Dang it, there’s no “Where’s the Meat?!” GIF, lol!

Before we jump into the blog today, let me tell you how the “Where’s the Meat?!” quote came to be. Some friends and colleagues of mine were on a biz trip, and one of the girls suggested we go to this one restaurant that they found in Venice Beach.

They said that it was a good restaurant. It was pretty tasty after all said and done! However…

Little did I know that it was a Vegetarian restaurant.

So, we get there and get seated, I open the menu and look through it, and I quickly notice that there was no meat. Lmao, I blurt out, “Where’s the Meat?!”

Ever since then when we get together or when I talk about Protein, we still get a good laugh from it! Of course, you would have been there to really get it!

Anywhoodle, let’s jump into today’s blog…

Most women don’t eat enough Protein.

Including myself at one point in time. The solution is to increase your protein over time gradually. You will feel so much better, and I bet your bottom dollar your cravings will decrease once you get your protein intake stabilized.

I love to eat, and I enjoy meat.  All foods that I LIKE are a part of my diet, how about you?!

The only foods that I don’t eat are the ones that I don’t like — no meatless Monday’s for me. Chicken, steak, fish, turkey, ostrich – pretty much all of it is fair game. Have you ever had ostrich? It’s pretty tasty. I’ve had it as a burger.

Protein consumption has been coming up a bit when discussing nutrition with my clients, or rather, the lack thereof.

Most folks drastically under eat it and they don’t even realize it.

Don’t Make this Mistake:

Many people mistakenly put peanut butter, nuts, and beans into the protein category, and while they are a partial protein, they don’t really cut it. PB is a fat source – the fat amount is higher than the protein amount in peanut butter. Furthermore, beans fall into the Carbohydrate category, and nuts fall into the fat category.

See the macronutrient breakdown between peanut butter and chicken and almonds and chicken below!

Photo Cred: RenaissancePerdiozation         Photo Cred: @thobrandt

As you can see, you would need a whole lot of PB and Nuts to get enough Protein in a meal. Eating that much fat as a protein source would surely blow your Fat Loss efforts, and it would certainly take you out of caloric deficit.

It’s very easy to skimp out on protein and consume more carbs and fats – or mistake certain fats as protein.

I’ve also noticed, overall, for most folks, veggies are also scarce. Veggies usually come from a salad, but they’re not leafy greens – usually iceberg or romaine lettuce within a small side salad. I’m like “where is the salad?”

That’s a sad salad! As my friend and colleague Athena from Achieve with Athena says “never eat salads that suck.”

Nothing wrong with salads, as you know, I love them. I just want them to be built with sustenance. Iceberg doesn’t have much sustenance. Some days, with my busy schedule, I’ll only have a #BAS (Big Ass Salad). It’s big and full of all the veggies I can get in one bowl! I always top my salad off with a juicy protein source.

So, girlllllll, build that salad so that it’s tasty and satisfying, sprinkle some cheese on it, or use your favorite dressing. Of course, you must put some protein on it. You must drive the satisfaction factor, or else you will be looking for something else to fill the void!

So back to this MACRO-nutrient source – Protein.

Emphasis on the “Macro.” So, protein is essential for our bodies – needed in abundance. It’s the building block for our cells in our bodies, and the body needs protein to survive and function.

Protein is also essential for healing and allowing our muscle cells to grow. After a strength training session, our muscles experience microscopic tears.

Rest, recovery, and eating well is how our muscles grow bigger and stronger. They need some protein to be able to repair the damage from training.

Check this one though, when we strength train and build muscle, we increase the number of calories we burn at rest and throughout the day.

A win-win. Not only that, if you are in a caloric deficit (i.e., trying to lose weight), eating a higher protein diet will preserve your muscle mass. It’s a crucial component – more on that here.

So, how much protein, Candace?

Well, that depends. It depends on the individual. For the most part, .7 g – 1g per pound of body weight is ideal. No worries if you go over that number, or if you’re on the lower end. Starting on the lower end of the protein grams is just fine, especially if you have lacked in the protein department.

Track your protein for a while to make sure you’re at least hitting the lower end, and then work your way up over time.

The myth that if you eat too much protein, it will turn into fat, or that it’s bad for your kidneys is just that, a myth. If your kidneys are healthy, there are no issues — more on that here.

So, excess calories – a calorie surplus is what causes fat gain.

Lastly, eat your protein like you eat your Wheaties – lol!

Eat protein like you eat carbs. We tend to over-consume the carbs with a lack of protein on the side. Still eat your carbs, you DO NOT have to ban carbs!

Did you know that consuming protein and or/fat slows down the carb absorption? So, that means that it lowers the spike of insulin and keeps our blood sugar in check.

Think back to a time when you ate a carb heavy meal or a snack with no protein source. Shortly after that you crashed and burned, right? You got a quick burst of energy and then a slump. Then you were hungry again. Adding protein to those meals helps to stabilize the nutrient uptake and avoid those peaks and valleys.

STRONG friends, make sure you are eating enough Protein with all your meals that you can keep your Hunger, Energy, and Cravings in check!

Strong Friend, thank you for reading! Any questions at all about your nutrition, let’s chat, book a FREE No Obligation to you STRONGER You Strategy Call and we will talk about 1 thing that you be struggling with pertaining to your fitness or nutrition, and come with a strategy that will work for YOU! Book your call here!

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