Ladies, Are You Eating Enough Protein?

Ladies, are you eating enough protein?
That’s right – are you eating enough? Many women shy away from consuming multiple meals with protein. It can be an inconvenience to find and/or prepare but it’s so important to overall weight management. The majority of my clients – overweight or not – are under eaters. They tend to count calories (quantity) versus nutrients (quality)…big difference! They generally don’t eat 1,200 calories daily and if you’re not taking in enough calories to support the basic functions of your body at rest, your metabolism will slow down. The body’s basic functions are things like breathing, heart pumping, your brain working, etc…; therefore, if you don’t supply your body with a minimum supply of calories (generally estimated at 1,200), in the long run, your metabolism WILL slow down, your body fat composition will remain high and you will potentially GAIN weight. It has been proven that people who increase their protein intake to as much as 30 percent of their diet eat much fewer calories daily and lose more weight.

So now you’re asking – what and how much protein do I need? According to a recent article in “Women’s Health” (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/39851476/ns/health-diet) a general assessment is that you should consume 0.8 grams and 1.1 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. If you’re 150-pounds, that means eating anywhere from 120 grams – 165 grams daily. Since 1 g. of protein yields 4 calories, that means 480-660 calories alone would come from quality protein. If you’re not overly active you would eat towards the lower amount. This intake of protein is important to building lean muscle and helping to keep your metabolism revved up, even when you’re inactive.

The best bets of proteins are those that have the most amino acids to aid in building lean muscle and are often found in animal products such as skinless white meats and fish. Vegans; however, are not excused from needing protein and usually can complete their protein intake by combining foods such as peanut butter, whole grains, nuts and veggies or relying on tofu, hemp seed, buckwheat and quinoa.

According to this article, the best portable protein choices are jerky, roasted soy nuts (unsalted almonds are good too), protein powder, energy bars (watch the sugar), hard boiled eggs and string cheese. 

Now, while you may be ready to add all this protein to your grocery list, be mindful that protein – just like anything else – if consumed but not ‘used’ will be stored in your body as fat. You have to fuel your body wisely and MOVE it frequently to reap the best results.

Source: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/39851476/ns/health-diet

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