ALL POWER TO YOU
WANTING TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY AND MAXIMISE YOUR LEAN MUSCLE ? LOOK NO FURTHER THAN PROTEIN AT BREAKFAST
For a long time protein was something we associated with bodybuilders and muscle shirts, but in recent years it’s really begun to gain traction amongst healthconscious Australian women.
For the average woman, protein intake is around 78 grams per day. However, 100g evenly spread throughout the day is actually the required optimal intake for higher order muscle benefits in active women. From a lean muscle perspective, to get the most out of your protein it’s better to spread your intake throughout the day, so it’s good to make sure that your breakfast contains a good hit.
Nutritionist Dr Gina Levy is an expert in nutrition and has a PhD in dietetics, giving her a deep insight into women’s eating habits and dietary requirements.
“Breakfast can really set us up for a positive start to the day. Essentially, your body has been fasting for a very long period of time overnight and eating is like an injection of fuel that your body needs to start itself up to perform the metabolic processes that it needs.
“I think there’s nothing worse than being hangry in the morning. There’s a lot of science out there that shows that people who eat breakfast have much better eating behaviours overall, therefore are less likely to be overweight. They’re also more likely to meet their nutrition requirements, especially some of the B vitamins, iron, protein, folate and fibre. It’s a nutritionally powerful way to start your day.”
For Gina, the secret to a great quality breakfast that keeps hangry at bay is relatively simple.
“We pretty much need to aim for a balance in our breakfast, combining at least three of the five food groups and including some protein. If you have a serve of Special K, which is roughly around eight grams of protein, plus a cup of milk, which is another eight grams of protein, and then you add some nuts on top of that, you’re already near 20g.
“Typically, Australians are not eating enough protein at breakfast. Choosing foods that have protein will help you to feel fuller and ensure you get more of the benefits of protein early in the day.”
Sources: ABS, National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2011-12, 2013; Kerksick et al., J Intern Soc Sports Nutrition 2017; Noakes M CSIRO, 2018.