Your body needs protein to function properly. In fact, it specifically needs high-quality complete proteins.
Unfortunately, modern society tends to really focus on carbs. Even worse, a lot of the carbs are junk and accompanied by things that are flat-out bad for you.
Protein is so important for your body that a lot of things start happening when you’re not eating enough of it. So today, we’re going to go over ten signs of protein deficiency to help you make better decisions and give you an easy solution to beef up your protein intake.
As a bonus, we’ll also explain how protein cookie dough helps with low protein intake.
1. You’re Always Hungry
One of the first signs that you’re not getting enough protein is that you’re always hungry. Protein takes a longer time for your body to digest, which is how protein cookie dough keeps you satiated. It also forces your body to produce ghrelin, which is the hormone that tells you that you’re full.
In comparison, carbs burn off almost immediately, and while they do produce some hormones, it’s not nearly as noticeable.
Because of this, if you’re eating a ton of carbs and ignoring protein, you’re going to feel hungry half an hour after a meal, snacks won’t be satisfying, you’ll mess with your gut health, and you’ll overeat all the time.
2. Muscle Loss
Protein is essential for muscle growth and maintenance. That’s why bodybuilders eat ridiculous amounts of protein every day. If they don’t, those big muscles they’re known for will rapidly degenerate.
You don’t have to be quite as worried about protein as a bodybuilder. However, if you don’t have enough protein for a while, even an average amount of muscle will degrade, regardless of how much you’re working out.
If you were relatively in shape, and your body suddenly got a lot weaker, you’re probably not eating enough protein.
3. Workouts Hurt for an Extended Period
It’s perfectly normal for you to feel sore after a good workout. Even people who work out every day for hours never truly get used to it and can’t end their day pain-free.
However, if you’re feeling sore hours or even days after a workout, you likely need a lot more protein.
Working out breaks your muscles down. That’s the point. You break them down, protein builds them back up, and they grow back bigger to adapt to the added stress.
If you’re not getting the protein you need to rebuild your muscles, they just stay torn and beat up. That’s the prolonged pain you’re feeling.
Of course, if you just started working out, this is going to be normal for a few weeks. You don’t have any of your muscles trained, and you likely haven’t been on a workout-friendly diet for long.
So, don’t panic if you experience prolonged pain for a couple of weeks in that scenario. If it keeps happening after a while, it’s time to increase your protein intake. A high-quality after-workout protein snack can be a good start.
4. Increased Injuries
If you’re working out and not getting enough protein, it’s not just prolonged soreness you need to worry about. Injuries become a lot more frequent.
Working out without eating enough protein to repair your muscles is like spraining your ankle, but instead of wrapping it up and letting it rest, you go outside and hop on it for a couple of hours each day. You’re not making it stronger; you’re damaging it even worse.
5. Fatigue
Since your muscles aren’t growing to adapt to your daily activity levels, and they’re not getting the repairs they need, it’s common for you to feel fatigued. You’re doing a lot of work, but your body just can’t keep up, and you get tired faster.
Despite the common myth that protein will make you sleepy, it’s the opposite that’s true. If you’re regularly tired, it’s likely a protein deficiency issue.
6. You’re Sick All the Time
This one has nothing to do with muscle. Protein is actually a big part of your immune system, and if you’re not giving your immune system the protein it needs, you will get sick a lot more frequently.
7. General Weakness
If you’re not building muscle with protein, you’re not going to be able to lift and carry heavy weights. You might struggle with basic things like carrying in the groceries or show other signs of not being very physically strong.
Of course, you also have to train your muscles to gain that strength, but if you’re not seeing improvements despite exercising regularly, you need protein.
8. Blood Sugar Problems
Protein balances your blood sugar. You’ve probably heard about GLP-1s in the media recently. They’re very common weight loss solutions. Well, protein triggers the same effect.
It’s not just for appetite management and weight loss. It manages blood sugar, too. That’s why GLP-1s were originally meant for diabetics.
9. You Heal Slowly
If you’ve noticed that cuts and other wounds take a lot longer to heal than you’d expect, it’s probably a protein issue.
Protein doesn’t just rebuild muscles. It clots blood around wounds and helps repair the affected area. If there isn’t any protein to use, then the wound can’t heal.
10. Swelling and Water Retention
This is one of the scarier things that can happen, because it has so much in common with serious conditions. If you don’t eat enough protein, you can retain water in your limbs. This can get infected, and it will definitely freak you out if you wake up and notice it one morning.
How Protein Cookie Dough Helps
Eating FUUL protein cookie dough for protein intake increase is a great way to prevent all these issues.
If you’re lacking protein, it’s probably not by much. The average person only needs about 78g per day if they’re not working out and training muscles. If you eat one chicken breast serving for lunch, you get about 50g of protein.
So, adding a bag of protein cookie dough to your daily diet can give you 15 extra grams per serving. That’s the nudge you need to get your body’s bare minimum without overdoing it like a bodybuilder.
Even if you do eat a protein-rich diet, if you’re working out a lot, protein cookie dough is a great way to get a little extra boost. The best part is that you also deal with protein deficiency and get the perfect balance of fat and carbs with just 270 calories.
Don’t suffer from a lack of protein. Try FUUL and get the protein you need today!