Protein powder: Why it’s the supplement everyone is using

Protein powder has many benefits

Protein powder is the one nutritional supplement that everyone can benefit from.  It is an essential macronutrient that helps to make-up the organs, tissues, bones, skin and hair of the body. Protein also helps to build muscle, repair cells, fuel your body with energy, carry oxygen throughout your blood, make antibodies to fight off infections and illnesses and make enzymes and hormones. It is also known that having a sufficient supply of protein in your diet helps with weight management, body composition, recovery after a workout, muscle growth and better nutrition. 

The challenge is how do you source enough protein in your diet especially if you are vegan or vegetarian?

Protein powder is a great option because it comes in both dairy and plant-based form. One serving of powder can give you up to 40+ grams of protein, which equates to about one-third of the daily goal for most people. Your daily recommended intake of protein should range from .7 to 1 gram per pound of your body weight. Protein powder can easily be mixed into a shake making it easy to consume without feeling stuffed after. You can also add any other ingredients to your shake such as fruit or yogurt to give it the flavor you like.

Choosing the right powder for you

Protein powder is not a new phenomenon, but it has gained in popularity in recent years as more and more companies compete to bring you more options to choose from. Every brand is striving to bring you the best tasting powder that appeals to your dietary preferences. This very saturated market has left a lot of consumers confused as to how to choose the best one. You first need to decide the following:

  • Do you prefer an animal or plant based powder?
  • What flavor do you like?
  • Which powder has the fewest artificial sweeteners and chemical additives?

When it comes to deciding on the best animal protein powder our co-founder Kern Alexander recommends Now Sports Whey Protein Isolate, which is unsweetened. When interviewed by NY Magazine, he said “ it contains whey isolate and isn’t loaded with artificial sweeteners.” Whey isolate is viewed as better than whey concentrate because it contains less fat and carbs so it’s less caloric. If you are lactose intolerant it’s also the better choice for you.

Now Sports also makes a pea protein powder if you prefer plant based. Pea protein is often see as the best alternative to whey. The only ingredient here is pea protein isolate, which also gives you the most protein per serving. 

Best time to consume protein powder

When you are exercising it is suggested that you ingest a protein supplement within the first 30 minutes to an hour after your workout. This is the “anabolic window,” which is the short period after your workout when your muscles are repairing and recovering. The protein and carbs that you consume during this time is used for increasing protein synthesis, reducing muscle protein break-down and and replenishing muscle glycogen. Other than after a workout, it can give you a boost of protein when you are falling short in your daily goal. Remember for optimal health it is recommended that you have at least .7 to 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Most people struggle to hit this goal without having a daily protein shake. Bottomline, there is no bad time to have protein powder. Aside from being a great source of protein, it can also be a great way to get more vegetables and even probiotics into your diet.

Foods you can add protein to

If you’re not a fan of protein shakes, don’t worry there are many other ways you can consume your powder.

Here are 10 foods you can add protein powder to that you may not have thought of:

  • oatmeal
  • pancakes
  • cookies
  • waffles
  • coffee (add vanilla flavored protein powder)
  • mashed potato (flavorless protein powder)
  • yogurt
  • pasta sauce
  • eggs
  • brownies
You can literally add it to anything and disguise it’s flavor by getting a flavorless powder. So if you don’t like the taste or consistency of protein shakes you’re in luck!

80/20 rule: Your diet or meal plan guide

Defining a healthy diet for weight loss

80/20 diet vs exercise rule

When it comes to weight loss 80 percent of your success comes from what you eat and the other 20 percent comes from exercise. You may have heard the coined phrase, “You can’t out-perform a bad diet.” Essentially this means that it doesn’t matter how hard you work out if your diet is poor you will struggle to find success on your fitness journey. 

The easiest way to put this into perspective is to consider the fact that one pound of fat equals 3500 calories. In order to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, you need to burn 500 to 1000 more calories per day than you consume. Now think about how long it takes you to burn just 500 calories in a workout. For most, I would say it takes at least one hour of vigorous exercise to burn that. That would mean to burn 3500 calories you would need to workout intensely for at least 7 hours. In comparison, it’s pretty easy to consume 3500 calories.

If you’re eating fast food like McDonald’s you could easily do that in one meal! Now you can see why it’s much easier to pack on the pounds than it is to lose them. 

Why the 80/20 diet for weight loss

Eating healthy 80 percent of the time is recommended for weight loss because eliminating unhealthy foods from your diet completely is not sustainable long-term. Eventually, you’re likely to cave when the cravings and temptations become too strong. When you’re eating healthy 80 percent of the time you can afford to indulge the other 20 percent of the time and not face any major dietary set-backs.

We apply this same principle with our clients. We help them track their macros to maximize their gym progress, but every so often we give them what we call a “macro break.” This just means we allow them to indulge for a short period of time without having to worry about hitting their protein, carb and fat goals.

