No Added Sugar Challenge!

Hi everyone!

I hope the first day went smoothly and wasn’t as scary as you had imagined! Since we hit on protein at breakfast yesterday, I thought we might as well hit on protein in general today!

Protein is SO important for so many reasons. It helps build/maintain muscle and allows our body to repair cells to function properly. The main functions of protein that we want to be aware of are the fact that protein keeps us fuller/satiated for longer and that protein helps maintain and build muscle.

Protein takes longer to be broken down by the body and thus keeps us fuller for a longer period of time. This is helpful for regulating blood sugar and avoiding random snacking/binging throughout the day and night.

Protein also helps build and maintain muscle mass. You may be thinking “well I don’t want to build muscle and look bulky” but let me tell you - it is very hard to build bulky muscle through food and exercise alone! We shouldn’t be afraid of the idea of muscle mass - the more muscle you have the more calories you burn at rest (which is essentially the goal!) This speeds up your metabolism, allowing you to consume more calories while maintaining your weight.

As a guideline you should aim for 0.7-1.0/lb of bodyweight. 0.7 would be for someone who currently has a pretty low protein intake (most people who do not focus on hitting a protein goal), whereas 1.0/lb would be good for someone who is looking to gain lean muscle mass and has a solid exercise program.

While we do want to focus on eating enough protein throughout the day, we want to ensure we are eating lean sources majority of the time to avoid excess calories. Majority of the time we want to focus on; extra lean ground meats, white fish, egg whites, low-fat dairy (cottage cheese/milks), low/non-fat yogurt, protein powders or supplements (if desired). On top of this, you can incorporate other protein sources you enjoy 2-3 times a week that may fall outside the “lean” category. For example, salmon is a great food with a lot of nutritional benefits, but it wouldn’t be considered a “lean” protein source.

Ask any questions on protein that you may have in the comment section! Looking forward to answering any questions you have!