NG5 SHERWOOD JUNE/JULY 2021

Are you getting enough protein?
So many people who come to us for health
coaching aren’t consuming anywhere near
enough protein in their daily diet.
Through the media and clever marketing, protein
gets linked to building muscle, which for a lot of
people, particularly women, worries them. They
don’t want to get too big or muscular. So protein is
avoided and calories made up elsewhere, often with
carbs (which are not the devils work, stick with me…)
Let me explain…
We need carbs and fats in our diet, this is 100% fact
and neither should be considered ‘bad’. BUT… we
do need to be mindful of how much we consume.
Effectively, carbs are sugars once they are broken
down into fuel, and we only need so much fuel to
actually use as energy. The overspill we consume
will need to be stored, EVEN IF YOU ARE WITHIN
YOUR CALORIES (now read this again before
moving on).
So, this is the first part. Calories consumed need to
be a healthy combination of ALL macronutrients.
Having too much fuel can still lead to seeing little to
no effect on body fat loss.
NOW, let’s talk protein and its many key benefits -
which aren’t just for building muscle.
Protein is made up of amino acids (the building
blocks of muscle). It repairs torn and broken-down
muscle fibre. So essentially, you have to be creating
damage to muscle, like resistance training in the
gym, for muscle to repair and grow. Consuming
protein alone will not make muscle grow.
Next, protein helps with food satiety - it keeps you
fuller for longer.
AND it helps with hormone regulation and aids
recovery of the body.
It’s important to remember that our bodies don’t
store protein, so we need to eat it every day. So
how much protein should we be consuming daily to
unlock these key benefits?
Around 1g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight. So,
180lb in weight = 180g of protein. A scale of 0.6-
1.5g of protein per 1lb of body weight is used when
working out your intake needs.
My mini challenge for you:
At your next meal, see how much protein you are
actually consuming. Protein can come into your
diet in many ways, not just from meat and protein
shakes. Think eggs, tofu, beans and seafood. Assess
your daily protein intake for a week. Remember you
need to spread the consumption out over the day.
Are you close to 1g per 1lb of body weight per day?
Main Meal Idea
KOREAN PORK BOWL (Serves 1)
Ingredients
½ tbsp coconut oil
180g lean pork thinly sliced
1 small carrot
½ courgette
4 mushrooms – sliced
½ red pepper
175g cooked basmati rice
For the sauce
1 tsp hot chilli sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 clove garlic – crushed
½ thumb size piece ginger – finely chopped
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
Method
1. Melt half the coconut oil in a large pan/wok
2. Add the pork in single layers and cook for 1-2
mins each side. Then set aside
3. Peel the carrot into thin strips and slice the
courgette into matchsticks
4. Melt remaining oil in the pan, stir fry the carrot,
courgette and mushrooms for 2 mins.
5. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 2-3 mins.
6. For the sauce, mix together all of the ingredients
and set aside.
7. Place the cooked rice in a bowl and place the
pork and veg on top.
8. Drizzle the sauce over the top and serve
MACROS: Protein 52g, Carbs 85g, Fats 11g,
Calories 610
For past articles and much more you can
visit my website www.CoachAndyJames.com
Email: ask@coachandyjames.com
Website: www.CoachAndyJames.com