Until the past few years, protein bars were often only unwrapped by bodybuilders, athletes and hikers on the trail. But now, their balanced serving of convenience and nutrition is seen as a go-to on-the-go snack for anybody, especially those on a weight loss program. While protein is essential for building and repairing muscle after a workout, the macronutrient packs many more benefits for your body which are ideal for weight loss. We sat down with Jessica Mawhinney, our Operations Manager, to get some of the dietary details.
How does protein facilitate in the weight loss process?
JM: High-protein foods force the body to work harder to digest, metabolize, and use the food. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. The cumulative effect has obvious benefits for anyone who is watching their weight.
How should you determine how much protein to intake daily?
JM: There are two steps to figuring out your protein needs. This is a general formula that can give you a good baseline of how much protein you need each day.Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kilograms
Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein grams
When using this formula, you should use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary such as 0.8. Use a higher number, between 1 and 1.8, if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent weight or endurance training.
For example: 154 lb male who exercises every day
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg; 70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day
When are the best times to eat a protein bar?
JM: Personally, I like to eat a protein bar between lunch and dinner, and I believe this is the best time for most people to utilize a protein bar. That time between lunch and dinner is usually 4-7 hours for most people. Sometimes, for me, it can be even longer. That is way too much time to not eat a snack. Eating a protein bar between these meals will help keep you full until your meal and will keep your metabolism burning throughout. Protein bars are so convenient and help keep me going through my day.
Who can benefit from always having a protein bar on hand?
JM: I think everyone can! Everyone is busy and could benefit from having a high protein, good-for-you, tasty snack to keep them full throughout the day. My mom is a preschool teacher and eats a protein bar every day while the kids have their sugary snacks for snack-time. My aunt is a nurse and loves that she can throw a bar into her purse and not worry about the 2 o’clock hunger pains she used to get while on the floor. Even my sister-in-law, who is a stay-at-home mom, benefits from the ability to not have to prepare snacks for herself as she is constantly on the go to get the kids to their sports and activities. They are convenient for everyone!Is too much protein a bad thing?
JM: Yes, you can have too much protein. Too much of anything, even a good thing, can always have the opposite effect. Taking in too much of it can cause unpleasant symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea. For weight loss, get only the recommended amount for you from nutritious, low-fat, low-cholesterol food sources. I do not believe that there are steadfast numbers that say that X grams of protein are enough, where Y grams of protein is too much, because the amounts are different for everyone. Generally, protein should be no more than 30% of your daily calories and you will never need to worry about it being a bad thing.What is your favorite flavor that we offer?
JM: My favorite bar used to be the Caramel Crunch. It tastes like a 100 Grand chocolate bar. I love the taste and you would never know that there are 15 grams of high quality protein in them! Now, my favorite bar is one of our newer bars, Crispy Chocolate Mint. It tastes like a Thin Mint cookie from the Girl Scouts. It makes me feel like I am still able to enjoy the taste I love without all the guilt!Anything to add?
JM: Yes, a joke: “I see you are eating a protein bar today… Whey to go!”If you have more questions for Jessica or would like to be once again slain by her health-inspired humor, let us know in the comments!
