How Much Protein Should I Eat?

As a wellness coach i often get asked, How much protein should I eat? Many now realize the importance of protein in our diet. If you know it's important it's logical to wonder, how much protein should I eat? Eating lean protein with every meal has many wonderful health benefits. When we are born into the world our primary source of nutrition throughout our first year is breast milk or formula, which is rich with protein. Eating lean protein will ensure you maintain a steady metabolism, rebuild your declining muscle mass as you age, and maintain healthy levels of triglycerides.

BENEFITS OF LEAN PROTEIN
Our stomachs specifically looks for protein and will expend more energy breaking it down when it finds it.
Unlike carbohydrates or fats protein is completely broken down in our stomach. Protein takes longer for your body to digest so it stays with you longer (much like whole grains.) As a result this keeps our metabolism steady and will burn calories at a healthy rate throughout the day. A steady metabolism plays a major factor in losing weight, burning up the calories instead of storing them as fat. Protein also plays an important roll in maintaining muscle mass. Don't be fooled, you don't have to be muscular to have muscle mass. The use of the two words muscle and mass together might cause some to envision some huge bodybuilder flexing in speedos. But the fact is everyone has muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate tends to be. The more muscle mass you have on your frame, the more food you will burn.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

One of the important reasons to ask, how much protein should i eat, is to find out how much is too much. How much protein one should have will vary, due to your height, weight, age, the amount of activities you do a day, and most importantly your nutrition goals. There are many varying opinions on this question and this is just one. Recommended daily allowances (RDA) set by the Food and Nutrition Board is about 0.36 grams of protein from every pound you weight so if you weight 150lbs you should eat, at least 54 grams a day (150x.36). HOWEVER, if your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle your amount of daily protein should be adjusted. Physical activity and exertion will increase your need for protein. As a general rule those who are trying to GAIN weight and add muscle need to strive for 1 grams of protein for each pound you weight. So if you weight 150lbs you want to strive to eat 150 grams of protein each day. Also if you are trying to lose weight the amount of protein you eat would depend on your Body-Mass Index. Your Body-Mass Index will be calculated using your height, weight, and gender. We must realize our protein intake must be lean and spread throughout in the meals we eat throughout the day. Too much protein in one meal is not good either. For many getting that much lean protein day after day is tough chore. The body does not store protein so it must be broken down and disposed. Also protein should be combined with a balance meal rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish,healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. In the end it's up to you to keep track and then decide what is getting you results and keeping you filling healthy.

NOT JUST ANY PROTEIN, BUT LEAN PROTEIN!

I keep emphasizing lean protein, so what does this mean? Yes a steak has lots of protein but also has alot of fat. Chicken has protein but thighs and wings will also be high in fat, where as breast meat will not. Examples of healthy protein include: protein shakes, chicken breast, turkey breast, lean red meat, egg whites, soy milk, nuts, and beans. Cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, and other diary product are excellent sources of protein, but should be reduced fat or nonfat in order to provide healthy lean protein. Flank steak is a your best bet when eating beef, it provides a good source of lean red meat. When grocery shopping read labels of the food you buy. See how much protein the foods have but much sure the fat content is low. Since we have learned the importance in protein, protein shakes are no longer just for body builders and can be a routine purchase on your grocery list. They come in a variety of flavors and is one of the best sources for lean healthy protein. Just like we don't like all foods, we won't like all flavors of protein shakes. Try them all until you find the one you like. Some can be mixed with fruit juice, some with soy milk, or some are fine with just water. The trick is to find a shake you start to crave. You don't want it to feel like a chore or it will some because a passing phase.

I hope you found this information valuable. If you would like a free personal wellness evaluation or would like to be trained to become a wellness coach yourself please contact me: mvpogan@hotmail.com