Boost your metabolism, manage your weight, and build lean, calorie burning muscle when you apply these 5 tips to create protein packed meals and help you hit your protein goal each day.

Most women have a hard time managing weight and maintaining lean calorie burning muscle tissue. This is especially true for women that are thirty-five and older. This is due, in large part, to not consuming a balanced and healthy diet that includes adequate amounts of protein packed meals.

Protein is an essential macronutrient for building and maintaining muscle, boosting your immune system and strengthening your bones. As you age your muscle and bone strength slowly begin to decline. So, adequate protein intake is vital for your overall health, muscle retention, and performance goals. Consuming enough protein also helps to improve your metabolic rate which increases fat loss. 

Other benefits of protein are that it’s more filling than other foods. When it’s paired with carbs and fat, protein also helps to metabolize those foods differently. Protein should be prioritized at every meal to help regulate your blood sugar and energy levels. 

How can you boost your protein intake to ensure that you are eating enough to support your goals? 

Here are 5 tips to create protein packed meals that will keep you fueled all day:

1. Prioritize protein at every meal.

When planning your meals, think about protein first and build every meal around it. For most women, a typical range for protein at each meal is somewhere between 25g-40g depending on the person and their personal needs and goals. If you aren’t someone that tracks your protein grams, an easy way to gauge adequate protein for a beginner is to fill ¼ of your plate with protein or include a protein that is about the size of your palm with each meal.

2. Replace a sugary breakfast with a savory breakfast that includes protein.

Most breakfast foods like bagels, muffins, pancakes, oatmeal and cereals are carbohydrate heavy. Starting your day with a meal that includes carbs is great but protein should be the star of the show at breakfast. A protein rich breakfast is beneficial for a variety of reasons. It will help you to achieve more control over your blood sugar through the day, which will also reduce stubborn cravings. Protein first thing will also keep you fuller longer and your energy levels stable. Examples of proteins you can add to higher carb breakfast foods: a scrambled egg with additional egg whites, turkey bacon, canadian bacon, greek yogurt, cream cheese, or cottage cheese. 

3. Add protein powder supplements to oats, smoothies, and yogurt.

Protein powders can be a great way to add protein into your daily meals although it’s typically only recommended to supplement with these once or twice a day. You want the majority of your protein sources to come from real food. Powder supplements can be found in flavored protein powders, collagen powders, and even peanut butter powder. Any of these powders can be added to oatmeal, shakes, smoothie bowls, and yogurt. Incorporating supplements can add an additional 8g-25g protein to your daily intake.

4. Add beans, legumes, nuts and seeds to your soups, salads, and bowls.

When you’re trying to hit a higher protein target you have to get creative. One of the easiest ways to sneak protein in, without feeling like you’re sitting down to a lot of food, is to add low volume, high protein rich food sources to soups, salads and food bowls. This will give you an extra boost without having to double up on your meat, although that is a bonus option too.

Consider topping your meals with:

• shelled edamame (14g protein)
• hemp hearts (10g protein)
• chia seeds (5g protein)
• beans (15g protein)
• nuts and seeds (5-7g protein)

You can see how this strategy alone can add up over your day to help you get closer to your protein goal. 

5. Eat balanced by always pairing a protein with your carbs and fat.

When you are busy, you probably grab a carb and/or a fat for a snack but it’s important to always pair a protein with these foods. This slows down digestion. It also helps your body to have a more moderate insulin response, and keeps you feeling your best with the proper balance of fuel that your body needs. If you reach for an apple, pair that with peanut butter and fresh sliced deli meat.

Other examples of balanced, protein packed snacks include:

• grapes with greek yogurt and a serving of nuts
• crackers and tuna salad mixed with a tbsp of olive oil mayo
• a granola bar with a premade shake that also contains a small amount of fat
• or a bar that contains all three macronutrients with protein grams being over 10g.

When you make the shift and use these 5 tips to create protein packed meals, it will keep you fueled all day! By prioritizing protein throughout your day, your nutrition will be more aligned with your goals. You should have a much easier time managing your weight and feeling your best. 

Want to know what workouts you can pair with your nutrition to be most effective during this season of life? I’m sharing a few changes I made to my nutrition and my exercise routine to manage menopause!

Check out my blog post here: 3 Things I Changed to Manage Menopause