Nutrition: Importance of Protein

Let's talk about the importance of protein in your overall nutrition. Protein is typically a macronutrient that is not eaten enough by most people. We typically focus on carbohydrates and fats, but protein is super important for a number of reasons.

First, protein helps you to feel full and satiated, so when you focus on having protein at meals and snacks, it will make you feel fuller throughout the day. Protein is also the building block of muscles. If you are trying to build muscle, and muscle at rest burns calories, you want to try to build as much muscle as you can. To do that, you need to prioritize protein.

And then there is also something called TEF - the Thermic Effect of Food. TEF means that certain foods take more calories and energy to break down, and protein is one of those. That's another reason why protein is important for your diet and should be the foundation of your meals and snacks. Make sure you have a good quality serving of protein. It could be 3-4 ounces of chicken breast, several egg whites, fish or even tempeh or tofu, which are options if you are plant-based.

There are a number of good sources, but make sure you get enough protein into your nutrition plan for the day. When it comes to the most important macronutrient, my vote is always for protein.

If you need help setting your protein target, contact me at www.allisonjacksonfitness.com