If you have goals to build muscle, lose fat, and fuel your body to perform at its best, you must increase your protein intake. Protein plays a vital role in each of these categories, but sometimes it can be hard to know how to get it into your diet consistently day after day.
Here are some tips to help:
1. Make a plan: When you set the course of your week ahead of time and pre-plan your meals, you are more likely to stay on course.
2. Figure out what you like the most. What are your staple meals you go to all the time? What are your favorite protein options? Are there any other healthier foods you enjoy eating? Create a list of those meals and things you actually enjoy eating, just increase the protein intake portion within each of them.
3. Break up your staple meals into meal categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, etc.
4. Don’t be afraid of repeat meals. Sometimes it can be easier to choose 1-2 meals you enjoy and repeat them throughout the week; this can also help with meal prepping.
5. For some it can be easier to eat repeat meals for breakfast and lunch than it is for dinner. Allow dinner to be the time to switch up your meals to get your variety in. If you are not the biggest fan of repeat meals, then maybe just choose 1 meal to repeat for the week.
6. Work on an 80/20 lifestyle:
Become consistent with eating and choosing healthier options 80% of the week, while allowing yourself those treats you like the other 20% of the week. If this is too hard, start with 70/40 and work up.
7. If you don’t have time to meal prep, at least meal PLAN. Don’t start your week off unsure of what you will eat each day, that is when we choose whatever is most convenient. And in most cases, the most convenient option is usually not the healthiest. When you plan your meals ahead of time, you can adjust the protein intake amount to ensure you are getting enough in each meal.
8. Embrace the journey and lifestyle. Creating healthier habits can be a challenge. Do it at your own pace so you don’t get burnt out and quit on yourself.
9. Don’t beat yourself up if/when you fall short of your plan. No one is perfect, and sometimes life happens. But each day and each week is a fresh start. Make the most of it!
YOU GOT THIS!
