Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth, because it stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Or to put it more simply, the processes of creating new muscle after you have ripped them.
So one of the best ways to build and recover muscles is to consume enough protein, and if you don’t you could significantly decrease how much muscle you could grow.
How Eating Protein Helps In Building Muscles
The process of getting bigger muscles is the following, exercise, muscle fibres experience micro tears, so the body needs to repair itself, and this is what stimulates muscle growth – both of which require amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.
eating a good amount of protein provides the body with the necessary amino acids to repair and build new muscle tissue.
Additionally, eating protein before and after exercise has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis by up to 50%.
BOUNS TIP #1 – The type of protein is also important; whey protein in particular is a great choice for its high amino acid content and fast absorption rate. Resistance training alongside protein consumption yields superior results for muscle building.
Protein is an essential for effective recovery, this is because they contain amino acids, and amino acids are used to repair and build new muscle tissue, while also reducing inflammation and soreness.
When eaten immediately after a workout, the muscles are most receptive for nutrient absorption, making whey protein the ideal choice for post-workout consumption.
Types of Protein
Choosing the right type of protein is essential for achieving optimal muscle building and recovery. Whey, casein, soy and other proteins each provide unique benefits to help the body reach its goals.
Whether it’s for post-workout consumption or late night snacking, each type of protein has its own advantages and should be chosen based on individual needs.
How Much Protein Is Necessary For Muscle Building And Recovery
In order to ensure the best results for muscle building and recovery, it is important to eat a good amount of protein.
This should be based on factors such as age, gender, and activity level. Ideally, 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight should be spread throughout the day in 20-30-gram increments per meal, with a particular focus on consuming protein shortly after exercise.
Timing protein consumption is essential for muscle building and recovery. Taking protein immediately after exercise can maximize muscle repair and synthesis, while eating it before exercise can enhance growth and reduce damage.
Additionally, having a protein snack before bedtime can help with your bodies natural repair and recovery process. Furthermore, ensuring a consistent supply of protein throughout the day by having meals with 20-30 grams of protein per serving will ensure optimal muscle building and recovery.
Other Benefits Of Eating Protein
In addition to its muscle building and recovery benefits, protein also offers an array of health advantages. From improved bone and cardiovascular health, to weight management and enhanced brain and immune function, it is an essential nutrient necessary for a healthy and balanced diet.
Risks And Precautions
Over eating protein can cause kidney damage or dehydration, while animal protein can cause cancer or heart disease.
It is best to limit your protein intake and monitor your protein source quality if you have a pre-existing medical condition, like kidney disease.
Conclusion
To sum up, protein is essential for optimal muscle building and recovery after exercise. This macronutrient provides the necessary amino acids to help repair and build muscle, and when these components are correctly taken into consideration, maximum gains can be achieved. Moreover, in addition to developing muscles, there are a myriad of additional health advantages to consuming protein on a regular basis such as improved bone health, weight maintenance, enhanced cardiovascular health, brain function, and immune system functioning. When eaten as part of a balanced diet, it can offer positive effects to overall wellbeing; however risks and considerations should be kept in mind. Consequently, incorporating protein into your nutritional plan is imperative for individuals wanting to maximize muscle growth potential and recovery.
How much protein should I be eating? That is a question asked by so many people each and everyday, and for good reason as protein does so much good for your body with the big one being what you need to grow muscle.
I will go more in depth to the answer later in the article, but I will make it quick for you. I good amount of protein to eat to maximize muscle growth it 1 grams per pound of body weight, or 2.2 grams of protein per kg.
Importance Of Protein For The Body
Though eating protein does help with muscle growth that is not all it does, it also regulates blood sugar levels maintains healthy skin, hair, and nails, and supports immune function.
If that was not enough to convince to eat more meat, not eating enough meat could also lead to weaker skeletal muscle, a weakened immune system, slower injury healing, decreased bone density, and increased fracture risk.
On of the biggest factors that affect you protein requirements is gender, as men on average have more muscle mass than women, meaning most of the time men have to eat more protein.
Another factor is weight, as I said before the rule of thumb to how much protein you should be eating is 1 grams per pound of body weight, or 2.2 grams of protein per kg, so that means the more you weight the more protein you should be eating.
