Foods with Protein: Your Secret Weapons

Foods with Protein

Protein plays a vital role in your overall nutrition, and for those seeking to reduce body fat and build lean muscle, the importance of protein can not be overstated. See list below.

Achieving a lean and toned physique is the result of reducing body fat and building, or at least maintaining, muscle mass. Since we are going to need to be in a calorie deficit (burning more calories than we consume) to lose that body fat, we must do everything we can to protect our existing muscle.

Since the more lean muscle you have on your body, the faster your metabolism must run to support it. Protecting what you already have, or building new lean muscle, is a very important factor in your daily caloric expenditure.

This is where foods with protein take center stage. An important fact about protein: The primary function of foods with protein is to build and repair body tissues and structures. They contribute to a feeling of fullness, or satiety, although they contain only 4 calories per gram and can also be used as energy if enough carbohydrates are not available. You'll feel full for longer and won't be tempted to snack.

However, supplying energy to the body is not our goal in this case. We want to provide the body with enough protein to actually build muscle, or, at the very least, maintain it. Maintaining muscle mass is paramount to fat loss.

Since we will certainly be utilizing one or more fitness training programs to achieve our goals, we must consume enough foods with protein to maximize the effectiveness of these workouts, as every workout brings you one step closer to your fitness goals.

Get a minimum of 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. That means if you weigh 180 lbs., you would need at least 180 grams of protein, spread out over the course of your day. If you are eating 5-6 meals per day, that breaks down to about 30-35 grams per meal. This minimum requirement makes it paramount that you get a good source of protein in each of your meals.

Trainer's Tip: Consume a meal replacement shake or bar within 30 minutes after exercise to promote recovery. This allows the body to spend more time on building muscle rather than on repair. A whey protein supplement or meal replacement product can really come in handy when eating six times per day is not convenient. Make sure that meal replacements make up no more than 1/3 of your total calories.