ANSWERED: How Much Protein You Need to Eat to Thrive

What if I told you that carbs were off limits for the rest of your life?

You'd probably want to die after all, is life without carbs really worth living?

The reality is, you could in theory survive without carbs.

Protein is a different story though. 

You could have all the carbs and fats in the world but without protein, you would literally die!

In this article, we'll cover the 4 reasons protein needs to become the most important part of your diet, and cover how much YOU need to eat.

1. Muscle Health

This is the most well-known benefit of protein consumption.
Protein is "the building block of muscle" so it's responsible for maintaining muscle mass and promoting lean muscle growth.
It even plays a crucial role in helping to repair injuries to the body. 
A lot of people consume protein after lifting weights but forget that it's equally important to get protein to your muscles after a good surf session, hike, or similar activity!
The sooner you get protein to your muscles after you exercise, the faster your muscles will recover so that you can get back after it again!  

2. Craving Assassin 

Protein takes the cake when it comes to satiety, in other words, it makes you feel really full. That means when you eat plenty of protein, you won't even be tempted by hyper-palatable junk foods because you'll simply be stuffed. That's why anyone looking to eat cleaner or get leaner needs to focus on protein first. 

3. Metabolism Boost!

There's something called the thermal effect of food that refers to the calories your body burns during digestion. Protein burns more calories during digestion than carbs or fats. You could burn anywhere from 80 to 250 more calories per day just by eating a high protein diet. That's a calorie burn equal to about an hour of exercise! 

4. Bone Health

Misinformation floating around the internet has claimed protein, namely animal protein, is responsible for bad bone health, however, long term studies actually show the opposite! Those who eat a high protein diet actually have better bone mass and have a lower risk of bone-related health problems like fractures and osteoporosis. That means that as you age, a high protein diet becomes even more crucial to living an active pain-free life.

A Common Myth, Busted...

You may have heard that you should keep your protein intake low so you don't damage your kidneys.

While it's true that people who have existing kidney conditions can benefit from controlling their protein intake, those who have no history of kidney problems are not effected by a high protein diet. 

So How Much Protein Should You Eat?

The Quick Answer = 1 gram per pound of target body weight

Let us explain. Activity level plays a role in how much protein you need to eat so the amount does vary slightly. The table below shows some baseline amounts you might typically see the FDA recommend, but eating the minimum amount of protein specified in the sedentary level will basically keep you alive, it's not enough to thrive and get all the benefits discussed above.

YOU need to eat protein like an athlete, even if you wouldn't consider yourself one. We suggest consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of target body weight.

eg. Body weight of 200 lbs = 200 grams of protein/day

Activity Level Grams/Pound of Target Body Weight
Sedentary  Minimum .36 g/lb 
Active
.45 - .68 g/lb
Athlete
.69 - 1.5 g/lb

Consider 0.69 g/lb to be the minimum but shoot for 1.0 g/lb, especially if you have a weight loss goal, are older, or generally struggle with eating too much junk food.

One caveat is that if you're on a weight loss journey, you want to use your target body weight rather than your actual weight in this calculation.

For example if you weigh 300 lbs but know that your healthy weight would be 200 lbs, aim to consume 200 grams of protein per day.

The vast majority of your health problems will be solved if you consistently do this one thing.

How To Start Consuming More Protein...

Whole foods should make up the lion's share of your daily protein intake, but most people find it to be both convenient and more palatable to get around 20-30% of their daily protein through supplementation.

Protein powders are easy because you can put a scoop of powder into a bottle, shake it up, and drink it right away!

The problem with most protein powders is they lack variety not to mention that they vary widely when it comes to taste.

At HydroSwell, we got sick of choking down the typical chalky choco/vanilla protein shakes, especially after a workout when all we wanted was something light and refreshing.

That inspired us to create a brand new type of protein drink we named ProLoco! Instead of a milky choco/vanilla consistency, it's more like a Gatorade but WAY healthier, plus it's not just a protein drink. 

It also has hydrating electrolytes, essential vitamins, and you can get a version with natural crash-free energy for the days you need a power-up!

It's a 4-in-1 Power-Up for your life

It comes in two versions...

ProLoco Original: 8 grams of protein per serving, tons of electrolytes and vitamins, plus 80 mg natural caffeine (optional).

ProLoco Más: 21 grams of protein per serving, tons of electrolytes and vitamins, and 100 mg natural caffeine (optional).

We will be the first people to tell you that you don't need protein shakes or any other supplement to get enough protein, but it can be a convenient and delicious way to change things up. After all, you can only down so many chicken breasts.

A Final Word

We've just scratched the surface with the benefits of protein so here's your homework.

Find out how much protein you're actually eating during an average day.

Take a few days to track your protein intake and then compare your numbers with the table here in this article.

Again, we'd suggest 0.7-1.0 grams of protein per pound of target body weight.

If you find that you're eating less than the recommended amount for an athlete, consider upping your protein intake for at least 3 weeks and see how you feel afterwards.

According to science, serious health benefits await! 

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P.S. If you're interested in ProLoco, CLICK HERE

 

 

 

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