Activity levels is another factor, as the role of protein is to repair damaged muscle. So the more you exercise the more you will damage your muscle, meaning you should eat more protein. This also goes the other way, as if you don’t really exercise you don’t need to eat that much protein.
Those suffering from certain diseases, like kidney illness, should be careful to limit their protein consumption and amount to avoid further harm, to be sure visit your doctor.
Protein Requitements For Different Fitness Levels
The rule of thumb of 1 grams per pound of body weight, or 2.2 grams of protein per kg, is typically aimed at very active people as these are the best numbers to maximises muscle growth.
So if you are really not that active you can easily get away with 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight or 1 grams of protein per kg.
BOUNUS TIP#1 – Additionally, eat 20-30 grams of protein within 30 minutes after exercising can help with muscle recovery.
Protein Recommendations For Endurance Athletes
Endurance athletes like marathon runners and long-distance cyclists need more protein than the average person but less than some other activities like weightlifting.
They should aim for about 0.7-0.8 grams per pound of body weight or 1.2-1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. To make those gains, they need to eat good sources of protein like chicken, fish, eggs, and even legumes (yes, beans too!). Plus, don’t forget about carbs to keep you going during those long workouts.
Protein Intake Recommendations For Strength Athletes
Strength athletes like weightlifters and powerlifters need more protein than the average Joe to support and boost muscle protein synthesis. They should aim for protein intakes of about 1 gram per pound of bodyweight or 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day.
I know it can be really hard for many to reach that number, so here are some good sources of protein, chicken, fish, eggs, and even plant-based sources complete protein like soy and legumes (beans for the win!).
If you want more ways to learn how to really get in that protein read this article here!
BOUNUS TIP #2 – Though I talk a lot about how great protein is, don’t forget about those carbs to fuel those intense resistance training and sessions. A little bit of carbs can go a long way to keep you lifting those heavy weights.
But How Much Protein Should You Be Eating?
I have talked about strength athletes and endurance athletes and how much protein they should be eating great. But how much protein should the average person be eating, someone who is the average.
Well though I still do suggest to try your best to reach that 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, if that is just too much for you the real answer is just don’t count as on average most people already eat enough protein in their diet.
BOUNS TIP #3 – If you aim to have 1 protein sources in every meal you should be able to smash you protein goals.
Example Of Protein-Rich Foods
If you are looking for some very high protein intake and rich foods to up your protein intake I got you, I made a list of 10 of the best high protein foods bellow.
Though these are not the definitive 10 best and high protein diet options as there many more out there, there are great options that you will never go wrong with.
Protein-Rich Foods For Vegetarian And Vegan Athletes
Here are 10 of the best protein rich food that is vegetarian an vegan friendly that will be high protein diets help you up your dietary protein intake.
Quinoa: 1 cup cooked = 8 grams protein
Lentils: 1 cup cooked = 18 grams protein
Tempeh: 1 cup cooked = 31 grams protein
Hemp seeds: 2 tablespoons = 10 grams protein
Seitan: 3.5 oz serving = 25 grams protein
Spirulina: 1 tablespoon = 4 grams protein
Chickpeas: 1 cup cooked = 15 grams protein
Chia seeds: 2 tablespoons = 4 grams protein
Nutritional yeast: 2 tablespoons = 8 grams protein
Tofu: 3.5 oz serving = 8-15 grams protein (depending on type)
Protein Intake For Athletes Calculator
If you to more specifically know how much protein you should eat depending on you current goals and activity level, whether you want to be recommended protein intake for strength athletes or protein intake for athletes and active adults use this great resource from Bodybuilding.com
Conclusion
As we wrap up this inspiring expedition through protein, let’s take a minute to savour the progress we’ve made. Everyone, whether they’re a vegan lifter or a carnivorous yogi, needs protein to reach their fitness targets. So if you’re looking to bulk up like a Chia Pet on steroids, don’t hesitate to add an extra scoop of protein powder or sprinkle some nutritional yeast on your toast. The recommended daily intake might be just a guideline, but with the correct quantity of protein and the right mindset, you can accomplish whatever goal you set out for yourself – even if it’s doing burpees until your legs turn into Jell-O. Now show the world what you can do – flex those muscles
So many people want to lose weight for one reason or another, whether that be because they want to look good or just live a healthier lifestyle. But what are some of the most common fat loss mistakes, they include having unrealistic expectations, Not doing Cardio, relying too much on exercise, cutting calories too drastically, focusing on weight loss instead of fat loss, not getting enough protein, relying on fad diets or quick fixes, not tracking your progress, and underestimating the importance of sleep.
