How much protein should I eat: A StrongHer Guide
The nutrition space has always been messy, and confusing, and contradictory. So much stuff out there, from influencers trying to make some quick money by selling you detox teas to an endless list of fad diets. And it’s all geared towards bloody dieting and losing weight! But we’ve recently noticed a shift - protein seems to be the new black, and everyone suddenly seems to have become a protein specialist. While it’s great to see women are finally told to eat more, instead of restricting, it’s still… well, hella confusing. So let’s talk about protein - the StrongHer way.
Protein, what’s that?
Protein is one of the three major macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fats, and they're often referred to as the body's building blocks. From a nutritional perspective, protein is composed of amino acids - basically tiny molecules, which are essential for countless functions in your body. One of the most important ones - and the only one you hear about - is supporting muscle growth. But these little guys also help in the production of enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. Without protein, our beautiful strong body simply couldn't function optimally.
Why you shouldn’t leave protein out of your plate
Muscle Growth and Repair - the star of the show. Protein is your best friend in your fitness journey. It's the primary nutrient responsible for repairing and building muscle tissue. Eating an adequate amount of protein helps your muscles recover and grow stronger after a sweaty gym sesh.
Satiety and Weight Management - Okay, hear us out - while we know not everyone is trying to lose weight - eating enough protein makes you feel full and less hungry. From a general nutritional perspective, protein makes for a balanced meal. And from a weight management perspective, that is, if you’re eating in a calorie deficit with the goal of losing fat, protein will make your life easier. Keeping you full for longer, a protein rich diet is one of the easiest way to go about being in a calorie deficit.
Metabolism and Fat Loss - Your body spends more energy digesting protein compared to carbohydrates and fats, a process called the thermic effect of food (TEF) - basically the energy your body uses to digest food. This means that you can potentially burn more calories when consuming a high-protein diet, making it a valuable tool for fat loss.
Nutrient Transport: Proteins help transport vital nutrients and oxygen to various parts of your body, ensuring optimal functionality of all your organs and tissues. See why it’s a must even if we’re not talking fat loss?!
Immune Function: Antibodies that protect you from illness are made up of protein. A balanced protein intake supports your immune system's ability to fight off infections and diseases.
Okay, but how much protein?
This is another topic the Internet managed to overcomplicate - for no good reason! While the amount of protein you should consume depends on various factors, including your age, sex, weight, activity level, and fitness goals, there are simple rules of thumb that can make your life easier. Here it goes: aim for around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. And if maths wasn’t your favourite subject at school - just make it even simpler and multiple by 1!
If you’re actively training, trying to build muscle, strength and endurance - up that to 1.2 - 1.5 grams per kg.
Good Sources of Protein
Now that you know why you should eat protein, and how much of it, it’s time to talk about where to get it from.
What’s with the protein shakes?
Everyone seems to be making them nowadays, right? Heck, we even have our own in-house Protein shake bar! But why? Well, the simple answer is convenience. You can absolutely get all your protein through food - but that normally requires a bit of extra effort, and we all have busy days sometimes when we cba to cook. So a protein shake is an easy fix - you make something that tastes good, takes 5 minutes to make AND has a whole lot of protein in it! There are different types of protein powder, with different nutritional contents - vegan, whey, there’s even the clear protein that tastes like iced tea! We would always recommend getting your protein intake from ‘real food’ but understand that depending on lifestyle you’ll need to add it into your day, wherever you can!
If you still have any questions or are confused about nutrition why don’t you book a call with one of our nutritionists?