By: Nick Sienkiewicz, DPT, CSCS

Reasons I Add Even More Protein On Vacations!

Once I retuned from vacation earlier this week, I received many questions regarding my protein intake on vacation. On last week’s newsletter, I shared with you all one of my big goals while away on vacation is to increase my protein consumption. I think so many people were inquisitive because I claimed I try to eat an additional 50 g of protein on top of what is already considered a “high-protein diet” based on conventional standards. So first, let me reiterate something I’ve discussed many times before but is massively important and deserving of continued attention: humans should be consuming more protein nowadays than our ancestors because of numerous modern factors. Consequently, I do believe most people, especially in America, should be aiming for higher protein intakes than they are currently attaining daily at baseline. Now, let’s get into the specific reasons why I up my protein consumption so much on vacation.

Protein is the most thermogenic macronutrient - This means that protein increases metabolism and burns more energy during digestion and absorption than carbs and fats. This is a bit of a cheat code. Vacations typically include less activity and more relaxation (obviously parents could debate this!). When we are more sedentary, our metabolism will slow down. Eating more protein during these times can help sustain your body’s normal metabolic output.

More rest + more protein = more gains - I train regularly throughout the year. As mentioned last week, I still train on vacation too. It just looks different. Nonetheless, our gains from our training actually occur during our rest periods. With vacation being a rest for multiple days (or weeks for some), your body will be processing the adaptations from our prior weeks of training. Rest combined with high amounts of protein is a perfect recipe to expedite your gains! This goes for muscle mass, weight loss, strength, endurance, or any other human quality you are after for your training goals.
Increased protein limits fat gain - As I said last week, I tend to eat more in overall calories on vacation. You certainly do not have to, but I thoroughly enjoy dessert foods, so vacations are always an indulgent time for me personally. When adding calories, especially increased carbs and sugar, it is pertinent to make sure protein consumption is high. There has been so much research that has come out in recent years to support this notion. High protein intake preserves and increases muscle mass, while simultaneously reducing fat gain. In some cases, high protein diets have been shown to shed fat even in a hyper-caloric state. In one study on strength trained adult men, the group who consumed 400 extra calories in all protein (100 g of additional protein) gained similar weight overall to other groups in the study. This big difference was that this group experienced a significant increase in muscle mass in conjunction with a loss of fat mass, while the other groups encountered a combination of muscle and fat gain. This is the absolute sweet spot; adding lean muscle mass while losing fat mass! This sweet spot is very challenging to attain, especially in adulthood when it requires being more strict with your lifestyle. In spite of that, the “sweet spot” is much more easily achieved when protein intake is high. And, if you can manage this on vacation when most people are just gaining weight in all fat mass while losing muscle, it is the ultimate flex!

Increased protein can help you lose weight overall - On the same accord as the bullet above, a high-protein diet in combination with a calorie deficit can help you lose bodyweight while preserving your muscle mass. Vacation is not typically a time that individuals would opt for a calorie deficit. However, if you consume roughly your typical weight maintenance caloric intake while increasing protein, you could actually lose a pound or two while away if that sounds like fun to you!

Protein is satiating; High protein keeps you feeling full - Along with its thermogenic effect, protein is also the most satiating macronutrient. Protein makes us feel full with lesser amounts than carbs and fats, meaning you could generally eat higher quantities of carbs and fats before feeling the sensation of being full. Consuming increased protein in your diet is a great natural nutrition regulator. By focusing on protein first, you have decreased tendency to overeat carbs and fats.

As vacation is a great time to recover from lingering injuries, increased protein supports this endeavor - Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which are then utilized within the body as the infrastructure for all of our tissues, like muscles and tendons. By increasing protein, your body has sufficient stores to replenish and rebuild tissues.
My intent with this week’s newsletter was to clarify why I consume more protein while on vacation, so I hope this shed some light on those reasons. Although these past two newsletters pertained specifically to vacation, the reasons for higher protein consumption are prevalent to all times, not just vacation!

Furthermore, I have been noticing more questions regarding these newsletters in recent weeks. I absolutely love this, and it was my primary hope with the Functional Health Friday newsletter. I am so passionate about this stuff, and want to help as many of your as possible with true health and wellness. If you’re reading these newsletters and have questions, please feel free to reach out or come see me for a functional health coaching session!!

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Let’s thrive together,
Nick

*Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. The information is meant to be educational in nature. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent and/or cure any disease or health condition. Simultaneously, the information is not stating that any supplements or methods mentioned can replace medications or any interventions prescribed by your healthcare provider. Please speak with your own healthcare provider before beginning any new supplements or making changes that may affect your health. By utilizing any of this information, you are assuming responsibility for your own health decisions and actions.