18 – New Habit: Protein

Eat Lean Protein with Every Meal

 
If you’ve been eating slowly, mindfully & planning your meals consistently for the past three weeks now is the time to crank it up a notch  – and get a portion of protein into each and every single meal. 

Consuming adequate protein is an extremely important part of the balanced lifestyle process.  Shortly we will get into the “why” but right now we want to focus on the “what.” Today we find out what foods contain protein, and we start adding them to our diet.  

If you are already doing this, great! Continue to focus on the action part – try new protein sources and find what works for you. 

If you are part of the “I know” camp let’s switch over to the “I do” camp. 

When most people think of protein sources, chicken and beef usually come to mind first. But did you know that protein is found in a variety of foods in addition to meat? Below is a short list of protein sources to allow you to add variety to your diet.

Lean Meats 

  • Ground Beef (97% Lean)

  • Chicken

    Turkey

  • Venison

  • Pork

  • Ham

  • Wild Game

Eggs 

  • Whole Eggs 

    • Level Up:  Free Range Eggs

  • Egg Whites 

Full Fat Dairy

  • 4% Cottage Cheese 

  • Plain Greek Yogurt

  • Ricotta & Block Cheese

  • Plain Kefir 

Note on Dairy:  Be conscious of how your body feels after consuming dairy. Though a good source of protein, dairy may cause bloating, gassiness, lethargy among other symptoms. If you experience these, we suggest eliminating from your diet to see if symptoms improve.

Shellfish

  • Crab (domestic)

  • Lobster

  • Prawn 

  • Oyster

Fish

  • Anchovies 

  • Summer 

  • Haddock

  • Herring

  • Sardine

  • Salmon 

  • Cod

  • Seabass

Supplements 

  • Whey Protein Powder

  • Plant Protein Powder

The above list is not an exhaustive list of protein, but it will give you a good place to start.

If you’re opting for a Meat-Free-Monday or Plant Based Diet, you can find a list of plant based protein sources here.

This week I want you to focus on where you are getting your protein.  Your task is simple – add a significant protein source to every meal.
 

 

There are many factors that influence how much protein we need on a daily basis. Things like:

  • Your unique body type including your weight and height;

  • Your age;

  • Your gender;

  • Your activity level.

 

                    1 serving of protein is about the size of our palm

1 serving of protein is about 1 palm of protein

 

The cool thing about our palm measurement is it will automatically adjust for size.  Larger people will typically have bigger hands than smaller people. 

Women: 1 palm of protein with EVERY meal

Men:  2 palms of protein with EVERY meal 

 

Remember, this is not an exact science and unless you are an athlete or prepping for a figure competition this general rule will get you where you want to go.

 

Review

  1. Portion size is different for everyone, based on a number of factors.

  2. Use your hand to judge your protein portion.

    • Women eat one palm-sized portion at each meal.

    • Men eat two portions.

  3. Continue to try new sources of protein until you find what works for you!