50+ Lifestyles

Power of Protein

By Logan Anderson, BA, CPT, CIFT
Owner of All Strong Fitness LLC

Hey, another article about the importance of protein! Of course another article about the importance of protein. Protein is SO crucial for the proper functioning of our body, and without it, you would literally be nothing. Let’s briefly go over some key protein points to keep you feeling young and healthy.

One of the main points I want to bring into your presence in regards to protein is how multifaceted it is when it comes to functions. Yes, protein is very important in keeping your muscles strong and healthy. But what many people don’t realize with protein is that protein keeps every cell in your body strong. Literally every single cell and tissue is composed of proteins. Tendons, organs, skin, etc. Everything. This means that if you are neglecting protein intake in your diet, you are not only leaving your muscles begging for more protein, but also the rest of your body. Without sufficient protein in your diet, you are effectively asking your body to fall apart. Albeit, this happens very slowly and usually isn’t “noticed” until years and potentially decades of not eating enough protein. So what can we do to avoid this?

The general recommendation for protein intake is to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. Now, this isn’t the weight on the scale as scale weight considers your body fat and you lean body mass. Lean body mass considers your muscle, bones, organs, water weight, and basically anything that isn’t fat mass. If you don’t know your body fat percentage or lean body mass, you can just multiply your bodyweight by .82, as this gives most people a close representation of protein intake based on an estimate of their lean body mass. If someone weighs 100 pounds, eating roughly 82 grams of protein a day is sufficient. With that said, unless you have kidney problems, more protein won’t harm you, and is helpful for many when trying to lose or maintain weight.

Sources of protein can be all of the above. Animal sources like chicken, pork, beef, greek yogurt, milk, protein powder, cottage cheese, and many more have all essential amino acids and provide a potent source of protein. If you prefer vegan sources of protein like tofu, pea protein, and protein from whole grains all are good too, but do require more focus on getting appropriate protein amounts, since they aren’t as high in protein, compared to animal protein from a relative sense.

In the end, getting enough protein doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose 3-4 sources you enjoy. Spread these sources into every meal, trying to achieve the amount of protein you need for yourself, and see how your body reacts. If you have more strength and feel generally better about yourself, you are likely hitting your protein goals. Congrats! If you don’t feel this way, change your sources and amounts. This is always evolving and as your health changes, what you need in regards to protein will change, too.

Logan Anderson is the owner of All Strong Fitness LLC. For more information, please visit allstrongfitness.org.