I’m guilty! I made it to 44 years old without knowing or educating myself on the importance of protein in my daily diet. At any other time in my adult life that I’ve tried to lose weight and get healthier, I only concerned myself with calories. Setting a daily calorie goal and staying under it. I would also try to get some form of exercise. I could always lose the weight, but I would end up gaining it back as soon as I got out of the counting calories habit. Looking back, knowing what I know now, I was probably so unsuccessful because I wasn’t prioritizing protein. I know positively that I wasn’t getting NEAR the protein that my body needed.
Think right now….what is your ideal weight? The weight that you will feel your best and healthiest. Mine is 135-140 lbs. Whatever ideal weight in pounds that you have in mind, is the amount of protein in grams that you should be feeding your body. Every day for the last 7 months, I have made sure that I am getting at the least 140 grams of protein…somedays I get closer to 200 grams. I try to get 30-35 grams per meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and 20-30 in snacks.
Since making protein a priority, I am continuing to see my fat go away and my muscles tone up! I actually can see my muscles now! They have a little outline…I can FEEL them! It’s pretty awesome. I wish this is something I would’ve realized and prioritized 20 years ago!
I know what you’re thinking…that’s so much protein in one day, how on Earth will I be able to eat that much protein in one day?? It’s impossible, right? Nope! You can do it! There are easy and delicious ways to sneak protein into your daily diet and routine!
Here are some of my little protein tricks:
On salads, add cottage cheese! I need you to know…I DON’T like cottage cheese on its own. The curds have always grossed me out! I know you’re probably thinking “Girl, you are sharing cottage cheese recipes all the time and now you’re telling me that you don’t like it?” It’s true, I don’t like it cold and alone in its “curded” glory. But I DO like how much protein it has and the creaminess it adds. In a salad, I don’t even notice the texture of the curds.
Anytime a recipe calls for cream cheese, we use blended cottage cheese instead.
Sour cream…we don’t even buy that anymore. We buy protein-packed, plain Greek yogurt. We use it as a substitute for anywhere we would want sour cream…tacos, baked potatoes, chili, etc.
Protein desserts-I hope by now you’ve seen some of our Ninja Creami protein ice cream videos! Those desserts are so delicious and it’s so easy to add protein. We use Fairlife, Jocko, or Nurri protein drinks or we add scoops of flavored 1st Phorm protein powder. Many baked goods can be made with cottage cheese, greek yogurt, peanut butter protein powder, or any flavored protein powder.
Candy bars….haven’t had one in at least a year! We love protein bars! Built Puff Bars, 1st Phorm Power Pro or Level-1 bars, and Barebells are our personal faves! These bars completely satisfy our sweet tooth and need for a “dessert”. But even better…they are packed with protein.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP82qV61R
htt://amzn.to/4ijpdSc-Barebells Variety Pack Amazon Associate’s Link. This is a great way to sample several flavors to see what you like best.
https://1stphorm.com-Andy’s Legionnaire link to anything 1st Phorm
https://amzn.to/4bJEfhA-Built Puff Bars…here’s the Amazon link(but pro-tip, they are cheaper at Costco or Sam’s)
And my personal favorite…Coffee! I have always loved black coffee with vanilla creamer. Way back in the day I used to use all the fun CoffeeMate creamer flavors. That was of course until I educated myself on all the harmful chemicals that are added to those. Then I made the switch to Aldi brand Delightfully Pure(Only 3 ingredients and much cleaner). Then I had the bright idea to start making vanilla creamer out of 1st Phorm Level-1 Vanilla Protein Powder and organic milk. That combined with my scoop of 1st Phorm Collagen, I’m now getting a 25g boost of protein every morning compared to the big fat ZEROg that I was getting with the creamer.
I’m still learning! I’m sure there are many more ways to sneak protein into your daily diet. I’ll share with you all when I do! Of course, each meal of mine has to have some sort of meat or egg. Chicken, pork, salmon, shrimp, ground turkey, grass-fed beef, or farm fresh eggs. All of these will send you on the fast track to your protein goals.
I know it can seem difficult at first to fit this amount of protein into your diet. But with the right plan and effort in place, it is possible! You will start seeing amazing changes in the way you look and feel. One of the biggest life lessons that I have learned over the past year is to prioritize protein in my daily life! If you have any tips and tricks that you are using…let me hear it!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Your body is a temple of God, so honor Him by taking care of it.