Is protein all it’s cracked up to be?
It’s a bit of a buzz word in fitness, but rightly so because it’s the food group (macronutrient) most often overlooked especially by women. It’s the only macronutrient (asides from vegetables and fruit) that I get people I work with, to keep an eye on or track. Simply because, quite often we just don’t get enough.
Before we become more aware about the foods we eat and why we are eating it, the average meal isn't necessarily very heavy on the protein serving. When you go out for dinner, the more expensive options tend to be those with a protein serving [meat, fish etc]. When we were younger, parents tended to ask us to fill up on things like pasta, potato, toast, cereal, porridge or rice, because they were always far more affordable and easier to cook. So it's almost second nature, that each meal or snack we have, isn't necessarily centred around protein.
We have to make more of an effort to ensure we get enough through the day. Especially if we are looking to be more active, train harder, build muscle or get stronger. But how much is enough?
The answer depends on a lot of variables.
Age
Sex
Weight/Height/Muscle Mass %
Activity Level [the more active you are, the more protein you require]
Training Goals / Stage in the competitive year for athletes
People recovering from injury, surgery or sickness
Pregnant women or those breast feeding
Those with pre-diagnosed health conditions especially muscle, joint or bone related
You might have seen on the back of labels, there is a % and protein RDA [recommended daily amount]. This recommended % is quite often going to be too low, as it is calculated based on the lowest, basic nutritional needs of an average person. Working out how much protein you actually need can require some trial and error. There are lots of handy online calculators or an apps like MyFitnessPal. It's important to remember, these are reference points and useful to give you a range or something to aim for. These go off your height, weight, age and activity level to give a rough calorie and protein target. Word of warning though, they won't be 100% accurate and so when making any change to your diet, it is important to monitor it for a few weeks to see how you feel. It might be that you need more/less than the number a calculator churns out for you. I like this one by Legion Athletics and I use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation as it doesn't ask for things like body fat % [link below].
But why is protein important? Why should we be being more mindful of it? Why should we be concerned if we don't get enough?
Protein helps to repair and with the growth of damaged muscle tissues
The growth of skeletal tissue, organ tissue and skin cells
Maintaining your bodies muscle mass [especially as we age]
Hormone regulation; keeps our bodies ticking over as they should be
Can be used as a last resort energy source if other sources are totally depleted
Production of antibodies to fight off infection
Keeps us feeling satiated and fuller
Important during the digestion process of other food sources
There are lots of ways to boost your protein intake throughout the day; through the meals we eat, snacks we choose and being more mindful about having a serving of protein with every meal. You can also help to supplement that daily amount, through protein shakes, protein bars or protein based snacks [really handy for grab-and-go on the move].
It isn't impossible to hit a higher protein intake in the day. It just takes a little bit of pre-planning, food awareness and restructuring how we view meal times. A bowl of pesto pasta, might now include prawns, tofu or tuna. You could look to having snacks like boiled eggs, cooked chicken, protein bars, greek yogurt or seeded toast with cottage cheese. You can bulk out meals with lentils, pulses, beans or sprinkle on things like chia seeds, flax and nuts for a plant protein power punch. You might find having a protein shake alongside your regular breakfast is a handy way to stay accountable to your protein target.
The rough guidelines state around 30g of protein per serving is a good, standardises amount to aim for [this is dependent on the factors listed above and also how much protein you can stomach in one sitting]. Some people can stomach way more and will need a lot more than this in order to get sufficient throughout the day. You don't need to worry about weighing things out [unless you find that helps or you have a stricter protein requirement due to your goals]. You can use things like hand/fist portions, cups/spoons or even just simply add MORE protein to your plate with each meal you have.
However you decide to up your protein, the most important thing [as always] is finding a way that works for you, your budget and being consistent with it!
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