9. High Protein Foods for Fitness

TL;DR: When looking to lose fat and preserve as much muscle as you can, it’s best to go for high-quality protein sources like beef, poultry, and eggs that don’t exceed a significant caloric density.

Introduction

Welcome back biohacker. Today we will be presenting you with a by no means exhaustive list of protein sources we recommend you consume when looking to drop fat and reveal the muscle underneath. This is the second part of a multiple-part article series regarding the foods that one ought to eat to help with a strict or general body composition goal. If you haven’t already, please take a look at the first of these articles, which you can find HERE.

As a quick reminder though, there is a great difference between health on the one hand, and body composition on the other. While having both is ideal in our opinion, it is important to note that having one does NOT necessarily mean that you have the other. There is in fact a careful balancing act between the two, so as to not overly stack the scale on one end or the other, throwing the entire operation out of whack. With that out of the way, let’s discuss briefly the topic of fat loss generally speaking.

Fat Loss

Okay biohacker, it’s important to understand what the aim really is during a fat loss/shredding phase. While it may seem like a silly statement (after all, the goal is in the title of the article…) most people really do not understand that while this phase is in fact about losing fat, it is also about preserving the muscle on your body. That is so one can reveal their desired physique underneath, once the excess fat has been stripped. This means, we need to introduce our body to and well acquaint it with a prolonged caloric deficit.

Now, at UpRiver, we’re not going to bullsh*t you with empty buzzwords like “tone” or “fat-melting” to grab your attention. On the other hand, what we are going to give you is a list of foods that are conservative in the calorie department but still pack a heck of a lot of protein.

While you obviously have fat-loss goals in mind, UpRiver opts out of using buzzwords with our audience as they’re often coupled with some sort of trash like “quick” or “easy…” Hate to break it to you guys, but if any of you know anything about shredding fat in order to reveal a muscular physique underneath, you know it’s not quick or particularly easy (unless you use exogenous drugs, which is not the topic of this article). After all, if it were easy, everyone would have that Adonis/Aphrodite physique that is ever sought after. While this may seem discouraging, we can promise you the following two things:

First, that this journey will be well worth it and will offer you the tools you need to go through it in the future should you ever fall off the horse – we understand that sometimes life gets in the way.

Second, we are willing to put in the work if you are.

As briefly mentioned, in this phase we’re looking not only to strip the fat, but to also maintain and reveal the muscle underneath the body fat. The reason why this list is important in particular is because protein specifically helps in not only preserving muscle in a shredding phase, but it also greatly helps the body burn body fat.[1] This is due to its high thermic effect in the body.[2]

Furthermore, and as a quick reminder, protein (and carbohydrate) only has 4 calories per gram, whereas fat has 9, therefore a diet rich in high-quality protein doesn’t compromise your daily/weekly caloric budgets. Moreover, it’s time to get to the list we promised you when you made the great decision to click on this article.

Therefore, without further ado and in no particular order, here is:

UpRiver’s Top 7 Fat Loss/Shredding Proteins:

Tilapia

The first food on our list, tilapia, is a great fish which is practically pure protein. Because of this, you don’t need to be worried that it will spoil your caloric deficit. While being able to spare you the fat that other protein sources may contain, this white flaky fish also boasts high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (the benefits of which listed HERE), phosphorus, selenium etc.[3] Despite not being massive in flavour, this fish is well renowned for its ability to absorb seasoning and spices!

Amount Per 100 grams :

Calories: 129
Total Fat: 2.7 g
Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
Total Protein: 26 g

Eye of Round (Steak)

Steak is delicious. However, due to its inherently higher fat content when compared to some of the other protein sources out there, it often contains more calories than one would like for a shredding phase. Luckily, eye of round steak provides the closest to best of both worlds that steak can possibly achieve. Steak is great as it contains easily absorbed dietary iron, and creatine (and many other advantages), the benefits of which are covered HERE.[4] Suffice to say though, both iron and creatine are both important for health and muscle retention, especially during a shred/cut phase.

Amount Per 100 grams:

Calories 130
Total Fat: 3g
Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
Total: Protein: 26 g

Cod

The second of three seafood items to make an appearance on this list contains no carbs and nearly no fat; in other words cod, like tilapia, is also essentially pure protein. Additionally, cod, like all fish appearing on this list, contains high levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 acids: DHA and EPA (check out the benefits of these nutrients HERE).[5]It also contains considerable levels of vitamin-A and vitamin-D (the benefits of which mentioned HERE).[6] Finally, cod is a very versatile fish and is well-known for its multiple and delicious methods of preparation, which UpRiver provides for you HERE.

