Achieving fitness goals isn’t necessarily easy — and most people overlook one important factor, making meeting goals even more difficult. The key is protein!
This vital macronutrient is composed of amino acids and can be found in everything from your muscles to your bones to your hair. If you don’t eat enough protein, you may feel weak or hungry, experience stress fractures, and have mood changes, muscle weakness, or brittle hair and nails.
Luckily, most adults in the U.S. consume enough protein to avoid protein deficiency, but many would benefit from a higher protein intake. However, that doesn’t mean that you’re looking at meal after meal of meat. Things like milk, yogurt, beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, and baked potatoes are also excellent sources of protein that can help you meet your goals.
A high-protein diet can help you:
1. Lose Fat
Losing fat is one of the most common goals people have — and most people go about it all wrong. They dedicate 100% of their energy to working out and none of their attention to their diet. The truth is that exercise can only get you so far. You also need to think about what you’re eating.
There are a lot of myths about protein floating around out there, but the reality is that having a high-protein diet can help you lose fat, as the nutrient can help you feel full sooner, reduce your cravings, and keep your metabolism and muscle growth up, meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Plus, if you’re trying to lose weight, continuing to incorporate protein in your diet will ensure that you lose fat and not muscle.
2. Build Muscle
If you want to develop muscle, strength training can certainly help — but you can’t neglect your diet. Since the amino acids found within protein are the main building blocks of muscle (not to mention bones, organs, skin, and nails), a high-protein diet can help you achieve muscle growth. Remember, it’s all about balance. You’ll need regular exercise and a healthy diet to see the results you want.
3. Get Stronger
Getting stronger takes time, regular workouts, and a high-protein diet. After all, when you chow down on protein-rich foods, you’re giving your body the amino acids it needs to repair and grow your muscles after your workouts. What’s more, protein plays a role in the production of many hormones involved in muscle growth and repair, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and testosterone.
4. Improve Bone Density
Most people automatically associate increased protein with increased muscle and strength, but did you know that upping your protein intake can also help improve your bone density?
For one, protein provides your body with much-needed amino acids that act as building blocks for your bone tissues. Without sufficient protein, your body wouldn’t have the resources it needs to repair and strengthen your bones. Plus, protein helps increase calcium absorption, meaning your body can more effectively use the calcium in your diet. It’s also worth noting consuming more protein can help you maintain a healthy bone density as you age, reducing your chances of osteoporosis, breaks, and fractures.
5. Recover Faster
Working out can take a lot out of you, your muscles, and your tissues, but having a protein-packed diet can be a game changer! Not only does protein provide the amino acids your muscles and tissues need to repair and rebuild the tiny tears that occur during intense workouts, but it can also help reduce muscle soreness! With a protein-rich diet, you’ll feel like yourself in no time at all!
6. Improve Sports Performance
If you’re looking to improve your sports performance, eating more protein is a no-brainer! After all, we already know that more protein can lead to more muscle and strength yet less fat. But it’s deeper than that.
Increasing your protein intake can also help with muscle repair, meaning you’ll be ready to take on your next training session and accomplish your athletic goals faster than ever! Plus, protein can provide you with the energy and power you need to push through fatigue and bring your all.
Want to smash your fitness goals out of the park? It’s all about that high-quality protein intake! If you’re unsure of where to start, don’t worry. I’ve got your back! Reach out to me today at happyhelen@gmail.com for help incorporating more protein into your diet and reaching your fitness goals!