#2 Protein
The importance of eating enough protein
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The key point here is that protein keeps you fuller for longer therefore helping to prevent snacking. It also preserves all the lean muscle mass we are building in our strength training. More muscle also boosts our metabolism which means we are burning more calories through the day, even at rest! Aim to eat a palm of protein at every meal.
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Protein is also vital for building and repairing tissue, hormone production, plus skin, hair and bone health. A higher protein intake can help with weight loss and increase muscle mass. It provides the body with amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. Recommended daily intake is 50g but some researchers believe we should be eating significantly more. So, some simple tips for adding more protein to your daily nutrition:
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During meals, eat your protein first, then your carbs
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Replace cereals with eggs
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Try chopped almonds on top of food (eg yoghurt, salads)
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Choose Greek yoghurt over high sugar/low fat yoghurts
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Add high protein food (20-30g) at every meal
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Pair peanut butter to fruit (slices apple is really nice)
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Indulge in cottage cheese!
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Add protein rich food to your salads
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Munch on Edamame (soybeans)
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Eat canned fish – Omega 3 rich fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines – all great!
Remember eating protein with every meal will really fill you up, satisfying your protein appetite ensuring you don’t overeat carbs and fats. It’s also important for building lean muscle and so supports our resistance training. Our basal metabolic rate (the rate at which we burn calories at rest) increases with the more lean muscle tissue we have, so we are both improving our body composition and our metabolic health.
Have a read of this great list of protein ideas.
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There is a fascinating research article (New Scientist 2020) about listening to our appetite (we have 5 appetites by the way!): beware “protein decoys”: crisps, crackers, instant noodles and so on. These taste of unami, the signature flavour of protein. If you’re deprived of protein, you crave things that taste like protein, even though they are made of carbs. Our food environment is awash with such flavoured carbs and fats: also known as ultra-processed irresistible foods, the main cause of the obesity epidemic today.
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