When you’re struggling to hit your protein goal

As a former competitive bodybuilder, protein was a mainstay of my diet and for good reason. Protein is the building block of muscle. We lose muscle as we age so ensuring you’re building or maintaining your muscle is really important. Even though I don’t compete anymore, I make a concerted effort to get at least 30-40 grams per meal.

But getting enough protein can sometimes be a struggle. I have to confess; I hate protein shakes. I hate drinking my calories in general, so I just won’t make a shake. I’d rather eat my protein powder. If protein is a priority and you’re struggling to get your daily intake of protein, I’d love to share some of my tactics to get’er done and my favorite brands/flavors.

Not sure which protein powder to use? Here are some of my go-to favorites to get you started…

• Quest Banana Cream
• Beverly International Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP) Graham Cracker
• Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Chocolate

You’d be surprised how versatile today’s protein powders are and many can easily be used for baking. Here are some very simple ways to add protein to common foods.

• Mix 1 scoop with 1 tbsp powdered peanut butter + some zero-calorie sweetener and some water until you get the consistency of cake batter. Eat it like pudding or freeze it like fro-yo.
• Mix it with non-fat pudding.
• Add it to applesauce.
• Mix it with nonfat plain Greek yogurt and some zero-calorie sweetener.
• Mix it with cottage cheese and some fresh berries.

What are your thoughts on protein and protein powders?