It’s About Time for a Protein Party

Hello! I hope you are having a great week so far. After a crazy and eventful weekend of entertaining out-of-town friends, a full-on snow day yesterday, and working at the gym this morning, I am finally starting to get back into the normal swing of things over here.

Today I wanted to talk about something we don’t chat about nearly enough on the blog: protein. Are you getting the daily recommended amount in your diet? Do you even know what that is?

The current USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (about 0.36 grams per pound). The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends 1.5 – 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. The CDC recommends that women get 46 grams (or more if you are active or pregnant) of protein per day. Of course, your personal goal of daily protein intake also depends on how active you are.

Do you partake in resistance or endurance training? Are you training for a long distance race? Are you mostly sedentary (sitting) at your desk during the weekdays?

Here are a few articles that might help you figure out what range you should personally aim for:

• How Much Protein Do Women Really Need? via Health.com

• How Much Protein Should I Eat? via PopSugar

• Protein Fact Sheet via Dr. Oz

Protein Party (with About Time)

As someone who rarely eats beef and red meat (I am just going to pretend bacon isn’t included in that category), there will be days that pass by where I don’t eat any meat at all. Instead, I enjoy most types of seafood, white meats like turkey and chicken, and make a conscious effort to keep my protein up with eggs, nuts, beans, and Greek yogurt.

One sure fire way I make sure that I am getting enough protein in my diet is through fruit smoothies. More than likely, I will add a scoop of whey protein powder every time I make one, and I recently got the opportunity to sample a smorgasbord of them from About Time.

I really do love About Time products. I tried a sample Birthday Cake protein powder pack last summer and jumped at the chance to get my hands on more of them. Things I love about this brand include:

• Gluten-free

• Non GMO

• Naturally sweetened with Stevia

• Vegan (dairy-free) protein options

While opening my box of goodies, I instantly spotted the delicious flavors of the on-the-go single serving packs. Check ’em out!

(Vegan) Chocolate, Vanilla, Cinnamon Swirl, Banana, Birthday Cake, Chocolate & (Vegan) Vanilla

The first thing I reach for after a hard workout at the gym is something to refuel with, so I appreciated the portable single serving scoops already measured out for me. Mix a packet into your water bottle, stir a scoop into a glass of milk or almond milk and voila!

Here are a few winning combinations I put together using the packs:

In this smoothie:

1 About Time Vanilla protein powder pack

frozen strawberries

handful of raspberries

1 cup power greens (spinach, kale, etc.)

enough skim milk to get it moving

In this smoothie:

1 About Time Banana protein powder pack

1 cup frozen spinach

1/2 cup strawberries

1/2 banana

1/4 cup frozen grapes

1/4 cup blueberries

In this smoothie:

1 About Time chocolate protein powder pack

1 cup frozen spinach

1/2 banana

1 cup strawberries

1 cup dark chocolate almond milk

 

Next, I became extremely intrigued by the fruits and nuts protein bars.

True to the name, the ingredients are minimal (only 3-5) and only include things you can actually pronounce: fruit, nuts, and protein. Each bar contains 11 grams of egg white protein and is naturally sweetened with dates making it a paleo clean formula.

Unlike most I’ve tried before, these fruit and nut protein bars are very soft and chewy. I love that!

The biggest item in my About Time care package was this huge (2 pound!) tub of Nighttime Recovery Protein Powder.

I tried the Peanut Butter flavor and it was every bit as peanut and buttery that I was hoping it to be. This specialized formula features a combination of micellar casein, coconut oil powder, tryptophan, and melatonin specifically for night time muscle and energy recovery.

I couldn’t help but to think of how great it would have been to try this out during my frequent nighttime Fitness Pilates class appearances last year. By the time I would finish the class, hop on the treadmill, steam, and shower, it would always be well past 9 p.m. I would always be looking for comfort in a healthy recovery food on my way out the door!

The nighttime formulas would be great for anyone, but especially for gym enthusiasts or fitness professionals who get their workouts in after normal work hours. If you think you still might be low on your protein level for the day, enjoy a scoop mixed in with milk or almond milk 15-30 minutes before you go to sleep.

It’s like a treat for both your tummy and your health!

 

Other ways I love using protein powder:

• protein pancakes (add a scoop of vanilla)

• pumpkin protein pancakes (even better!)

• chocolate chip cookie protein balls

• baked goods like blueberry, banana, and pumpkin muffins

 

Over the past couple of weeks, I have tried to be more conscious of how many grams of protein I eat. I noticed that I feel more full (in a good way) and energized when I hit my quota. Protein is just as important as getting enough fruits and veggies, so I hope to engage in more talk about it down the road with you guys. Thank you for stopping by and reading today!

» Find out more information on protein products and suggestions by following About Time on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Question of the Day

• What is your favorite flavor of protein powder and how do you enjoy it?

The About Time Birthday Cake powder is right up there on my favorites list. It might just be the best (and most addicting) flavor I’ve tried yet! I also enjoy anything involving peanut butter or chocolate mint. I’ve got my eye on the About Time Pumpkin Spice powder too. Yum!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of About Time.