How to Build Your Plate around Protein
High-protein smoothie recipe using our Proti-VLC Smoothie Base and Flavor Pack!
Building your plate around protein is extremely customizable and can be simplified when trying to ensure that you are receiving enough protein in each meal. As protein is crucial for building muscle, increasing satiety, and stabilizing blood sugar levels, it’s important that you consume a variety of proteins to help optimize your health and overall wellbeing.
Every individual has different protein needs, as it is based on your body weight and personal goals. The standard recommendation is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. The first step in calculating your protein goals is to convert your body weight from pounds to kilograms; to do this, all you have to do is divide your body weight by 2.2. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would divide 150 by 2.2, so you are 68 kilograms. Next, simply multiply your kilograms of body weight by 0.8 grams to get the minimum amount of protein you should consume each day. When using this example, we would do 0.8 grams multiplied by 68 kilograms, so the minimum amount of protein you should consume each day is around 55 grams. However, many professionals actually recommend consuming closer to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. Therefore, eating between 55 and 68 grams of protein in a day for this specific example would be the overall goal.
When consuming larger meals such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, incorporating protein into a meal can be as simple as cooking up your favorite source of protein and customizing it with a flavor or sauce that you enjoy. A simple rule of thumb to go by when controlling portions of animal proteins such as chicken or steak is to consume a portion that is about the size of the palm of your hand. In other words, it should be about a quarter of the size of the plate you are eating off of. As for the rest of the plate, about half of it should be filled with vegetables; vegetables not only provide you with many different important vitamins and minerals, but they are also great for adding volume to your meal! Considering they are low in calories and high in both fiber and water content, vegetables are great for allowing you to consume more food without the added calories. The last portion of your plate should be filled with healthy carbs such as quinoa or brown rice. This method is known as the MyPlate method.
While these are the general recommendations, it’s important to remember that you should be enjoying the foods you are consuming and there are no strict rules or guidelines that must be met with every meal. For example, you can build a healthy recipe that doesn’t necessarily follow the MyPlate method with the eye, meaning the plate isn’t exactly ¼ protein and carbohydrates and ½ vegetables; it could be a whole grain pasta dish with different vegetables that is topped with chicken, or even a sandwich with whole grain bread, turkey, and a side salad. The MyPlate method is more of a way for you to help shop for your pantry, instead of a strict way to build your plate every time. Remember to have fun with it and try your best to add variety! This can be done by using different sauces and seasonings to flavor with and exploring new recipe ideas. If you are looking for more high-protein kitchen staples, shop our Ready Steps store here.
Next week’s blog will be about understanding your protein needs based on your personal goals or stage in life. Be sure to check back soon!