Can More Protein Build a Better Rider?

In last week's post about Building Muscle after 40, I mentioned that I need to pay more attention to protein intake. I had the feeling that it's been lower than optimal -- which is apparently the case for the majority of us looking to gain muscle and lose fat.

Sure enough, I tracked my protein intake for a week and found that it ranged from a low of 56 grams to a high of 102 grams per day, with most days landing in the 75-85 gram range. For reasons I'll explain below, I'm now aiming considerably higher.

"Most people naturally eat the right amount of protein for their needs...However, there are certain situations where it may be advantageous to increase protein intake." ~ Chris Kresser M.S., L.Ac.

4 Reasons to Consume Optimal (not just adequate) Protein

Protein is satiating. Not only is protein essential for human life, it is also deeply satisfying. Eating additional protein keeps us feeling full, automatically pushing out lower-value foods like starches and sugars and reducing the urge to snack.

What horse doesn't want a leaner, stronger, happier rider?

Protein feeds muscle. Maximizing dietary protein has a direct impact on gains in muscular strength and mass. Increased muscle equals improved metabolic health, which leads to effortless leanness and lower risk of chronic disease. 

Increased protein consumption combined with resistance training is the optimal formula, but even dietary protein alone helps minimize sarcopenia (muscle loss) as we age. What horse doesn't want a leaner, stronger rider?

Protein stabilizes blood sugar. Protein doesn't rapidly drive up insulin or lead to a sugar crash like carbohydrates notoriously do. Instead, it can have a hormonal effect that actually reduces anxiety. This means that it offers not only sustained energy, but also improved focus and mood: just what we need to pilot our horses over many miles of trail.  No more getting hangry on the third loop!

Protein promotes recovery. Injury recovery, I mean. Next time we take a fall or get our feet stepped on, we'd be wise to ramp up our dietary protein to supply extra building blocks for rapid tissue repair. Protein is good for injury prevention, too, contributing to stronger bones, connective tissue, and even immune response.

How Much Protein is Optimal?

This is not an easy question to answer. A bit of googling will find suggestions all over the map. After much reading (both lately and over the past decade), I've landed on two, solid recommendations:

One gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. This is an extremely common recommendation in the athletic realm. It is sometimes modified to refer to one gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight (a calculation for which you need to know your bodyfat percentage in order to subtract out the corresponding pounds) or one gram of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight (useful particularly for those who are very overweight).

Since I'm pretty lean, but would like to get leaner while also building muscle, the plain-Jane version is a good baseline for me. I weigh 125 pounds, so that puts my target protein intake at 125 grams per day.

20% to 35% of calories. I got this recommendation from Chris Kresser, a functional medicine practitioner whose work I have respected for years. Many of us, including me, fall into at least one of the categories of people for whom he recommends protein intake ranging from 20% to 35% of total calories.

I eat about 2,000 calories per day, so Kresser's formula puts my daily protein target between 100 and 175 grams. ​Realistically, let's call my new goal 125 grams.

To calculate grams as a percentage of calories:

Multiply your average daily calorie intake by your desired percentage of protein intake, in decimal form. Divide the result by 4, because there are four calories in each gram of protein.

My example:
2,000 calories x 0.20 = 400
400 calories / 4 calories per gram = 100
So, 20% of my calorie intake equals 100 grams of protein.

Hate math? Just use the chart in Chris Kresser's article.

How to Eat More Protein

Now that I have the math out of the way, it's time to actually put something on my plate. For all its benefits, protein isn't the most convenient macronutrient to consume. I'll need to be intentional about getting enough. Here's my plan:

Don't skip breakfast. Because protein is so satiating, it's hard to pack adequate consumption into less than a full day. I find that if I don't start with a high protein breakfast, I won't be able to make up for it later.

Don't skip lunch. Protein really does keep my energy level steady. As a result, it's all too easy to motor along after high protein breakfast, completely forgetting to get more grams in at lunchtime. Once again, though, skipping a meal means I don't hit my target for the day.

Eat protein first. If protein is a priority, it makes sense to give it first dibs on stomach space. Doing so has the bonus effect of curbing any tendency to overeat because our brains have time to register that we're full before we pack in those starchy sides or sugary desserts.

Plan ahead. This one is huge. I have to make sure I buy enough proteins during my weekly grocery trip, pre-cook some of them for later convenience, and have protein-centric recipes in mind to keep me interested.

Choose appealing foods. Speaking of planning, there's the obvious question of what proteins to eat. The basics are obvious: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and some plants (kind of). Naturally, everyone is going to prefer some sources over others.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of eggs and although I do okay on dairy, I suspect it isn't the ideal source of protein for the majority of people. (Lactose intolerance is common, and the hormonal response dairy provokes can promote bodyfat gain.)

Here are some ideas I'm trying out:

• Meat and poultry dishes for dinner, making extra to heat up at breakfast or lunch. Canned chicken is nice to have on hand for low-leftover days.
• Fish grilled or baked for dinner. Canned tuna and kippers for quick lunches.
• Deli meats for lunch. Sliced roast beef or turkey is good wrapped around a bit of cream cheese and some veggies for an easy meal.
• Eggs aren't my favorite, but they're surprisingly fluffy scrambled with cottage cheese. To get a full meal's worth of easy protein, add some ham or corned beef.
• Plain Greek yogurt with fruit and toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds for breakfast variety (go easy on nuts and seeds, though -- the calories add up quicker than the protein).
• Legumes offer occasional variety. Lentils and navy beans are relatively high in protein, as plant proteins go. However, I find that the micronutrient and protein bang usually isn't worth my calorie and carbohydrate buck.

I'm keeping my eyes open for new, high-protein recipes. With any luck, some of them will appear in my next Recipe Roundup. Got suggestions? Drop them in the comments!

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Further reading:
​
5 Reasons You May Need More Protein - Even on a Paleo Diet

The Definitive Guide to Protein

The Connection Between Protein and Your Mental Health