How to eat more protein
New clients often struggle with having to increase their protein intake. It is a filling macronutrient and it is also one which people tend to under eat before working with a coach. Protein needs are very important for both building muscle AND when losing weight in order to preserve muscle mass. The last thing you want to do when dieting is chew away at your precious muscles.
So how can you get more protein? I have a friend in the industry, Sarah Conomacos, who made this beautiful infographic, and it’s perfect for highlighting easy ways to increase your protein intake.
*Bulk prep*
– crockpot
– instant pot
– grill
The crockpot and instant pot are fan favorites in the fitness community for a reason. You can cook a high volume of foods in both with virtually no effort. My favorite way to cook crockpot chicken: put 6 frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of the pot with a jar of salsa and let it cook overnight for 8hrs on low. Once done, shred it with forks while it’s still in the pot and then transfer to Tupperware. How much easier could it be?
Grilling is also so easy to do in large quantities and lends really excellent flavor to all meats.
You can freeze any portion of whatever you make and just thaw it out and eat it later, too.
*Meal prep*
– build your meal around your protein
– let your protein portion be the largest portion on your plate before filling with carbs and fat
– this can help you manage carb and fat intake if you tend to over eat those macronutrients
*Protein Shakes*
– easy and convenient
– can be taken anywhere, any time
– there’s usually an option for EVERYONE (whey, casein, isolate, blends, vegan options, etc)
– usually both low in fat and carbs for people who tend to over eat those macros without ever being able to meet their protein requirements
*Protein Snacks*
– choose these items as your first snacking choices over bags of potato chips
– beef jerky
– tuna pouches
– individual containers of plain greek yogurt/cottage cheese
*Larger portions of protein*
– simply eat a bigger serving size of whatever protein you currently eat at each meal
– lean protein options are best for this method, as it will keep calories from other macro groups from throwing you out of a calorie deficit if you’re trying to lose weight
– you may need to decrease portion sizes of other foods you’re eating at each meal in order to stay in a deficit or at maintenance, depending on your goals.
*Track protein intake*
– Use an app like MyFitnessPal to track how much protein you’re eating each day and use that to be more mindful of your food choices
*infographic from Sarah Conomacos*