"I'm feeling exhausted every day around 10 am, and I always make sure to have breakfast! What is going on?" asked our client, Kelly, during her initial call. Kelly works from home in healthcare and typically dives right into work while eating her breakfast. She enjoys cereal with skim milk, a cup of hot coffee with a little creamer, and an apple. Despite her morning routine, she notices feeling exhausted about an hour or two after breakfast, with cravings for something sweet distracting her from work.
Kelly realized something needed to change with her breakfast routine to combat early-day exhaustion.
So, what did Kelly do?
She brought her food log to our appointment, where we delved into her breakfast choices and identified a crucial missing element: protein. With goals focused on weight loss and improved eating habits to reduce mindless snacking, protein emerged as a key component for her health and objectives.
If Kelly's story resonates with you—feeling constantly hungry after breakfast and battling afternoon cravings—consider adjusting your breakfast choices and prioritizing protein intake for success.
In this blog, we'll explore what protein is, its role in the body, how it facilitates weight loss, how to determine your protein goals, and strategies for consistently achieving them.
What is Protein?
Protein is one of the three major macronutrients that provide energy and nutrition for our bodies. It is composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Each gram of protein consists of sequences of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Different arrangements of amino acids create various types of protein. Protein provides 4 calories per gram and typically constitutes about 25% of our total dietary intake. It is found in both animal and plant products, categorized into complete proteins (containing all essential amino acids necessary for life) and incomplete proteins (lacking 1-2 essential amino acids, needing supplementation). Insufficient protein intake can lead to poor blood sugar control, low energy levels, and persistent hunger.
What is the Role of Protein in the Body?
Protein serves numerous essential functions in the body. Primarily, it supports muscle growth and enhances metabolism. Muscle tissue, being more metabolically active than fat, boosts our overall metabolism when nourished with sufficient protein. Additionally, protein contributes to the health of connective tissues like collagen and elastin, crucial for wound healing and skin elasticity. Protein also plays a role in hormone production, including insulin and growth hormones, and bolsters cellular immunity. Diversifying protein sources is especially vital for vegans and vegetarians to meet both complete and incomplete protein needs for overall health.
Weight Loss and Protein
When aiming for weight loss, increasing protein intake is often recommended. Weight loss occurs when we maintain a calorie deficit—consuming fewer calories than we expend—which forces the body to utilize stored energy reserves. However, this deficit can lead to increased hunger and fatigue if nutrient needs, particularly protein, aren't met adequately. Protein is highly satiating, taking longer to digest and providing a sustained release of energy, crucial for managing hunger and supporting weight loss goals. While feeling hungrier during a calorie deficit is normal, adequate protein intake helps maintain satiety and supports sustainable weight loss efforts.
Determining Your Protein Goals
To establish sustainable protein goals for long-term weight loss, a practical approach is to consume at least half your body weight in grams of protein daily. For instance, someone weighing 150 pounds should aim for a minimum of 75 grams of protein per day. Individualized recommendations, especially for larger individuals, should be discussed with a Registered Dietitian for accuracy. Alternatively, protein intake can be calculated as 25% of total daily calories or based on goal weight—for instance, multiplying the goal weight by 0.7 to determine daily protein needs. Starting with breakfast, aiming for 20-35 grams of protein per meal can be an effective strategy to meet daily protein goals.
Join Us for the Masterclass
Explore more about achieving protein goals and determining your needs in this month's Masterclass, "The Secret Macronutrient for Weight Loss," on July 23rd. Access the class and save on membership fees by joining The Nourished Membership for only $29 per month, without any minimum commitment.
Protein is integral to achieving your weight loss and health goals. Let Nourished with Emily guide you through The Nourished Membership, offering resources such as "Best Sources of Protein," "Visual Guide to 100g of Protein," "Top Plant-Based Proteins," and more! Discover the Membership details here!
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