Why protein is the key to unlocking your 2023 fitness goals
- Written by: Quest Nutrition
New Year, Better You
You’ve kickstarted the New Year with a solid training routine, you’re creating a habit, you’re feeling stronger and, for the first time, you’re enjoying the 6am club. The only thing you’re forgetting is that pump without protein is like a gym without weights. Understanding the importance of getting the right amount of protein in your diet is the key to success.
Muscles are largely made of protein and are extremely dynamic, constantly being broken down and rebuilt, particularly through the act of working out and lifting weights. Consuming protein is essential for muscle recovery to speed up the rebuild process and encourage muscle growth. Eating protein also increases the number of calories you burn by boosting your metabolic rate and reducing your appetite by making you feel fuller for longer1.
The optimum amount of protein for highly active people who are looking to build muscle is between 1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight1. A man weighing 80 kilograms should consume up to 160 grams of protein per day, which sounds unachievable without eating steak for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thankfully, Quest Nutrition’s delicious range of high protein snacks are an easy and tasty way to pack in extra protein.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day - it’s the refuel after your workout. Coffee lovers can add an espresso shot to their protein shake for an extra buzz, or you could opt for a high protein smoothie bowl by adding a scoop of protein to the smoothie mix and topping with your favourite Quest bar, each containing more than 20 grams of protein per bar.
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Lunch
For lunch, high protein lean meat like roast beef or chicken with cheese and salad make a delicious sandwich or wrap. Add some crunch (and protein) to your stack by adding Quest Protein Chips, each pack contains more than 18 grams of protein.
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Dinner
Keep dinner simple with steak, chicken or salmon with veggies… you’ll need room for “dessert”. Release your inner child with a Quest Protein Cookie ice cream sandwich - not only are these treats delicious, but they’re also actually good for you, packed with over 60 grams of protein per serve.
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Packing in protein doesn’t have to be hard or boring, just look to Quest for delicious high protein products which can be enjoyed as on-the-go snacks or, added to meals for an easy protein hit.
Quest snacks to fuel your fitness goals:
Peanut Butter Cups: With 11 grams of protein and less than one gram of sugar, you can satisfy your sweet tooth cravings while indulging in the benefits of a high protein diet.
Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie: Enjoy a soft, chewy cookie loaded with chocolate chips and 15 grams of protein. Quest protein cookies are jam-packed with protein to ensure you are looking after your muscles when weight training.
Quest Protein Chips: In five delicious flavours, Chilli Lime, Loaded Taco, Nacho Cheese, Ranch and Spicy Sweet Chili, Quest’s tortilla style chips more than 18 grams of protein. Perfect for maintaining muscle mass and reducing muscle damage for those intense gym sessions.
Quest Protein Bars: Coming in a huge variety of flavours for all tastebuds including Birthday Cake, Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Brownie, Caramel Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Sprinkled Doughnut, Cookies & Cream, Double Chocolate Chunk, S'Mores, and White Chocolate Raspberry, Quest’s delicious protein bars contain 21 grams of protein and one gram of sugar, making them the perfect pocket-sized workout snack.
Quest Nutrition is committed to making consumers' cravings work for them, not against them. With high quality, delicious, functional foods with no nutritional compromise, Quest helps active, health-conscious people achieve their goals. Recently acquired by The Simply Good Foods Company, Quest has plans to extend the product range in Australia and New Zealand. Quest products are available at Coles, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse, Catch of the Day, Amazon.com.au and at many leading supplement retailers. To learn more about Quest Nutrition, visit questnutrition.com.au.