How Does Weight Loss Work
Whether your goal is weight loss or weight gain, both can be summarized in calories in and calories out. As if your goal is to lose weight eat less calories than you burn a day, if your goal is to gain weight eat more calories than you burn a day.
That’s it, that all there is to weight loss, being in a calorie deficit eating less then you burn a day. Though that is true there is so many different nuances that will make weight loss easier such as understanding macros, perfecting your sleep, and understanding how many calories you eat per day just to name a few.
What Are The Most Common Weight Loss Mistakes?
Mistake 1 – Having Unrealistic Expectations
Having unrealistic expectations is one of the most common weight loss mistakes out there, as so many people want to lose weight for a new year resolution looking to lose 20 kg, 30 kg, or even 40 kgs in months.
This is completely unrealistic and only ends in two different ways. Once they go on a very extreme crash diet nearly starving themselves, living in pain just to reach their weight loss goals. Skipping meals, eating too few calories, and yes this will work for a few weeks or months, but this often just ends in the person rebounding gaining all the weight they had before.
The other way this is going to end is that the people just give up, this extreme diet is too hard, too unrealistic, and will lead to them giving up and going back to eating just as they were before.
Mistake 2 – Not Doing Cardio
One huge mistake that so many people do is not doing cardio, and when I say cardio I don’t mean running or sprinting. Cardio can come in so many different forms that you can use to keep your cardio fresh and fun. This can mean you can swim, cycle, run, hike, skip rope, battle rope, and even just walk if you want to, all of these are valid forms of cardio that will help you in your weight loss efforts. The best part about this is that the cardio forms that I named above do not even scratch the surface of the many different forms of cardio.
Mistake 3 – Relying too much on exercise
On the other hand, some people rely too much on cardio and think they can eat whatever they want because o an hour of running every single day. Cardio should only be used to build your cardiovascular health and as a supplement to your weight loss journey.
An example would be that an hour of running for most people will burn about 800 calories, while your average pepperoni pizza will contain anywhere from 500-700 calories. You might think that is a lot, but realistically an average runner can only run for about 10-15 minutes a time before having to take a break, meaning in that hour you might only burn half of that, and that is why the saying you can’t outrun a bad diet is so true.
Mistake 4 – Cutting calories too drastically
Cutting your calorie intake too drastically is a mistake many people beginners make when trying to lose weight, as they think very simply that the fewer calories that they eat the better it is for them to lose weight.
But doing this will often have a largely negative effect, as you are not living a healthy lifestyle, and will not have enough energy to get through a normal day. Much less do cardio and get through an intense resistance training session, meaning ultimately this weight loss mistake will not help, but might hinder your fat loss journey.
Mistake 5 – Focusing on weight loss instead of fat loss
One large mistake that most people make is not knowing the difference between weight loss and fat loss. This mistake is closely tied to the one above (cutting calories too drastically) as weight loss can come in a few different forms, losing water weight, losing muscle mass, and wanting everybody want to lose fat.
One example is the keto diet, and partially it is as popular as it is, that people see instant success on the scale, but the reality is that the reduction in carbs means your body will hold less water instantly reducing your weight on the scale.
When it comes to cutting calorie intake too drastically will eventually start cutting into your muscle mass, but the problem is that most people think that the fewer calories they eat today, means only losing fat mass.
Mistake 6 – Not getting enough protein
Eating a lot of protein can help you lose weight for two different reasons, one is that it will help you build more muscle faster which will in turn increase your metabolism. The other is that eating more solid proteins such as steak, chicken, and fish will fill you up much faster preventing you from eating more calories.
Assuming you are weight lifting or any form of resistance training consistently with the right volume and intensity eating the recommended amount of protein (1 gram per pound of body weight to maximize muscle gain) will increase your muscle mass. So much so that it is said that roughly for each pound of muscle gain you would burn an extra 50 calories per day.
