Protein
Everyone supposedly needs more of it and we are all looking for quality sources to incorporate into our diet. It is a vital piece to the "fitness" puzzle, but fats and carbs have their place, too! In my experience, protein-rich foods have the most satiating "full feeling" quality. I am much less likely to snack after a meal that is centered around a protein source. On the contrary, a higher fat and carb meal that lacks protein usually just leads to further snacking about 30 minutes later....
Protein and muscle building- We've been taught to equate the two and it's because protein contains amino acids necessary to build and maintain muscle. Muscle is very calorically "expensive" (it takes a lot of calories to keep muscle fed) so as you are building muscle through resistance training, you are creating a higher metabolic rate that allows you to burn calories all day and night without having to be active all the time. With that being said, if you are not intaking enough calories to fuel muscles and perform all the necessary operations your body needs, it will sacrifice muscle first and hang on to fat because it doesn't require as many calories. So lift your weights, eat your calories, and you'll begin to create a calorie-burning furnace (who doesn't want that?)
So you may be wondering "how much protein do I need?"....That's a question that is unique to each person, and I've experimented with quite a bit myself. Each person's body composition, activity levels, dietary history and genetics factor into caloric needs, but I would recommend as a rule of thumb to aim for 1g of protein per lb of body weight. If you aim to hit that number each day (by counting your macros), you will most likely automatically consume fewer carbs and fats than you are now because protein is filling and most people don't get enough (especially if you are looking to build muscle) .
I center all my meals around a protein source and then add in the carbs and fats afterwards. Protein often takes a bit more preparation than the other two because most easy snacks are things that can sit on a shelf for a long time and contain empty carbs (pretzels, cookies, granola bars, chips, etc...). Quality sources of protein usually require some prep-time, which is why I like to meal prep and have it on hand and accessible
Favorite Protein Staples:
1. Grilled Chicken (duh)- It's great on salads, in stir-frys, on a wrap, etc...
I have at least one meal a day that usually looks like this--grilled chicken and veggies. Pictured here was lettuce, grilled yellow squash, steamed cauliflower and asparagus.
2. Greek Yogurt- I use Oikos plain yogurt and add a squirt of my own stevia or fruit for taste. Fruit-flavored yogurts have added carbs from sugar, but you can get 15g of protein with only 6g of carbs in a small yogurt cup! (freezing it for a few hours is also a great way to mix it up in the summer)
3. Eggs (particularly the white)- I buy the cartons of egg whites and add them to pancakes, smoothies, stir-fried rice and omelets! So easy, and no carbs or fats--just pure protein!
4. Protein Powder- I use a scoop every morning in my oatmeal, and every night in my "ice cream," and while I think the majority of protein should come from whole, natural sources--it really helps to have something so convenient and tasty to help get it in. I use EAS Vanilla 100% Whey and Quest has some great individual packets they sent me that are very convenient!
Recipe: 12g Oatfit, 12g Cream of Wheat, 1 Scoop EAS protein, 50 grams frozen riced cauliflower, 46g liquid egg whites
5. Protein Bars- Yum. I'm going to go ahead and tell you these are my weakness. I LOVE using these as treats because if you find the right bar, it really does taste like dessert. My top two favorites (and I've tried most of GNC's options), are QUEST Protein Bars and G2G (Good2Go) Protein Bars. I'm going to show how I use these bars to create even more protein-packed treats and also why these are my go-to's in future posts, but for now--give these a try.
Tips:
G2G Peanut Butter Coconut Chocolate tastes like a cookie dough, but packed with 18g protein. If you wanted to top a greek yogurt with these crumbles or heat it up for a fresh-baked cookie substitute, you wouldn't regret it (I've done both). Unfortunately for me, these bars haven't made it to Greenville yet, but this company was kind enough to send me some to try and I ordered more within three days....worth every penny of the shipping costs. These bars are so high-quality, with no added ingredients that they are best stored in the fridge. Some other protein bars give my stomach a bit of trouble, but these are completely clean and will kick anyone's sweet tooth. I'm super excited to be partnering with them in the future, so be on the lookout for even more ways to enjoy these bars!
Sometimes it's really hard to choose which flavor you're going to not share with your husband :/
Quest Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cut into pieces and mixed into warm oatmeal makes the whole thing taste like my Grandma's Neiman Marcus Cookies....it's so hard to believe that it's a high-protein breakfast because it feels like dessert. Try them out! These bars are at Publix, GNC, and Wal-Mart. There are tons of different flavors, but I can tell you that my personal favorites are shown here (oatmeal chocolate chip and cookie dough). They are best heated up 10-20 seconds in the microwave :)
What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for upping the protein in your snacks and meals? I'm always looking for new ways!