How Do I Get More Protein in My Diet?
One question I’ve been hearing a lot lately is “how do I reach my protein macronutrient goals?” It seems like people are becoming more aware that protein is important but may be having a hard time figuring out how much protein to eat and how that translates into daily meals to achieve that goal amount.
So what is protein for anyways? Why do we need it?
Protein is essential for a number of vital body functions. Here are some of the main ones:
Helps build and repair almost every tissue in the body - for example muscle, tendons + ligaments, and bone (aka we NEED it to build lean muscle mass)
Helps you to stay fuller for longer after meals because it takes time to digest and breakdown
Helps make multiple hormones that helps you manage your appetite, balance blood sugar levels and support a stable mood and energy
Supports immune system
Helps with workout recovery
Essentially, protein is going to help you achieve a better body composition (increasing muscle mass, burning excess fat mass), which I have found is what most people are shooting for.
“How much protein am I supposed to be eating?”
This is where a lot of confusion comes in. In very simple and uncomplicated terms, based on the updated research as of today, the rule of thumb for this is: 1g per pound of your ideal body weight.
So if your ideal body weight is at/around 130 lbs, you would shoot for ~ 130g protein/day
This applies no matter where your physical activity level is. However, coupling physical activity along with achieving this daily protein goal is a double whammy in building a strong and lean body (if that's what you want).
So how do you go about reaching this goal? The easiest way is to divide your total daily protein amongst several meals + snacks throughout the day. Let’s continue with the above example.
Say I plan to eat 3 meals and 1 snack:
130g protein / 4 = 32.5g per feeding
This doesn’t mean you have to get this exact amount per meal. Maybe 1 meal you have 40g and the other meal only 20g. But it does help to have a rough idea ahead of time for what amount to shoot for. I usually try to make sure 3 of my main meals are at least 30g. This amounts to 90g total and 40g leftover to achieve with snacks. Then you can brainstorm high protein snacks to help fill in the 40g gap.
Tracking this in an app, like Cronometer, can be super helpful for accountability achieving the protein you need. Sometimes when I track throughout the day and its the afternoon, I can then see how much protein I have left to fulfill, and then try to achieve that between dinner and maybe a high protein after dinner treat.
Another strategy is to use your palm as a portion guide. One heaping palm is going to be about 20-30g of protein, depending on the source. This would mean you want to get about 4-5 heaping palms in a day to achieve that goal of ~ 130g protein. This strategy is super helpful when you are dining out or traveling and don’t want to worry about tracking in an app
(Photo credit: Precision Nutrition)
Now you may be wondering "Do I need to supplement with protein powder?"
The answer is.... it depends - as is such with many things in nutrition.
But let's dive in a little deeper so you can hopefully leave this email feeling more clarity.
#1 First Identify whether you aren't currently meeting your daily protein goals with food alone.
If you are... you don't necessarily need to supplement with protein powder, unless you want a little extra serving because of your workouts OR you find it convenient to add in for one of your servings on a busy day.
Protein powder is a supplement, which means it's designed to supplement what you are already consuming in your diet.
If you have done some tracking and evaluation of how much you're consuming and realize you aren't reaching your daily protein goals, then YES it is helpful to add in a protein powder.
#2 Plant based or animal based?
This also depends on what you prefer and what your digestion can handle.
⇥ If you don’t consume any dairy for personal or digestive reasons - plant based may be better for you.
⇥ If dairy doesn’t bother you and you prefer a smoother texture - whey is better.
#3 Choosing a HIGH quality protein powder.
This step is SUPER important - don’t skip this evaluation and just buy whatever you can find!
The supplement industry is a multi-billion 💸 dollar industry. And it’s growing even more.
And the majority, I repeat majority of supplement companies do not have integrity with what’s in their product, they are out to make that money. 💰
Added ingredients, fillers, preservatives, artificial sweeteners galore. AND they don’t necessarily source the actual protein from a high quality plant or animal which means it can contain other things as well.
Check your ingredients.
And remember - you get what you pay for - so this isn’t a place to pinch pennies
Here are a few of my favorites from both categories:
Plant based protein powders can be very gritty in texture but I have found 2 that are smoother and also super high in quality…
Promix
Truvani
For animal based, sourcing the whey from grass fed pasture raised cows is much higher quality.
Whey isolate contains less than 1% lactose so if you are sensitive, this is a good option.
Natural Force
Promix
Clean Simple Eats
If you choose a different protein powder, again just remember to check your ingredients carefully and do some research on the company.
I hope you are feeling a little more clear on ways to achieve your daily protein goal. If you feel like you need further help breaking this down and creating a strategy, our 1 on 1 coaching session would help you with this.
Email alexa@annecraigfitness with any questions!