What is protein?
Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build and repair almost every tissue in your body.
How much protein do we need?
The current daily recommendation for protein intake is anywhere between 1.2 – 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (Scott-Dixon et al.,2020). For a 155 lb. individual, that would be between 84-154grams of protein per day. If you are trying to lose or gain weight, a daily consumption of 1.6-3.3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight would be beneficial. It is also important to note that the older our bodies get, the harder it becomes for our bodies to digest protein. Therefore, the older we get, the more protein we should be consuming daily as our bodies get less from a given amount.
How to measure the amount of protein you are consuming:
Try the hand portion method of measuring. It is highly adaptable as your hand is always with you and it naturally adjusts for body size.
For a serving size of protein, use the palm of your hand for one serving size (take your hand and lay it flat, look at the palm of your hand without your fingers attached, that is your palm).
In general, prioritize lean, fresh, and minimally processed sources of protein. It is also beneficial to consider limiting red meats to 4 palms or less per week (Scott-Dixon et al.,2020).
The general recommendation is 1-2 palms of high protein foods per meal. One palm of protein is roughly 20-30 grams of protein (Scott-Dixon et al.,2020). “High protein food” means that most of the calories are coming from protein as opposed to say fat or carbohydrates. Examples of high protein foods include chicken, pork, goat, beef, fish, organ meats, and seafood. Other sources of protein include beans, legumes, tempeh, tofu, and protein powders. The overall goal is to eat real food first and to be eating as little of processed foods as possible.
My protein story:
Personally, my protein intake over the years has skyrocketed. When I was growing up, the idea that “women didn’t need a lot of protein” was a common belief. I remember steering away from eating protein because I believed that always eating protein was for the men… sounds silly but it was reality to me.
In more recent years I have learned the vast benefit of intentionally eating more protein and it has changed my relationship with food altogether. Protein takes longer to process in the body and therefore leaves us feeling more satiated (feeling fuller) for a longer period. Learning and experimenting with this, guided me to depend less on quick, snacky highly processed food to ward off hanger. I notice that when I eat a portion of lean protein at every meal, I tend to not be hungry between meals and to naturally choose better foods throughout the day. It sounds simple and a little too good to be true, but it is my top habit for maintaining my health, navigating emotional and social eating, and for feeling my best.
Action:
What is your protein intake like and how could you do a little bit better? Whether that is increasing your portions throughout the day, choosing better sources, or diversifying your source, I dare you to choose one small thing to improve on and give it a try for 1 week. Tune into your body during this time and learn more about what it needs and what makes it feel its best. Tell me about how it goes in the comments below.
Thank you for taking the time to read! I hope you received some helpful tips along the way.
Here’s to becoming stronger for everyday life. 🥂
Resources:
Scott-Dixon, K., Berardi, J., Pierre, B. S., Kollias, H., & DePutter, C. (2020). The Essentials of Nutrition and Coaching for health, fitness, and sport (4th ed.). Precision Nutrition, Inc.