The side is that most people eating 1000 calories of carbs such as pasta, rice, and bread would be far easier to eat than 1000 calories of meat like steak or chicken. This in turn means that per meal you will feel more full on fewer calories helping you in losing fat.
Too many people rely on different types of fad diets and quick fixes such as the keto diet, low carb diets, if it fits your macros and intermittent fasting. Though all of these diets do work and can be very useful, most people think of it as temporary meaning once this diet period is over they will go back to normal eating and rebound all the weight they have lost.
The trick here is that you can choose any of these different diets but you have to ask yourself the question “is this diet something you can keep up for the rest of your life?”. If the answer to this question is not you should not do the diet, and instead, find something that you can sustain for the rest of your life.
Mistake 8 – Not tracking progress
Though this is not vital to losing weight in terms of long-term success tracking your progress can help whether that be the weight going up when strength training, looking at the scale you are down week by week, or your body fat going down in mirror pictures.
Tracking your progress and seeing your progress slowly go up and up can be very motivating for many different people. Another reason is that you can’t see your progress from week to week, it will feel as if you have not gained any progress, but if you go back 1 year you will see the changes.
Mistake 9 – Underestimating the importance of sleep
Sleep sleep sleep, no one gets enough sleep, and this is a problem because without good sleep not only does your overall health decrease, you will just have less energy day to day to bang out those exercise routines. Furthermore, with less energy, you will lower your energy used from NEAT(Non-exercise activity thermogenesis) which pretty much means your body will move fewer whether that means fidgeting or walking, and this is a problem as NEAT roughly accounts for 15 to 30 percent of calories burned per day.
Mistake 10 – Drinking Away Your Calories
Drinking liquid calories is one of the most common mistakes I see in the weight loss space, as you might think drinking one can of fruit juice, Sprite, or Pepsi won’t hurt but in doing so it can undo more than an hours worth of cardio in just a few minutes without filling you up. Furthermore the high sugar content is just unhealthy.
But I am not just saying drinking water is the solution, as though it is the most healthy lifestyle choice eating clean and drinking clean can be difficult. I suggest drinking things that are low in sugar such as Coke Zero, though this option is also not great in the health department can a day not kill you, just don’t go overboard.
Mistake 11 – Overestimating How Many Calories You Burn
So many people want use different apps and in build methods to determine how many calories you have burned. But the problem with that is most of the time it just is not accurate, at best it can be used as a rough guide line.
This is because these apps can not account for all the different factors such as genetics, forms, neat and so many more affecting how many calories you burn when doing cardio, weight lifting, or any activity.
Some Final Quick Tips
Though I recommend eating all kinds of protein, when trying to lose weight I recommend eating lean protein such as eggs, beef, and chicken.
Eat more whole foods and less processed food, by eating less processed foods and increasing the amount of low to no processed foods will just make it easer to lose weight.
Properly space out your food, because if you don’t a little something called ghrelin will hit, and when ghrelin hits hunger hits.
For packaged foods always reading the food labels, and read them carefully as many of them try to trick you saying per serving it is low in calories when no one just eats one serving, you are more likely to eat 3 or 4 servings in one sitting.
How Should You Train to Lose Weight
There are so many different great training methods of training when you are looking to lose fat, but out of all of them I recommend lifting weights. As personally not only does it feel like it make daily life easer, lifting anything easier.
But in the perspective of losing weight it will make it easier due to an increased metabolism. The last reason is that you will look good even at a higher body fat percentage, and you might find yourself having your dream body even when you have not reached your weight loss goal.
Why Fat Loss is a Common Goal
Why is fat loss a common goal, the problem is that there are no one or two universal reasons, some people just want to be more healthy, some people want to look good, bothers her just want to fit into the things they used to fit in.
I think you should ask yourself why do you want to lose weight, I think this is an extremely important question to ask yourself as too many people just do so many things that just won’t help them achieve their goal and will only leave themselves in pain hoping for more.
Fat Is Not The Enemy
One common misconception that I see generally in the health and fitness niche is that all fat is bad, but it is good to know the there are two types of fats, healthy fats and trans fats.
