In Protein Power, I share my efforts to increase the amount of protein I consume daily. The motivation for doing this was described in a couple of places in one of my previous blog posts: Next Level – Next Phase. Since then, I’ve also found other sources that indicate that as we age, we ALL need more protein in our daily diet.
Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through affiliate links (marked with asterisks) in this post – at no extra cost to you. I am also not a healthcare professional. I am merely sharing my interests. Please see the website’s Disclaimer page for this and other disclaimer information.
How Much Protein?
How much protein are we talking? There’s a daily recommendation and a calculator available, but I decided to take a gradual approach. Initially, I focused on just increasing my protein at each meal without targeting a specific number of grams. Eventually I’d like to get ~ 30 grams of protein at each meal. I am by no means striving for perfection. However awareness is key. I had to come to terms with how little protein I was getting previously. It has truly been a bit of a challenge to my creativity to find appealing ways to increase my protein. Along the way, I also had to make changes to long time practices that I THOUGHT were healthy!
Protein Prior to Workouts
For years I did my morning workouts on an empty stomach. It’s been an adjustment to eat something with protein 30 minutes prior to my strength training sessions. Having a small amount of leftovers has worked. Alternatively, I’ve eaten half of my breakfast before and the rest afterwards. I have also tried delaying my workout until after I eat breakfast, but that’s a risk. I am less likely to follow through if I eat first. Likewise, for workouts scheduled later in the day, I always thought fueling myself beforehand with carbs was the way to go. Turns out primarily protein is the pre-workout fuel of choice and if cardio is involved, add in ~ 30 grams of carbs as well.
Protein After Workouts
Similarly, I thought the best post workout snack was carbs. Nope. Within 40 minutes of completing a workout I need to eat something that includes protein. I’ve tried bringing a protein snack (i.e. nuts ) but I sometimes resort to grabbing something from the salad or hot bar of the closest store.
Lessons Learned
Now that I have been doing this for awhile, I have learned a few lessons – specifically about myself:
>I’m not a fan of Protein Powders
>I’ll also pass on the Protein Coffees
>Having eggs really seems to help my progress!
>I should always check the protein source on foods with added protein (i.e. Protein Oatmeal, Protein Muffins)
Creative Protein Ideas
I don’t typically like Beef Jerky, but I did discover a South African Beef Jerky called Biltong that I actually enjoy. There are many brands but the one I tried is Ayoba Biltong, and I chose the Traditional flavor. Note that isn’t an affiliate link. It just allows you to see what I am describing, and the available variations. Honestly though, for this brand, I found some of the pieces to be rather chewy/tough. Fortunately I recently discovered 365 Organic Grass-Fed Beef Jerky (Traditional) that tastes just as good. I would even say it tastes better! The pieces are thicker, and definitely consistently tender. It does taste a little sweeter to me. At 11 grams of protein per 1 oz serving, this works great for an on the go protein snack.
More Discoveries
Milks
Fairlife (lactose free ultra filtered milk) – 13gm protein/8 oz
Foods
Eggs, Greek Yogurt, Salmon (fresh, frozen, canned, smoked), Turkey Bacon, Sardines
Seeds & Nuts
Pumpkin Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Walnuts, Almonds, Cashews
Snacks
Harvest Snap Pea Crisps, 365 Organic Grass-Fed Beef Jerky
Recipes
I created a few recipes that provide yummy ways for me to add more protein:
Conclusion
This is a journey (as opposed to a temporary challenge) and I will definitely pivot and adapt as needed. More than anything, I’ll continue to listen to my body and keep my ears open for new ideas. As always, there’s more to the story but that will be a topic for another post. 😉
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