 |
It seems that over the past couple of years, protein has become a big topic for nutrition and diet. But protein isn't just a fad that one day showed up on the internet and muscle-bound bodybuilders started pounding it in shakes. Protein is actually a very important essential nutrient that many of us are lacking in proper amounts in our everyday diets.
What is protein and why is it so important?
Protein is one of the 3 main macronutrients we require in our diets, the other 2 being carbohydrates and fats. They are classified as "macro" because we require them in large amounts in our diet. The 3 macronutrients make up all of our foods, with many of our foods being a mixture of at least 2 macronutrients. For example, potatoes are mainly carbohydrates, but also have a little bit of protein. Most animal protein sources have protein and fat as well.
Protein plays a large role in your health and fitness goals. Whether those goals are weight loss, weight or muscle gains or even just maintaining your weight, protein has a large role in achieving those goals. It is widely known that protein helps to build and maintain muscle mass. This is very important for weight loss to help maintain your muscle mass while you are in a calorie deficit. Intake of proper amounts of protein while in a calorie deficit (along with strength training) will help your body to burn your excess body fat to make up for the energy deficit, thus leading to a decrease in weight mostly from excess body fat instead of muscle.
Protein also has a large role in many other functions in the body. A few of these roles include:
- Muscle repair, healing and growth
- Repair and growth of hair, tissue, nails, etc.
- Production of hormones, enzymes, immune function, antibodies, transportation of molecules, etc
- Transporation of signals within the body to signal certain processes in cells, organs, etc.
- A source of essential amino acids that provide the building blocks for muscle and tissue growth.
 |
| Roles protein plays in the body |
Those are just some of the many roles that protein plays in your body, hence why protein intake is so important. The other main reason why we need protein in our diet is that our bodies cannot store protein like it can other nutrients. Carbohydrates can be stored as glycogen to be used later, and fat is stored within our muscles, fat cells, etc. Our body, however, does not do this with protein, which is why we need to intake it through our diet.
Something I've noticed through my years as a personal trainer is most people are not getting enough protein in their diet. In North America, we tend to have a diet that leans more towards starchy carbohydrates and fat, and less on protein. In fact, a US study by the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging has shown that most adults are not consuming enough protein as they age (source). This can lead to deterioration of muscle and muscle function, which is concerning because of the loss of muscle and its function makes us more susceptible to injury, falls, etc.
How much protein should you eat?
This depends on how active you are and what your goals are exactly, but there are some ranges and minimums to aim for.
For a minimum to stay healthy, it is recommended to have 0.36g/lb of bodyweight of protein a day or a minimum of 10% of total daily calories. That would be for a very minimum amount for a sedentary person at an already healthy weight (source). That being said, more active the person is, or if you want to build muscle, lose or gain weight, the more protein you require.
The recommendation for weight loss or build/maintain muscle mass and/or if you are exercising or strength training is 0.7-1g/lb of lean bodyweight. Most of the general population people, even those who strength train, do not require any more than 1g/lb of bodyweight of protein per day.
For most people, going up to 0.7-1g/lb of bodyweight of protein is a significant jump in what they currently consume. If you are a 150lb person and you currently aren't consuming very much protein, you don't need to jump to 150g of protein a day to start. Set yourself smaller goals, and start at the lower end of the range where you can aim for 100g a day and go from there.
So how can you start to increase the amount of protein in your diet?
Here are some tips:
1. Include protein with every meal & 1 snack.
Starting with the very basics. Make sure to include a protein source with each meal and at least 1 snack throughout the day. A good amount to aim for is 20-30 grams of protein at each meal and snack. This will not only help divide up your protein throughout the day making it easier to eat, but it will also help you feel more full and satisfied after your meals. The satiety from protein will keep you from reaching in the cupboard 30 minutes after your meal. Some simple ways you can do this is to have a form of animal or plant-based protein or both with each meal. For snacks, pairing a fruit or vegetable with some protein such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with some fruit, this way you are getting in both protein and fibre.
