Protein, the star of the show.

Most people drastically undereat protein, which is a shame considering humans are designed to eat it. This is why we have teeth, acidic stomachs, short colons and long intestines. We are omnivores, we eat animals and plants. It's our biological diet to eat animals. I would go even as far as stating the bulk of our diet should come from animals.

I won't get into any ethical or moral considerations here because this blog would be 20 pages long, but I will speak to why protein is so important for us to consume. If you want to nerd out on the ethical and environmental impacts of eating animals, I highly recommend checking out the Sacred Cow, you can read the book or watch the documentary.

Ok, back to the topic. Eat more protein (animal protein). One of the practices I teach that is a game changer for clients in terms of energy, hunger, cravings, satiety, and body composition is to prioritize protein at every meal.

Every time you sit down, take a peek at your plate and make sure protein is the star of the show. I don't really care what else is on your plate... for now.... outside of that beautiful hunk of protein. Don't like chicken... or red meat? Cool, don't eat it. Eat the stuff you like... cow, chicken, pig, fish, egg, emu, alligator, cricket, boar.... humor me.

Here's why;

1. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. Yes... more satiating than fat and carbohydrates. What is satiety you ask? Satiety is how well a food addresses your hunger, and how long it keeps your hunger at bay. Think of it as your fullness leverage, it keeps you fuller, longer, than anything else. Satiety is your magic weapon. You ever try dieting and being hungry all the time? Hunger will always win.

2. Protein is the bioavailable, nutrient-dense food. That was a mouthful, eh? Let's break it down. Bio-available simply means that our bodies can use all the nutrition that come from animals. We can break it down, digest it and assimilate all it's beautiful nutrients and put them to work in our bodies. Most food has nutrition, but our bodies can't always access it. Nutrient-density- The amount of nutrients (vitamins and minerals) found in a food, animal protein has all the vitamins, minerals and amino acids required to run your human body. So, you are telling me it has all our nutrient requirements, and those amino acids that contribute to satiety!? YES!

3. It's our biological diet. Cats are carnivores, cows are herbivores, dogs are omnivores... humans are omnivores. Everyone is happy when we eat our biological diets... in fact we thrive. What happens when we stray from our natural diets? We become sick and unhealthy. As I mentioned before, we have all the machinery to eat animals and take up all the nutrition it has to offer.

4. It's the building block of your body. Protein breaks down as amino acids in the body and used for virtually everything important to run your meat suit. It's a high demand compound, so don't let your body down. Amino acids are important in many processes like muscle building, cell building, hormone production, neurotransmitters, heart health, cognitive health... just about everything related to overall wellness.

5. It's really flippin' delicious. A beautiful steak, some smoked chicken thighs, creamy scrambled eggs or a pan seared fish.... I don't need to say much more than that.

I really don't find value in counting food, but I do know how important it is to get in enough protein, so if you are going to county anything, protein might be a good start just to see where you are at. You can aim for .8-1grams per lb of bodyweight. If you weigh 150lbs aim for 120-150grams of protein per day. 150x.8= 120... simple math does the trick.

Moral of the story, eat more protein. How much more? I don't care, just add a little more.

Enjoy!