In the series about what to eat when on a GLP-1 protein comes up. How much? How to get it in? If we eat less, how do we get it in? And what to do when you think you need another chicken breast.
Protein is not magic, more protein is not better, but protein becomes important as food intake falls.
Why Protein Matters on a GLP-1
Before you ever started a GLP-1, you probably never thought about getting enough protein for the day. In fact, seeing people with protein deficiency isn’t something you probably saw - unless it was someone with a severe disease like cancer, end stage AIDS, anorexia, or other horrific diseases.
Simply put, protein helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss. It provides the building blocks for your body constantly making and turning over new cells. Protein also helps keep you satisfied. And since your body goes through periods of recovery, like after the flu you need protein to help with that.
Weight loss will cause you to lose some “lean mass.” That is any weight loss, whether from a diet, medication, surgery, or any form of calorie restriction. The goal is to minimize unnecessary loss and not pretend it can be prevented.
Some studies showing lean body mass loss are missing the point - we expect some loss. That is normal with weight loss. More later.
How much protein do you actually need?
So there is a minimum amount you need, which is quoted as 0.8 grams per kilogram of ideal body weight per day. So, if your ideal body weight is 70 kilograms - about 150 pounds - then you need 56 grams of protein. But if you actively lose weight, especially older adults (over 60) you should aim higher.
1 to 1.2 g/kg/day - so for our ideal weight of 150 lbs, the person needs 70-85 grams a day. And higher amounts depending on age, activity level, if you are ill.
What if you get more? Is more better? More is not better. More will not hurt, but you have a limited plate size, and there are other things your body needs besides more protein.
Protein is only half the muscle story
If you do not exercise, you will not build muscle. No matter how much protein you eat, without exercise, your muscles will not grow. Doesn’t matter if you eat chicken breasts, tuna, or steak - your muscles grow with movement and resistance.
That guy in the gym spends hours a day working on those muscles, and they need the protein. Chances are not spending hours at the gym.
You should do resistance training, and that can be things like lifting weights. I do yoga, some like other forms. It has to be something you like and will repeat. Exercise classes can give you community, which is also nice, but your job is to bank the muscle now, so that you have it in a dozen years if you need it.
Protein is not Aspirin
Hitting a protein target is just that. It is a target. You will mostly eat more protein than you need, but you do not have to hit a number every day. Instead of thinking - I have to make 200 grams of protein - think about your plate. It isn’t a drug, a pharmaceutical that you have to hit that dose.
Food should come with a healthy variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes and whole grains. All of which contain protein.
Fish and Seafood
Great healthy protein sources, which are easy on the stomach. Many find that fatty red meats are hard on the stomach. But fish, which is a different kind of fat, tends to digest easily and is considered one of the better protein sources. Today I had some salmon with my lunch. Others like shrimp, tuna, white fish. It is an easy way to get in a lot of protein. I had a small filet of salmon, and it had about 25 grams of protein.
Dairy
One of the easier ones. I have been on a kefir kick lately. Kefir is fermented milk. I like it because it concentrates on the protein in milk and has little to no lactose in it. On mornings when I am up before my stomach is awake, having a bit of kefir is easy on the stomach and gets me about 10 grams of protein. I have been using oat milk and kefir for my morning smoothie.
Greek yogurt has about twice the protein as Kefir, and is an easy breakfast.
Some love cottage cheese. It has a bit more protein in it. I know, cottage cheese is not a cheese, and it is just a curd to me.
And don’t forget milk. I do, lactose intolerant, so for me milk is something I drank as a kid.
Eggs are also a great source of protein. Single egg is about 6-7 grams, most have two to three eggs. I prefer mine with lots of good red sauce on them and some beans - ok, huevos rancheros.
Legumes
These are one of my favorite proteins. Beans. Last week, I gave a simple recipe that I use when I cook chicken. Chickpeas are an easy air fried snack. One cup of beans has about 15 grams of protein, also a great source of fiber and little fat.
Soy Foods
Living in California, I have had a lot of tofu, tempeh, and edamame. Vegetarians and vegans grow here more than cows. I will have some tofu recipes in another episode, and I do a monthly TikTok, Instagram (and we put it on here) short cooking show with Chef Ray where we cook with these ingredients.
Do You Need Protein Shakes
Sometimes you do. If your appetite is low, breakfast isn’t going to go down, or you want convenience. Sometimes days are rough after some injections, and these are helpful. Some nights for dinner, all I want is something, and a protein shake works great.
Collagen
Collagens contain protein, but they do not contain all the protein someone needs. This should not be the center of your protein strategy. The data for collagen preserving your skin has been re-examined, and there is no reason to recommend collagen over other sources of protein.
Whey protein induces more muscle building.
What about eating too much protein?
The main issue is you are not getting enough of other things on your plate. You still need fiber, fruits, vegetables, and other micronutrients that you get from a Mediterranean style diet.
And if you have kidney or liver disease, you need specialized medical advice from a registered dietician familiar with your condition (not a chiropractor).
Here is on of my favorite recipes - a quick and easy Lentil based Dahl - and a two minute video of how to make this.
