How Jessica Mulroney Upped Her Protein Intake

Protein for women: Jessica Mulroney shares how she got more of this macronutrient in her diet

Jessica Mulroney is no stranger being in the public eye, and she says she needs energy (ahem, protein) to keep up with her work and family demands. Being half of Toronto’s most polished power couple (she’s married to CTV’s Your Morning co-host Ben Mulroney, son of former PM Brian Mulroney) and the bestie to Meghan Markle (former Best Health cover model and our current royal crush). She is also one of the co-founders the charity Shoebox Project for Shelters (women receive boxes of beauty products and toiletries). Most recently she has partnered with the Dairy Farmers of Canada for its Stronger with Protein campaign, to share how it is not that hard for women to eat more protein. In fact, increasing her protein intake is her #BHmoment.

What is the difference between the requirements of protein for women and men? According to Eat Right Ontario, healthy adults need 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight (or 0.37 grams per pound). So the only difference is body weight, not sex.

Best Health connected with Mulroney to find out why she made protein a priority, how she snuck it into her diet easily and the difference it made to how she felt.

Why was eating more protein a goal for you?

“I have three young children. A few years ago I realized that if I wanted to keep up with their boundless energy, I needed to make some lifestyle changes, especially when it came to adding more protein to my diet for fuel, which was something I was really lacking at the time. Even though it was an uphill battle at first, I’ve achieved my goal – healthy eating and exercise now come pretty easily to me, and I’m able to be at my best for my family. It’s a great feeling.”

Eating more seems like an easy task! Kidding! But seriously, how did you know you were eating enough?

“Like any busy mom, I needed to make changes that weren’t easy. Getting enough exercise and protein in my diet was important. I stick to chopped veggies with dips or cheese for an easy snack. I love yogurt and tahini dips, for instance. [Other protein-balanced snacks I eat include] smoothies with yogurt; or nuts and trail mix. I also keep my workouts short and effective to make the best use of my time in the gym.”

Need more food ideas? You will love out these eight breakfasts.

When it comes to upping protein for women, what would you want others to know?

“You don’t have to be perfect. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to always eat perfectly or to never skip your workout. Life is about balance and it’s also about remembering to have joy! For instance, I treasure getting ice cream with my kids. It’s a fun, special treat in the summer – until it drips all over their shirts.”

Why is your life better now that you’ve reached this goal?

“We are always looking for more time in the day. Having a healthy lifestyle has given me better sleep and more energy to be at my best for my family, friends, and work. It’s like discovering time I never knew I had.”

Here are more tips on how food can help you sleep better – with out a food coma! 

What is the biggest tip you tell friends?

“Find the time to take care of yourself. Fit in a quick 20-minute workout at home, or tweak your diet to get more dairy-based protein every day, you’ll find it makes a big difference in your energy levels. Little changes add up to a lot of change over time.”

With this 20 minute workout, you should be seeing results as quickly as four weeks.

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