Pregnancy Nutrition Note of the Week: Protein
After my third baby, I lost SO much muscle and felt incredibly weak postpartum. That experience has made me so much more intentional about supporting my strength during this pregnancy. You might have seen my post about creatine on that but we can’t talk about maintaining muscle without talking about protein too!
Protein gives your body the amino acids they need to build and repair muscle but its job is so much bigger than that.
We also use it to make enzymes and hormones and support our bones, our immune system, our blood sugar balance and so many other everyday processes that are so important for health.
As women get older, it’s even more important to hold onto muscle in order to maintain our strength, metabolism, bone health and the ability to stay active and independent.
During pregnancy, we’re building a placenta, expanding blood volume and growing an entire baby!
Protein helps support all of that growth but it also helps protect the muscle Mom already has.
My workouts obviously look very different during this season but making sure I eat enough protein is one practical thing I keep doing to support my body fully through pregnancy and then recovery.
Also important: Kids need protein too because they’re constantly growing. To build muscles, bones, skin, organs and all those new cells being made every day? Protein! And when they come home starving after school or need something during a busy car ride, a protein-rich snack is usually much more satisfying than something made mostly from refined carbs and sugar. Not just satisfying: the much healthier choice for building strong humans!
All good reasons why I make sure we ALWAYS keep Paleovalley meat sticks on hand! They’re so easy to throw in my bag for car trips, after-school hunger, errands or a quick protein hit after a workout. They are so much easier than protein powders when you are on the go, plus they don’t need to be kept cold and aren’t full of sweeteners or sugars. You get about 6–7 grams of protein from each pack, depending on the variety.
These aren’t like most meat sticks you find at the gas station. Paleovalley uses 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef or truly pasture-raised turkey and chicken, along with organic spices. They naturally fermented them instead of using preservatives like citric acid (often made from GMO corn and hydrogenated oils, btw!). They’re also free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMOs and refined sugar.
They give you more than protein too! Grass-fed beef just naturally gives you iron, zinc and B vitamins which all support energy, immunity and healthy blood. Of course that’s especially helpful during pregnancy when your blood volume increases and iron needs go WAY way up.
More upsides to grassfed beef: more omega-3s and CLA. Plus Paleovalley’s fermentation means they also give you gut-friendly probiotics too.
I love simple ingredients so much! And also that they are so careful with their sources, so that’s one less thing I have to worry about. An EASY yes for me, especially because the kids LOVE them, too!. 🙌
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