Do you frequently stress about your protein intake, whether you are getting enough or not? Protein is one of the vital macronutrients which is critical for muscle growth, repair and overall health. But many may feel too overwhelmed and begin to obsess, counting every gram.
Find out how you can meet your daily protein needs without obsessing over it. (Picture credit: Adobe stock)
Addressing this problem, fitness coach Raj Ganpath, with 18 years of experience and the co-founder of The Quad, took to Instagram in a November 7 post and shared how protein intake can be simplified.
“The obsession around protein is getting a little out of hand, but there’s a very simple way for you to get the protein you need without obsessing about it,” Raj told, reminding that protein intake can indeed be simplified. “You just need to understand one simple concept and make one change.”
New concept to tackle the problem
The fitness coach simplified the protein fixation problem with the help of a novel concept.
“As an Indian, you tend to eat a lot of starchy foods and not enough protein-rich foods and the only change you need to make- reduce the amount of starchy foods you are eating and replace that with some protein-rich foods,” he described.
The idea is straightforward. Most Indian meals are built around starchy foods. The fitness coach highlighted foods like rice, idlis, dosas, uttapam, roti, and naan. They are filling but not rich in protein. Because of this, Indians eat much more carbs and very little protein without even realising it.
Next, he recommended swapping part of your starch for protein. The fitness coach named protein sources like meat, egg, cheese, paneer, tempeh, milk, curd or even a protein supplement. It helps to change your meal, and you too get enough protein naturally.
Sample plan
How would the swapping process look? The fitness coach shared a brief overview of how this works. It’s simple, and you don’t need to overhaul your diet entirely, just some minor changes here and there.
For breakfast, Raj gave an example, “Let’s say you are someone who as four idlis and chutney for breakfast. Make that two idlis and chutney and add a couple of eggs or have a protein shake on the side.”
Next for lunch, asking to reduce the cup of rice, he described the ideal portion, “Let’s say for lunch you are someone who has two cups of rice with some sambar and some poriyal or some vegetables. Make that one cup of rice and maybe add some chicken or paneer or a protein supplement.”
Lastly, for dinner, Raj shared what else to add to dinner for better nutritional value. “For dinner, let’s say you are someone who has four rotis and a sabzi. Make that two rotis and sabzi and add some kind of tempeh or tofu or meat or eggs, whatever it is that you prefer.”
In the end, the solution is simple: eat a little less starch and swap it with more protein. The exact protein sources can depend, based on taste.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.