2. Try a variety of protein sources.
If you aren't big on animal meat protein, try different sources of protein. Other sources such as beans, lentils, dairy, eggs, are all great to pair with animal protein or have on their own if you are looking to go less meat. Beans and lentils not only contain protein but also are a great source of fibre and will help you stay full.
You also may not think of protein when you see dairy products, but dairy products such as cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are excellent sources of protein. 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt has 23g of protein and 1 cup of lentils has about 18g of protein.
One other source you may not think of when it comes to protein is grains such as oatmeal and quinoa. 1 cup of oatmeal contains 12g of protein and 1 cup of cooked quinoa is about 8g of protein. Trying different types of protein that doesn't always include animal products is a great way to add some variety to your diet
3. Swap out your current protein sources for higher ones.
Making some simple swaps for higher protein sources can make a big difference in not only protein intake. For example, swapping out chicken drumsticks to chicken breast. 100g of chicken drumstick has about 18 g of protein whereas 100g of chicken breast has 31g of protein.
Other great swaps can be changing out a high sugar breakfast cereal or granola bar to oatmeal or eggs. One other simple swap is changing out regular yogurt to Greek yogurt.
These types of swaps can greatly increase your protein intake without having to increase the amount of food you're having in a day.
4. Don't rely on nuts for a protein source.
That's right, contrary to popular belief, nuts are not a great protein source for how many calories per gram. In 1/2 cup of mixed nuts (which is really a small handful) contains 438 calories and only 12g of protein. Whereas you can do 1 cup of greek yogurt for 140 calories and 24g of protein.
Same with peanut butter! Many #fitspo people tote peanut butter as a great source of protein, but for 1 tablespoon, it's about 3.5g of fat and 95 calories. You can find many other sources higher in protein for fewer calories.
Nuts are a great source of fats in proper amounts, but they can pack a calorie punch. If your goal is weight loss, a couple of handfuls of nuts can throw off your calories quickly.
5. Add in a protein shake in your day.
A simple protein shake can give you about 20-25g of your daily protein intake in a single serving. Many people like them because they are quick, convenient and a great source of protein. You can also add protein powder to other foods such as oatmeal or smoothies to help increase the amount of protein and flavour! The most popular protein shakes are made from whey protein which is derived from dairy, but casein (also from dairy) and soy (vegan alternative) are popular as well. Protein shakes after a workout have also shown to help recovery and start the healing process of your muscles, especially after a hard lifting session.
That all being said, if you don't like protein shakes, or prefer to get your protein from other sources, that is absolutely fine too!
6. Eat your protein first during meals.
Sounds a little silly to be so specific about the order of how you eat, but if you find that when you're eating your dinner and you tend to get full before finishing your protein, try eating it first. That way you are more likely to finish your food AND because protein plays a big role in feeling full after a meal, you will finish your meal feeling more satisfied.
7. Track your protein intake
Most people honestly have no idea of how much protein they consume, and generally tend to overestimate how much they actually eat. The best way to accurately know how much you're getting is to track what you're eating. You don't have to do this forever, but even 2-4 weeks of tracking as a minimum can give you a really good idea of how much you are eating and you can learn how much protein your body needs in a day. Tracking also helps give you a good idea of what protein sources you like best so you can find what works for you.
Protein is the one macronutrient we overlook when it comes to our food intake. With the focus shifting to looking at fat vs carbohydrates over the past few years, its no surprise that protein has fallen to the wayside. But it is so important and plays several roles in our health and wellness. Many people find that their nutrition habits and results start to change when they start to pay more attention to their protein intake.
Take some of these tips to help increase your protein intake and see how it helps change your results!
Do you have questions about protein intake or want to learn more about how to reach your weight loss goals? You can message me HERE
Want to stay up to date with exclusive Fit Like a Girl content, offers and deals?
Comments
Post a Comment