Protein Meal Plans

What is protein?

Essentially, protein makes up the building blocks of organs, muscles, skin, and hormones. As an adult, your body needs protein to maintain and repair its tissues. Everyone should aim to eat the required amount of protein as a part of a healthy balanced diet.

If you have specific fitness goals in mind, protein can be a popular choice as part of your meal prep as it can help you achieve weight loss and fat loss whilst increasing your muscle mass and strength. A meal plan based on principles of good nutrition that is high in protein may also help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of diabetes, and other health conditions.

How is protein used in a meal plan?

It’s worth noting that you should avoid regularly replacing your meals with protein shakes as they are unlikely to contain sufficient vitamins and minerals that you would normally get from meat, fish and dairy sources.

Types of meal plans for a protein-first diet

A high-protein meal plan usually involves around 30 grams of protein at mealtimes as this is often considered the optimum amount for weight loss, muscle repair and growth and overall health.

Your meal prep should include both meat and plant-based proteins in your diet in order to benefit your overall nutrition. Where possible, choose high-quality protein sources such as fresh meats, eggs, dairy and other proteins, rather than bacon, salami and other processed meats. Be sure to balance your protein sources with plenty of fruit and vegetables at every meal if you can.

Remember even a vegetarian meal prep can be high in protein if it includes eggs or dairy products aswell as beans, pulses and other sources of nutrition.

How does protein tie into your gym routine?

 Exercise such as strength training promotes muscle growth, but the body can only build on existing muscles if they recover after your workout. So aim to up your nutrition with protein meal plans after you exercise as this will help the muscles to heal properly and prevents the loss of lean mass which contributes to a muscular appearance and defined & contoured physique.

Benefits and drawbacks of high protein

Benefits of high protein:

Decreased hunger and better control over appetite by feeling satisfied for longer
An uplift in your metabolism which can help with building muscle gain
Complements a weight loss diet and/or a bodybuilding lifestyle
Helps to maintain a healthier weight

Drawbacks of high protein:

A high protein meal plan is sometimes characterised by bad breath
Can lead to a loss in calcium which is essential for bone health
Limiting carbs and fibre can lead to constipation and too much dairy can cause diarrhoea
Consuming a lot of red meat and processed meats may be carcinogenic

Protein shakes

Protein shakes are typically made using a powder and mixing with water. They are a very popular choice amongst those people who wish to build muscle strength, particularly with weight lifters and bodybuilders.

You can buy protein shakes and other protein-based products from most large supermarkets but you might find a better selection at specialist high-street retailers such as Holland & Barrett.

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