Proof in the Protein
January 8, 2021Happy New Year, everyone!
Are you focusing on your personal nutrition in 2021? We’ve talked about how to introduce meal prepping into your schedule in our past blogs before. If you’d like to catch up on tips for meal prepping, check out our previous blog HERE!
For those that are taking their nutrition and fitness to the next level, here is a little cheat if you don’t have much time to meal prep your macros: always consume more protein.
Protein is the most important macro for multiple reasons:
- Protein is more calorie dense than carbohydrates and fats. It takes longer for the body to break it down. That is why you probably really full when you consume more protein. Carbohydrates can be compared to matches in a fire (stomach acid). Protein can be compared to a solid piece of thick wood. The wood will take more time to burn, thus always releasing out sustained energy.
- Sustained energy release from protein leads to less snacking. Continuous snacking leads to a slower metabolism.
- Protein aids in muscle hypertrophy, or growth. You will recover faster AND stronger. Here is an extra incentive, your workouts will get easier as you are stronger!! …at this point, we make them harder for continuous growth.
- With faster muscle recovery, that means you are in a state of soreness for LESS time.
- Carbs and fats are strictly energy sources and do not help in muscle growth and recovery. In fact, extra fats and sugars can put your blood in an acidic state that hinders in muscle recovery and increases soreness.
A fun statistic: Research reveals more than 1 in 3 Americans 50+ aren’t meeting the recommended protein intake and it’s saying a lot about their diets and health. Timing matters – eating protein evenly throughout the day, and even before bedtime, can support muscles for optimal health.
Read more about it HERE and take a look at the graphic to the left (right click and select “Open Image in New Tab”).
The proof is in the protein. Consume it breakfast, lunch, and dinner.