How much protein do you really need?

A lot of BODYSIM users are shocked at how much they need to increase their protein intake in order to meet their goals. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. For a 150 lb person, this is equivalent to 54 grams of protein per day.

However, our initial recommendation for a user who is building muscle will range from 2-3g of protein per kg of body weight. For that same 150 lb user, that would range from 136 g of protein/day to 204 g of protein/day, if the user is building muscle quickly. Research has even show that a higher protein diet will consistently show more fat loss and muscle gain, even at higher calorie levels. That’s a lot of protein shakes! Luckily, we’ve found several approaches to help meet protein goals without constantly drinking it.

Get it early

Front load protein in the morning and pair carbs with extra activity - a good rule of thumb is to shoot for 30 grams of protein within an hour of waking up.

• That could be a serving of greek yogurt with a protein cereal like Kashi GO.
• If you focus on sourcing protein first you can worry about carbs and fat at a lower priority, and it’s a lot easier to hit that big number by dinner, avoiding “bedtime snack shakes”.
• Make smart choices that leave more calories available for protein consumption, like tuna packed in water vs. oil

Choose carbs that bring protein to the table

Transforming your body composition doesn’t mean always saying “no” to carbs. Here’s how we keep it balanced with enough protein:

• Protein enhanced pasta like Goodles: lets you have a pasta night without totally throwing your macros goals out the window
• Add grain choices that are high in protein like quinoa, farro, bulgar etc.
• Leverage protein-rich beans and legumes as your carbohydrate source, for instance, roasted chickpeas are great way to satisfy the need for something crunchy without sacrificing protein
• Choose high protein veggies like spinach, alfalfa sprouts, watercress, asparagus, mustard greens, collard greens, and broccoli (frozen spinach and other frozen greens can even be added to smoothies)

Add an egg

One large egg is only 74 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat, and a great add-in to your meals:

• Especially for vegetarians, or meat-free days, you can add an egg or two to salads, sandwiches, or veggie main dishes as a great source of protein
• Drop an egg into your soup, egg-drop soup style!
• We like to batch prepare hard or soft boiled eggs with a sous vide so you always have some on hand

Protein stir ins

You don’t have to give up your favorite dishes, but you can bump up the protein but stirring in greek yogurt or a neutral-flavored protein powder:

• Plain greek yogurt is a great source of protein to add to your smoothies but it can also go into morning oatmeal, meat marinades, salad dressings, etc.
• Eating more chicken breast can be less than exciting but adding a little more to salads or soups can help alleviate the tedium of that high protein staple
• Neutral flavored protein powder can easily be stirred into milk with cereal or oatmeal

Fill the pantry with good protein options

Adjust your purchase habits with a protein focused shopping list. Here are some great options:

• Low fat cottage cheese: a serving is only 98 calories and 11g of protein!
• Oikos pro yogurt and shakes: allow you to get 20-40g of protein in a single serving.
• Sardines - King Oscar is fine, but we like to buy the Matiz brand in bulk for a delicious snack. These are a great substitute for a cheese board, paired with low calorie crackers.
• Fairlife nonfat milk: it keeps forever because it’s ultra pasteurized and adds an extra kick of protein.
• Tuna canned in water or tuna packets: low calorie, high protein easy lunch option
• Sliced deli meat: an open faced sandwich keeps your macro balance in check
• Smoked salmon or other smoked fish: surprisingly good macros for how luxurious it is
• When all else fails, there are actually “protein shots” that just get you protein with nothing else
  “emergency” give me more protein today but no other cals

If you’re on the go

Sometimes you’re on the road and might be tempted by the trail mix or chips, but there are some protein packed options you can find at almost any airport or gas station:

• Fairlife or Muscle Milk shakes - these are packed with monkfruit or sucralose, but they do fill you up.
• Sugar free beef jerky - it can be hard to find truly sugar free, but this is our other road trip favorite. Just check the backs of packages for the lowest amounts of added sugar. Biltong works great for this too.
• Epic Bars or other Epic Provisions snacks: the chicken options are the lowest fat, but all are pretty good options.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4617900/pdf/12970_2015_Article_100.pdf

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