If you do work out regularly, especially if you do high-intensity and strength workouts, you need more protein than a sedentary person. Depending on the intensity and frequency of your workouts you may need as much as double what a person needs that does more sitting than squatting and lunging. In fact, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends getting between 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight if you’re physically active.
As long as you get ENOUGH protein over the course of a day, you’re in good shape, right? Not necessarily. There’s another issue to consider – protein timing. A recent study looked at how protein timing and how you space your protein over the course of the day affects muscle protein synthesis.
Muscle Protein Synthesis and Protein Timing
If you want to build lean body mass, you need to create an environment that’s conducive to muscle growth. This means you need to overload your muscles through resistance training AND give muscles the building blocks they need to grow. Those building blocks come from amino acids, the breakdown product of protein. How much protein you get is a factor in optimizing muscle growth – but what about WHEN you get it?
A recent study looked at this issue. Researchers at the University of Texas at Galveston asked healthy volunteers to consume 90 grams of protein per day. This is roughly the amount the average American gets on a daily basis. Although each group of volunteers ate 90 grams of protein daily – they differed in WHEN they ate it. Some of the volunteers got the same amount of protein at each meal – 30 grams breakfast, 30 grams lunch and 30 grams dinner. The other ate only 10 grams of protein at breakfast, 15 grams at lunch and 65 grams at dinner.
Did protein timing make a difference? When researchers measured the rate of protein synthesis in the two groups, the first group that spaced their protein out evenly at every meal had 25% greater protein synthesis compared to the second group that ate most of their protein at dinner. That’s significant! Unfortunately, most people consume protein more like the second group – they get most of their protein at dinner, less at lunch and the least at breakfast.
This study shows you can maximize protein synthesis by eating a similar amount of protein (around 30 grams) at every meal. Keep in mind that some studies show you can only absorb about 30 grams of protein at a time. If you’re eating 65 grams of protein at dinner, you may not be fully absorbing it all. Getting enough protein at breakfast is even more important if you work out in the morning. According to some studies, there’s a window period after a workout where your muscles are best able to use the amino acids from protein for recovery and to build muscle tissue. That’s why it’s important to get enough protein and to space it out evenly over your meals. For most people, that means getting less at dinner and more at breakfast.
Start the Day with Protein
Breakfast seems to be the meal that’s lowest in protein for most people. Even worse, some people head out the door without eating breakfast at all – even after doing a workout in the morning. Even if you’re in a hurry in the morning, there are ways to add more protein to your morning meal. Always make time for breakfast even if you have to set the alarm 15 minutes early. Research shows eating breakfast, especially a protein rich one, increases satiety and reduces calorie consumption later in the day.
One of the simplest ways to get a protein-rich breakfast on the table fast is to prepare it overnight in a slow cooker. A slow cooker is a hassle-free way to make hot breakfast cereal. Give the oats a break and try quinoa. Quinoa is a complete source of protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs but can’t make.
To make quinoa, add 1 cup of quinoa and 3 cups of water, milk or milk substitute to a slow cooker pot. Cook it on low for six to eight hours. You’ll wake up to hot quinoa you can enhance with milk or a non-dairy milk substitute. For more protein, stir in chopped nuts, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. Quinoa is also high in fiber and low-glycemic. It’ll keep you full for hours.
Eggland’s Best Eggs – A High-Quality Protein Source
Don’t forget about eggs. Eggs are a protein source with a high biological value, meaning the protein in eggs is easy for your body to absorb and use. What could be more versatile than eggs? You can prepare hard-boiled eggs the night before and grab them in the morning.
You can also make scrambled eggs in the microwave in a matter of minutes. To do this, spray the bottom of a microwave-safe glass bowl with an olive oil spray. Then whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl using a fork. If you wish, you can add a tablespoon of milk or milk substitute for more creaminess. Microwave the eggs for a minute on high power. Remove them from the microwave and stir them lightly with a fork. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds until the eggs are completely solid.
If you have a little more time, mix veggies, herbs, and spices into raw eggs or egg whites and bake it in the oven for a protein-rich frittata. You’ll get a head start on meeting your veggie quota too.
Of course, you can also whip up a high-protein smoothie using Greek yogurt and your choice of fruit and greens in a blender and sip it on the way to work.
The Bottom Line?
Make sure you’re getting enough protein AND that your protein intake isn’t skewed. You should be getting as much protein at breakfast and lunch as you are at dinner for maximal protein synthesis.
References:
Medical News Today. “For Maximum Muscle Health, We Need a Full Serving of Protein at Each Meal”
J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 2007 Sept 26: 10:8.
Fitness RX. May 2014. “Protein the Right Dose”
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Can Consuming Protein after a Workout Help You Build More Muscle?
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Protein for Building Lean Body Mass: Is There a Limit to How Much You Can Absorb?
Do You Need to Eat Protein at Every Meal?
