WHY PROTEIN?

 

Protein is extremely helpful in preserving muscle mass, which is why a decent amount is recommended in your diet. When you break down protein, you release amino acids which signal to the body that there isn’t a need to break down muscles. So protein is helpful in preserving and building muscle. 

 

Protein also helps you lose weight. The Krebs cycle is a series of chemical reactions inside the mitochondria that burns fat. Protein helps get that cycle going, facilitating fat loss.

 

Protein also increases your satisfaction from food. If your meal includes protein, you are more likely to get full sooner. This helps you to avoid overeating. And when you actually get full from a meal, your body doesn’t start to break down muscle because it has sufficient energy. If you're dieting and your caloric intake is down, you are likely to burn up more muscle than fat because your body is looking for energy. 

 

*Side Note* If you’re keto adapted or have been on a ketogenic diet for a long time, you might not need as much protein. 

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HOW MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD YOU EAT?

Average Individual: the average individual should eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight per day.

High Percentage Body Weight: Eat less protein than the average individual because a smaller percentage of your body's made up of protein.

High Muscle Percentage: Eat more protein than the average individual because you have to maintain a lot of muscle, but do so without overeating.

 

However, it's a personal experiment. Your body has a lot of information to give you if you're willing to listen and try things out. There's not a one size fits all for everyone.

 

Standard Proteins Suggestions:

• Chicken

• Pork

• Beef 

• Fish

• Eggs 

 

Vegetarian Options:

• Nuts

• Legumes

• Lentils

• Beans

 

Protein Supplements:

• Whey

• Plant-based protein

• Pea protein

 

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PROTEIN INTAKE WITH FASTERCISE

 

Focus on intuitive eating. Listen to your body and let it dictate your eating habits. Our bodies give us cues to encourage or stop us from eating, and it can specifically do it for proteins as well. When you practice intuitive eating, you will begin to develop the ability to better recognize what your body needs.

 

It takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest carbohydrates and other foods. So a possible cue from your body that signals you’ve eaten too much protein is increased heat or warmth. This happens because there’s a lot of energy being released. Another possible cue is a feeling of being slowed down. This happens in general whenever large amounts of food are consumed because of the high amount of energy it takes to break it all down.

 

On the other hand, a cue that signals the need for more protein is increased feeling of exhaustion or weakness.

 

The Fastercise program helps your body to preserve muscle which means that you don’t need to eat as much protein because you’re not burning as much. The combination of timing exercise with your appetite helps to preserve your muscle mass.