Dieting and strenuous exercise can take a toll on your muscles; in order to keep your muscles from going catabolic you need to have a well balanced meal plan. I have always tried to add extra protein to my daily intake but there are times when I have to cheat a little and rely on things like protein bars and protein shakes. While not as nutritious or filling as a meal, they are just enough to hold me over until I can have a proper meal. Chicken, tuna, fish, beef, peanut butter and pork are all great sources of protein but if you are dieting hard you know that these things can get extremely boring after a while regardless of how creative you get when preparing it. I try to switch my extra sources of protein once a week to prevent that from happening.
Having quality snacks like protein bars, shakes and drinks around can help keep you from falling off the wagon but unless specified by the manufacturer they should not be used as a meal replacement. Often considered a necessary evil when it comes to dieting and trying to get enough protein in your diet, ready-to-drink protein drinks and shakes are expensive but if you are pressed for time they can be used in a pinch. You do have to be careful with the calories that are in the drinks and if they are something that your body is going to be able to handle. If you have a medical condition, please check with your doctor before adding a protein supplement to your diet. They may have suggestions or could be able to write a prescription for a premixed protein drink that would be covered by your medical insurance.
Protein Drinks: These are not the same as sport drinks that give you energy or that are designed as a recovery drink. Most of the ready-to-drink protein liquids can be purchased in bulk quantities to save money but you should try the different flavors first so you aren’t stuck with something that you do not care for. While more convenient than making a shake yourself they are, on average, three to five times more expensive. The artificial sweetener used in some formulations can cause gas so you are going to want to limit your intake until you know this won’t be an issue for you.
Beans! Lupini beans are an excellent source of protein. You can purchase them in a ready-to-eat jarred version or buy the dehydrated beans and cure them at home. If you are super adventurous you can buy the seeds, grow them during the summer months then dry them. They are bitter in their original form so they need to be cured to remove that from the bean. Some people roast them and serve them like a toasted pumpkin seed while others opt to add some salt to them and snack on them. Depending on the size of the lupini you can get anywhere from ten or twenty grams of protein and a lot of dietary fiber from a half cup serving.
Protein Shakes: Protein shakes are a great way to add protein to your diet; the low-carb versions do have an artificial sweetener added to them so you are going to want to buy the smallest quantity possible before you invest in kegs or large buckets. If you are mixing this while out of the house make sure you invest in a solid, well made plastic shaker. Most protein powders need to be mixed well to get the best benefit from them and to avoid ending up with a grit at the bottom. Battery operated mixers are not a necessity; most are overpriced and do not work as advertised.
Some powders are designed to be used as a meal replacement while others are strictly for adding more protein to your diet. Costs, flavors and benefits vary from company to company so if you try one and don’t like it there are others that you can check out and try. Most companies offer free samples but you will have to check their websites for offers. I prefer a low or no-carb powder but you might not have to worry about that aspect of choosing a protein powder.
Beef, Turkey and Ostrich Jerky: Making your own jerky is more cost effective than buying packages of it but not everyone is going to want to make their own. The biggest disadvantage to packaged jerky is that some flavors have a lot of sugar added to them. Jack Link’s Teriyaki Beef Jerky is one of the best tasting and filling forms of beef jerky but the calories can add up if you aren’t paying attention to the suggested serving size.
In addition to beef jerky you can also get turkey and ostrich jerky; if you are thinking about buying it in bulk you should shop around locally so you can get a sample of it and see the processing center. Jerky is not cheap; if you can make your own you can save a lot of money but if you are going to get the packaged jerky make sure you read the nutritional values so you aren’t going to get sacked with a lot of unnecessary calories. You are also going to want to pay attention to the amount of sodium; some of the “top shelf” products can have 800 to 900 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Protein Bars: Picking out a good tasting high protein bar can be tough; there are so many choices to make. Do you want something that is low in carbohydrates? Can you add the extra calories to your diet without it coming back to haunt you? What flavors are the best? Almost every company that makes sport bars has a specialty line of high protein bars; within that product line there are also bars that are considered low-carb. The trade off is that some of the artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols added to them could have a laxative effect if eaten in mass quantities.
Some of my favorite low-carb bars include the Zone Perfect Dark series and the Detour bars. These should be used in moderation; eating three or four of them a day will add a lot of extra calories to your intake and will end up negating any benefits of extra protein consumption.
Getting A Little Nutty: Almonds, cashews, peanut butter, cocktail peanuts and sunflower seeds are excellent snacks for sneaking in some extra protein to your diet. You do have to use some extreme portion control with them because there are calories and grams of fat that you have to watch closely. If you like granola bars you can also check out some of the combo snacks like Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Granola Bars. These are a great portable snack that you can throw in your gym bag to avoid the temptation of hitting a drive-thru on your way home.
A half cup serving of plain almonds has about 260 calories and a smidge over ten grams of protein. In addition to the already mentioned benefits, almonds are also an excellent antioxidant. If you are buying roasted, smokehouse or flavored almonds you will get getting the same amount of protein but more calories so please read the labels carefully. These enhanced nuts and almonds also have more sodium per serving so please read the labels before purchasing.
Adding extra protein to your daily intake can help promote muscle retention and muscle growth which is key for losing weight (fat). Even if you aren’t in the gym every day, a little extra protein can go a long way in helping you stay healthy and active.