Trans fats are the bad ones, with two of the biggest negative effects being having a negative effect on your cholesterol levels, and increasing your risk of heart disease. The worse the thing about trans fats is that they come in the best foods and some of examples include cakes popcorn and burgers, and often these are the foods that make weight gain/ fat gain really easy.
On the other side of the spectrum is your healthy fats, which if eaten in moderation will lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, lower your blood pressure, and make your cholesterol good. Some food examples include nuts, certain fish, and avocados.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of healthy fats you can read this article by Healthline called The No BS guide to Healthy Fats
The Prevalence of Misinformation And Confusion Around Fat Loss
In this, article I, and out a few different pieces of information that are just not true or are taken out of context. But the fitness myths are not just these, there is so much more untrue information out there on the internet. Just remember if the tips that these people sound too good to be true, it probably is, there is no shortcut to weight loss it is a slow and steady grid, but it will all be worth it in the end.
Conclusion
Losing weight can be very difficult, and just to lose fat is even more difficult if you are making many of the super common mistakes. But it does have to be, if you avoid these common mistakes your weight and keep eating healthy your loss efforts will be slow, but much easier than before. Lastly I wish, you good luck in your weight loss journey.
What does the science say to gain muscle fast ? Well the best way to gain weight through muscle mass is through training consistently by lifting weights of calisthenics, progressively overloading, and eating a healthy balanced diet. If you want to speed up your progress in the gym further get good rest and recovery, avoid overtraining, get better sleep, and track your progress.
The Benefits of Gaining Muscle Mass
The two biggest benefits of training for muscle gain is from an aesthetic point of view. Though many people many say that this is vain
The Science Behind Muscle Growth
When you lift weights, the muscles in your body will tear and in the recovery process your muscle fibers with come back bigger and stronger through the process of muscle protein synthesis.
The Role of Exercise And Nutrition In Muscle Growth
The two most important macros when thinking about muscle growth are carbs and protein. The number of carbs you want to take will vary on several factors such as genetics, goals, and lifestyle, but a good number to follow is between 10% to 30% of your calorie intake, though carbs is an important energy source for your body.
Be careful not to eat too much as not to gain body fat because you will often eat more calories in carbs than protein before you are full. In terms of protein intake for optimal muscle growth, you want to take 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, or 2.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight.
What is the best training split There are so many different training splits out there when doing resistance training, whether that be push, pull, leg splits, upper, lower splits, bro splits and so many more. I have done many of these different splits and in terms of muscle growth, I don’t think it matters all long as it fits nicely into your schedule. If you can do the split consistently for years on end with a high level of intensity, that is what truly matters in terms of muscle growth.
Setting realistic goals Though this part of training is not necessary, it can help you boost your progress because you have something to aim towards. When setting goals I suggest setting two different goals, one long-term goal that you will achieve after many many years of training. The other is a short-term goal that you can achieve within 6 months to 1 year.
Choosing the right exercises There are so many different exercises you can choose from no matter what muscle you want to hit, whether you want to train your chest, shoulders, or legs you could have dozens of different exercises to choose from. One important part of choosing the right exercises is that you are hitting all the sections of the muscle, for example, you can’t just train the chest as the chest is split into three different sections, the upper middle, and lower sections. By choosing the right exercises to hit all the muscles you will further increase your gains. If you are a beginner the best option for choosing the right exercises is to simply use pre-made workouts in your chosen training split
Calisthenics Vs Weight Training
Assuming you have a proper diet with enough training volume does it matter whether you train in calisthenics or lift weights. You could lift light weights, heavyweight, or do pull ups, but as long as you follow a good training program, do the exercises with proper form you will build muscle fast
The Importance of Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is the cornerstone of building muscle and strength training in the long term, though, in the beginning, your newbie gains will carry you through. In the long term, you need to progressively overload to continually build muscle whether that be through more training volume, or increasing the weight you lift. As to build muscle is to have your muscles tear and form back stronger than ever. But without progressive overload your muscles will not grow because they will not tear, therefore there is no reason for your muscles to grow back stronger.
Nutrient timing for muscle growth
When talking about the timing of nutrition to stimulate muscle growth we are mostly talking about the window to take protein after you finish your workout. While many people say the best time to gain the benefits of muscle protein synthesis is 30-60 minutes after your workout, it has been shown that the window to increase muscle mass is just as active even two hours after a workout.
