Suffering from protein boredom? Shake things up—literally
It’s probably not a surprise that combining exercise and protein is a great strategy for getting the most out of your workout routine.Using exercise to help with weight management or weight loss? Protein will help you feel fuller and spare your hard-earned muscle mass from breakdown. Exercise wearing you down? Protein can help support your immune system and overall health
For many people, protein means boiled chicken breast or a quick shake concoction of protein powder and water on the walk or ride home from the gym. That’s fine—until you feel like you have chicken breasts and protein shakes coming out of your ears.
If your sick of eating the same proteins switch things up and try out a couple different categories of protein.
Dairy
Dairy is a great source of complete protein. It also provides a unique blend of different proteins, which makes it a great addition to any smoothie, whether you’re looking to pack on size or lose some pounds.dairy packs a load of vitamin D and calcium, each which play a muscle-building role in their own right. Calcium aids the maintenance of strong bones and muscle contractions, whereas vitamin D supports bone health, Furthermore, dairy is rich in immune-boosting proteins.
Building muscle while eating chocolate all at the same time?!?
Take your shake to the next level by adding a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder. Not only will this tantalize your taste buds with chocolaty goodness, it will also provide you with a healthy dose of antioxidants called flavonoids, which may help support heart health.choose a cocoa powder that’s at least 60 percent cocoa. Unsweetened cocoa powder is a great option, too, since it boasts a mere 12 calories per tablespoon.
Go ahead and go nuts!
Add a spoonful (or two) of your favorite nut butter to the mix, or elevate the texture by adding your favorite nut or seed. Nut butters are a great source of healthy fats. Consider peanut, almond, or cashew butter, and almonds, walnuts, and pecans.If you’re striving to pack on size, adding calorie-dense, healthy fats is an easy way to sneak in extra calories. For those looking to maximize flavor while minimizing the calorie content of the smoothie, consider a low-calorie powdered nut butter.
Short on time?
There are plenty of premade protein shakes readily available that boast 20 or more grams of protein and a better taste than your whey-water combination. Consider stocking up on a few of your favorites and keeping them on hand for when life gets crazy (which may be close to every day for most).
Additional options?
There are a number of high-protein foods out there, so don’t feel as if you need to live on protein shakes alone. Consider dairy, animal meats, fish, seafood, soy, quinoa, beans, or a complementary pairing of grains and nuts to reap the benefits protein has to offer.