Amount Per 100 grams:

Calories 82
Total Fat: 0.7 g
Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
Total: Protein: 18 g

Chicken Breast

Ah, yes. Perhaps the first protein source we think of when we think of bodybuilding or working-out other than protein powder, the notorious and mighty chicken breast. A true staple in the diets of bodybuilders, powerlifters, active lifestylers, and health and fitness enthusiasts alike. It seems that everybody loves a good breast. Generally speaking, chicken does not offer the kinds of vitamin and mineral benefits that other protein sources do, but it is however another source of what is basically pure protein due to its 0 carbs and sub 4g of fat per 100g. In addition, chicken breasts can be quite flavourful if prepared and seasoned correctly – HERE‘s how.

Amount Per 100 grams:

Calories: 165
Total Fat: 3.6 g
Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
Total Protein: 31 g

Egg Whites

While whole eggs are nutritious, delicious and are also a great source of protein, it is due to the yolks that they contain fat and even trace carbohydrates. Devoid of the yolk however, eggs only contain protein! Therefore, substituting whole eggs for a dish that largely contains only the whites is a great choice for acquiring desired protein without the added calories from the yolk. Be sure to get the nutrients you miss from not consuming the yolks from an alternate source, though.

Amount Per 100 grams

Calories 52
Total Fat: 0.2 g
Total Carbohydrate: 0.7 g
Total Protein: 11 g

Shrimp

The third of the three seafoods you’ll find on this list, shrimp, is another great source of protein with minimal calories. In addition to being an excellent source of protein that avoids carbs and fats, shrimp is also a phenomenal source of vitamin-B12 and selenium.[7] A healthy body needs selenium as it acts as an antioxidant, regulates thyroid function, and aids in overall bodily immunity to disease.[8] As a quick note, we recognize that shrimp might seem intimidating to prepare and cook, but not to worry, UpRiver’s got you covered HERE.

Amount Per 100 grams:

Calories 99
Total Fat: 0.3 g
Total Carbohydrate: 0.2 g
Total Protein: 24 g

Lean Ground Turkey

While really any kind of turkey could have taken a spot on this list, we have specifically chosen ground turkey for its ability to be turned into burgers (which everyone loves) and its simplicity with respect to preparation. Ground turkey is also great because it can be made in large quantities, seasoned easily, and thrown in the fridge for a high protein additive to any meal throughout the week while you’re busy and on the run.

Note: Make sure you’re careful with the kind of ground turkey you pick up from the grocery store as some products contain significantly higher fat-to-protein ratios than others!

Amount Per 100 grams (93% Lean) :

Calories 160
Total Fat: 7 g
Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
Total Protein: 21 g

Bonus: Whey Protein Isolate

While the literature surrounding “nutrient-timing” has long prescribed that one ought to take in some form of protein at particular times in one’s day (i.e. protein shake directly following a workout), more and more science is beginning to reveal to us that what is actually important is that one meets a certain dietary protein requirement by the end of the day.[9] The timing of when one ingests protein has increasingly been shown to be less important than the fact that one does regularly ingest it. Given these findings, and in addition to the fact that people have busy schedules that do not always permit one being in the kitchen as often as one would like, we recommend a whey protein isolate supplement. This is to make sure that your body is properly recovering from the hard work you’ve invested in it. After all, gains in muscle and in fat-loss alike really are made in the kitchen – or shaker bottle.

Note: It is important that the protein supplement you purchase for the sake of fat-loss is an ‘isolate’ product. This is because in these products, the protein is isolated from the carbohydrates and fats so that you can have the same amount of protein as a regular whey protein supplement without the added calories that you would otherwise want in a muscle gaining phase.

Amount Per 28 grams (1 scoop) :

Calories 105
Total Fat: 0 g
Total Carbohydrate: 2 g
Total Protein: 24

Conclusion and Final Notes

In a shredding/cutting/fat loss phase, you are going to want to make sure you’re eating lots of protein. As mentioned, this is because it helps with the 2 important factors of this phase:

1. Losing the body fat on top of the muscle

2. Preserving the muscle underneath the stored body fat

With both of these bases covered, you’ll be well on your way to sculpting the body you want, and with the work put in, deserve. Again, as a reminder, this is by no means an exhaustive list of the protein sources one can consume when looking to drop some extra pounds. Ultimately, lots of different foods can be made to work in one’s diet by properly and carefully monitoring one’s caloric intake and expenditure.

Note: As someone who is interested in optimizing their fitness, we recommend that you check out our BodyStream HERE, to learn all the tips and tricks you’ll need along your journey.

Best of luck biohacker, and keep moving UpRiver.