Protein, will I ever shut up about it? Probably not. Why? Because it's consistently the thing that my girls struggle to get enough of and that requires some myth busting and re-educating. Protein has been both glorified AND demonised by diet culture so it's understandable that there is confusion around the topic.
First a quick myth buster: 'Protein will make me fat.'
I hear this concern a lot.
I think this fear of protein being 'fattening' comes from the fact that when you train and eat protein you gain muscle and the thought that increasing muscle mass is synonymous with looking bulky. So let's put this myth to bed.
What causes weight gain is more energy coming in than going out.
Protein in itself has 4 calories per gram, so do carbs. Fats have 9 calories per gram.
This isn't to scare you off fats, just to show you the breakdown of the macronutrients.
Protein has the same calories per gram as carbs and is harder to breakdown, meaning it takes more energy to do so. Making it the least likely culprit in being 'fattening'. When you gain muscle, train and eat at maintenance with adequate protein the scales may stay the same but you appear leaner.
If you eat adequate protein and eat in a calorie surplus you can gain fat and muscle mass.
When you eat in a deficit with adequate protein you can maintain muscle mass and lose fat.
At the end of the day it comes down to energy balance, not the protein itself. Adequate protein is important to fat loss, for performance and for overall health.
Here are at Elevate we are in the business of lifting weights, being active and being healthy. This generally means we need more protein than your average gal. So when you start to train it requires some attention.
So now that's cleared up, what even is protein?
Protein is the body's primary source of building muscle and lean mass. It's an essential nutrient that cannot be produced by the body and must come from the food we eat.
Protein is an essential nutrient with a ton of important jobs:
Protein helps make many hormones. This includes hormones that manage appetite, balance blood sugar, and support feeling happy and relaxed.
Protein supports the immune system. Without enough protein, we easily become sick and frail, and recover slower.
Protein improves body composition. It helps shed fat, gain or maintain muscle mass, and stay lean for life.
Protein is physically satisfying. You'll feel fuller, longer. This is important if you're trying to eat less in order to lose fat. Eating more protein means feeling more satisfied with meals, and less hungry between meals.
Protein helps build and repair almost every tissue in the body — muscles, connective tissues (such as tendons and ligaments), and bones.
Too little protein and you might not:
feel satisfied or full after your meal
recover well
build lean mass and muscle
Too much protein and you might:
feel overfull after your meal
When you eat the right amount of protein, aka the Goldilocks amount, you:
feel satisfied from meals
can build lean mass and muscle
more easily maintain a healthy weight
The gist of it is: too little or too much protein will be majorly felt in muscle strength, recovery, and feeling satisfied from meals.
Protein is essential for building muscle and muscle mass is an important health marker, especially as we age. Having muscles, and strong ones, can drastically improve our quality of life by making everyday tasks easier, improving our metabolic health, regulating blood sugar, maintaining a healthy body fat percentage and reducing risk of falls and subsequent injuries. As women, we want to safeguard as muscle mass as much as possible, especially once we hit menopause as this natural process results in a loss of muscle mass due to the change in hormone production. To prevent this and feel our best focusing on adequate protein intake and resistance training are two of the top things you can do.
So how much protein do you need?
An ideal protein intake range is between 0.73-1 gram per pound of body weight. If you weigh 150lbs, that would mean a range between 109-150 grams of protein daily. (If you measure in stones just multiply your weight in stones x 14 for the lbs you weigh.)
You are an individual so finding where on that range you feel your best will take a bit of trial and error depending on your goals and lifestyle.
For example, if you're training for athletic performance you will want to find the right amount of protein help you recover and perform your best. For health related goals, you'll want enough protein that leaves you feeling full, strong and healthy overall. For aesthetic goals, such as fat loss, you want your protein goal to support you in maintaining muscle mass, to ensure the weight you lose is body fat and not muscle, and keeping you feeling full and satisfied in your deficit.
As a rule, you should aim for 1-2 portions of protein in each meal or snack. This equates to 20-30g of protein per portion - roughly the size and thickness of your palm.
These guidelines will vary depending on your body, lifestyle, and goals. Appropriate intakes can range from 3-10 palms per day, depending on the person.
For example, one simple action to start might be to take what you’re doing right now, and add one more palm-sized portion of protein daily.
Based on what you already know about yourself and your routines, choose a starting point that feels right to you.
So which foods are the best sources of protein?
This graphic shows protein sources divided up into most nutritious --> least nutritious. Of course, all foods fit within a healthy diet but this is a good way to find the highest quality protein sources at a glance.
If you're a mostly plant-based eater you can meet high protein needs with plants, it just takes a bit more planning.
It's hard to get enough protein accidentally or without a deliberate effort.
Here are ways to omptimise your protein intake:
Higher-protein grains, such as:
amaranth
buckwheat
millet
oats
quinoa
spelt
wild rice
Beans and legumes, such as:
black, red, white, or pinto beans
chickpeas
edamame (soybeans)
lentils
bean-based noodles and pastas (which are also great for many people who can't tolerate wheat)
Plant-based protein powders, such as:
pea
rice
hemp or pumpkin seed
soy
other vegan and plant-based blends
Help protein do its job of keeping you satisfied by slowing down and relaxing while you eat.
No matter if it's animal, vegetable, or mineral, eat your food slowly and mindfully whenever you can. Stop when you're no longer hungry... even if you haven't officially finished the full protein portion.
There is no one size fits all. You don't have to eat protein powder, or meat, or protein yoghurts. As always, choose the type and amount of protein based on what makes YOU feel good and feeds into your deeper health. You want to choose the options that are accessible to you, that you like, that make you feel good and help move you towards your goal.
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