There are quite a few different supplements for enhancing your muscle growth supplements, but the 5 best by far are creatine , protein powder, BCAAs (branched chained amino acid), beta-acids, essential amino acids, and pre-workout supplements. One large purpose of most of these supplements is to either help you with muscle recovery or help with performance in the gym.
Rest and recovery
The importance of rest and recovery Rest and recovery is one of the most important parts of training, and I recommend resting for 2 to 3 days between each muscle group to build muscle mass. So depending on your training split you can get away with training 6 to 7 times a week if you spread out what you are training throughout your week.
Tips for better sleep Getting better sleep is one of the most important parts of improving your gains and improving your whole life. Getting a good night’s sleep will improve your muscle recovery, and should give you an abundance of energy for you to smash out some amazing workouts.
Avoiding overtraining You should avoid overtraining, but in saying that most people don’t go far enough and end up stunting their muscle growth because they underestimate what they can do.
Some early warning signs of overtraining include a consistent inability to train at the level you are used to, excessive sweating and overheating, and you muscles feeling stiff and heavy. These are some of the great early warning signs that you are starting to suffer from overtraining.
Tracking Progress
The best way to track your progress is to take pictures of your physique every couple of weeks. Though every time you look at your progress on a fortnightly basis you will not see much of a difference, as the weeks turn into months and the months turn into years you will be able to look back with pride and wonder that is even the same person.
If you are a beginner or even an intermediate I do recommend using a pre-made workout routine or hire a certified personal trainer.. But the problem with that is these routines are all not tailor-made for you the individual. This could lead to many different problems such as an increased risk of injury, increased risk of overtraining and potentially fewer gains to be made.
The Importance of Consistency
When training for muscle building no matter how optimized your diet, how optimized your training routine is, whether your in the weight room or doing calisthenics you will be you will have little to no gains if you are not consistent. When I say consistent many of you might think that means going to the gym 5 to 6 times per week every single week for years on end. That statement is only partially true, yes you have to do it weekly and years on end, but depending on your level of fitness being consistent on a week-to-week basis could only mean going 1 or 2 times per week.
Conclusion
Building muscle is a difficult process that will take months to years to achieve the body of your dreams. But by following the right steps you can make the process much easier and faster than you normally could.
If you want to look shredded for the summer, or any time of the year eat low calorie snacks it is as simple as that. I will show you some of the best healthy low-calorie snacks and low calorie meals that will make your cut way easier and save you from starving yourself to death. Though I could have made it easy for me a put in a ton of vegetables, my priority is to give you many different delicious options that you can implement into your diet now!
Eating low calorie snacks are great if you want to lose weight, but if you want learn about some of the common weight loss mistakes read this article called 11 Of The Most Common Fat Loss Mistakes
Table of Contents
1. Rockmelon
Rockmelon is an excellent choice if you want a low-calorie great snack that is very filling,
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 24
Protein – 0.5 grams
Fat – 0.1 grams
Moisture – 91.2 grams
Its super high moisture content is the reason why rockmelon can be so filling while also being super low in calories, and it is also the reason why rockmelons are such a great option as a low-calorie snack.
2. Chicken Breast
Chicken breast is my favorite option if I want a low-calorie but high-protein option.
Macros per 100 grams of raw chicken breast
Calories – 100
Protein – 22.5 grams
Fat – 0.8 grams
For 100 grams you can get 22.5 grams of protein for only 100 calories. As a plus with it being so low in calories, there is so much you can do with it to make it taste amazing while keeping it low in calories.
3. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is another one of those very versatile options where you can prepare is 20 different ways
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 45
Protein – 2.1 grams
Fat – 0.6 grams
4. Potatoes
Potatoes are my absolute favourite whether you turn it into a satisfying savoury snack or meal, whether you can to keep it low-calorie or just bake it with a pinch of salt. Or add a bit more calories to your meal and make homemade potato chips or mashed potatoes
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 56
Protein – 2 grams
Fat – 0 grams
If you love potato’s like I do here are some great recipes
5. Beef Jerky
Though beef jerky is a little bit higher in calories than some of the other options on this list, it just tastes amazing for only 116 calories, plus it contains a great amount of protein to calories ratio making it a great low calorie snack.
