How To Stay Healthy This Winter: How Much Protein Do You Really Need in Winter

As the days get colder and darker, your protein needs may be higher than you think. Here’s how to fuel strength, immunity and steady energy all winter long.

Winter means lower daylight, colder temperatures, more time indoors and usually less movement, NEAT (non-exercise activity) drops significantly in the UK between November and February.

We are here to try help you stay healthy this winter with your nutritional needs.

Why Winter Changes Your Protein Needs

• Metabolism changes
• Muscle maintenance
• Appetite regulation
• Immune resilience
• Energy levels and mood

Protein plays a key role in every one of these systems. Getting enough helps you:

• Maintain lean mass even if training dips
• Support immune cell production
• Stay satiated and avoid sugar cravings
• Regulate serotonin (mood stabilisation)
• Recover better from winter training

How Much Protein You Actually Need (Simple UK Guide)

• General population:
  💡 1.2 g per kg of bodyweight
• Active adults / regular gym users:
  💡 1.4–1.8 g per kg
• Strength training / Hyrox / CrossFit:
  💡 1.8–2.2 g per kg
• 40+ adults (muscle-preservation focus):
  💡 1.6–2.0 g per kg

 Ageing reduces muscle protein synthesis—winter amplifies this.

 

Why Protein Is Even More Important in Winter

Immune Defence
The first point of call, staying healthy & helping your body fight of any incoming infections, cold & viruses.

Antibodies = proteins.
Immune cells = proteins.
Recovery enzymes = proteins.

Low protein means a weakened immune response.

 

Stable Energy & Mood
Protein stabilises blood glucose, reducing the following:

• • Energy dips
  • Carb cravings
  • Winter “brain fog”
  • Emotional eating

Protein helps you focus on what is important to you this winter.

 

Maintaining Strength With Less Sunlight

• • Lower vitamin D slows recovery and muscle repair.
  • Protein compensates for some of this deficit.

 

Winter-Friendly High-Protein Foods (UK list)

• Grass-fed beef (premium amino acid profile)
• Greek yoghurt & Skyr
• Cottage cheese
• Salmon & sardines
• Free-range eggs
• Chickpeas / lentils / edamame
• Turkey breast
• Roam grass-fed beef bars + bites (20g clean protein, real food, zero sugar)

Why Roam works in winter:
No sugar, no seed oils, no additives → better gut health, immunity, and stable energy.

A Sample High-Protein Winter Day (UK edition)

Each meal time has a couple of different options, so you can easily mix it up day to day. Remember, with meal prep, simplicity is key.

Breakfast (25–30g protein)

• • Greek yoghurt, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon
  • Omelette with spinach & mushrooms

Lunch (25–35g protein)

• • Chicken or chickpea stew
  • Jacket potato + cottage cheese
  • leftover roast beef salad

Afternoon snack (18–20g protein)

• • Roam Grass-Fed Beef Bar
  • Skyr pot

Dinner (30–40g protein)

• • Salmon with rice + greens
  • Grass-fed beef chilli
  • Turkey meatballs + veg

Before bed (12–20g protein)

• • Roam Bite
  • Greek yoghurt + almonds

Common Winter Protein Mistakes

• Relying on sugary comfort foods
• Eating fewer meals
• Skipping protein at breakfast
• Not snacking smartly on busy winter commutes
• Using ultra-processed protein bars (gums, seed oils, sugar alcohols)

 

Final Takeaway

Winter is when your protein needs rise - but your habits usually drop.
 
A simple focus on consistent, clean, whole-food protein keeps you stronger, leaner and more resilient until spring.

👉 Fuel the season with real-food protein — explore Roam’s grass-fed bars & bites.