You already know protein is one of the keys to metabolic health. You’re just not sure how much is ‘enough.’
There are lots of figures thrown around online, and plenty of misinformation about adding ‘too much’ to your diet.
I don’t want you to be afraid of high-protein diets. I also don’t want you to underfeed or overfeed yourself.
Here’s how to properly set a protein goal that will help you build muscle and reclaim your metabolic health.
Dispelling the protein myths
Protein comes with several benefits: longer satiety, better blood sugar control, and better long-term weight management.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation about protein online — so much so that I feel the need to weigh in.
So-called health ‘experts’ have made many cases against high-protein diets:
- “Eating more protein will make you fat.” Studies show eating a high-protein diet can help improve weight loss and change body composition. Of course, if you’re eating ‘high protein’ alongside heavy carbs (think fast food burgers or sub sandwiches), you’re unlikely to reap the same effects.
- “Americans get too much protein.” That isn’t the case for most older Americans. If you’re above the age of 40, there’s a 43% chance you’re deficient in protein. This could also lead to issues like sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Remember: even your bones are around 50% protein.
- “You’ll get protein poisoning.” Protein poisoning is only a problem if you get all of your macronutrients from protein alone. If you’re frying eggs in tallow or grilling steaks in butter, this is highly unlikely to happen to you.
- “You’ll get kidney stones and gout.” Again, this doesn’t happen with whole, real food diets. If you keep yourself well-hydrated, crystallization is rarely an issue. Keep in mind kidney stones are more commonly associated with oxalate consumption, and the number one trigger of gout is alcohol.
- “Plant-based protein is better.” You’ll see boxes upon boxes of plant products proclaiming they offer ‘10g of protein,’ which is supposedly the ‘same’ as 10g of protein in animal products. The truth is that bioavailability matters: plant-based protein may not protect against muscle wasting in the same way animal-based protein does.
- “Unused protein converts into sugar in your bloodstream.” The science doesn’t support this — steak doesn’t turn into cake. It’s also an oversimplification of gluconeogenesis, which describes when your body synthesizes glucose from amino acids in protein. Studies show that high-protein diets actually stabilize blood sugar and insulin response. If you want to see for yourself, get a continuous glucose monitor, then check your blood sugar after a meal of steak and eggs.
The short version: so long as you’re setting a proper protein goal, the effects on your body will be almost universally positive.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the specifics.
How to set a protein goal
First, start with one gram of protein per pound of desired body weight. This is a good metric for the average person. If you’re running a marathon or a competitive bodybuilder, you probably need higher numbers than this.
Getting 150 to 200 grams of protein per day might seem like a lot depending on your diet. However, it usually just means swapping carbohydrates for protein or focusing on foods with a higher protein count overall.
For example:
- The average 70/30 package of ground beef gives 65 grams of protein per pound.
- One egg gives you 6 grams. A breakfast of three eggs would give 18 grams.
- A half fillet of salmon gives 40 grams of protein.
- Unsweetened full-fat greek yogurt hovers around 15 grams per serving.
Now try to divide your macros into the number of meals you get each day. If your goal weight is 150 pounds and you eat three times per day, you could aim to eat 50 grams of protein per meal.
If you’re having trouble hitting your numbers, make it easier to grab and go. Boiled eggs, beef jerky, and cheese sticks can be helpful. Some people find weekly meal prep also helps.
If you’re following a specific diet
It will be much easier to reach your protein goals following a low-carb diet. Keto and carnivore are two of the most common, but others try paleo or the Lion Diet for varying degrees of restriction.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, it might be harder to reach your one gram per pound goal. You can use options like tofu, nutritional yeast, and vegan protein shakes, but do your best to limit processed foods and added sugar as much as you can.
If you’re restricting calories or feeding windows
If you’re restricting your intake, focus on lean meats first. Poultry, shrimp, fish, and eggs are fairly lean sources that are relatively inexpensive.
I would also suggest reconsidering why you’re so heavily restricting your food intake. Many studies point toward higher levels of stress in low calorie diets, not to mention a fairly high failure rate.
In case you need to hear it from me: I give you permission to stop counting calories. If you focus on hitting your protein goal and avoiding processed food, you’ll notice substantial differences sooner than you think.
For intermittent fasters, you may want to aim for large quantities of meat per meal. Eat around two pounds of meat per day (no matter when you eat it), and there’s a good chance you’ll be hitting your protein goals easily.
If you’re only eating one meal per day, you may not have the stomach capacity to eat 150 to 200 grams in one sitting. Supplementing with protein powder can help you bridge the gap, as well as collagen powder or beef gelatin, which can be added to foods and drinks.
If you don’t like eating meat
If you’re a vegetarian or tend to get tired of similar meals, there are still several ways to hit your protein goal.
Some options:
- A half cup of mixed nuts provides around 13 grams of protein per serving
- A five ounce can of tuna offers 29 grams of protein per serving
- Raw milk offers 8 grams of protein per glass/serving, plus plenty of satiating fat
Again, protein powder isn’t off the table, even if it isn’t as bioavailable as red meat. Just make sure you choose a high-quality product, read the ingredients label, and keep an eye out for added sugar (both fake and real).
Following a high-protein diet
It’s easy to get lost in the weeds with high-protein diets. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you focus on hitting your protein goal, you’ll have less space in your diet for processed foods and simple carbohydrates. As you gain more energy, you’ll find yourself becoming more active, losing cravings, gaining confidence, and generally increasing your metabolic health.
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