6 Ways To Increase Your Protein Intake

A lack of results can be a killer for anyone trying to build a gym habit.

I remember when I first started training, I felt like I was doing everything right, but I didn’t see the changes I wanted.

It was frustrating, and I felt like giving up.

If that sounds familiar, and you’re not currently following a structured training program that sees you training often enough and consistently close to failure, then that should be your first priority.

But if you’re ticking those boxes and still struggling to see growth, it might be time to think about your protein intake.

That’s because muscle mass in our bodies is regulated by two processes: muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB).

MPS refers to the process by which damaged muscle is repaired and built back bigger and stronger. MPB refers to the degradation of muscle.

Both of these processes are dependent on two factors: external loading (i.e. lifting weights) and a process known as aminoacidemia — in other words, the presence of amino acids in the blood.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and our bodies need 20 different types to grow.

While lifting weights will potentiate a rise in MPS, without the amino acids, this potential rise won’t be capitalised upon.

While we produce 11 of those 20 naturally, the other 9 (known as the essential amino acids) can only be found in certain food sources.

Protein-rich foods such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy, quinoa and buckwheat all contain the nine essential amino acids.

By eating these foods in adequate quantities, you’ll supply your body with the essential amino acids necessary to optimise MPS and build more muscle mass.

How much protein should you be eating?

When it comes to protein intake, you’ll probably hear a whole bunch of recommendations thrown around.

The common suggestion is 1g per lb of body weight, or 2.2g/kg, every day.

But studies have shown that around 1.8g/kg of body weight is sufficient, and any more than that doesn’t provide any advantage.

I recommend 2g/kg as a rule of thumb, simply because it’s easy to calculate and remember on the spot. But the research shows this is probably overkill.

Some populations could benefit from a higher intake, though.

Extremely lean individuals and those in a caloric deficit may consider more protein to preserve muscle mass.

Protein is also more satiating than carbs or fats, so it can help prevent hunger when in a deficit.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, a higher intake might also be necessary due to many plant-based protein sources not containing all essential amino acids.

It’s important to note that studies have shown no health issues connected to diets high in protein, including those containing over 3g/kg of body weight.

So you can rest assured that this recommendation is safe for most people.

In saying that, if you have certain metabolic conditions, such as dysfunction in your kidneys, then please speak with a doctor before consuming a diet high in protein.

If those numbers sound impossible to hit, here are six practical tips you can incorporate into your day to help increase your protein intake and capitalise on your hard work in the gym:

1. Understand protein sources

It’s pretty difficult to eat more protein if you don’t know where to get it from in the first place.

I recommend familiarising yourself with the What Should I Eat? guide from Precision Nutrition and having a Rolodex of go-to food sources for protein.

Animal sources such as beef, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs are all great choices, as are soy, textured vegetable protein, quinoa and buckwheat.

2. Win the morning

For most people, breakfast is the meal with the least amount of protein for the day.

By starting your morning with a hit of protein, you’re setting yourself up well to hit your target across the course of the day, as well as helping to keep yourself satiated until lunch (and capitalise on that spike of MPS if you train first thing).

Good sources of protein for breakfast: eggs, milk, cottage cheese, tofu, Greek yoghurt, oats with whey, and these soy protein puffs.

3. Build your meals around protein (and plants)

A lot of people plan their meals with carbs front of mind, while protein and fruits or veggies get left as an afterthought.

There’s nothing wrong with this. But if you’re lacking in protein and you currently eat this way, try to switch your mindset to start building your meals around plants and protein (shoutout to Mackenzie Baker for this one).

For most of your meals, choose a protein-rich food source along with some accompanying plants, and fill in the gaps with carbs and fats, not the other way around.

So long as those boxes are ticked, you’re on the right track.

4. Increase meal frequency

So you’re dialled in on protein-rich food sources and you’re building your meals around protein and plants.

But you’re still struggling to hit your daily targets.

Maybe it’s time to add another meal to your day.

This will provide you with another opportunity to add a hit of protein rather than simply building bigger meals.

It will help you reach your daily targets, keep you feeling fuller between meals, and allow for more frequent spikes in MPS.

The 2–3 pm timeslot is often prime for a protein-rich snack: yogurt with fruit, a high-protein smoothie, or some tuna and veggies on Vita Weats.

5. Have some easy, go-to snacks

For those times when you’re out and about, ravenous, and need something quick and convenient.

Rather than stopping by the nearest Hungry Jack’s, try to have a list of go-to's that you can easily grab from the supermarket to tick your plant and protein boxes.

Try a protein shake, Up&Go or yoghurt with some fruit.

Grab a bread roll and stuff it with sandwich meat and some plants of your choice.

Or dip some veggies in cottage cheese.

6. Supplement

If you’re doing all of the above and still struggling to meet your goals, then you might consider a protein supplement.

Supplements are just that: supplementary.

They’re no silver bullet, and most of your protein intake should come from whole-food sources.

But they are a convenient and relatively cost-effective way of increasing your protein intake.

The most common protein supplement is Whey Protein Isolate (WPI).

WPI is made from milk and is a great source of protein (and the essential amino acid leucine).

Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) is a little lower in protein but is also a great option (and usually cheaper).

Casein is another option made from milk.

It's a slower absorbing protein, and as such, it is often recommended to be taken before bed to provide a ‘drip-feed’ of protein throughout the night.

If you enjoy a shake before bed, go for it, but this argument is mostly theoretical and is unlikely to provide significant benefit.

Plant-based protein powders are another good option, especially for vegans.

As I mentioned earlier, many plant-based protein sources don’t contain all essential amino acids.

So if you choose a plant-based protein powder, try to find a blend that contains several sources (for example, rice and pea) that contains a good amount of leucine (~2g per serve).

Finally, be aware of different terms thrown around on protein packaging.

Any protein that is labelled with terms like ‘lean’ or ‘shred’ is usually just a marketing ploy and provides little to no benefit.

‘Mass’, ‘bulk’ or ‘gain’ usually means an added carb-powder, which is fine but will add calories and is probably unnecessary unless you struggle to reach your daily caloric goal.

Stick to plain-and-simple 100% WPI or WPC and you can’t go wrong.