A Must: Muscles, Protein & Leucine

Published on 6 June 2025 at 13:28

💕 Hi Most Amazing ICU Wellness Spa Fam 💕

I couldn't contain my excitement and had to share some life-transforming info that's too good to keep to myself!

As we gracefully transition into different stages of our lives, whether you're male or female, it's essential to embrace our health and well-being with intention. This isn't about judgment; it's about empowerment. I care deeply about you all and want you to thrive!

💪🏻 Stay Strong, Feel Optimal 👼🏻

Why Lean Muscle Mass Matters

As we reach that special age of 30 and beyond, maintaining our muscle mass becomes crucial. Lean muscle mass is not just about looking good; it's vital for your overall health and metabolism. Our metabolism can slow down due to muscle decline, leading to serious health issues like insulin resistance, obesity, and even type 2 diabetes.

Furthermore, a decline in muscle mass can impact bone density, increasing the risk of fractures and frailty as we age. Lean muscle plays a protective role, enhancing metabolic function, improving body composition, and supporting bone health.

By prioritizing strength training and ensuring we get adequate protein, we're taking powerful steps toward lifelong vitality.

The Power of Strength Training

Incorporate strength training into your routine at least three times a week. This not only helps you maintain muscle mass but also supports your metabolism, keeping it active and efficient. Lifting weights helps build the lean muscle you need to burn calories effectively and strengthen your bones.

The Role of Leucine

Now, let’s talk about a key player in muscle health—leucine. This essential amino acid is one of the building blocks of protein and plays a crucial role in muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

👉 MPS = your body’s repair-and-regrow process for muscle tissue.
Without enough leucine, the switch never fully turns “on,” and your body may not use protein efficiently to build and repair muscle.

So how do you know how much leucine you’re actually getting?

Quick Reference: Leucine & Protein Content

(per typical serving size, approximate values)

Animal Sources

Chicken breast (3 oz cooked) – ~27g protein | ~2.5g leucine
Tuna (3 oz cooked) – ~25g protein | ~1.6g leucine
Beef steak (3 oz cooked) – ~26g protein | ~2.6g leucine
Hamburger, ground beef (3 oz cooked) – ~22g protein | ~1.9g leucine
Elk (3 oz cooked) – ~26g protein | ~2.2g leucine
Antelope (3 oz cooked) – ~26g protein | ~2.6g leucine
Trout (3 oz cooked) – ~22g protein | ~1.8g leucine
Sardines (3 oz canned in water) – ~23g protein | ~2.0g leucine
Salmon (3 oz cooked) – ~22g protein | ~2.0g leucine
Egg (1 large) – ~6g protein | ~0.5g leucine
Pork loin (3 oz cooked) – ~24g protein | ~2.5g leucine
Bacon (1 slice) – ~3g protein | ~1.0g leucine

Dairy / Protein Powders

Cottage cheese (1 cup, low-fat) – ~28g protein | ~2.7g leucine
Greek yogurt (1 cup, plain nonfat) – ~20g protein | ~1.7g leucine
Whey protein powder (1 scoop / 25g protein) – ~25g protein | ~2.5g leucine
SunWarrior Warrior Blend, Vanilla (1 scoop / 25g serving) – ~17g protein | ~1.4g leucine
(≈2 scoops = ~34g protein and ~2.8g leucine, which crosses the threshold for muscle synthesis)

Plant Sources

Lentils (½ cup cooked) – ~9g protein | ~0.9g leucine
Chickpeas (½ cup cooked) – ~7g protein | ~1.2g leucine
Quinoa (1 cup cooked) – ~8g protein | ~0.6g leucine
Tofu (3 oz) – ~9g protein | ~1.5g leucine
Tempeh (3 oz) – ~15g protein | ~2.2g leucine
Hemp seeds (3 Tbsp) – ~10g protein | ~2.6g leucine
Peanut butter (2 Tbsp) – ~8g protein | ~0.5g leucine
Almonds (1 oz / 23 nuts) – ~6g protein | ~0.4g leucine

Daily Targets

To calculate your daily protein requirements, first identify your goal weight. For instance, if your goal weight is 100 pounds, aim for 100 grams of protein per day. That’s about 25 grams per meal, four times a day.

For leucine, the sweet spot is 2.5–3 grams per meal. Hitting this threshold ensures your muscles actually use the protein you’re eating for repair and growth.

✨ A Helpful Note on Plant Proteins

Plant-based proteins are wonderful, but many are incomplete proteins, meaning they don’t naturally contain all nine essential amino acids in the right balance. They also often fall short in leucine, the very amino acid that flips the switch for muscle growth.

If you rely mostly on plant proteins, you may need larger servings or strategic blends (like pea + rice or hemp + legumes).
Example: SunWarrior Warrior Blend is a great plant-based option because it combines pea, hemp, and goji. But one scoop provides ~1.4 g leucine — not quite enough to trigger muscle protein synthesis.
To fully cross the leucine threshold, you’d need closer to 2 scoops (~2.8 g leucine, 34 g protein).

👉 This distinction is so important: being a “complete protein” doesn’t automatically mean it has enough leucine to trigger muscle growth.

Product Recommendations for Optimal Protein (Leucine) Intake

SunWarrior Mango Active Aminos Powder
Delicious, refreshing, and leucine-packed. Just mix into water or your favorite beverage to boost recovery and repair.
EAA Blue Raspberry Gummy Bears
A fun way to keep amino acids flowing between meals. Easy, tasty, and portable.
Trim Healthy Essentials
One scant tablespoon gives a nice protein boost. It may not mix perfectly, but the results are worth it.
Immune Boosting Hack
Mix ¼ tsp Trim Healthy Essentials with ¼ tsp buffered Vitamin C powder (sodium ascorbate) for a simple, daily immune support blend.
SunWarrior Vanilla Warrior Performance Blend
My absolute favorite! Smooth, great-tasting, and one of the few vegan options that’s close to optimal for leucine. Just remember: you may need 2 scoops to fully reach the leucine threshold for muscle-building support.

🔑 Key Takeaway: The Leucine Threshold

To activate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) — your body’s repair-and-regrow process for muscle — you need about:

✨ 2.5–3 grams of leucine per meal ✨

This is the “switch” that tells your body to build and repair lean muscle.
If you don’t reach this threshold, your body won’t fully activate muscle repair. Protein will still support other body functions, but you’ll miss the muscle-building benefit.
Animal proteins and whey usually meet this threshold easily.
Plant proteins may require larger servings or blends to get there.

Wrapping It All Up

Prioritizing lean muscle, getting enough protein, and paying attention to leucine will change the trajectory of your health, vitality, and longevity. Muscles cannot efficiently repair and grow without enough leucine — but with intention, you can meet your needs daily.

Remember: you are wonderfully made 💕. Taking these steps is a way to honor your body and cultivate a vibrant, joy-filled, healthy life.