Eat the Protein

You all hear about how important protein is in your diet, but do you actually know why it’s important? I’m here to give you the skinny on protein and why you should actually start implementing it into your diet. Most people just do NOT get enough protein on the daily. If you aren’t proactively thinking about it, it’s hard to get a solid amount + I will be the first to admit it.

First, I want to go over what protein actually is + some science behind it (don’t worry, this should be quick + painless LOL it’s just helpful to have some general knowledge). Protein is one of the macronutrients that is made up of long chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of life. There are 20 different types of amino acids and they combine in a variety of sequences to form different proteins that all have unique functions in the body. Amino acids are classified into two groups: essential and nonessential. Essential amino acids cannot be made by your body and must be ingested via food. Nonessential amino acids are made by our body so we don’t need to worry about these in our diets. Here is a list of foods that contain all 9 essential amino acids (these are called complete proteins + I highly suggest adding them to your next grocery list):

·        Dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese)

·        Eggs

·        Beef, chicken, pork, lamb

·        Salmon, tuna

·        Quinoa

·        Soy products

·        Chia Seeds

·        Some protein powders (whey, casein)

You can also get all 9 essential amino acids by combining different protein sources, so don’t think you have to only eat these sources above –they just make your life easier.

Now, why is it important to get adequate amounts of protein in your daily diet? I’m going to save you from the boring science and details but ultimately here are the main reasons to eat more protein that you’re most likely going to care about:

·        The gym gains (building muscle)

·        Having that “toned” look (again, same thing as building muscle)

·        Healthy + beautiful skin (think elasticity, hydration, smooth texture etc)

·        Metabolism and digestive health

·        Improved immune system because no one likes getting sick constantly

·        Promotes satiety which is helpful for weight loss

·        Bone health + much more

You should try to aim for 1 g of protein per pound of your ideal body weight. Of course, everyone is different, but this is just a general goal to aim for if you’re looking for a place to start. You can slowly increase your protein amount every week to get to this goal if you’re struggling with hitting this number. It takes some time and practice but eventually it’ll become intuitive for you. Some good ways to make sure you’re getting enough protein is to have a complete protein at every meal , start your day with a high protein breakfast, or using protein powder throughout the day (this is my lifesaver + sometimes I’ll even get wild and take two scoops at a time).

 I hope this convinced you to go eat your protein! If you have any questions or want some further help with your nutrition, feel free to reach out to me ☺ Have a wonderful rest of your week!