This balance between having what their body needs and what they crave helps them remain consistent with reaching their weight goals. When you’re too restrictive with yourself, you’re more likely to fail long-term.

Tips for the 80/20 rule diet meal plan

A good rule of thumb to follow when striving to follow the 80/20 meal plan is to first fill up your plate with lean protein, fruit and veggies and leave 20 percent of your plate for indulgences. This helps you practice portion control. Indulgences can be simple processed carbs or anything you enjoy that may be considered unhealthy. This includes sweets, alcohol, processed foods or snacks. This way you can ensure you’re getting plenty of the macro and micro nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that your body needs to be healthy and fit before fulfilling any unhealthy cravings. Vegetables are high in tons of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Fruits are high in dietary fiber, potassium and vitamin C.  

Pros and cons of the 80/20 rule

This 80/20 diet plan is easier to follow than most restrictive diet plans because it doesn’t require perfection. It also promotes a balanced lifestyle where you get to indulge without feeling guilty and still make sure you’re getting the wholesome foods your body needs. 

However, this plan doesn’t come without drawbacks. Unless you’re tracking your macros it can be hard to calculate the 80/20 split accurately. The foods you’re taking in to count towards your 20 percent indulgence may be small in portion size, but high in calories. Similarly, if you’re indulging everyday that 20 percent can quickly become inflated. 

Weighing the pros and cons you can decide for yourself if this dietary approach works for you. As a measure of diet vs exercise this 80/20 rule is a good rule of thumb to follow. A poor diet is always more likely to tip the scale than skipping a workout.

Best meal delivery service options

Meal delivery gaining in popularity

Meal delivery services have quickly saturated the market as a healthier way to eat if: you aren’t someone who likes to cook, if you generally dine out or don’t have much time to prepare meals. Convenience has become a staple in our society and that includes the way we eat. Most people are aware that eating out all the time gets expensive and it also becomes impossible to track how well you’re eating. This is because there is no way to know how your food is prepared and the ingredients that are being used. Meal delivery services help give you control over what you are eating by allowing you to choose your meal options and see the ingredients used.

Choosing the best meal delivery service for you

There are a lot of meal delivery companies now competing for your purchase. Too many options can lead to a lot of confusion and uncertainty. Let me decipher what key items you should be looking for when making your selection.

Macro-friendly

First, you want to make sure the meals are macro-friendly meaning there is a good balance of fats, carbs, and protein. A higher protein rich meal will keep you fuller longer and it will help you avoid the water bloat from too many carbs. Protein is essential to your body’s repair of muscle tissue and every cell in the body.

Portion Size

Portion size is also important. Some meal prep services offer you tiny servings that will leave you still hungry, but if you thrive on eating smaller more frequent meals throughout the day smaller portions might be the way to go!

Prep time and Ingredients

You may also want to consider how many ingredients are involved with each meal and the amount of prep time. If your goal is to save time you may be less drawn to companies like Blue Apron and HelloFresh. Instead you may be interested in Gobble, Dinnerly and EveryPlate who are in the fewer-ingredients-and-less-prep arena. GoReadyMade and Epicured are other meal options that involve no prep work at all. All you have to do is heat them up and they are ready to eat!

What’s going to appeal the most to your palette? If you are someone who enjoys worldly flavors, EveryPlate or TakeOut Kit might be more in your ballpark but, if you are a picky-eater you’re better off with trying a company like Dinnerly.

Dietary Restrictions

Certainly if you have any food restrictions you want to look at companies like Sun Basket or Green Chef because they offer menus to suit all of your dietary needs. Purple Carrot is another option that appeals to vegan lovers.

Pay attention to the reviews because the most well-known brands aren’t necessarily the most well-received. Home Chef, which is owned by Kroger, has one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings out of all the top-rated home delivery services.

Prices

Price comparison is important to consider when choosing the right delivery service for you. From what we’ve seen prices can range from $4.99 per serving plus shipping to $12.00+ per serving plus shipping. Below are the cheapest meal delivery service options ranked in order from lowest to highest. Click the link above for coupons you can use to try them all.

Service

Price Per Serving

EveryPlate

$4.99 ($8.99 shipping)

Dinnerly

$5.75 – 6.50 ($8.99 shipping)

TakeOut Kit

~$7.75 (free shipping)

HelloFresh

$7.49 – $8.99 ($6.99 shipping)

Blue Apron

$7.49 – $9.99 (free shipping)

Marley Spoon

$8.99 – $12.99 (free shipping)

Freshly

$8.99 – $12.99 (free shipping)

Home Chef

$9.95 (free shipping on orders $45+)

Plated

$9.95-$11.95 (free shipping on orders $60+)

Sun Basket

$10.99-$11.99 ($6.99 shipping)

Green Chef

$10.99-$12.99 ($5.99 shipping)

Purple Carrot

$12.00 (free shipping

Meal delivery services cut back on spending and waste

Initially, you might see signing up for a meal delivery service as an added expense but, when you think of cost per meal it’s much cheaper than dining out or even ordering in from seamless. 

