Welcome to my mini-series called Jump Start!
My goal with this series is to give you just a little bit of information for you to make a small change in your routine to give you the “jump start” you might feel that you need!
Protein can be the biggest game changer when it comes to weight management goals.
Getting the correct amount of protein allows your body to work for you, instead of you working for your body. No matter if your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, the underlying thing that needs to happen for the needle to move is to gain skeletal muscle mass. By doing so, you’ll be able to increase your resting metabolic rate, thus allowing you to burn more fat when at rest! Uh yea sign me up for that!
A minimum amount of protein needed to avoid disease is .8g/kg of body weight.
(About .4g/pound) The general population is hardly reaching this goal. As individuals age, the need for protein only goes up, despite gender.
I personally like to start new clients off with smaller more manageable protein goals, such as .6g-.8g/pound of body weight. As they get more comfortable with achieving this number and finding their favorite sources of protein, I will slowly increase this number depending on that individual’s goal.
Trying to get protein into your diet might seem intimidating, so let’s break it down!
If you have a goal of getting 100g of protein in per day, here’s what it could look like:
Breakfast: 22g
2 Scrambled Eggs: 12g
3 Turkey Sausage Links: 11g
Snack: 13g
½ Cup of Cottage Cheese: 13g
Lunch: 22g
4oz of Chicken (to put on a salad or sandwich): 22g
Snack: 20g
1st Phorm Level 1 Protein Bar: 20g
Dinner: 24g
4oz Salmon Filet: 24g
Total: 101g
It’s important to break down your goals to see what it will require you to do.
Looking at that meal plan of protein now, with it written out, doesn’t seem too intimidating anymore, does it?
Here are my quick tips for increasing protein:
- Use a high quality protein shake or bar
- Don’t be afraid of protein snacks
- Start early (i.e. get your breakfast in)
- Use a scale to weigh your food to be more accurate
- Find protein sources you actually like
- Be creative with seasonings/spices to change flavor
- Take protein snacks with you everywhere