Protein on the go

Hi guys!

Lately I've been upping my protein and carb intake to fuel my heavy lifting I do 2-3 x a week- so on top of my protein shakes, I've been eating snacks that are HIGH in protein. Since I'm on the go a lot-whether I'm rushing out the door for a meeting, a workout, or event- having a few snacks I know I can count on and ready in the fridge, definitely helps between meals.

Most packaged, processed, to-go food items are usually high in fat and carbs but lacking in protein! When your day includes exercise, it’s super important to bring along nourishing snacks that will keep you going and support all those muscles you’re using.

So I'm going to jump right into all things protein:

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, the other two being carbohydrates and lipids (fats).
1 gram of protein is equal to 4 calories no matter what the food source. 1g of chicken protein = 4 calories, 1 gram of chickpea protein = 4 calories
It is recommended that active women need between 0.4 and 0.6 grams per pound and athletic women who are trying to build muscle need 0.6 to 0.9 grams per pound. (source health.com) *For my body weight and goals I'm currently getting in 119g of protein per day! THAT'S ALOT

Protein is found in high quantities in eggs, animal meats, lentils, chickpeas, beans, milk, greek yogurt, and nuts. And is found in smaller amounts in many many other foods!

Because protein is so important I'm sharing 4 awesome, high protein, snacks that are quick and easy to prepare for busy bees like me!

1. Plain Greek Yogurt and Berries! (20g)

There is about 20g of protein in 1 cup of greek yogurt! Top that off with ½ c. of fresh or frozen berries and a dash of honey and wa-la! If you want to take it further, put in a tbsp of peanut butter for an extra 4g of protein.

2. Aloha Bar (14g protein)

Aloha bars are DEEELICOUS and also keep me full. There's no dairy, soy, gluten, or artificial sweeteners and the protein comes from peas and pumpkin seeds- making up 14g of protein per bar. My 2 favorite flavors are Chocolate Mint and Peanut Butter & Jelly - plus they are organic! Yum!

3. Trailmix (12-15g protein)

I head to the bulk section of Whole Foods every week and load up on a trail mix with high protein content. I love almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate and dried coconut!