*This is NOT medical advice. The information below is displayed simply for educational purposes. Everyone’s nutritional needs will differ. You can make decisions about the best approach for yourself by understanding the basics of nutrition and how those relate to your personal goals.
Getting in enough protein can be intimidating!
When most of our members do an audit of their protein intake, they realize that they’re FAR below the recommended amount.
If you didn’t yet watch our video on Macros/Protein 101, do that so you know how much you need. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
To keep it simple, here’s the equation:
1.2-2.0 grams of Protein per kg Bodyweight.
I’m about 185, so let’s do the math:
185 pounds = 84 kg
84 x 1.2 = 100
84 x 2.0 = 168
Now because I’m an active adult who wants to maintain my muscle mass, I’m going with the 2.0 equation. That means I need to hit 168 grams of protein per day.
Frankly, I’m shooting for more each day because I have a lot of adventures I still want to go on. They’re gonna require all the strength I have!
We’ll explore lifestyle, strategies, and more in future newsletters. For today, I want to simply give you an example of what I eat in a day. Without much effort, I’m able to hit that 168 mark easily.
Breakfast – I eat this throughout the morning, not all at once.
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Turkey Bacon x 4 slices: 24 grams (160 cal)
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Egg x 2: 12 grams (150 cal)
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Kodiak Cup: 12 grams (270 cal)
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Coffee w/ Chocolate PB Protein Powder: 30 grams (190 cal)
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Yogurt: 15 grams (110 cal)
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Total: 93 grams Protein (880 cal)
Lunch
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Turkey, Ham, & Cheddar Sandwich: 40 grams (380 cal)
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Bread: 12 grams (180 cal)
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Turkey: 11 grams (60 cal)
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Ham: 11 grams (70 cal)
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Cheese: 6 grams (70 cal)
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Mustard & Veggies: 0 grams (0 cal)
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Quest Chips: 19 grams (140 cal)
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Fruit: 0 grams (80 cal)
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Total: 59 grams Protein (600 cal)
So let’s do a quick check-in before dinner: I’ve already hit 152 grams of protein. That means I’m only 16 grams of protein away from my goal!
Also, my total calories at this point is at 1,480. For my personal goals and preferences, my dinner can be anywhere between 600 and 1,000 calories.
AND THIS IS WHERE IT ALL COMES DOWN TO YOU…
The reason I frontload my protein so much? I’ve got three kids. And when we have dinner as a family, there are more factors at play than “Ross needs to get more protein in”.
Last night, our family all had grilled hot dogs for dinner. Hot dogs are a poor source of protein, but in this scenario, I only needed them to help me get another 16 grams. That works!
And while hot dogs don’t really align with my protein goals, they absolutely align with my family goals: eat a fun, simple, tasty meal with the whole family on Sunday evening before we all go about our very busy weeks.
If you write a plan that requires you to be a robot, that shit’s gonna fail right out the gate.
Dinner
*Whatever fits with our lifestyle and schedule.
Sometimes, that’s grilled salmon and balsamic veggies.
Sometimes, it’s chicken tenders and boxed mac & cheese.
That’s life, and I’m not about to pretend that it doesn’t often play out like that for us.
More importantly, I don’t pretend like I don’t know what’s coming. With three young kids in the house, our evenings get pretty crazy. I often default to “what can I make quick” when feeding my family. That’s why I’m very intentional about getting a good amount of protein in early.
Hopefully that helps add some context for planning out your meals!
Please reach out with questions, as those will decide what we focus on for future nutrition lessons!
