What helps you stay full and satiated and revs up your metabolism? PROTEIN! And you may not be eating enough of it.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. But this amount of daily protein is simply the minimum amount of protein needed to function and prevent diseases related to protein deficiency.
If you’re someone who wants to build or maintain lean muscle tissue – and you SHOULD be that person since lean muscle tissue directly impacts our metabolic rate AND is one of the first lines of defense against the aging process – the literature tells us the protein we should be eating every day looks more like 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For athletes, you can actually get away with consuming the lower end of protein, whereas those who are maybe just starting out in the gym should stick with the higher levels.
This is due to the muscle breakdown that occurs in beginners vs those of us who have been hitting the gym for years.
So for someone who weighs 200 lbs, ideally they’d be getting 120-160g protein/day.
Now, you may be reading this thinking, “but my bodybuilder boyfriend told me I needed to eat 1 g protein per pound of body weight! Is that too much?” No. It’s not too much.
As a matter of fact, we even recommend 1 g protein per pound body weight in Metabolism Makeover because protein is also the most satiating macronutrient and it’s fabulous for weight loss. It’s also the macronutrient that revs up our metabolism the most!
But do you HAVE to consume 1 g protein per pound of body weight to maintain or build muscle? No, you do not. Choose a target that feels right to you. If you’re choosing a lower target but feeling hungry often, bump it up.
Protein can come from animal sources, nuts, beans, seeds, or a variety of plant-based sources.
When determining which to add to your meal, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Animal protein provides all of the essential amino acids, making them “complete proteins,” while plant-based proteins are most often “incomplete” sources of protein because they don’t contain all of the essential amino acids.
In particular, when trying to build or maintain lean muscle tissue, we want to make sure we’re consuming enough leucine in the diet. Leucine is what triggers muscle protein synthesis in amounts of 2.5g or greater, and we typically see this in animal sources more than we do plant sources.
So, while it is possible to get your protein in with a plant-based diet, there may be some additional planning needed to ensure you’re getting enough protein, nutrients, and amino acids to support lean muscle tissue. To do this:
While protein may not be the easiest macro to include, it is absolutely needed for your overall health! Benefits of protein include maintaining and increasing lean muscle mass, aiding in fat loss, increasing your basal metabolic rate, keeping you satiated, muscle and tissue repair, and more. Aim for 20-30 grams at your next meal and see how you feel. Fuller for longer? More satisfied?
Try something on the list that you haven’t, or if you’re already a foodie, experiment with a new recipe!
Want some ideas for protein recipes? Grab my FREE 3-Day Sample Meal Plan here!
Baylee Reller
@nucrewnutrition
Metabolism Makeover Coach
Some of the links on this page contain affiliate links, which means I get paid a lil bit of money if you purchase something I recommend. I would never, ever recommend a product I wouldn’t purchase myself (that’s so gross).
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