Eat Your Meat...and Other Proteins

I've read that despite the relative wealth of Americans (or former wealth) a majority of us are undernourished.  We put a lot in our mouths, but much of it lacks necessary nutrients.  There's a theory that this lack of nutrients, especially protein, is what makes us feel hungry all the time. 

After casually tracking my protein consumption for a while, I realized that as long as I stayed to the straight and narrow of clean eating, I had no problem with protein.  But if I filled up on processed foods or snacks foods (like crackers), I fell behind.  

I should be taking in about 46 grams of protein.  If I have oatmeal with a 1/2 cup of milk for breakfast, that's about 11 grams.  Eating two slices of turkey on two slices of whole wheat bread for lunch gives me 18 more grams of protein.  A half cup of nuts for a mid-afternoon snack provides 10 grams.  And beans and brown rice, topped with plain yogurt and broccoli on the side for dinner adds on about 28 more grams.  So that's a whopping total of 64 grams.  But many days I don't have meat for lunch or a dinner so protein heavy.

The trick is not make yourself crazy with this information, but to try eating a wide variety of whole-grain, unrefined, and fresh foods.  If you stick to that basic pattern, you will become better nourished and will not be hungry all the time.  

As you switch to eating this way, you might even put on a few pounds at the very beginning.  But once your body gets over the shock and your nutritional deficiencies are remedied, you will start dropping down to the weight your bones were designed to carry.

In very general terms, adult women should consume about 46 grams of protein a day while men need about 60.  In order to figure out the exact amount you need, convert your ideal body weight to kilograms by multiplying it by .453.  Take the resulting number and multiply that by .9, since that's how much protein you need per kilo of body weight.  If you're skipping meals and living on junk, this protein goal will be tough to reach.  But if you're eatin' clean, it's a very reasonable goal, one that can really keep your appetite in check.