The Best Protein Sources

Quick—which has more protein: an egg, or an ounce of mozzarella? Believe it or not, the cheese actually has about 16 percent more protein. You might want to write that down, especially if you’re one of the forty-three percent of women who say they eat a protein-rich diet to help prevent weight-gain, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

It’s a smart strategy: In the study, amping up protein intake was related to self-reported weight loss. There’s only one problem. If you don’t know how much of the nutrient is in the food you’re eating, then you can’t be sure that your diet actually packs as much protein as you think.

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight, says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, a nutritionist in New York City, and author of The Portion Teller. If you’re trying to lose weight, she recommends upping your intake to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight (that comes to 59 grams a day for a 130-pound woman) and consuming a variety of different protein sources. And, of course, you’ll still need to exercise.

To increase your protein know-how—and manage your weight more effectively—make this your go-to guide:

Photo (top): iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
37 Protein-Packed Recipes
The Yummiest Way to Get Energized
Eat THIS, Lose Weight

javahut healthy feed

The Best Protein Sources

Quick—which has more protein: an egg, or an ounce of mozzarella? Believe it or not, the cheese actually has about 16 percent more protein. You might want to write that down, especially if you’re one of the forty-three percent of women who say they eat a protein-rich diet to help prevent weight-gain, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

It’s a smart strategy: In the study, amping up protein intake was related to self-reported weight loss. There’s only one problem. If you don’t know how much of the nutrient is in the food you’re eating, then you can’t be sure that your diet actually packs as much protein as you think.

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight, says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, a nutritionist in New York City, and author of The Portion Teller. If you’re trying to lose weight, she recommends upping your intake to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight (that comes to 59 grams a day for a 130-pound woman) and consuming a variety of different protein sources. And, of course, you’ll still need to exercise.

To increase your protein know-how—and manage your weight more effectively—make this your go-to guide:

Photo (top): iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
37 Protein-Packed Recipes
The Yummiest Way to Get Energized
Eat THIS, Lose Weight

javahut healthy feed

2 Amazing Energy Boosting, Fiber Filled, Protein Packed Breakfasts

I will start off from the beginning letting you know that neither of these are vegan meals. In fact, these aren’t my breakfasts, they are Dan’s.

Dan might not be great at cooking dinner, but he is a master breakfast maker! We used to have pancake contest of who could make the best looking and best tasting pancake, but I hated losing so we’ve stopped. :(

Plus these take less than 10 minutes to make, so there is no excuse!

Why Breakfast, Above All Else?

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day, I go to bed craving breakfast! Dan and I are the same in that we both wake up, go to the bathroom (not together) and then straight into the kitchen within 10 minutes of waking up for breakfast.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is why I don’t understand why only 53% of people eat it!? If you don’t eat breakfast, please let me know why?

Lets not forget that during the night your body is still working hard, even though you’re sleeping. It keeps fuel to work that hard! You know that you shouldn’t go too long without food during the day, so why would people want to go from their last meal at night until lunch without any food?

Your body is literally starving!

Other benefits of breakfast: 

  • Starts up metabolism (studies show that people who eat breakfast have an easier time losing weight and are more likely to keep it off).
  • Helps concentration (a study performed on kids showed that kids who had a balanced breakfast performed better on standardized test compared to no breakfast or sugar-filled breakfasts)
  • Improved endurance
  • Stabilizing blood sugar
  • Decreases cravings

Dan’s Mighty Breakfasts: 2 Meal Options To Start Your Day Off Right

Both of these are filled with healthy carbs and a great dose of protein and fat. All three coming together to give you a long lasting energy boost. No machine snacks for you today!

Plus they take less than 10 minutes to prepare… winner!

Hot-n-Hot Egg Sandwich

HOW TO:
Dan uses 1 whole egg and 1 egg white for this. Wisk it together with whatever spices we have available (normally pepper, basil, rosemary) and pours it into a hot skillet.

Like an omelet he adds in diced veggies (again what ever is in the fridge), folds it in half once the eggs have begun to set, then folds it again for 1/4 triangle.

Place on a toasted Ezekiel bread, add a slice of your favorite cheese and top with the BEST sauce ever… Scotch Bonnet.

Super Vegetable Fluffy Oatmeal

I made this for Dan this past weekend when he told me he was getting a bit tired of his normal breakfast and wanted a change. Unlike me, he’s not a sweet breakfast eater, so I was determined to give him something he would love and something that would be completely new to him!

How To:
You will need two pans for this, one skillet and one small pot. Basically, I took whatever veggies I had in the fridge, diced them up and sauteed them in some coconut oil on med heat until softened. To be specific, this had bell peppers, onion and broccoli in it along with some Boar’s Head turkey meat I chopped up.

In the pot, mix together 1/2 cup of milk (I used Coconut-Almond milk); 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup old fashioned oats. Bring it to a boil, stirring regularly then reduce to a simmer and allow the liquid to get soaked up and the oatmeal to soften. When it’s almost done, 2 egg whites were whisked in along with the veggies. The whisking in of the eggs makes the oatmeal fluffy and creamy!

And that’s what it looked like! It smelt amazing and I wish the new camera could capture the smell for you! But just take my word (and Dan’s) and try it out!

  • What’s your favorite breakfast?
  • How much time do you spend making breakfast?

Fitness Strength Training For Women and Clean Eating Suport