Personal Trainer Tip- Add More Protein

Lee’s Summit personal training friends, do you want to increase the protein in your diet, but not for sure how?  Life Transformations Personal Training has some tips for you.
In a study published in Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their diet ate nearly 450 fewer calories a day and lost about 11 pounds over the 12-week study without employing any other dietary measures.
When we say protein, most people think beef, chicken, and pork. But there are many other protein sources you can use. Here are some tips to get more protein into your day.
Add More Protein into your day

• Protein powder is not just for smoothies, you can also stir protein powder into hot cereals, iced coffee, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, or yogurt.  You can also “power up” your baked goods by adding protein powder to your recipes for items like muffins, whole grain pancakes or banana bread.  This powder can be found at your local supplement store or grocery store, and comes in many flavors. For those that don’t know, protein powder is made by taking the protein out of milk or other foods.
• Eggs are versatile protein boosters. The whites of eggs are the protein and the yellow yolk is the fat. You can eat both, or separate and have just the whites for lean protein. Hard-boiled eggs are great to keep around as a snack, or chop into a tossed salad, slice onto a sandwich. You can give a protein boost to soup by slowly pouring beaten eggs into simmering broth (they’ll cook almost immediately). Or, try stirring some egg whites into oatmeal as it cooks – it will help thicken up the cereal, but won’t change the flavor.  Eggs also come in a pasteurized form.  Look for liquid egg whites in small cartons.  These can be added to smoothies or other drinks, because they are pasteurized.
• Nonfat cottage cheese offers up a good boost of protein along with bone-building calcium. You can stir cottage cheese into cooked scrambled eggs, casseroles, mashed potatoes or pasta dishes; or, try whirling it in the blender with beans for a high-protein dip for raw veggies.  You can give baked goods a protein boost by sneaking some cottage cheese into your recipes for pancakes, waffles and muffins. Cottage cheese is a great snack.  No need to cook, just place in small containers for great snacks or dips for fresh cut veggies.
• Beans are a good source of protein and can be added either whole or mashed to foods like soups, stews, casseroles, pasta sauces, curries, salads or guacamole.  Hummus can be used as a spread for sandwiches or wraps to add some extra protein, or it can be thinned down with a little water and used as a salad dressing.  Mild-tasting white beans can even be added to protein shakes – their flavor is hardly noticeable, and beans add a thick, creamy texture.
• Tofu has such a mild flavor that it can be added to a lot of dishes for a protein boost. You can add it to protein shakes, or blend it until smooth and add to sauces, casseroles, eggs and pasta dishes, or use as a base for a healthy dip for veggies.  You can also cut firm tofu into cubes and add to salads, soups and stir-fries. This is a great protein source for those wanting to avoid meat or dairy.
• Greek yogurt adds a tangy protein boost to protein shakes, oatmeal, soups, sauces and curries.  If you’re adding to hot foods, stir in at the last minute to prevent it from curdling.  Plain yogurt can also replace mayonnaise in tuna, chicken or egg salads.  Even salad dressing can get a protein boost from yogurt – whisk plain nonfat yogurt with salt, pepper, garlic, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil for a tangy dressing for your greens. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for ricotta or other cheeses when cooking.  A great protein rich snack is 1 c Greek yogurt mixed with 1 scoop protein powder.  Stir it into a pudding consistency and enjoy!
• Other on the go protein ideas are jerky, beef sticks, nuts, string cheese, nonfat yogurt.

Why protein?
According to Selene Yeager with Women’s Health, “The moment it leaves your fork, protein starts winnowing your waistline. High-protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. The cumulative effect has obvious benefits for anyone who is watching their weight.
So, if you want to curb hunger cravings…you may just need some more protein.  Try to add some protein with each meal or snack.  This will help not only feel fuller, but also aid in weight loss.  The perfect place to start is breakfast.  Starting your day with a protein rich meal will get you started on the right foot.
Here is an example of a protein rich day
Breakfast-Breakfast burrito with eggs and lean ham
Snack-Cottage cheese and fresh vegetable sticks
Lunch-Grilled chicken sandwich with fresh fruit
Snack-Protein muffin (made with protein powder)
Dinner-Tuna casserole (sub Greek yogurt for the mayo), salad
Snack-Mixed nuts
Now, all you need to do is try it out.  Get your family on board and check out some recipes online. CLICK here for some Life Transformations Personal Training TRAINER RECIPES.