Very often I get clients who are gung-ho about going on a high protein diet to help with weight loss. Recently, we’ve even determined that high protein intake doesn’t harm the kidneys or other organs. So it makes sense to hand over that 10oz steak and go to town.
Wrong. Even though protein does not harm any organs or the body, it still does not mean that we need to significantly increase our consumption. A study done at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston actually discovered that only the first 30 grams of protein (~3-4oz) lead to production of muscle. The excess protein we consume gets broken down into glucose and likely stored as fat if our body doesn’t need it at that time. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to decrease the overall protein we consume, but we do need to be aware of how we are intaking it throughout the day.
A daily intake of the following would spread out protein intake and allow for best synthesis of muscle, while decreasing extra fat storage.
Breakfast: Omelet and fruit
1egg (6g protein)
2 egg whites (12g)
1oz cheese (7g)
mixed veggies
= 25g protein
Lunch: Turkey wrap with hummus and veggies
3oz turkey (21g protein)
4Tbsp Hummus (5g)
= 26g protein
Dinner: Salmon filet, broccoli, baked potato
4oz salmon filet (28g protein)
= 28g protein
Total: 79g protein
79g protein is an ample amount of protein to fuel a typical diet. Additional protein could be added as snacks if desired.
*Side note-1oz of protein is ~7g of protein. 3oz is about the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. This should help for your calculations if you don’t have a nutrition facts label.
Hopefully this gets you all thinking about your meals. Think of your typical protein intake during the day and look for ways to spread it out to ensure that you are getting the best absorption and use of nutrients!
Symons, T., Sheffield-Moore, M., Wolfe, R., Paddon-Jones, D. (2009). Moderating the portion size of a protein-rich meal improves anabolic efficiency in young and elderly. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 109 (9): 1582-1586.
Wrong. Even though protein does not harm any organs or the body, it still does not mean that we need to significantly increase our consumption. A study done at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston actually discovered that only the first 30 grams of protein (~3-4oz) lead to production of muscle. The excess protein we consume gets broken down into glucose and likely stored as fat if our body doesn’t need it at that time. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to decrease the overall protein we consume, but we do need to be aware of how we are intaking it throughout the day.
A daily intake of the following would spread out protein intake and allow for best synthesis of muscle, while decreasing extra fat storage.
Breakfast: Omelet and fruit
1egg (6g protein)
2 egg whites (12g)
1oz cheese (7g)
mixed veggies
= 25g protein
Lunch: Turkey wrap with hummus and veggies
3oz turkey (21g protein)
4Tbsp Hummus (5g)
= 26g protein
Dinner: Salmon filet, broccoli, baked potato
4oz salmon filet (28g protein)
= 28g protein
Total: 79g protein
79g protein is an ample amount of protein to fuel a typical diet. Additional protein could be added as snacks if desired.
*Side note-1oz of protein is ~7g of protein. 3oz is about the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. This should help for your calculations if you don’t have a nutrition facts label.
Hopefully this gets you all thinking about your meals. Think of your typical protein intake during the day and look for ways to spread it out to ensure that you are getting the best absorption and use of nutrients!
Symons, T., Sheffield-Moore, M., Wolfe, R., Paddon-Jones, D. (2009). Moderating the portion size of a protein-rich meal improves anabolic efficiency in young and elderly. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 109 (9): 1582-1586.
Photo from WebMD