Top 3 Reasons Protein is the Cornerstone of a Police Officers Diet
Jun 23, 2024
Why Should You Get Enough Protein?
#1 Build Strength and Muscle Mass
Physical strength, the ability to generate high levels of force, is critical to the safety of a law enforcement officer and those around them. Having a muscular physique can add to your officer presence, possibly discouraging people who would otherwise be combative.
An adequate supply of protein combined with a proper training program will maximize your strength and hypertrophy gains. That is because, as most people know, protein is the building block of muscle. Good programming and hard training are no doubt critical but don’t let your efforts go to waste by not getting enough protein.
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On a similar note, if your goal is to lose weight, you certainly don’t want to lose your muscle in that process. Consuming enough protein everyday will help you maintain the lean mass while you drop the extra weight.
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#2 Reduce Appetite
Protein is the most “filling” of the three calorie containing nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). Meaning, when you eat protein, your feelings of hunger go away sooner and stay away longer. This works by reducing your levels of the hormone ghrelin, responsible for the feeling of being hungry.
When you consume enough protein, you are more likely to eat less calories overall. This is obviously important to maintain a healthy and effective bodyweight.
#3 Boost Metabolism
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR), how many calories you burn by just living, is based on a number of factors. One of these factors is the thermic effect of food. When you eat food, it takes energy to digest it and ultimately use it for continued survival. Protein requires much more energy to digest than carbohydrates and fat. So, when you consume protein, in lieu of carbs or fats, your body will literally burn more calories just to process it than it otherwise would if you didn’t have enough protein. Again, very helpful to maintain an effective bodyweight.
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How Much Protein is Enough?
It is recommended that the general population consumes 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of desired bodyweight per day.
For a person who doesn’t want to gain or lose weight, and doesn’t have any fitness goals, who weighs 175 lbs., should consume 105 to 140 grams of protein per day.
For people who want to maximize strength and muscle gains, or who want to lose weight but maintain muscle, the recommendation is up to 1 gram of protein per pound of desired bodyweight per day.
This bumps the protein intake of that same 175 lbs. person to 175 grams of protein per day.
Can You Eat Too Much Protein?
For a healthy individual, there are no side effects from eating too much protein. You certainly can eat more than 1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day but once you cross that threshold you may be unintentionally taking carbohydrates and fats, which both have their benefits, out of your diet for no additional benefit from protein.
Does it Matter When I Consume Protein?
Your daily protein should be generally balanced out throughout the day. So, if your recommended intake is 200 grams, those 200 grams should be evenly distributed throughout the day. The reason for this is your body has no storage capability for this macronutrient. Carbohydrates can be stored in your muscles and liver as glucose. Fats can go be added to fat deposits. Protein has nowhere to go other than to be used.
Keeping a steady supply in your bloodstream will ensure your body has what it needs for ongoing recovery, repair, and building.
Final Notes
The simplest, although least accurate, method to ensure you’re getting enough protein is to start looking at the nutritional labels of the foods you eat. Pick foods that have more protein than carbohydrates and fats. Opt for these foods more often and spread them out throughout the day. This method fails to truly track how much protein you’re getting per day. It could possibly put you way over the daily recommendation or, if you not eating enough in general, leave you shy of the goal.
A more accurate method is to do a protein audit. Get yourself a macro tracker app (there are free ones available) and track your foods for 3+ days. See how much protein you’re currently taking in. Then make adjustments from there until you get your intake dialed in.
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As far as protein supplementation goes, remember it is a supplement, meaning it is supposed to supplement your diet, not be your diet. If you can get all your protein from whole food options, that would be the most ideal. Only reach for the powder if you’re struggling to hit your daily intake goal.
Ultimately, the goal is to make you a more effective law enforcement officer. While there may be extra work front loaded, I can assure you this will become a lifestyle habit that will pay dividends in the long run.
