
Getting into fitness can often seem daunting to beginners, especially when you realize that going to the gym is only about 25% of what is required to get noticeable results. If you are trying to build muscle, on top of the stimulus for muscle growth (weight training), you also require fuel for muscle growth (protein, and sufficient caloric intake). Most of the recent research reflects that you should aim to consume ~1g protein/lb. of bodyweight/day. In my opinion, eating 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day is an absolute non negotiable when it comes to building muscle.
Considering that this goal can be difficult to reach for some, I've decided to compile some practical tips to help you guys add more protein to your diet!
Build your meals around protein. This means that for every meal, instead of being content to just eat cereal, oatmeal, pasta, pizza etc. on its own, you should treat the protein of the meal as the main part of the meal, and have the carbs be a side. So, for example, for breakfast I would build my meal around eggs, and have a bowl of oatmeal as a side. For lunch, I can have a sandwich, and for dinner, I can cook some chicken and make some sweet potatoes and broccoli. Simply switching your mentality around eating to always build your meal around a protein source can significantly increase your protein intake for the day!
Start making protein shakes. Protein shakes can be a great way to ensure that you hit your protein goal, and get in some more calories as well. By liquifying your calories and protein, it becomes much more convenient to bring it with you on the go, to work or the gym, and it is processed faster and easier by your body, as it is already in a liquid form. A simple protein shake can consist of oat milk, a scoop of protein powder, a frozen banana, a handful of raspberries, a touch of honey for natural sweetness, and water for consistency.
Track/count your protein intake for a couple of days. I'm personally not a big believer in constantly tracking calories and macros (short for macronutrients; protein, carbs, and fats), however, I do believe it's important to track your eating for at least a few days out of your week, simply to find out how much you are actually eating in numerical form. Typically, people tend to undereat in terms of both protein and overall calories, so this can be a great way to quantify how much you are actually eating, and let you know how much more protein you need to consume in order to reach your protein goal.
Don't sleep on Greek Yoghurt. In my opinion, Greek yoghurt is hands down one of the best protein snacks around. You can easily improve the taste by adding low calorie syrup (or actual maple syrup if you are looking to get more calories in), some oats and/or fruit of your choice, and this low calorie, high protein snack can quickly turn into a sweet tooth-kicker.
Have an extra egg (or two) in the morning. Eggs are often hailed as a great source of protein, however, most eggs only have around 6 grams of protein in them. Consider making 3-4 eggs for breakfast rather than 1-2, as this will bring your protein to around 24g for the meal, rather than 6-12g. If you are worried about the calories in eggs, egg whites are a fantastic low calorie alternative with generally the same protein content.
Cheese! Considering most adults are some level of lactose intolerant, lactose free cheese can be a great way to not only add some melted gooey goodness to your sandwiches or other meals, but cheese is a fantastic source of protein and fats as well. Consider incorporating more cheese into your diet if you enjoy it!
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