Protein… a very important macronutrient, that is essential for survival, meaning you have to get it through food in order for your body to not only thrive but LIVE. Your entire body is made of protein in some form or another. Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, some of which your body can produce itself, others are required through your diet. This is where not only is the amount of protein you eat important, but also the quality!
Daily recommendations of protein tend to be on the lower end of the spectrum, simply keeping you from being “protein deficient” however, because protein is necessary for nearly every function/process in the body, eating a diet that prioritizes protein is actually extremely beneficial for your overall health and wellness. Adequate protein through your diet will lead to a number of benefits including increased levels of satiety (feeling full), support for muscle growth/maintenance, improved bone health as well as overall improvements in health markers.
So, just how much protein do you need to get through your diet? Ideally, for the average person between 0.8-1.2g/lb of ideal body weight is a good range to aim for. So for simplicity sake, I usually just go with 1g/lb and adjust accordingly from there. For example, if your ideal body weight is 145lbs, aim for 145g of protein as your daily target. Now, obviously this can be different from person to person, but it’s a great place to start.
Once you have determined your daily protein target, it is important to realize, it is just that: a daily target. So long as you reach your daily goal of grams of protein, you will reap the benefits. It is often confused that timing is everything when it comes to protein intake, and if you’re not going to get a workout on that day then no need for the protein shake. However, studies are now showing that the most important aspect of your protein intake is your TOTAL intake daily, not so much the timing of that intake. Protein is required for nearly all bodily processes, so no matter when you ingest your protein, your body is going to use it for some process or another.
Now, that being said, if you do typically drink your shake after a workout, that is totally fine and it will help support muscle protein synthesis (the building and repairing of muscle after a workout). However, so long as your overall daily intake is sufficient, these processes will be supported, regardless.
Let’s talk about another scenario as well. Say, you’re not regularly resistance training (but I highly recommend doing so!), but still focusing on improving your health and wellness through changes to your nutrition. It is still important for you to make sure you are eating sufficient protein. And 1g/lb ideal body weight is still suggested for such populations. Eating more protein even though you are not actively working to build muscle, will NOT make you gain fat. Like I mentioned earlier, protein is required to support nearly everything the body does. It will be used in one way or another. Another added benefit is that digesting protein actually costs the body more energy. In other words, your body will spend more calories to digest protein than it will to digest carbohydrates or fats. This is called the thermogenic effect. So not only will you be providing your body with important nutrients it needs to perform optimally, but you will burn more calories while you do it!
So what are the best sources of protein? Well, like I often preach, whole foods are always best. Animal proteins will give you the most bang for your buck because they contain what are called “complete proteins”. This means that they contain all essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) required by the body. Animal protein sources also tend to have a better protein:calorie ratio, meaning you will get more protein with less calories by eating ground turkey vs. say, beans or cottage cheese.
But let’s touch on protein powder and shakes, because, let’s be real. They are convenient and can be pretty delicious. Protein powders also tend to offer complete sources of protein as well. So what’s the downside? Well, while protein shakes are super quick and easy and they are extremely protein dense with little calories, they are still extremely processed food sources. Some people can have a bit of indigestion because of it, and they also don’t offer the satiating (feeling full) effects that whole food protein sources do.
So while your total daily intake is still most important, ideally reaching that goal with whole food sources is best. But it’s also not the end of the world if you need protein shake to help you get there.