Are You Getting Enough Protein?

No matter where you are in life, protein is one of those important molecules that you are probably undereating. And it's probably not your fault! America has been underevaluating protein needs for YEARS and only now is it starting to come to light, and even that is in the more niche nutrition world. If you are having a hard time putting on muscle, losing weight, starving with cravings, suffering with mood imbalances - low protein could be to blame.

What is protein and what the eff does it do?

Protein is a complex, essential macronutrient (the others being fats and carbohydrates) that helps to build and repair tissues, produce hormones, produce enzymes, just to name a few of its many actions. Protein is made up of molecules called amino acids and there are 20 different types of amino acids that can be combined to make a protein.

Proteins can be antibodies used in immune function called immunoglobulins, they are messenger molecules for hormones and neurotransmitters, they build and restore muscle, and more. Protein is SO IMPROTANT for so many different functions. Oh I forgot to mention, if you're worried about your hair and nails - rememeber that they are mostly made of a protein called keratin!

It's important to get protein from a variety of sources as to make sure that we are getting a balance of all the amino acids as some could be missing from different protein sources. Some of my favorite sources of high quality protein are grass-fed meats, organic poultry, pasture raised eggs, wild caught fish, grass-fed dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds, bone broth and high quality protein powders.

OK OK but how much?

This gets tricky as it truly varies by person. Gender, age, activity level, and injury can all make a difference in finding your adequate protein levels. The general rule of thumb for years has been 0.8 grams per kg of body weight (for a 150lb person that would equal 54.5 grams of protein per day) but we are finding that number may be too low. I don't always love tracking calories and macros but a good rule of thumb may be 20-30 grams of protein per meal with protein heavy snacks to start boosting that level up. If you are looking for a more specific recommendation so that you can track more closely I suggest working with a nutritionist or dietitian to evaluate all the factors above but it could be closer to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. This may seem like a lot, so slowly start increasing your levels and pay attention to how you feel.

There are no guarantees in nutrition or health but most likely you will feel stronger in the gym, have less energy slumps throughout the day and less cravings. If not, make sure that you are looking at hormones, blood sugar and making sure other metrics are in order or being addressed.

3 Tips to Increase Protein Daily

1. Front load your day with protein. This will not only give you a running start but will also help balance blood sugar better throughout the day. A protein shake with lots of veggies and some low glycemic fruit, omelet with some greens and healthy fats, cottage cheese with nuts and seeds and oatmeal with protein powder mixed in are some easy go-to's.

2. High protein snacks like hard boiled eggs, grass-fed meat bars, and nuts are good to keep on hand.

3. Know what protein portions look like. Whether you're counting calories or not, have an idea of the amounts of protein that are in your most eaten protein options. This is easy to look up in any macro tracking software like MyFitnessPal, Lose It or even a quick google search.

I hope that you all find this information helpful! I'll be posting more high protein meal and snack ideas so keep an eye out!

- xo Jess