Are You Getting Enough Clean Protein?
Protein Paralysis
We get it – the world of fitness and self-care can be dizzying. With new workouts, protein supplements, diets and techniques arriving on the scene daily, it can feel daunting to go in blind. Chances are, a few of these questions have crossed your mind:
Am I getting enough protein?
Should I use protein powder? Which one?
How many meals a day should I have?
What should I eat to burn fat/build muscle?
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution! (Please, don’t believe anyone who tells you there is.) Instead, it’s important to educate yourself so you can make smart choices. Whether you are meal-prepping or shopping for supplements, use these tips and a few quick calculations to create a muscle-building plan that’s right for YOU. With a little help from pharmaceutical-grade ProGlow Protein, you can boost your metabolism and muscle-building capabilities and get your glow on.
Clean Protein vs. The Rest
Your glow up journey begins by fueling your body with pure, clean protein. The only way to guarantee you’re getting the good stuff is by shopping for pharmaceutical-grade supplements. Let’s break down what that means.
A pharmaceutical-grade compound is defined as “any active or inactive drug, biologic or reagent, for which a chemical purity standard has been established by a recognized national or regional pharmacopeia”
As fancy as that sounds, the bottom line is purity. By the United States Pharmacopeia standards, a supplement must be 99% pure to qualify as pharmaceutical grade. This means the ingredients are natural sources, free of binders or fillers such as cork, dye or unknown substances.
We know what you’re thinking… why would there ever be cork in a protein powder? Fillers and binders are a sneaky way for companies to dilute their supplements to make supplies stretch further, ultimately hurting the product’s quality and your results.
That’s why the entire ProGlow Protein line is certified pharmaceutical grade and physician formulated. These products are designed and produced to be in a supplement’s purest form. Not only does this allow for maximum nutrient absorption into the body, it also means the most bang for your buck. You can rest easy knowing each scoop is filled to the brim with pure goodness to help your muscles grow and your body glow.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The amount of recommended protein can vary depending on your age, health, training and goals. Typically, it ranges from 1.0 – 1.3 grams per pound of body weight per day. Here’s an easy way to roughly calculate how much protein you need in your daily diet:
30 – 40 years old: 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight
40 – 50 years old: 1.0 to 1.1 grams of protein per pound of body weight
60+ years old: 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Growth hormones decrease with age, so it’s important to compensate with additional protein.
Once you’ve calculated what your daily protein intake should be, you may ask yourself why it’s important to hit that number. Protein is key for sustaining and building lean muscle. Your body craves the “building blocks” for it’s muscles. Without enough protein, your muscles will break down and experience soreness. The proper amount of protein helps muscles repair and grow stronger and encourages optimal fat burning.
Hit Your Daily Protein Goals the Right Way
Now you know how much protein you need, let’s break down the optimal ways to obtain it. Shoot for at least 30 to 35 grams of protein per meal, with three daily meals, rather than grazing on protein throughout the day. This will stimulate protein synthesis, making each meal an optimal fat burning meal. Any amount of protein below 30 grams may not be effective and could just end up as calories.
Eating nutritious, whole foods can still leave your body needing more, and it’s not easy coordinating healthy meals every day. With meals averaging 30-35 grams of protein, you still have a fair amount of protein intake to make-up outside of breakfast, lunch and dinner. ProGlow Protein supplements like Strong + Youthful and Vegan Strong are quality on-the-go solutions to reaching your protein goals, in the purest way. Use them for an afternoon snack or a post-workout protein boost. Keep protein intake moderate-to-high, even on days you are less active.
The Best Sources of Protein
Let’s take a minute to breakdown the science behind protein. Proteins are made up of smaller building blocks called amino acids, joined together in chains. There are 20 different forms of amino acids, some more beneficial than others. Choose the protein source that is pure and best fits your lifestyle.
Animal Protein
Animal protein is the best source of protein because it has amino acid leucine. As one of the nine essential amino acids, leucine is a vital tool in protein synthesis, muscle building and fat burning. In fact, research has confirmed that people staying on a protein-rich diet, which includes enough of leucine, lose more body fat while retaining a more lean muscle mass.
Whey Protein
Derived from dairy, whey protein contains an incredible range of essential amino acids, which are absorbed quickly in the body to help improve muscle protein synthesis and promote the growth of lean tissue mass.
Bovine Collagen
- Bovine collagen is the purest form of collagen and a great way to increase your protein intake. But what exactly is it? Derived from cows, bovine collagen is a naturally occurring protein present in connective tissue, bones, cartilage, and hides. Packing 18 different amino acids, taking collagen helps maintain the health and structure of your skin, bones, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, organs and can also regulate gut health.
- ProGlow’s Strong + Youthful Protein combines pure, highly-concentrated protein from non-GMO, grass-fed beef with critical nutrients, minerals and vitamins that allow your skin to glow from the inside out.
Vegan Protein
Are you vegan or vegetarian? Don’t fret, we have you covered. You can still obtain the lean protein you need with an all-vegan diet. Supplement vegan protein blends with amino acids, vitamins and minerals for a well-rounded boost for your body.
Pea Protein
- Made with North American grown peas, research demonstrates that pea protein is one of the more easily digested plant-based proteins. It contains all 9 essential amino acids and can aid in muscle growth, weight loss and heart health. As a bonus, pea protein is also a great source of iron.
- ProGlow Protein Vegan Strong is a vegan formulated protein blend packed with amino acids and free of dairy, GMOs and soy. For best results, pair Vegan Strong with Lean Gains, ProGlow Protein’s amino acid complex.
Amino Acid Complex
A boost of amino acids post-workout can help kick start your body’s protein synthesis. Remember, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. During resistance training, your muscles tear and break down. As soon as your workout is complete, consume amino acids to help your body begin to repair and rebuild. ProGlow’s Lean Gains is a daily boost of aminos specifically designed for women to help build lean muscle faster. BCAAs work alongside L-glutamine for a synergistic effect in building lean muscle tissue while giving the immune system a boost.