When our professional lives start to ramp up in intensity, it can be incredibly difficult to take proper care of ourselves. The result is typically negative all around, with a steady decrease in quality of life, and then a dip in terms of professional productivity as we trend towards burnout. It’s important that you manage to take care of yourself during these busy times, a big part of which means making sure that you eat the right foods. In this article, we take a look at how you can get enough protein in you, from healthy protein shakes to macronutrient-conscious meal prep.
Protein shakes
Protein shakes are likely the easiest and quickest way of consuming protein, no matter where you are. You can also add berries, peanut butter, or even some vegetables into the mix and blend it all up, to make it tastier and a little healthier.
There are a lot of different kinds of protein powders that you can use, and some will likely suit you better than others. Play around with different options like pea protein, egg whites and of course whey isolate, and see which ones suit your stomach the best.
Compact, portable sources of protein
While protein shakes can be convenient, they’re typically not as healthy as whole foods when it comes to finding a source of protein. You can find compact, portable sources of protein that you can take to work with you, whether that’s a can of John West tuna or a piece of Chorizo.
You can either have these on their own, or combine them with something like a salad to get a more nutritious meal together.
Meal prep
If you want to get a good source of protein, you can also think about more serious meal prep ideas. You can find a high-protein meal that you enjoy (such as lasagne), make enough for the rest of the week, and then freeze that batch. You can switch this up every week, taking some time each Sunday to consider what you might fancy over the coming days.
Being consistent
Lastly, the most important thing when it comes to any kind of nutritional goal is consistency. It doesn’t matter if you have a lot of protein for a few days only to taper off, and return to a diet that doesn’t meet your macronutrient needs.
What matters is what you put into your body week in, week out. It’s important that whatever approach you take is sustainable so that you can remain consistent with it. If you’re a busy working professional, it can be difficult to find this balance, but it’s vital that you manage to do so.
Getting enough protein in your diet is incredibly important, especially when you have a lot going on in your life. By taking the steps listed above, you can help keep your mind and body at their best when it matters the most, hopefully avoiding burnout as a result.
Featured Image by KleeAlee from Pixabay
