Written by: Drew Canole
Workplace fatigue is on the rise. Children are asking why mommy and daddy are so tired all the time. People are crabby and exhausted. I know this. I see the thousands of weekly emails you write!
A lot of you are skipping meals, then using “health” bars, snacks and coffee for energy. Those are band-aids over a bigger problem. Let’s rip the bandaid off the skin right now and touch on the real problem: you aren’t getting enough protein.
Okay, Drew, that’s great and all but… how much is enough? Isn’t everyone different? Yes, you’re right. Today, you’ll see just how right you are!
Is More Protein Really The Answer For ME?
Whether you’re a hardcore bodybuilder, a college student or a full-time parent, eating more protein is probably a good choice for a lot of reasons. Protein isn’t just for gym rats!
If you want to…
- Have more energy at work
- Improve your performance
- Be more present at home
- Feel stronger
- Have better immunity
- Crush your cravings
- Lose more weight
… then keep reading!
What Exactly Is Protein?
Proteins make up 20% of your muscles, tissues and cells. Proteins are long chains of AMINO ACIDS[1]. Amino acids are building blocks that we get from our diet. Amino acids are important for everything. They’re not just for biceps and buns of steel… although that’s a major selling point for the younger crowd.
The real reason YOU and your loved ones need protein is this: LIFE.
Amino Acids (proteins) play an active role in:
- Cell structure
- Nutrient transport and storage
- Organ function
- Gland structure
- Tendon structure
- Artery function
- Wound recovery
- Tissue repair
- Waste removal
- Metabolism
Protein is essential for keeping your muscles strong so you can stay active throughout your whole life. Protein is also essential for building brain tissue and skin, warding off aging, etc.
What Happens When You Don’t Eat Enough Protein?
Tell me if any of this sounds familiar: you feel low energy levels, you have mood swings, you notice you have more sick days than you used to have, you have unexplained soreness, you feel mental fogginess, your memory is failing and maybe you even see fluid retention in your face or around your eyes. Those are all signs of too little protein.
If you aren’t eating enough diverse protein food sources, you can become deficient in certain amino acids. Your body is constantly using protein to build and repair tissues and maintain digestive enzymes and immune system antibodies. Because of this, you must eat protein on a daily basis in order to keep your body functioning at optimum levels.
When you don’t eat enough protein, the following symptoms can occur:
- Food cravings
- Low energy
- Muscle and joint pain
- Trouble building muscle
- Slow recovery from injury
- Weak hair, skin and nails
- Fluid retention
- Trouble losing weight
- Immune system weakness (getting sick often)
- Mental fogginess
- Mood swings
- Low memory
- Unstable blood sugar levels
Basically, a lot of the health issues you may be struggling with could be due to insufficient protein in your diet[2]!
You don’t have to be pursuing bodybuilding in order to need more protein. Even simple, daily tasks like doing laundry or running errands require protein. If you are going on walks every day with your dog, you will need protein to help with energy levels and keeping your body in good shape.
AND if you are someone that works out and eats clean, yet are not noticing any more muscle - it could absolutely be a lack of adequate protein in your diet!
Long Term Effects Of A Low-Protein Diet
Short term protein insufficiency is easy to reverse; simply start eating more protein. However, if someone is not getting enough protein over a long period of time, their body can start to suffer more dangerous consequences.
Because proteins are vital to the body’s repair and building system, over time, as we age, the body will start breaking itself down when there isn’t enough protein coming in from the diet[3].
If you don’t get enough protein or amino acids from food, your body could begin to pull them from your stomach lining, your brain, or other parts of your body. This can result in ulcers, memory loss or even early Alzheimer's disease[4].
Sarcopenia is an age-related condition where one begins to lose muscle mass. Because muscle mass declines with sarcopenia, so does loss of strength and mobility. Studies have found that increasing protein intake slows the progression of sarcopenia and may even reverse it by enhancing muscle protein anabolism[5].
How Much Protein Do I Need?
Everyone needs different levels of protein based on many different factors. Your age, gender, weight, height, level of exercise and activity should all be taken into account when determining how much protein you need to eat every day.
When looking at all the clients I have worked with over the years, most people aren’t getting enough protein.
The USDA[6] recommends that the average American adult eat a minimum of:
- 56 grams of protein per day for men
- 46 grams of protein per day for women
Again, this could be different based on your lifestyle factors and physical needs. If you think you are low in protein, trying to slowly increase your protein intake and see if you start feeling better.
From my own research and experience, for the average woman, the BARE MINIMUM of protein is around 55 grams per day. For a more accurate number, ladies, divide your weight in pounds by three. That is the number of grams of protein you need per day. Remember though: if you want to lose weight, you need to eat more than that. See, that’s the magic of a higher protein diet. If you raise your protein, it kills those cravings. And if it’s plant protein, like pumpkin seed protein, quinoa, or pea, it will also slash that belly bloat.
Fellas: I didn’t forget about you. Most of you are sending me messages about building muscle. For you guys, do the same calculation above, but add about 20%. It should come out to about 100 grams a day for those of you who want some more size.
Now, if you’re looking to lose some weight, here’s a quick trick. Increase your protein, and decrease your carbs. If math isn’t your thing, here’s the simple way I personally handle it… When in doubt, I eat a little more protein and a little less carbs. Chances are plenty of carbs are sneaking into your diet anyway.
Watch for our upcoming post on the types of food you should be eating to get the best protein possible!
Monster Energy Protein Shake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop Organifi Complete Protein
- 1 cup almond, or cashew milk
- ½ ripe peach
- 1 large handful spinach
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Ice cubes (for consistency
Instructions: Blend all ingredients together in a high power blender. Drink immediately.
Organifi Complete Protein is a two in one organic protein AND multivitamin shake. How does it taste? Like ice cream. Really. Even in plain water. Of course, it’s vegan. It’s got 20 grams of protein from pumpkin seeds, quinoa and green peas. That kind of protein won’t make you feel bloated.
It’s loaded with whole food vitamins and minerals to boost your energy. It even has MCTs. Those are the fat-burning, healthy fats everybody’s scratching to get! PLus, this was designed for the sensitive tummy. That’s why it has digestive enzymes, to soothe you. It’s the safest, easiest protein to digest. Did I mention it’s delicious?
So make sure you grab a bottle today. It’s finally available to the public. People are going crazy for it. Try it for 30 days. There’s a risk free 30 day, money back guarantee. You literally have nothing to lose.
References
- http://www.aminoacid-studies.com/amino-acids/what-are-amino-acids.html
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/427967-signs-of-low-protein-intake/
- https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/howgeneswork/protein
- http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130829/Study-Deficiency-of-protein-causes-age-related-memory-loss-and-Alzheimers-disease.aspx
- http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/5/1562S.full
- https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/fnic/interactiveDRI/
About The Author
Drew Canole is a rockstar in the world of fitness, nutrition and mindset, with a huge heart for others and doing his part to transform the world, one person at a time.
As the founder and CEO of Fitlife.TV, he is committed to sharing educational, inspirational and entertaining videos and articles about health, fitness, healing and longevity. He is also a best selling author and the founder of Organifi, an organic, incredibly delicious greens powder, chock-full of superfoods to make juicing easy no matter your busy schedule.