Why Protein Matters—Reminder

I started taking a protein supplement when I was 15 years of age. I think I saw it advertised on a bodybuilding magazine. I remember getting the 46A into town and picking up my massive cylinder of Whey Protein in Tony Quinn on Grafton Street. That container was the answer to my two goals – get bigger for rugby, and get bigger so girls might fancy me. It failed on both counts.

Fast forward three decades, I still try to focus on my daily protein intake, but for very different reasons!

There’s a lot of noise out there about protein: how much you need, when to take it, and what’s safe. Let’s cut through that noise and get clear on what matters most for your health and results.

Why Protein?

Protein is one of the three main macronutrients, and it’s essential for repairing and building muscle, supporting your skin, hair, and nails. It’s also the most satisfying macronutrient—meaning you’ll feel fuller, longer, and you actually burn more calories digesting it than you do with carbs or fats.

Why Is It Helpful?

Helps build and repair muscle and connective tissue

Helps you feel satisfied after meals

Supports fat loss by keeping cravings in check

Research shows higher protein diets are linked to lower mortality and better body composition

Research also shows that for healthy people, high protein diets do not seem to harm the kidneys

If you're in your forties the average rate of lean muscle mass loss is 1-2% per year - protein helps protect us against this loss

How Much Is Enough?

If you’re training hard, aim for around 1.6g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. For most people just looking to live well and stay active, 1g per kilogram is a solid target. It’s surprisingly tough to hit this consistently, so start there and build up. For a 70kg person, that’s about 70g per day.

If you don't have time to figure all this out just use the palm of your hand as a guide for your protein portion at each meal throughout the day.

Lads = use 2 palms

Ladies = use 1 palm

When to Have It?

The timing doesn’t matter as much as hitting your total for the day. You can eat a lot in one meal if needed—so don’t stress if your schedule is busy. If you’re training regularly, remember your muscles rebuild for up to 72 hours after a session, so keep your intake steady.

Your Protein Plan: Double Down on What You Like

Start with the protein foods you already enjoy—eggs, legumes, meat, beans, nuts, poultry, seeds, fish, yoghurt, milk, tofu, soy, quinoa, nut butters, a good supplement.

Make a list and double down on your portions where you can. Love eggs in the morning? Have two. Enjoy a turkey sandwich? Add extra slices. The key is to make it easy and enjoyable to get enough protein every day. When you begin to understand what your daily intake looks like you can then try and diversify your protein sources.

Plan your protein sources for the week

Include protein with every meal and snack

Look for protein options when eating out

Batch cook if time is short—research tells us people who eat home cooked meals more than 5 times per week are 28% less likely to be overweight and 24% less likely to have excess body fat

If you are concerned about any adverse effects of a high protein diet or protein supplements, you can get blood work done with your GP every three to six months to ensure that what you are doing is optimal for your health.

Likewise, if you do have any underlying medical condition please consult your GP to discuss any of the above.