In the first two articles, I shared the importance of protein in our diets and why whole foods—grown by our hardworking farmers—are the best source of this vital nutrient. Now, I want to dive deeper into why protein is so important and the incredible benefits it brings to our health, both physically and mentally. We already touched on how protein helps repair muscles, supports cognitive function, and keeps us feeling full, which helps curb those mid-afternoon snack cravings. But there’s so much more to protein. One of the biggest benefits is how it helps our bodies burn fat instead of muscle, especially when we’re working on weight loss or a body transformation. This is key because the last thing you want when trying to lose weight is to lose muscle. Muscle is what helps us power our daily activities and keeps our metabolism burning at a healthy rate. The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn—even when we’re resting. When we increase our protein intake, we give our bodies the fuel it needs to repair muscle tissue after exercise. But protein also plays a role in boosting our metabolism. It requires more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fats or carbs, meaning we burn more calories just by eating it. When we’re in a calorie deficit, our bodies will often turn to fat stores for energy if they’re getting enough protein to preserve muscle. This is crucial for anyone looking to lose weight or change their body composition. It’s not just about hitting the gym or taking supplements—those are important tools, but they’re not the foundation. The foundation is your wholefood diet, and the cornerstone of that diet is protein. One of the best ways to start building a protein-focused diet is to understand your body’s basic needs. This begins with calculating your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic functions like breathing and digestion. From there, you can use your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which accounts for your activity level, to figure out how many calories you should be eating in a day. After that, you can start adjusting your protein intake to match your goals. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain lean muscle, you’ll want to aim for around 1 gram of protein per pound of your desired body weight. If you’re trying to build muscle, you might want to increase that to 1.5 to 2 grams per pound. But where do you get this protein? As I’ve said before, the best sources are whole foods—meats, eggs, dairy, legumes, and grains that come straight from the farm. When you build your diet around these nutrient-rich foods, you’re not just feeding your muscles—you’re feeding your mind, your energy levels, and your overall health. There is nothing better for your body than food that’s grown with care and dedication by our American farmers. Losing weight and transforming your body isn’t about starving yourself or spending hours in the gym. It’s about understanding what your body needs and fueling it with the right foods. It’s about eating a balanced diet centered around whole foods, with a focus on protein, so that you can burn fat, preserve muscle, and feel your best every single day. When we shift toward whole foods and prioritize protein in our diets, we not only support our health—we support the farmers who are feeding this nation, one healthy meal at a time.
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