dragonskorn
New member
As you know, there’s a lot of information out there surrounding protein. Is it good for you? Is it bad for you? Why does everyone say to drink protein powder? Why do people say it will destroy your liver? Also, why do food companies make it known how much protein is injected into their factory made food?
Don’t worry, by the time you are done reading this you will know a little bit about what protein is, what it does for your body, exactly how much you should eat every day, and where you can find it.
Imagine trying to build your dream house without building blocks like brick or concrete. It’s definitely possible but it probably won’t survive any impact thrown at it. Protein is your body’s support structure!
Protein is a macronutrient, which essentially means it’s very important for your body’s everyday function. Essentially, protein is the building block of your body, it’s important to form DNA and to build muscle. Without protein well, you wouldn’t be alive. Our body doesn’t make protein so we need to get it from the food we eat, similarly to how you put fuel in your car to make it run.
Typically, protein is measured in grams, as seen on most “Nutrition Facts” labels. Depending on what your goals are there is a spectrum of how much protein someone should eat. However, to keep it simple here’s an general equation you can follow to figure out how much protein you should eat a day:
Eat 0.7 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day in order to build/maintain muscle.
(1g of protein x body weight)
Let’s use myself as an example; I weigh 200lbs.
(0.7g x 200lbs= 140g)
(1g x 200lbs= 200g)
(1.2g x200lbs= 240g)
My target protein goal for the day should be around 200g!
Now you’re probably asking yourself “Wow that’s a lot of food, how am I supposed to eat that much?” and you’re right that is a lot of food. Don’t sweat it, there’s loads of strategies to eat the right amount of protein throughout the day.
There I was about to leave the workplace, so proud of all the work I’ve done for the day from filling out spreadsheets to writing reports, the whole day went by so fast! “BRRR”, I heard a loud noise, strange… it was a familiar noise “BRRR”, there it was again.
I looked down and to my surprise it was my stomach yelling at me. Although I was so productive all day, I neglected the most important task, eating. It’s hard to eat large amounts protein everyday so the strategy I use is called “The 3, 2, 1 System”
3 Meals
2 Shakes
1 Snack
If that’s too much of a struggle, split up your plate using the “50 Cent Rule”.
Look at your plate and cut it in half, next fill that half with your choice of protein (don’t be stingy, fill it up). With the remaining half that’s where you fill it up with your carbs, veggies, fats, etc.
These simple systems keep me on track to hitting my protein goals. Each meal I aim for 40g of Protein, each shake is about 20g, and each snack is about 10g. It’s clear to keep in mind your goal, you can adjust these amounts to your liking.
Most of the members of Quatro Health Club adopted this strategy and it has worked wonders for their sanity. No longer do they have to measure their food because they’ve got to the point of being able to guestimate how much 40g of protein is, just by looking at it!
Now that you have a grasp on what protein does and how to structure your meals to get more of it, it’s time to find those protein-rich foods. Below I’ve made a list of each of the top protein packed foods you can grab on your next trip to the grocery store, no matter what diet you follow.
Red Meat
Lean Ground Beef = 44g
Ground Bison = 37g
Ribeye = 40g
Skirt Steak = 44g
Chicken
Chicken Breast = 52g
Chicken Thigh = 41g
Chicken Drumstick = 31g
Fish
Salmon = 34g
Mahi Mahi = 31g
Yellow Tail = 40g
Tilapia = 45g
Vegetarian*
Greek Yogurt =17g
Cottage Cheese = 20g
Eggs = 20g
Vegan
Lentils = 15g
Chickpeas = 33g
Chia Seeds = 28g
Now for the sweet stuff, protein powders are highly debated. Between mom’s that believe the stuff is going to kill you and gym rats that swear by it. We’re all about clarity over here so here you go: protein powder is okay to consume. However, as the name suggests protein powder supplements should SUPPLEMENT your diet not rule it.
You don’t need to slam 5 shakes a day and snort protein powder like you’re a narco. But, if you see you have trouble hitting your target protein every day look into supplementing with a shake or two to push you over the edge.
When shopping for protein powder, we want to look at what ingredients are getting put into it. The simpler the better so before grabbing a protein powder that claims to give you abs, put a hair on your chest, and grow your booty, check the label.
Here are some protein powder supplements I've tried and liked for those having trouble hitting their protein goals:
Klean Isolate
Dymatize ISO 100
Naked Whey
Garden of Life Sport (vegan)
Naked Pea (vegan)
Now that you’re a protein pro, fuel yourself, hit your targets, and make some muscle gains! If you need help building muscle, feel free to hit me up.
