Life Fit Chat with Laura Lewis: The Protein Rules!
Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!A healthy diet is a well-balanced diet. Part of a well-balanced diet includes eating healthy portions of protein every day. Protein is essential for a healthy, well-balanced diet. The human body is made up of protein cells. it is found in our skin, bones, muscles and organ tissue. Protein is also found in our blood, hormones, and also our enzymes. Many people believe protein is only available through the consumption of meat, but many plants are also healthy protein sources. The Mayo Clinic recommends recommends eating between 10 to 35 percent of our daily caloric intake from protein. Based on a 2000-calorie per day diet, this amounts to about 50 to 175 grams. By following my protein rules, you will begin to shed the extra weight you are carrying, and you will feel better too.
The Protein Rules
- Choose lean proteins.
- If you do not want to "bulk" up, eat at at least .5 gram per pound of body weight.
- Eat three times per day minimum, with protein at each meal.
- Include a bit of protein in each snack. Example: unsalted, blanched or raw almonds. About 20 is one ounce ... a nice size snack. Plus, nuts contain good fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber too. A protein, versus a carbohydrate, snack will keep your blood sugar more stable between meals.
- Drink lots of water.
Good Protein Sources
- Whey Protein
- Beef, lean cuts: sirloin, tenderloin, top round, natural beef jerky with no sodium nitrates/nitrites or corn syrup. Choose natural or organic if possible.
- Buffalo.
- Poultry : chicken, turkey, cornish hen,
- Turkey Bacon: No more than two slices per day
- Seafood: All types of fish and shellfish. The best choices for weight loss are salmon, halibut and other fatty fishes, swordfish, trout, orange roughy, shrimp, lobster, and crab
- Pork: boiled ham, tenderloin (limit one two times per week)
- Nuts: slivered or whole almonds, natural nut butter, pepitos, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds
- Eggs or egg whites
- Tofu: soft and low fat varieties
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