Sep20Easy Ways to Add More Protein to Your Diet
We all know at this point that people need to be eating more protein. Most people aren’t even getting past 100g of protein each day, let alone the ideal amount (which is more than you think).
The ideal amount of protein that you should be eating is your goal bodyweight – whether you are trying to lose weight or gain it, aim for that amount of protein each day. So if a 200lb man wants to lean out a bit to 185lbs, he should aim for 185g of protein each day. But whatever your number may be, it can seem pretty high and hard to reach. How do you reach that number, whether it be 135 or 185? We’ll break it down and make it more manageable.
Break Down The Big Number Into Smaller Chunks
At H4, we’ve recently started a September challenge. One of the main components of the challenge is to get 100g of protein each day. While this number is still smaller than what most people need, it can still be difficult for people to reach that amount.
A way to make any big number easier is to break it down into chunks. Most people would (or should) eat 3-4 meals a day. So if you eat at least 30-40 grams of protein in each meal, you will reach the 100g minimum, maybe even more. Looking at the picture above, it’s easy to see how many food items can lead to 100 grams or more per day.
A good rule of thumb for animal proteins:
- a serving size of chicken/fish/meat usually has 20-25 grams of protein.
- a serving size is usually 3-4 oz.
- 3-4 oz. is about the size of your open palm.
Besides eating your protein in whole foods – which is where you should source most of your protein intake – you can also supplement your protein to meet your needs. You probably shouldn’t be downing bowls of protein powder each day, but a scoop or two can help you meet your goal. Eating high protein snacks as well can help you bridge the gap between the big protein number.
The best plant sources of protein are plenty: quinoa, lentils, beans, whole grains, nuts & seeds, and supplementation. Just know that you will have to eat more of plant proteins to meet your daily needs.
Why Is The Goal Number Important?
Like we said, you want to aim for your goal weight in protein. Why is this? Well, we’ll give two examples:
If your goal is to lose weight, you want to aim for your goal weight so you maintain lean muscle mass during the weight loss phase. You want to maximize fat loss and muscle retention.
If your goal is to gain weight, you want to eat enough protein to build lean muscle mass, so you aim for your goal weight to maximize the muscle-building process.
During both you’ll want to perform a well-designed strength training routine to maintain or build lean mass and strength.
It may seem like a basic thing, but eating enough protein is crucial in your steps towards aby health & fitness goal. Make sure you follow these tips to help you meet your daily protein needs!