Don’t worry, by the time you are done reading this you will know a little bit about what protein is, what it does for your body, exactly how much you should eat every day, and where you can find it.
What Is Protein?
Imagine trying to build your dream house without building blocks like brick or concrete. It’s definitely possible but it probably won’t survive any impact thrown at it. Protein is your body’s support structure!
Protein is a macronutrient, which essentially means it’s very important for your body’s everyday function. Essentially, protein is the building block of your body, it’s important to form DNA and to build muscle. Without protein well, you wouldn’t be alive. Our body doesn’t make protein so we need to get it from the food we eat, similarly to how you put fuel in your car to make it run.
How Much Protein Should I Eat?
Typically, protein is measured in grams, as seen on most “Nutrition Facts” labels. Depending on what your goals are there is a spectrum of how much protein someone should eat. However, to keep it simple here’s an general equation you can follow to figure out how much protein you should eat a day:
Eat 0.7 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day in order to build/maintain muscle.
(1g of protein x body weight)
Let’s use myself as an example; I weigh 200lbs.
(0.7g x 200lbs= 140g)
(1g x 200lbs= 200g)
(1.2g x200lbs= 240g)
My target protein goal for the day should be around 200g!
Now you’re probably asking yourself “Wow that’s a lot of food, how am I supposed to eat that much?” and you’re right that is a lot of food. Don’t sweat it, there’s loads of strategies to eat the right amount of protein throughout the day.
Eating Strategies
There I was about to leave the workplace, so proud of all the work I’ve done for the day from filling out spreadsheets to writing reports, the whole day went by so fast! “BRRR”, I heard a loud noise, strange… it was a familiar noise “BRRR”, there it was again.
I looked down and to my surprise it was my stomach yelling at me. Although I was so productive all day, I neglected the most important task, eating. It’s hard to eat large amounts protein everyday so the strategy I use is called “The 3, 2, 1 System”
3 Meals
2 Shakes
1 Snack
If that’s too much of a struggle, split up your plate using the “50 Cent Rule”.
Look at your plate and cut it in half, next fill that half with your choice of protein (don’t be stingy, fill it up). With the remaining half that’s where you fill it up with your carbs, veggies, fats, etc.
These simple systems keep me on track to hitting my protein goals. Each meal I aim for 40g of Protein, each shake is about 20g, and each snack is about 10g. It’s clear to keep in mind your goal, you can adjust these amounts to your liking.
Most of the members of Quatro Health Club adopted this strategy and it has worked wonders for their sanity. No longer do they have to measure their food because they’ve got to the point of being able to guestimate how much 40g of protein is, just by looking at it!
What Foods Have High Protein?
Now that you have a grasp on what protein does and how to structure your meals to get more of it, it’s time to find those protein-rich foods. Below I’ve made a list of each of the top protein packed foods you can grab on your next trip to the grocery store, no matter what diet you follow.
Protein Packed Foods (per 4 oz. Serving)
Red Meat
Lean Ground Beef = 44g
Ground Bison = 37g
Ribeye = 40g
Skirt Steak = 44g
Chicken
Chicken Breast = 52g
Chicken Thigh = 41g
Chicken Drumstick = 31g
Fish
Salmon = 34g
Mahi Mahi = 31g
Yellow Tail = 40g
Tilapia = 45g
Vegetarian*
Greek Yogurt =17g
Cottage Cheese = 20g
Eggs = 20g
Vegan
Lentils = 15g
Chickpeas = 33g
Chia Seeds = 28g
Now for the sweet stuff, protein powders are highly debated. Between mom’s that believe the stuff is going to kill you and gym rats that swear by it. We’re all about clarity over here so here you go: protein powder is okay to consume. However, as the name suggests protein powder supplements should SUPPLEMENT your diet not rule it.
You don’t need to slam 5 shakes a day and snort protein powder like you’re a narco. But, if you see you have trouble hitting your target protein every day look into supplementing with a shake or two to push you over the edge.
When shopping for protein powder, we want to look at what ingredients are getting put into it. The simpler the better so before grabbing a protein powder that claims to give you abs, put a hair on your chest, and grow your booty, check the label.
Here are some protein powder supplements I've tried and liked for those having trouble hitting their protein goals:
Klean Isolate
Dymatize ISO 100
Naked Whey
Garden of Life Sport (vegan)
Naked Pea (vegan)
Now that you’re a protein pro, fuel yourself, hit your targets, and make some muscle gains! If you need help building muscle, feel free to hit me up.
- Drew Quatro