Day 5: All Proteins are NOT Created Equal

Moving on to protein. What percent of our daily calories should be protein?

Our daily intake of protein should be 20-25% of our total calories.

Protein is important because this is what our cellular structure and muscle are made up of.

Protein powders are good, but what I tell my 1:1 clients is that this powder should be ground as close to its natural state as possible. The more things that come from the ground, the better. **Check those nutrition labels as you want to be sure that the powder you’re using has little to no added sugars.

All protein is not equal. When we’re in the weight loss phase, we want our bodies building muscle.

Unfortunately, when some people start a diet they are not getting balanced nutrition. They can be losing weight, but they are actually losing muscle mass and still holding onto the fat. Balanced nutrition is also incredibly important in the weight maintenance phase. If we don’t have balanced nutrition, and we’re not getting the appropriate amount of protein, our bodies lose those cellular building blocks that help build muscle.

Remember, losing weight isn’t about how quick we can get to a certain number. It also shouldn’t be about how quickly we can lose weight.

Aside from building muscle, protein is really, really critical for repair. At the end of the day, as we sleep, protein helps to rebuild our muscles. When we exercise, our muscles get broken down. Protein is essential for muscle repair.

We also need to be cautious about ingesting all of our protein in just one sitting. Just like we hear with water and how we are supposed to drink a certain amount of water throughout the day. This same principle to protein. Our bodies can only absorb about 25 grams of protein in one sitting.

So if you're thinking that, “Hey, in the morning, I'm going to get all my protein, I'm going to have my 20 to 25% of protein, all for breakfast, I'm going to have my eggs and some chicken and a protein shake, and it's going to be amazing”... think again.

It's not going to be amazing because your body is not designed to absorb all of that protein at once, which is why you want to stagger your protein throughout the day.

Your body will use what it can, which is about 25 grams. And then the rest of it literally is going straight in the toilet.

You won't be wasting food, but you will be wasting protein. . . AND you're going to be hungry the rest of the day.

Ideally, we should be eating every 2-3 hours so that the influx of protein, and the other macronutrients, is steady throughout the day. This will help keep your blood sugars and your insulin levels balanced.

**When you're getting the maximum amount of protein absorption by dividing it throughout the day, in return you will:

- Reduce your hunger.

- Decrease your cravings.

- Increase your energy

- Eliminate those spikes and dips

As for the source of your protein, we can get this from plant sources and animal sources.

Examples of plant sources include:

- Greek yogurt

- Soybeans

- Edamame

- Nuts

- Lentils

- Nut butters

Examples of animal sources include:

- Salmon and other fish

- Turkey

- Pork

- Lamb

THE MORE YOU KNOW, right?! So don't cram all your protein in one sitting unless you want to be HANGRY and not absorbing what you need.

DON'T FORGET - I am still taking early bird seats for my one of a kind health transformation program that will get up and running in August. This is for the woman between 30-65+ years olf with 30-65+ pounds to lose who is ready to connect their health journey to Christ. Fill out this quick form and I will be in touch shortly! https://forms.gle/DTzBPR4q7LSrNgp17