Today I’m excited to introduce you all to Jenni. Jenni has her National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Training certification and is the personal trainer behind Fitzala. If you haven’t checked out her site before, pop on over and do so, she has a wealth of fitness knowledge and loves to share her passion of health and wellness with her readers! Jenni is going to talk to us today about protein for runners and has graciously offered up a delicious recipe that will have you racing to the kitchen to recreate. Enjoy!
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Protein for Runners
Hi everyone!
I’m really excited to be posting for Sara here at Life Between the Miles. Today we’ll be talking about one of my favorite subjects, protein! I’ll also share a great recipe with you that’s easy, quick and is really high in protein.
If you don’t know me, I manage Fitzala, an online workout community for women. Helping women get fit is my passion. I’ve seen so many women struggle through weight loss and getting fit and I just love helping them find what works. Getting “in shape” is a different process for different people but one thing I know that helps everyone is consuming adequate protein.
As you endurance runners already know, athletes are encouraged to eat a high percentage of carbs. Protein isn’t often talked about when you’re training for long distances even though it’s just as important.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is the minimum amount for adequate cellular function for sedentary adults. Since athletes put their body through more stress than the average person, they need significantly more than the government set RDA.
All athletes need more protein because the maintenance, repair and growth of lean muscle mass depend on it. Training puts your body through constant muscle breakdown and adequate protein is crucial to ensure that you don’t feel lethargic during runs and recovery. If you don’t get enough protein, it’s likely you’ll be anemic, incredibly tired, and sick since your immune system can’t operate at optimum levels.
So, now that I’ve sufficiently scared you, how much protein should you be eating? Work up to about 0.75 grams per pound of bodyweight each day. That’s about 112 grams for a 150 pound woman.
This might seem like a lot, but I promise it’s not that hard. Not to mention that it’s incredibly satiating. Trust me, I ask my weight loss clients to aim for more. Protein is awesome for other reasons- like how filling it is, how it preserves your muscle and improves the cellular regeneration of your skin.
Start with eggs for breakfast alongside your oatmeal or toast, up your chicken to 4-5 ounces during lunch instead of three and 4 ounces of steak at dinner. Snack on hard boiled eggs, jerky, leftover stir-fry, or….dark chocolate protein bites!
I love a sweet snack and these little guys satisfy my cravings for chocolate while doing me favors in the protein department. They hardly take any time to make and are easy to bring along while you’re on the go.
Dark Chocolate Protein Bites
Author: Jenni Kenyon
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 2 scoops chocolate protein powder (casein works best)
- 2 tbsp sugarfree maple syrup
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Mix together the cocoa powder and protein
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well
- Form in to six balls and roll in sprinkles if desired
Nutrition Information:
Serving size: 1 bite Calories: 73 Fat: 4 Carbohydrates: 4 Fiber: 1 Protein: 9
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Question of the day
Do you get in the correct amount of protein needed each day? What’s your favorite way to get your protein in?
