Getting Enough Protein—Quick Wins
Aug 10, 2022
No matter your goals, whether shedding body fat, gaining strength and muscle tissue, or both, ensuring that you get enough protein in your diet will help you succeed.
From my experience, most middle aged women suffer from a lack of protein until they give it some attention. That was me, too, until a few years ago!
What does this suffering look like? Unwanted body fat that won’t budge, shrinking, droopy muscles, and lagging injuries. No thanks!
Maybe your protein intake was okay as a younger person. As we get into middle age, though, we need to increase our protein intake to combat the catabolic (tearing apart) tendency of aging, as well as our decreased ability to digest food as robustly as we used to.
Without enough protein coming in, our bodies will tear apart our muscle tissue to use the amino acids for whatever daily project is most urgent. Survival needs, such as repairing our organs, will always come first!
So, let’s get enough protein!
Where will this added protein come from? More meat and animal products? Not a great idea! The world’s healthiest populations eat far less meat than most Americans.
Besides, most of my clients don’t like eating meat that much, and I totally get it of course! I haven’t eaten meat in 30 years!
Even the ones that like meat, don’t want to eat more of it!
The good news? Enter clean burning, robust plant proteins, a staple for the world’s healthiest populations!
Let’s look at quick wins. Try supplementing your diet with high quality plant protein powder!
I like to spike my morning oats with plant protein to start my day off grounded and strong.
This simple recipe anchors each day with 34 grams of quality plant protein:
Play around with this recipe until you love it!
My mom makes a few day’s worth of high protein oats, and stores them in the fridge. She loves adding orange juice to the liquid, and lots of cinnamon. She also rotates through different types of berries and nuts/seeds for variety.
I suspect that she has saved her picky husband’s life with this recipe he has come to love!
The simple protein powder addition to her morning oats has helped her, and many of my clients, gain strength and feel satisfied all day long.
Feeling satisfied and grounded? That winning combo helps us build strength and shed pounds of body fat, and keep them off!
Quick win and long game benefits? I’m in!
Quick Win references:
Complement protein powder is my favorite unsweetened plant based protein powder for its very clean, minimally processed, ingredients, and eco-friendly packaging (plastic tubs bug me!).
I enjoy Superfood Ka’chava shakes, for a delicious post-workout treat. My favorite flavors? Chocolate, vanilla, and chai. They also make bars, they are on my next order!
I have enjoyed Clean Machine protein, vanilla chai flavor.
Orgain makes a good protein too. I have used vanilla.
Many of the Vega organic protein powders are high quality and delicious.
Read nutrition labels carefully!
Look for simple and minimally processed ingredients.
I like to see a range of non-soy plant proteins (especially minimize isolated soy protein, it’s ultra-processed).
I prefer to enjoy my soybeans in delicious traditional foods like tempeh and tofu!
Beware of added carbohydrates! There should be no added sugar. Carbohydrates on the label should derive from fiber.
If it’s a sweetened protein powder, the sweetness should come from stevia or naturally occurring sugar alcohols like erythritol or mannitol (monk fruit extract). Avoid artificial flavors and sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame and saccharine.
Play around and become a plant protein connoisseur! There are many convenient plant protein products on the market these days. I am still experimenting with new ones! Read the nutrition labels carefully, and have fun!
Join me for a chocolate shake? I am serious, these are delicious, healthy treats, which boost our protein!
