Anyone who has decided to make their health and fitness a priority quickly realizes there is one thing you can’t avoid. PROTEIN. Though you may know you need it, you might not know what it is or what it does!
Did you know;
- Protein is made up of amino acids, which is essential for building muscle and repairing muscle on recovery days.
- Protein is found in EVERY part of your body, including your muscles (obviously), tissues, organs, and hormones!
- Protein has the highest thermic effect of food! What’s that mean? It uses the most energy to digest.
- Protein supports lean muscle retention when you’re goal is to lose body fat AND promotes muscle growth when you’re trying to get stronger – YES, you can do both!
Protein can be found in meats, seafood, bone broth, legumes, dairy, tofu, beans, and protein powders. The most common protein powders are whey and casein.
- Whey Protein: is perfect post workout because it is quick digesting
- Casein Protein: is slower digesting and is more beneficial before a long fast or before bed.
Protein intake goals can vary but I tell my clients to get anywhere from 1.4-2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight which means a 200lb person would have between 126-180 g of protein per day! That number can seem scary or intimidating but don’t let it be. Here are a few tips to reach that number;
- Always have something in the house that has protein like egg whites, tuna, or a powder
- Try to hit 1/3 of your goal during breakfast
- You can add egg whites to almost anything! In liquid for or in small pieces when hard boiled.
- Mix your whey protein with hot or iced coffee – mmmm, delicious!
Of course, this isn’t a full comprehensive guide to protein, but it is a good place to start.
Cheers to a healthy January!
- Coach Lemon, CSCS
