“It’s less complicated than you might think,” Jordan says. “The aim is progress over perfection. Once you start paying attention to your protein and build the habit, you’ll feel the difference quickly.”
To hit 100 grams of protein, she suggests a typical day could look like this:
Breakfast: 200g Greek yogurt with 40g of a nutritional supplement powder, berries and tsp butter (optional) ~38g
Lunch: Chicken breast with 100g quinoa and roast veg tray bake ~32g
Dinner: Lentil and chickpea curry with 150g cooked lentils + 100g cooked chickpeas, served with 100g cooked brown rice and a dollop of Greek yogurt ~30g protein
“It’s easier when you break it down across meals,” Rail says. “One simple way is to build meals around your protein source, then add carbs and fats around it. This keeps portions clear and cuts down on decision fatigue,” he says. “If appetite is low, liquids help: shakes, soups, or blended meals make it easier to increase intake without feeling overstuffed.”
I don’t eat meat. What should I do?
Vegan or veggie? The good news is it’s easier than ever to hit your protein goals. Yes, adding beans and legumes is a great way to pad out every meal, but you can also keep it interesting with high protein, ‘fake meat’ options like seitan.
While not as high in protein as the real thing, often these fake meats can help provide a satisfying texture close to actual meat. You might also consider adding blended tofu or lentils to your curry and pasta sauces as an invisible way of upping the protein punch of your meals.
Finally, high protein, vegan yogurts loaded with nuts and even some vegan peanut butter is a great way to ensure you’re eating well.
What else can I do?
Still struggling to hit your protein macro? Richardson has some advice:
Don’t back-load your protein
“A typical pattern of eating within many Western diets is to ‘backload’ protein, which refers to consuming most protein within the evening meal and far less protein within carbohydrate-dominated breakfast and lunch,” he says. “It’s more beneficial to include meaningful doses of protein within each meal.”
Eat protein first
“Avoid filling up on starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and rice at the beginning of a meal, and go for the protein first instead,” he advises. “This can help you prioritize the protein intake without feeling over-full.”
Snack smart
“Most snack foods are high in carbohydrates, or fat, and low in protein. Biltong, jerky and boiled eggs are your friends.”
A protein shake within your ‘fasting’ window
“If you practice time-restricted eating, and struggle to reach your daily target, you could add in a pure protein shake within your fasting window,” says Richardson. “Yes, this ‘breaks’ your fast, but if you are fasting mainly for weight-control and body composition, adding in 20 grams of protein within a shake amounts to fewer than 100 calories, and can even support your goals.”
And if you really want to pack a wallop, you can try rounding out your meals with the below. “Note that while nuts, seeds and other legumes can certainly be a great way to add protein, they are also more rich in fats and carbohydrates than protein,” Richardson warns.
- Ground beef (5% fat): 110 grams, about the size of a large burger patty
- Pork chop, fat removed: 140 grams, or just one thin chop
- Chicken breast: 130 grams, or one medium breast
- Fish (sardines): 120 grams, roughly 2 small tins
- Whole eggs: 5-6 medium sized eggs
- Cottage cheese (low fat): 300 grams, which is common size sold in supermarkets
- Halloumi cheese: 125 grams, typically about half of a full packet
- Tempeh: 150 grams, typically about half of a packet
- Tofu: 200+ grams, sometimes a full packet worth since it contains more water than tempeh
- Edamame or lupin beans: 250 grams, a cup and a half
This story originally appeared in British GQ.