With depression, someone may start off by dropping out of activities or being increasingly negative in speech or opinions, or stop taking care of themselves (poor hygiene, etc.). Likewise, early signs of anxiety may include being overly preoccupied with certain events or situations and the fear that surrounds them. Once you notice early warning signs, you can help your loved one identify and address symptoms. Notice any patterns of stress or withdrawal that the individual shows as an early sign. You can also learn to anticipate symptoms. For example, if someone is about to move and start a new job, you may anticipate stress and unease and help your loved one to cope with stress before depression or anxiety symptoms pop up. . Some people with mental health problems, especially depression, may be at a higher risk for suicide. People that are at-risk may talk about suicide, death, or dying, self-harm, express hopelessness or self-hate, seek out means (such as pills, weapons, or other ways to end life), or experience a sudden sense of calm after a deep depression. If someone you know exhibits any warning signs, talk about your concerns right away. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can call emergency services if the person is making threats of violence against themselves or others, has made a suicide plan, or you have other reason to believe they may be ready to attempt suicide. In dire circumstances, you can take the person to the emergency department at your local hospital or check them into a behavioral health unit/facility for crisis care.

SUMMARY: Learn about depression and anxiety. Identify warning signs. Watch for warning signs of suicide

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you love him, you have probably shared your feelings and other personal information with him before. What settings worked best when you communicated this information. Was it over the phone or a text message? Was it during a romantic date night? Do you two prefer to have more casual, natural conversations? There is no right or wrong way to tell him that you love him. You are less likely to scare him if you use a method that he is receptive to. If you are nervous about talking to him in person, consider giving him a card or a letter that expresses how you feel. This will also give him time to digest what you have said and think about his feelings for you. If you are nervous about telling him or worried that you may clam up during the conversation, this is a good way to tell him. A card is really helpful if you do not know what to say. You can even choose a more humorous card to keep it light and still get your point across. You could also find a poem or song that says what you would like to say and rewrite it in your handwriting. Telling him face-to-face is the most romantic, yet nerve-racking way. Verbally expressing your true feelings forces you to be vulnerable. Your man may even be more attracted to you when you show him who you really are and how you really feel. If you go this route, practice saying "I love you" out loud and in front of a mirror. You could also make a video that tells him how you feel. You can make sure that you tell him everything that you want to say without getting too nervous. If you mess up, you can always make another video. Love is more than a feeling. Your words and actions should match. Before you tell him that you love, your actions should already be saying that you do. Do something nice like cook him is favorite meal or surprise him with tickets to a movie that he wanted to see. Be present during good and bad times. While it's easy to be supportive during happy times, you can really show your love when he's down in the dumps. Whether he's had a bad day at work or is dealing with a family health crisis, be his rock and show him you are on his side 24/7. Support his passions and dreams. From going for a master's degree to his love of mountain climbing, be his cheerleader. Research his hobbies or goals and bring additional insight to the table.

SUMMARY:
Determine how he likes to receive affection. Give him a letter or card. Talk to him in person. Show him you love him through your actions.