Are you getting enough? No, not that. Are you getting enough protein? Whether you’re looking to build muscle, lose weight or simply live a healthy life, protein is king when it comes to hitting those goals. The average adult needs around 0.75g-1g of protein per kilo of body weight per day and this can even be higher if you’re trying to reach a muscle focussed goal.
Increasing your protein intake doesn’t need to be difficult, we’ve done the research, consulted our HERMOSA protein whizzes and have 10 easy tips for increasing protein intake and how to get more protein in your diet.
How To Increase Protein Intake
Increasing your protein intake has the potential to bring with it an abundance of important health benefits, such as:
- Increasing muscle & strength
- More efficient recovery
- Reducing hunger through the day
- Improving sleep quality
So making sure you’re getting enough can be key. Scroll down to discover how to get more protein into your diet.
1. Eat A High Protein Breakfast
Starting with the most important meal of the day, making sure you’re getting a good dose of protein in the morning can be just what you need to kick start your day the right way. Swapping out toast & cereal for baked oats or something like scrambled egg with smoked salmon can add around 20g+ of protein to your morning.
Need some inspo? Give these 5 high protein baked oats recipes a whirl.
2.Prioritise Protein Each Meal
A simple, yet effective way of getting protein into your diet is making sure there’s some source of it in every meal. Got a salad? Add some chicken or tofu to it. Got some porridge oats? Add a scoop of whey or vegan protein to it.
For food products, as a general rule of thumb for portion sizes try to include a palm full or two of your chosen protein source to each meal.
3. It’s All About SNACKS
Along with gym time, snack time is up there with the best times of day. Make sure to snack on high-protein foods throughout the day. Nuts, seeds, protein shakes or bars make great snacks that will give you a protein boost any time of day. High protein snacks also help you keep fuller for longer, meaning you’ll be less likely to reach for something sugary.
High protein snacks include:
- Nuts & seeds
- A boiled egg
- A can of tuna
- Protein shakes
- Protein bars
- Chickpeas or edamame
- Greek yoghurt
4. Add Protein Toppings
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner adding a spoonful of protein packed toppings to your meals can easily help you up your protein intake. Toppings such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, chia seeds are all potent protein sources which can help to boost protein intake.
5. Try A Protein Shake
If you’re constantly asking yourself ‘how do I get more protein in my diet?’ You’re not alone - a lot of people struggle to get the recommended amount of protein.
The average whey protein or vegan protein shake has 20g of protein per shake, which can reach 30g+ if you start adding in other ingredients too.
Looking for inspo? Try these 4 high protein shakes.
6. Increase Portion Size
Usually have one chicken breast for lunch? Add another. Have two scrambled eggs for breakfast? Add a third. By simply adding & eating more protein to your diet you’re giving yourself the best chance of hitting your protein goal with very little effort.
7. Meal Prep
Along with split squats, it’s two words many people dread. But prepping your meals in advance has the ability to allow you to take control of your protein intake. By planning your meals and knowing how much protein you’re getting through the day you can prep your way to enough protein to hit those goals.
If you notice you’re not quite getting enough you can amend your meal prep recipes!
8. Be Savvy
Getting enough protein doesn’t have to mean ripping up the rule book and starting again. It could just be a case of being more conscious about the food you’re eating and being savvy by making swaps. We’ve dropped some examples below:
- Plain yoghurt (2g protein x 100g) > Greek yoghurt (6g protein x 100g)
- White rice (3g protein x 100g) > Quinoa (7g protein x 100g)
- Soft cheese (2.5g protein x 50g) > Cottage cheese (6g x 50g)
- Chicken thigh (21g protein x 100g) > Chicken breast (31g protein x 100g)
- Pork sausages (11g protein x2) > Turkey sausages (19g protein x2)
9. Choose Veg That’s High In Protein
You might not think it but apart from being a key source of many nutrients, some vegetables can also be high in protein! Broccoli, corn and asparagus can contain around 3-5g of protein per serving, while beans, chickpeas, edamame can contain a whopping 10-20g protein per serving!
10. Choose Lean Meats
While foods like burgers or bacon may taste amazing, they often include more saturated fat. Lean meats such as chicken, turkey and fish can have much higher protein per serving and generally have less calories too. And if you can, grill or bake your meat choices to avoid adding too much fat by frying them up.
Increase Protein Intake
There you have it. 10 easy ways to get in more protein to help you recover and build muscle - by adding some or all of these into your routine you can be sure you’re getting enough protein to help you rest, recover properly and move you closer to your fitness goals.
If, of course, you’re looking for a protein powder to help you on your way. HERMOSA whey & vegan protein powder has 20g of protein per serving and is made with nothing but clean & natural ingredients - including milk from cows in the Lake District & stevia from South America. The result? A clean, smooth tasting protein shake that packs a protein punch too!
Shop the full range here.
