Ways To Incorporate Protein Into Your Diet
Fitness Expert Holly Perkins shares why protein is so important.
Hold on! Hold your comment…I’m an incredible mind reader and I know what you’re going to say:
“I thought Americans eat too much protein!”
“But I thought protein is hard on my kidneys!”
Usually women tend to eat too little protein. It’s the men that tend to eat more protein. In truth, in 18 years I have met ONE person who had problems because of his protein consumption. I’m not going get into what’s considered “too much protein” today. He was an obsessed bodybuilder who was drinking blended chicken three times a day (true story) and had a preexisting kidney problem. Just sayin.
One key to optimal health is to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day. Protein and carbohydrates work synergistically to do this. Protein and carbs are besties. It is critical that you pair the carbohydrates that you eat with a reasonable amount of protein.
Some creative ways to add protein to your day
“Proatmeal” is still a favorite of mine when I’m rushed in the morning. I add one scoop of whey protein to my oatmeal with berries.
Protein powders are awesome because they are so versatile. They bake well so you can add to muffins, cookies and even pancakes. I also keep an envelope of protein powder and a Blender Bottle on me most of the time. This way I can simply add water and have a solid source of protein in a pinch.
I love protein bars as a convenient option when I crave something sweet, or need an alternative to skipping a meal. Missing a meal or snack is disaster territory for me, so I always have a box (yes, a full box) of Promax bars on me. Thankfully, there are so many bars on the market these days. I choose Promax as a brand because their bars have no preservatives, no scary ingredients, and no high fructose corn syrup. They are gluten free with no artificial sweeteners, maltitol or gelatin. They are one of the cleanest bars that I’ve found that taste awesome and digest well.
One of my favorite meals is oatmeal with raw cacao nibs and a chopped up Promax Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Lower Sugar bar. Like, whoa. Click HERE to check out their bars. Last year I created a recipe for the most decadent Molten Lava Cake using a Promax Lower Sugar bar. It’s off the charts! No longer does a high protein dessert exist only in my dreams! Click HERE for the recipe.
Here are my go-to proteins:
- Egg whites
- Low fat cottage cheese
- Low fat or skim milk
- Chicken
- Pork
- Canned tuna
- Low fat breakfast meats
- Vegan protein powders
- Tofu
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt
- Low fat cheese
- Turkey
- Beef
- Fish
- Low sodium deli meats
- Protein powders
- Tempeh
- String cheese
Source: Worldlifestyle.com