There are many things you need to know about protein – we cover the top 5 things that are going to help you look, feel and perform better today.

Protein is one of the major macronutrients that your body breaks down for nutrition. In a balanced diet you should still have fat and carbohydrates that comes from wholesome natural food. For our Semi-Private Personal training clients at Fortitude Performance we encourage them to create good habits around protein. By doing this they ensure some really positive benefit

• will lead to increased muscle mass
• can increase energy
• will increase health

Things You Need To Know About Protein

By increasing your education around Protein it will allow you to understand the why. If we fully understand the benefits around this fantastic macronutrient it will be easier to make it part of your everyday eating.

We have decided to give your tips as common questions I get as a Personal Trainer from clients every day – let us get stuck in

WHY DO I CARE ABOUT PROTEIN

This gets at the real core of creating a understanding and care for protein in your diet. Like most things in life if something is not really important to us then we will not keep doing it over the long-term.

Importantly there are two important areas that protein helps us in and that is the short and long-term.

Firstly short-term your protein stores need to be stocked up daily as they are used in many processes in the body. Importantly once protein is broken down it is circulates through the body and is used for tasks that keep you alive. As a result minimum protein intake only lets you survive, optimal protein intake lets you thrive.

Secondly long-term optimal protein intake can be looked at as money in the bank. Protein from your diet allows your body to complete all of its essential tasks. Once you protein has been used for essential tasks then the excess is used for muscle growth and repair. If we are constantly under eating protein how can we have enough for muscle growth and repair? Unfortunately the answer is we wont.

ANSWER: PROTEIN ALLOWS YOU TO ACHIEVE MUSCLE GROWTH AND REPAIR WHICH WILL SUPPORT YOUR TRAINING, LOOKING BETTER NAKED AND LONG-TERM HEALTH 

How much protein should I eat?

Firstly how much protein you should eat must be based on your goals. People who come to Fortitude Performance are looking to look, feel and perform better so we recommend an optimal amount of protein. This is because by recommending a optimal amount you are making sure your body can thrive rather than just survive. As a result we recommend our clients have 1.8 – 2.0 grams of protein/kg in total per day (source)

EXAMPLE:  100kg Male would need 180 – 200 grams of protein each day

ANSWER: FOR THE BEST RESULTS A GOOD START IS 2 TIMES YOUR BODY WEIGHT IN KILOGRAMS OF PROTEIN PER DAY

How often should I eat protein?

First of all it depends on your level of training and activity in every day life. For best results we recommend clients spread there protein throughout the day over several meals. Above all each meal you should aim for 30+ grams of protein (source). Above all the way protein is used in your body having the majority of your protein at one meal and little throughout the  day is not a good option. Certainly a good example is having a big protein serve for dinner and little throughout the day.

EXAMPLE: 100kg Male needs to hit 200 grams of protein per day, this could be spread over 5 meals = 40 grams of protein per meal

ANSWER: EACH MEAL YOU EAT SHOULD HAVE 30+ GRAMS OF PROTEIN INCLUDES BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER AND SNACKS

What sources are best for protein?

Importantly all protein is not created equal for health and fitness goals. This is because protein can be further broken down into amino acids and this is where the source is important. Above all animal sources offer the best source due to having a complete amino acid profile. Amino acids drive the essential functions of protein in the body and can be used for several processes.

Certainly the best complete sources are

• Meat (Red Meat)
• Dairy
• Chicken
• Fish
• Whey Protein Powder

ANSWER: Use animal based sources to make up your protein consumption at each meal – meat, dairy, chicken, fish and protein powder

What are common issues people face when eating more protein?

Finally we look at the common issues that people face when eating protein. Above all it can be broken down into two main issues preparation and tracking.

Firstly preparation is one of the main issues that confront clients at the beginning. This is because as a fuel source protein is not as readily available as carbohydrates and fat. Furthermore the client must look to plan there meals in advance to make sure each hits the protein target.

Secondly tracking their protein intake becomes a issue which is closely linked to preparation. This is because tracking on the fly becomes very hard at the beginning especially with protein.

As a result of these issues it is important to remember the 5 P’s (Prior Preparation, Prevents Piss Poor Performance) as importantly this can stop the issues of preparation and tracking.

ANSWER: AT THE BEGINNING PREPARATION AND TRACKING ARE THE MAIN ISSUES WITH EATING MORE PROTEIN – UTILIZE THE 5 P’S TO PREVENT THIS

In Closing

Importantly the things you need to know about protein are quite simple. Like most things when it comes to health and fitness the hard part is application and consistency.

Also communication and forward planning are integral to making things work. Eating more protein is a habit and change to your lifestyle. That is why certainly it becomes important to understand the roadblocks you will face along the way.

If you need help with overcoming some of your own roadblocks why not check out our 28 Day Program.