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I’ll let you in on a secret: I haven’t been so good at hitting my protein goals lately. As I gear up to train for my next marathon in the coming months, I’ve been steadily increasing how much I work out. That means this is the time to get serious about fueling properly, and protein is paramount to my fueling strategy. Protein is critical for recovery; it’s what repairs all those muscle fibers you break down when you work out. Without it, all that work I’m putting in to get stronger won’t show up on race day.
Even if you’re not training for a marathon or other athletic goal, protein is crucial for your health. It plays a role in your immune system, hormone function, satiety, hair, skin, and nail growth—the list goes on and on
Experts recommend that we consume anywhere from 0.8 grams per kilogram or 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight per day up to 1.2 grams per kilogram or 0.54 grams per pound—and that adds up fast. For a 150-pound woman, for example, that translates to about 54 to 81 grams of protein a day. And the more active you are, the more you need.
Rather than trying to hit an exact calculation, my goal is to make sure I eat protein throughout my day. It keeps me from focusing too much on the numbers, and it gets me to my target much easier.
It’s a hack I learned from nutritionists: Eating smaller amounts of protein over the span of 24 hours is much more manageable than, say, cramming in 100 grams at dinner. (That would be a lot of chicken breast!) That way, you can ensure you’re getting what you need at a leisurely rate rather than consuming large amounts at any one meal. Plus, you get to enjoy protein’s benefits like feeling energized and full all day long.
To do this, it takes a little bit of planning and knowing what foods to eat throughout the day. Recently, I found a protein source that’s super versatile and has made a big impact on my protein goals.
What is ultra-filtered milk, you might ask? Basically, it’s milk that undergoes a special process that separates the water and lactose, leaving behind the protein. It may sound high tech and complicated, but really, the filters used in the process simply allow the smaller molecules (water and lactose) to pass through and the bigger ones (protein) to stick around. The result is an ultra-filtered milk with 50 percent more protein and 50 percent less sugar compared to regular milk. Another major perk: It’s lactose-free.
Organic Valley Protein Plus Ultra-Filtered Milk is available in fat-free, 2-percent reduced fat, and whole varieties.
There are so many benefits to ultra-filtered milk. The most obvious is that a single serving has 13 grams of protein. Plus, with no lactose, I’ve found it’s a lot easier on my digestive system. That’s not all. We know that milk is a well-known source of calcium, which is critical for bone health, and Organic Valley® Protein Plus™ Ultra-Filtered Milk has 380 mg of it. As a runner, my bone health is important to me. After suffering a bone stress reaction, I’m really mindful of getting enough of the mineral. Supplements aren’t always the most effective for increasing calcium levels, so getting it through milk while also working toward my protein goals is a huge win.
Obviously, taste is still key. Organic Valley® Protein Plus™, which is made from pasture-raised cows, tastes exactly like regular milk and comes in skim, 2-percent, and whole, so you can swap it out for whatever lower-protein milk you’re currently using.
These are the ways I like to use Organic Valley Protein Plus.Breakfast: a protein boost in cereal
Starting my day with protein and fiber...
In addition to getting protein throughout the day, I follow the same rule with fiber, which means I often start my breakfast with oats or cereal. Organic Valley Protein Plus is the perfect protein complement to those fiber-filled breakfasts. It partners well with a bowl of cereal, but you could also use it to make high-protein overnight oats.
Afternoon pick-me-up: the perfect protein addition to a chai latteI’ve been obsessed with chai lattes lately, and I love that I can turn that obsession into a high-protein snack, which makes a big difference in reaching my goals. Instead of mixing my concentrate with regular milk, I swap in Organic Valley Protein Plus. I use the 2-percent option and it’s the perfect level of creaminess for my latte. It even froths nicely if I decide to use my frother.
Nighttime treat: a protein-maxxed shake
...and ending it with a protein nightcap.
Combining high-protein milk with protein powder—let’s just call that “protein maxxing”—is a super simple way to give your protein shake a boost, particularly if you’ve reached the end of your day and realize you fell behind on your protein goals. Organic Valley Protein Plus blends perfectly with my powders for a delicious high-protein shake.
If you’re counting, that means I can get anywhere from 30 to 40 grams of protein per day from simply swapping in Organic Valley Protein Plus. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
Olivia Luppino is an associate editor at Women’s Health. She spends most of her time interviewing expert sources about the latest fitness trends, nutrition tips, and practical advice for living a healthier life. Olivia previously wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly POPSUGAR), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests. She recently ran the New York City Marathon.