Protein Intake

• Everyone has different goals: Looking to lose weight, build muscle, or just stay healthy.
• A complete protein is a source of food that contains all of the essential amino acids. (Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy)
• Getting 2-3 servings a day of complete proteins is a good place to start.
• For those of you who do not eat animal products, getting the proper protein amount through vegetables is very possible. As long as you have a wide variety of all kinds of quality vegetables.
• For INACTIVE people, the recommended daily amount of protein is 0.7-.8 grams of protein per per pound. If you find yourself not losing weight, reevaluate your diet, see how much protein you are actually eating, more likely than not, its not enough.

Just a few things to keep in mind when eating in general.

• Eat more complete protein foods you prefer
• Drink more hydrating fluids (mostly water)
• Eat more quality foods rich in vitamins and minerals you need most. (vegetables, fruits, quality carbs, and possibly taking a multi vitamin.)
• Listen to your body, eat when you are hungry. Snack on quality vegetables. ( EX. cucumbers and hummus.)

Protein sources

• Meat is the most common source of protein because of the compounds found in them. (Animal Products) Our bodies composition are similar to theirs. (Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Tuna, Halibut) Notice our top 5 protein options post.
• Not everyone eats meat for protein. Some other options could be lentils, quinoa, black beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and chickpeas are just a few great choices. (vegan)

protein

Definition (from your dictionary): The definition of a protein is a substance that has amino acids, compounds and carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sometimes sulfur and is found in many foods.An example of a protein is the type of nutrient found in meats.

Above are some all good sources of protein.Licensed from iStockPhotonoun

Common Misconceptions

• Snacking throughout the day to feed your appetite is not proper dieting. Eating a properly portioned meal 3-4 times a day is gonna add the vitamins and nutrients you need. Making sure you are adequately preping and eating your meals throughout the day will beat snacking any day.
• “If I eat this healthy meal now, I do not have to later.” No, sorry. I consider this cheating and not gonna be the ideal situation for your training. Consistency is your best friend.
• Another common misconception is thinking that cutting back your protein intake is gonna help you loose weight. Insufficient protein amounts can actually make it harder to loose weight.
• Eating too much protein. You will be consuming extra calories, and you wont have enough room on your plate for your healthy carbs and vegetables. Notice the image below.
• Keep in mind, your body needs all nutrients when trying to loose weight. Proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Our bodies do not work properly unless they are adequately stocked. Protein has many more jobs than just building muscle.
• Not eating when you’re hungry is up there with most people. People use this to snack on something to calm the appetite. Snack on fruits and vegetables, assorted nuts. You will over eat if you skip a meal, not have quality energy, and a lack of focus. Having an adequate protein intake is important.

Portion Control

• Using your hands to portion out your meals is an easy, fast, and efficient way to see how much you should be eating. Your hands are proportioned to your body.
• Just like any form of nutrition planning, these guidelines are just a place to start. Be flexible, Adjust your portions based on hunger, fullness and other important goals.
• Here are the guidelines- Men use two hands, women use one hand