- It makes you feel fuller longer because it takes longer to digest and therefore can keep you from feeling hungry.
- It helps build muscle and we all know muscle is key to helping us stay strong and active. Plus muscle beefs up your metabolism.
- Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues.
- Keeps your immune system functioning properly to help you fight off illness and disease.
Based on my weight I should be getting 70 grams of protein a day. I have found that without some planning, I am not meeting this goal.
My daily protein consumption used to be about 50 grams. Here's a sample day before and after I started paying attention to my protein intake:
| Sample Day BEFORE | Protein (grams) | Sample Day AFTER | Protein (grams) |
| BREAKFAST | | BREAKFAST | |
| 1 English Muffin Thomas’s Health-full | 6 | 1 cup Chocolate Milk | 8 |
| 1 whole egg | 6 | 1 English Muffin Thomas’s Health-full | 6 |
| 1/2 slice american cheese | 2 | 1 tbs Peanut butter | 3.5 |
| 1 tsp jelly | 0 | | |
| SNACK | | SNACK | |
| 12 cherries | 2 | 1/2 cup Cabot vanilla greek yogurt | 9 |
| | | 1/2 cup raspberries | 0.5 |
| LUNCH | | LUNCH | |
| 1 oz colby-jack cheese | 7 | 1 cup cherries | 2 |
| 1 tbs black beans | 1 | 1/2 cup brown rice | 4 |
| 1 Don Pancho flour tortilla | 2 | 1/4 cup pinto beans | 2 |
| salsa | 0 | 1 oz cheese | 7 |
| | | SNACK | |
| | | Cliff Bar | 10 |
| DINNER | | DINNER | |
| pizza pot pie - spinach & cheese | 24 | 2 flour tortillas | 4 |
| 1/2 cup Edy’s light vanilla ice cream | 2 | 2 oz colby-jack cheese | 14 |
| TOTAL | 52 | TOTAL | 70 |
To improve this number I had to find out how much protein was in foods I typically ate and find some new foods I could add to my menu. I began by making a list and then choosing from it when planning my meals. Prior to this, I did not eat much dairy, now I eat yogurt daily and I don't feel guilty about drinking my chocolate milk after a workout. This approach to eating has been a big shift for me and although I am conscious of calories, I am focusing on protein.
Foods I eat / grams of protein | |
yogurt 1/2 cup | 9 |
almonds 1/2 cup | 10 |
Raisin Bran cereal 1 cup | 5 |
1/2 cup 1% milk | 4 |
1/2 cup cottage cheese | 13 |
1 oz colby-jack cheese | 7 |
1/2 cup pinto beans | 6 |
1/2 cup brown rice | 4 |
1 Health-ful English muffin | 6 |
1 Tablespoon flax | 2 |
Martin potato roll | 4 |
3 oz grass fed beef | 23 |
1 whole egg | 6 |
It is recommended that you spread your protein intake throughout the day. Also be smart about what protein you eat. Look for low-fat dairy, whole grains, beans, nuts and lean meats (if that's your thing). You can get a lot of protein from a Big Mac, but your getting a lot of crap too.
If you are looking for some ideas for protein rich foods, here is a list of some more choices.
My list is small, but these aren't the only things I eat. I now reach for more protein dense snacks and have found that some of my running fuel fits the bill like Cliff Bars for one. I didn't eat these very often, because I felt they were too high in calories, but now I am trying to work them in as a snack. I haven't gained or lost any weight, or noticed a change in super power strength or energy, but I am going to stay on this path and see what happens.
Where do you get your protein?
