How To Eat More Protein
This article is the 4th of an 8-part series! I sent this information out to all of my Transformation Challenge Participants. Click the link if you want to learn more about it or participate in the next one! Cash prizes for the winners!
If you read my first 3 articles from this challenge, you should understand how important it is to eat adequate amounts of protein every day. However, "It's hard to eat that much protein" is the most common thing I hear when people try to clean up their diet so let's talk about it.
Easy Protein Tips
If your daily target is 185-200g of protein, that can feel like a lot. If your daily target is lower, it probably still feels like a lot. My target of 230g is tough some days but I still make it happen which means you can too. Here are four ways to make it easier than sitting down to eat 12 ounces of chicken breast at a time.
Eat Lean Meat - Up your quantities of lean meat like canned tuna, chicken breast, bison, venison, and ground turkey - per 100g of meat, it packs way more protein. When you eat fattier cuts, it can dramatically lower your protein count for the day.
Drink Your Protein - A 12 oz protein shake made with Fairlife Skim Milk and 1 scoop of protein powder is 45 grams of protein. Check out Phormula-1 Whey Protein. Mint Chocolate Cookie is my favorite.
Snack For Success - If you prefer eating 4-5 meals throughout the day, you can spread your calories out more. Your snack can simply be a smaller portion of a meal, or you can go for a Level-1 Bar (21g), beef jerky (30g), greek yogurt (15g), or cheese stick (8g).
Count All Protein - You might just be adding up the protein in your meats, but all protein counts toward your daily goal. Tracking food more closely for a time gives you a sense of smaller (but meaningful) protein sources like vegetables and starches. 1 can of beans has 18 grams and 300g of Brussels sprouts has 10g.
Easy Protein Sample Day
Breakfast = 3 egg western omelet (31 grams protein)
Lunch = 6 oz Chicken breast + 2 Cups Brussels Sprouts (44 grams protein)
Dinner - 6 oz 97% Lean Beef + 1.5 Cups Beans & Rice (51 grams protein)
Snack 1 = Level-1 Protein Bar (21 grams protein)
Snack 2 = Protein Shake (45 grams protein
Totals: 1300 Calories, 190 Protein, 94 Carbs, 25 Fat
There is a lot of room left in this meal plan example to eat whatever you would like to finish out the rest of your calories for the day. The protein is hit and you are only at 1300 calories. Fill in with other foods you like and you are good to go!
More Resources
Final Thoughts
Every day you dedicate time to working out and eating healthy is getting you one step closer to your goal. The investment you make in yourself is compounding just like a monetary investment.
Please reach out with questions at any time and check out the next article in this series!
Paul Rabic