The Skinny on Protein
I am sure you have heard over and over that you need to eat more protein, but has anyone ever truly explained to you why it is important and all the benefits you get from prioritizing it!?
If not, then I would love to educate you and encourage you on why eating enough protein should be your number one priority when it comes to your nutrition..
It is common for people to count calories and not focus on the protein component. Sure, counting calories can help you lose weight, but the type of weight you lose is questionable. You can definitely lose fat, but also water weight, and muscle weight. We unfortunately cannot target the type of weight we lose, but science has proven that if we prioritize protein intake that we will promote fat loss and minimize muscle loss. Who doesn’t want that!?
So what does protein exactly do for our bodies?.....
It is responsible for the growth, repair, and maintenance of cells.
It is the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, and skin .
It is Important for regulating our hormones.
It is important for maintaining bone mass when aging. (Goodbye brittle bones!)
It is important for maintaining and building lean muscle mass (hello body composition change!)
It is also known to lower blood pressure (which reduces the risk of chronic diseases)
All of these are reminders that we need protein as a part of our normal body functioning and to support the aging process, but what does this mean for weight loss?….
Protein is harder to digest so you end up burning more calories just by eating more of it. You will burn a lot more calories digesting protein then carbs and fat.
A high protein focus allows me to maintain my lean muscle mass when my lowered calories do not support it. When we are in a caloric deficit, our bodies go into fight or flight mode and they do not have the extra energy and fuel to support muscle building. By maintaining a high protein focus, we are able to support the lean muscle mass that we have already built so we can promote fat loss instead.
Multiple studies have shown that upping your protein intake can not only help you lose weight, but also keep it off in the long term. (A much higher percentage of people who track protein intake keep the weight off over those who just count calories).
Eating more protein keeps us fuller longer and minimizes the extra snacking. Protein reduces your levels of the hunger hormone and it boosts levels of the hormone that makes you feel fuller (Say goodbye to late night binge eating!
Eating more protein helps you to focus on nutrient dense foods instead of empty calories.
So how much protein do you need to be eating?....
Recommendations show that .8-1g per pound of body weight is a good protein range for someone who is looking to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain their muscle mass.
Example: If you weigh 150 pounds, you should be getting at least(150*.8=120 g) 120g of protein a day.
Upping your amount of protein intake might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some simple ways to up your protein intake:
Eat a larger serving of protein at each meal. If you currently eat 4 oz of chicken for dinner, bump it up to 6 oz. Do this for each meal and you will be surprised at how quickly it adds up.
Prep some bulk proteins to always have on hand to snack on, to throw over some greens, or throw in a wrap.
Always think about the protein content first and make protein versions of the things you love! There are so many amazing recipes out there including protein pancakes, protein pasta, etc.
When cooking eggs in the morning, scramble in some egg whites and serve up with some turkey sausage.
Snack on greek yogurt, cottage cheese, edamame, nuts, hummus, cheese, or lentils.
Get creative with protein powder and use it in the things you love including shakes, muffins, sweet treats, etc.
Snack on deli turkey meat and the protein number will surprise you.
The best thing you can do to reach a higher protein goal is PLAN. Reaching a high protein goal requires intentionality and strategy. It requires planning your day and food intake around hitting that goal, BUT it will make a drastic difference in your hunger levels, your ability to build muscle, and your ability to reverse aging as much as possible.
Hope these tips were helpful and start taking action!
