One of the most important parts of reaching your fitness goals is making sure that you are getting the proper amount of protein.
Protein is one of the key nutrients for both muscle growth and recovery. Whether you want to put on lean muscle and stay trim, or you are looking to bulk up and put on some weight, protein is a necessity.
Without a proper amount of protein, not only can it be very difficult or even impossible to reach your goals, but it can also increase your risk of injury.
Working out and exercising puts your body under a tremendous amount of stress and your muscles need a chance to recover in order to keep growing. Without proper recovery, the chance for stress-related injuries increases.
Since protein is such an important part of healthy recovery, not getting enough protein for the level of exertion you are putting on your body can lead to unfortunate results.
The great news is that protein isn’t too hard to get enough of. If you have been wondering how you can easily make sure that you are getting plenty of protein to reach your goals, here is everything you need to know!
Ways to Get the Daily Protein You Need
1. Protein Powder
When most people think of ways to get enough protein into their diet to reach their fitness and health goals, the first thing that comes to mind is protein powder.
Protein powder is a great supplement that helps people reach their fitness goals because it allows them the opportunity to boost their protein intake with convenience.
The truth about any protein powder, is that technically no one ‘needs’ it in order to succeed.
Protein is an essential part of growing muscle strength and mass, and it is a vital part of the recovery process.
No matter what your goals in fitness are, whether you are a long-distance runner looking to strengthen lean muscle mass, or you are looking to bulk and put on weight, adequate protein is a necessity.
The reason that protein powder is so popular, is the convenience that it brings to the table.
Even the most avid health and fitness enthusiasts often times can struggle with having tight schedules, or a lot on their plate throughout the week.
For a lot of people, the normal rhythms of a week can make it difficult to get a consistent diet with enough protein to reach their goals. This is where protein powder comes into play. It can be conveniently added to almost any drink and taken at any point during the day.
The most important thing to remember with protein powder, is that while it is a good source of high-quality protein, it should never substitute for protein in a diet.
The whole point of a supplement is to come to a long side of your diet but never completely replace protein from your diet. The protein you get from either plant sources or animal sources are rich in vitamins and minerals that you need that supplemental protein often lacks.
If you have been wanting a convenient, easy way to get more protein into your weekly rhythms – then a high-quality protein powder might be perfect for you.
2. Start Your Day Off Right
If there’s one thing you’ve heard a thousand times, it’s that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The reason this saying is so prevalent is that it’s true.
What you put in your body after being in a fasted state during the night will have a huge impact on your energy levels, and your clarity of mind, and can even affect your mood.
Being sure that you start your day with protein can be as easy as eating some eggs in the morning, or having a bowl of steals cut oats.
By making protein a staple part of your morning routine, you are setting yourself up for success and giving your body the nutrients to function properly.
3. Greek Yogurt Substitute
While you should never use a supplement to substitute protein from your diet, you can use certain substitutes in your diet to up your protein intake – such as Greek yogurt.
Not only does Greek yogurt taste wonderful as its own dish, mixed with your favorite berries, nuts, and granola, but it can also double as a sour cream substitute.
Greek yogurt is a wonderful source of healthy protein, and if you eat a lot of savory foods that require sour cream, try substituting plain Greek yogurt.
You’ll get all the creamy goodness you love from sour cream, with the added bonus of healthy protein and good probiotics.
Conclusion
Getting enough protein throughout the day is actually easier than you may think.
Using a protein powder to supplement your normal diet when necessary, and then making smart choices like protein-rich breakfast and protein-rich substitutes such as yogurt, you can get the protein you need to see the change you want!
