A healthy diet starts with protein.

If you are a busy mom trying and are struggling to get fit and healthy you need to make protein a priority. 

Anyone who joins  my coaching groups will hear me tell them over and over, “ Be sure to hit your protein macro goal.” And I am a bit militant about this because I believe protein is your secret weapon to burning fat. 

Protein can help you reduce fat naturally. 

1. Consuming enough protein will help you build and maintain lean muscle mass. This is important if you want to lose body fat and especially important as you age. After the age of 30, you can lose as much as 3% to 5% of your muscle mass per decade. 
2. Protein is naturally satiating and can reduce hunger hormones. This means when you eat protein you feel full, faster. 
3. When your body digests protein it has to work harder! There is a thermic effect of the food you eat and protein is about 20-30% as compared to carbohydrates which are at 5-10%. You actually burn more calories when you eat more protein!

If you want a leaner body, especially one that looks strong, you’ll want to make sure you are consuming enough high-quality protein each day. 

What Proteins?

• Meats: Beef, pork, turkey, chicken, bison, beef jerky
• Fish: Salmon, shrimp, scallops, lobster
• Eggs
• Protein Powders

Plant-Based Options:

• Tofu
• Tempe
• Edamame
• Lentils
• Beans
• Hemp Seeds
• Plant-Based Protein Powders

Are you on the struggle bus and not getting enough protein?

Here are my top tips for NAILING your protein goal:

1. Increase your portion sizes. If you normally eat 4 ounces of protein, try adding another ounce.

2. Create macro checkpoints throughout your day so you have smaller targets to hit at each meal.   Divide your protein goal by how many meals you will have & aim to hit those smaller targets.

3. Pre-log your food the night before or early in the day so you have plenty of time to make adjustments.

4. Plan your protein first & then build out the rest of your meals from there.

5. Start your day off with a solid dose of protein at your break-fast meal.

6. Grab a food scale & weigh your protein to make sure you’re tracking accurately instead of eyeballing it.

7. Make sure you’re tracking your protein the same way you’re weighing it. You can assume that the entry in your tracking app is based on the food’s RAW weight. If you’re weighing your chicken cooked & then logging it raw, your protein is going to be off.

8. Supplement with a clean protein powder. Here’s my favorite!

LOREN’S FAVORITE PROTEIN POWDERS

If you want a quick delish way to increase your protein intake, check out my snack guide for protein-packed smoothie recipes that are perfect for sipping this summer.

Resources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16002798/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-protein-can-help-you-lose-weight#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10