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 116
Protein – 9.4 grams
Fat – 7.4 grams
6. Zero Sugar Ice-cream
Look I’m going to be very clear, zero sugar ice cream doe not taste as good as regular ice cream. But if you decide to eat regular vanilla ice cream it contains 50 more calories, 5 more grams of fat, and 0.5 less protein per 100 grams of ice cream.
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 155
Protein – 4 grams
Fat – 7.5 grams
7. Zero Sugar Soda
Zero-sugar soda is an extremely great asset if you are on a more restrictive diet but still want to drink soda as they have zero calories per can. I do not think they are healthy, but if the rest of your diet is healthy one can of the day not hurt you. Plus your favourite zero sugar soda can make as a great accompaniment for any meal or low calorie snack.
Macros per one can of coke
Calories – 0
Protein – 0.4 grams
Fat – 0 grams
8. Protein Shake
The macros will vary depending on what brand of protein shake, but no matter what brand you get it is a great low-calorie food to really up your protein intake. Not to mention all of the of potential beneficial ingredients you could get such as BCAAs.
Macros per serving ( 1 scoop of 25 grams)
Calories – 94
Protein – 22 grams of protein
Fat – 0.5 gram of fat
Note that these numbers could heavily vary depending on what protein powder you have, and these numbers specifically come from Biotech USA Whey Isolate.
9. Cream Cheese
Though low fat cream cheese is not the best option for a great healthy snack as it is very high in healthy fats, it is relatively low in calories but I put this on here because it tastes great.
Calories – 350
Protein – 6.2 grams
Fat – 34 grams
Though you might enjoy eating cream cheese like I do, the important thing is to not go overboard.
10. Greek Yogurt
When I’m talking about Greek yogurt I am talking about the low-fat variety, and the reason I love Greek yogurt is that it is so versatile and can be used in so many different meals.
Macros in 100 grams of low-fat Greek yogurt
Calories – 78
Protein – 6.1 grams
Fat – 2.9 gram
But my favourite reason I like eating it is that with a bit of fruit it makes a great refreshing breakfast.
11. Dark Chocolate
Not the lowest in the calories, or does it have the best macros either, but if you want to eat chocolate this is a great option. As an added bonus dark chocolate is relativity healthy because it is not heavily processed.
Calories – 550
Protein – 3.8 grams
Carbs – 59.6 grams
Fat – 32.4 grams
Dark chocolate contains a ton of nutrients that will positively affect you health, and some studies have also been shown that it can improve your health and lower your risk of heart disease.
12. An Egg
This one is very simple, just an egg and is also very filling while being low on calories and also very high protein.
Roughly the macros of one egg is
Calories – 77
Protein – 6.3 grams
Carbs – 0.6 grams
Fat – 5.3 grams
Plus you can use eggs in so many different ways from using it in fried rice, an omelette, or just eating some hard boiled eggs.
13. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter taste good and can be used and spread on so many different things and can help make an amazing savoury snack.
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 588
Protein – 22 grams
Carbs – 24 grams
Fat – 50 grams
Peanut butter also contains so many other healthy nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, iron, selenium and vitamin B6.
14. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese both tastes great, but more than that it is extremely healthy being a great source of calcium, protein, and vitamins.
Macros per 100 grams
Calories – 84
Protein – 52 grams
Carbs – 25 grams
Fat – 23 grams
15. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds is a great snack that can be eaten pretty much anywhere while keeping you some what full. While providing so many different health benefits such as a variety of nutrients and antioxidants.
Macros per servings
Calories – 446
Protein – 18.5 grams
Carbs – 53.7 grams
Fat – 19.4 grams
16.Apple
Number 16 is a simple apple, it can be used as a great snack by eating it whole, or you could cut it up into apple slices and up it in a bowl of Greek yogurt. That is the great thing a bout a simple apple, so simple, yet so tasty and versatile.
Macros per 100 grams of a Pink Lady Apple
Calories – 52
Protein – 0.2 grams
Fats – 0 grams
Personally I think is a very satisfying snack as it is very filling
Wrap Up
Though not all of these foods are for everyone, hopefully I gave you some low calorie snack ideas from this article.