Even if you grocery shop and prepare your own meals, portioned meals reduce more waste and the number of groceries you end up purchasing. Rather than having to purchase an entire bushel of broccoli to make one recipe that only calls for a few stalks you receive the exact portion you need so none goes to waste. Fresh produce doesn’t hold up well for very long so if you buy more than you need for one sitting from the grocery store chances are a lot of it ends up in the trash.

Meal deliveries offer something for everyone

There are enough companies now offering home meal deliveries so there is at least one that appeals to everyone. Most are customizable to suit your needs. They offer fast-track service to guarantee you have a healthy meal whenever you need it. Unlike seamless, many of these companies even offer environmentally friendly packaging that is either recyclable or biodegradeable so you don’t have to discard harmful plastics.

You can save time and still eat to your own healthy standards instead of relying on fast food. You can do this while helping the environment. By creating healthier dietary habits you’re better able to manage your weight and overall health. Sounds like a win win if you ask me!

Healthy diet: Ditch the fad diets for flexible eating

What is a healthy diet

Figuring out what a healthy diet looks like can be confusing since there are loads of dietary options trending with each one promising you the results you desire. Many people are left undecided when choosing. There’s the Atkin’s diet, the Keto diet, the Paleo diet, Whole 30 and of course a slew of juice cleanses on the market all of which are restrictive in some form. 

You’re less likely to stick to a diet long-term when it is restrictive and you may also be causing damage to your health by eliminating certain crucial macro and micro nutrients from your diet. So how do you diet if you love food and want to avoid putting your health on the line? The answer is a flexible diet also known as a healthy macronutrients diet.

Macro tracking is a form of flexible eating that promotes a healthy diet. It doesn’t force you to eliminate anything and encourages you to get a more balanced diet. Many people discover when they start tracking their macros that their carbohydrate intake far exceeds the amount of necessary protein they need in their diet. This practice of mindful eating makes you more aware of what’s in the foods you eat. It teaches you how to pick and choose foods that satisfy the recommended intake for each of your macro nutrients.

What are macronutrients

First it is important to understand what macronutrients comprise a healthy diet. The three main ones are carbs, fats and proteins. Examples of these macronutrients are below.

Carbohydrates include sugars, starches and fiber and each gram is equal to 4 calories. Carbs are used for immediate energy or are stored as glucose in your liver and muscles. 

Fats are found in animal products such as meats, dairy and eggs. You can also find them in oils, avocado and nuts. Each gram is equal to 9 calories. Your body uses fats for energy, hormone production, nutrient absorption and body temperature maintenance. 

Proteins are found in animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy. Other examples include beans, legumes, and fish. Each gram is equal to 4 calories. Proteins are vital for the repair and building of all the cells, tissues, hormones and enzymes of the body.

Tracking Macros

When it comes to tracking your macros you need to purchase a food scale inexpensively on Amazon so you can measure your food intake in grams. One of the most common questions we get asked by our clients is ‘how to keep track of what I eat?’ We usually recommend you write down everything you consume for one week first to see where your average caloric intake falls. You can easily store this information in the My Fitness Pal App for free so you can see what you eat over time. You should weigh yourself each day during this week so you can also get a weekly weight average. This enables you to figure out if you are in a caloric surplus or deficiency. 

From here you can calculate your personalized macros for weight lose or to gain weight or even just to improve your body mass composition. A good rule of thumb is:

  • carbs should consist of approximately 40% of your diet, 
  • proteins should consist of approximately 30% of your diet, and 
  • fats should consist of approximately 30% of your diet.

Stick to this carb, protein and fat ratio for weight loss and muscle gain to see the results you desire. I recommend you start with calculating your protein intake, which should be .7-1 gram per lb of body weight. If you weigh 130 lbs you need to have at minimum 91 grams of protein per day.

Also you should never let your daily calorie intake drop below 1200. On our Additional Services page you can learn more about how to calculate your macros for a healthy diet.

The importance of a healthy diet

Without the incorporation of a healthy diet the results you will gain from a solid workout program are limited because you can not outperform a bad diet. Proper nutrition gives you the energy you need to perform your workouts at your best. It also helps aid in your body’s recovery post workout, which includes muscle repair so that you can get stronger. Diet and exercise go hand in hand. You can not thrive without the other.

Macro tracking is our go-to approach to a healthy diet with our clients and the results speak for themselves. Whatever your fitness goals, you are able to change your body composition to contain more lean body mass and the best part is you still get to enjoy the foods you love. This makes this approach effective long-term.