Not sure how much protein you need to eat daily?
Many of us are seriously lacking in protein consumption and after age 30 we tend to deplete muscle mass by 3-5% per decade. Balancing your macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats) is important so that you get enough nutrition while maintaining muscle mass.
How many calories should I eat for my metabolism?
If you are dieting you never want to go lower than 1200 calories a day or your metabolism will slow to a crawl in a starvation mode. Your body feels it needs to hold on to all of its energy (including fat which holds heavy metals) resources. If you eat too many calories, you will gain weight, even if it is healthy protein.
I look at your Phosphorus level on a Hair Analysis to see if you are catabolizing or tearing up your own muscle for fuel or not. If you drink soda pop it will also lower your phosphorus level and facilitate muscle loss and interfere with weight loss.
How should I adjust calories to lose weight?
If you want to start losing weight, drop your calorie intake to 1800 a day, and increase your exercise. I’m not talking about doing a second workout every day or a longer one, just move more. If you hit a plateau you can drop your calories a couple of hundred for a week then back up to trick your body into burning but secure in the amount of fuel coming in.
So how much protein should I eat to gain muscle?
Your body can only absorb 20-30 grams in a 1-2 hour span. This is why you hear of bodybuilders eating 6-8 meals a day to get enough protein to build muscle. You can use a protein calculator online for free to figure out your exact amount needed to maintain muscle, lose fat, or build muscle. Eating meat all day may not sound appealing (I can not comfortably digest it well enough) so you may want to drink a good quality protein shake for a snack between meals.
Don’t forget there are proteins in collagen powders, nut, and seed butter, plant-based protein shakes, beans (which should only be eaten twice a week as they are high in copper), and of course animal meat/egg protein.
- Breakfast maybe 1 cup of egg whites with EVOO sautéed veggies mixed in as an omelet.
- A snack of a protein shake or almond butter with cooked veggies late morning.
- Lunch could be 4 ounces of chicken breast with buttered veggies.
- A snack of organic air-popped popcorn or blue corn chips.
- Dinner could be 4 ounces of ground beef with complex carb and buttered cooked veggies.
Consider a snack of a protein shake again. If you use casein (milk-based) shake, it will keep your metabolism up longer so you will burn more calories while sleeping even hours after drinking it.
So what happens if you eat too much protein?
Your body will and can convert it to stored fat. By using the right amount of protein to burn fat, the muscle you build if you are doing weight lifting or bearing exercise will burn 10 more calories per pound than the fat weight would, even at rest. That would equate to burning 350 more calories a week for every 5 pounds of muscle you add. Another bonus is a faster metabolism is sustained post strength training as your body rebuilds the muscle! Could you squeeze in 2-3 trips to the gym or do weight-bearing exercises at home?
Hair Analysis and protein
I can see on Hair Analysis results if you are lacking in protein and losing muscle to catabolism. Along with an individualized dietary recommendation, I can tell you exactly what your body needs. This will replenish minerals so it can heal and detoxify heavy metals quicker.
If you don’t want to wait to start on another failed “Monday” or New Year’s resolution, let’s get started before the holidays. It doesn’t mean you will live on lettuce or not have an occasional treat. It is a shift into a healthier, science-based lifestyle to show you how to have the best quality of health for the rest of your life.
To see if you are losing muscle resulting weight gain, LET’S CHAT about your health goals!
To learn how to lose weight without a crazy fad diet read more here.
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