Sponsored by trusource. All opinions are that of the author.
Dads who need an extra boost in their day—or those who are in the fight against ‘dadbod’—are turning onto the trend of Anytime Protein.
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There comes a time in every dad’s life when he realizes that he’s no longer 19 years old. Or 24. Or 30. And after getting used to a schedule revolving around three amazing kids, the time for working out and sensible eating gets scheduled away somewhere behind late night dinners and falling asleep on the couch with a half-finished beer.
Whether I’m keeping up with my children on the playground or I’m pacing myself with my students and student-athletes on the field, I realize I need a higher-protein diet in order to beat back the slowed metabolism that joined my life in my later-30s.
I’m not just some dad in his 30s—I’m a real, live husband, teacher, musician, writer, and coach. So protein and energy are what I need to stay healthy, fit, and moving. I recently tried a new brand of fitness nutrition products from trusource that are geared to my kind of lifestyle.
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Monday, for example, is going to be a big day for me—my day starts with an hour commute, and then after homeroom I’m going to teach from 8 in the morning until 8 at night, which only happens once a week. I won’t have time for a long lunch or any dinner until after I get home and my children are in bed. So between classes, a trusource Protein+Energy mix of protein and energy would be the perfect thing—in my tea, cold chai mix, or coffee. Instead of some vending machine carb and sugar load, I need a quick, healthy, and filling boost (and a little bit of caffeine wouldn’t hurt).
The rest of the week isn’t as hectic as Monday, but it’s still as long. If I’m not zipping home to help take care of the kids at soccer, Scouts, ballet, or piano, I’m staying late at work to tutor, advise clubs, grade papers, or coach. I don’t always have time to run out for a coffee, so something like a ready-to-drink Protein Java or Protein Water is perfect, or a scoop of trusource Vanilla Latte powder (which happens to be my favorite) mixed with water, milk or almond milk.
Honestly, I’m not the type to be making coffee runs—or have the money to spend on that every day—but I would buy a few Protein Java cans at Kroger’s or keep the powder around to make my own shake. I’m not a “sports nutrition” bodybuilder type and I don’t usually go to specialty nutrition stores. I like that there’s a brand I can get at the grocery store that tastes good, doesn’t kill me with too many sugars or carbs and gives me a good amount of protein. Getting this kind of protein usually means consuming the right mix of nuts or cheese, which I don’t always have on hand, and I don’t always want to be eating in front of students or clients. Plus, consuming nuts and cheese and then working in front of thirty students who are half your age can result in some gastro-intestinal effects you don’t always want. Trust me.
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A few years ago my wife and I lost weight the “easy” way—that is, by only focusing on eating habits and not heavy workouts or exercise. It worked! We lost a set amount of desired weight.
And then came the time after the diet, when daily eating habits had to be in check or else every pound would have been lost for nothing.
Like most men my age, we have our ideal weight and our current weight, and the two are always one diet apart from each other. Lamenting the shift from the tighter belt-buckle notch to a looser one can become a daily reminder that you either need to change something in your daily diet or workout routine, or stop wearing belts.
Some of us become okay with not caring about it until “later.”
Every now and then, later becomes now. And a healthy higher-protein and low-carb, low calorie diet doesn’t always happen now. But it can.
As a coach, I want to be a healthy model for my student-athletes—but it’s hard to keep getting older while all my players stay the same healthy, skinny age.
As a teacher, I need the energy to work all day and into the night, and not just running on acid and caffeine from tea or coffee.
And as a husband and dad, I want to be as fit and healthy as I can while being able to enjoy a beer or two after a long day’s work.
So whether you’re a marathon-running dad, stay-at-home papa, weekend warrior looking for a boost, or another 30-something guy looking to reset your metabolism, this kind of protein revolution makes it all a little easier.
Now, can I drink a protein shake for dinner and then have a beer or two?
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-Photos: Jeremy McKeen/Tanya McKeen