Are you struggling to get optimal protein each day?
I have found these 6 strategies super helpful to get enough daily protein…
FIRST, HOW MUCH PROTEIN IS OPTIMAL?
Experts recommend levels of protein for OPTIMAL HEALTH around 0.54 to 0.9 grams/pound body weight per day.
QUICK PROTEIN CALCULATION:
Take your body weight in pounds x 0.75 = your target AVERAGE PROTEIN grams/day.
PS: The body’s ability to process protein becomes less efficient with age, so it’s even more important to get enough protein as we get older to preserve muscle mass, maintain strength, and keep the immune system strong. Want to learn more about protein? Read more HERE.
6 PRO-TIPS TO GET MORE PROTEIN
1. Pump up protein at BREAKFAST.
One of the biggest reasons people can’t meet their protein needs is because they don’t start the day with enough protein! Aim for breakfast to be about 20-40 grams of protein. Click HERE for some ideas.
2. Enjoy protein-packed SNACKS.
Snacking is a great opportunity to get more protein into your day. In fact, if you don’t snack with a protein-focus it will be very hard to meet your needs. Click HERE for protein-focused snack ideas.
3. Satisfy a sweet tooth with protein DESSERTS.
A fun way to up your protein is to choose desserts with plenty of it! Click HERE for a few of my favorite protein-packed, easy dessert ideas.
4. PRE-COOK protein foods.
Ok, this is key. If you want to eat enough protein, you need to make it READY TO GO so it’s easy to toss on salads, in wraps, or pair with some grilled veggies. Pre-cook protein foods & store them in the fridge for fast meals & snacks such as: Chicken breasts, salmon, hard-boiled eggs, bean-based pasta & rice, air-fryer tofu bites, seasoned tempeh crumbles.
5. Stock NO-COOK protein foods.
In addition to pre-cooking protein foods, keep some no-cook options on hand for easy meals & snacks such as: Cottage cheese, greek yogurt, edamame, nuts/seeds, nut/seed butter, high-quality jerky, canned beans, canned skipjack tuna or salmon.
6. Consider PROTEIN POWDER.
Whole food is always the best way to get protein, however, protein powder is such an easy way to fill in any protein gaps. I find it especially helpful in the morning, after workouts to get enough protein to repair & rebuild muscle. Something like a simple “Protein & Greens” smoothie with protein powder + frozen banana + spinach + nut butter + unsweetened plant milk + ice.
When picking a protein powder:
– buy reputable brands that use third-party certification for purity.
– both whey (dairy-based) or plant-protein powders are great options, so choose either based on your own personal preference.
– aim to get one close to 30g protein per serving (that’s a good general target of protein grams per meal)
– check to see if the label lists amino acids and find one that has “leucine” near 2.5 grams.
