How To Eat More Protein to Lose Weight

Let’s talk about eating more protein to lose weight.

For some, it can be a struggle (which is why I created this article).

While for others, protein is LIFE baby because of GAINZ.

Make sure to read on because I’m going to give you the exact blueprint you need to eat more protein.

Why Protein Is Important

We’re going to dive into how to eat more protein to lose weight in a second.

But first, it’s important to talk about why protein is important.

You may have heard from gym bro’s and bro-setts that protein = gains.

While that’s partially true, there are plenty of other benefits:

• Helps you build/retain muscle so that you can look lean and toned.
• It’s the most filling macronutrient which helps when you’re trying to get and stay lean.
• It takes a lot of energy to digest and process through your body so it’s almost, if not impossible, to store as body fat.
• Can help in improving performance
• Helps to keep your body, bones, and joints healthy as you age

Therefore, I think it’s safe to say that protein is going to be your best friend for the rest of your life.

Don’t believe me? Just check out my clients below and they’ll tell you!

How to Eat More Protein to Lose Weight: 4 Tips

You may be wondering, “how much protein should I be eating per day Bob?”

That’s a great question.

The goal is to eat around .7-1.2g per lb of your bodyweight.

Ex: 150 lbs x 1g = 150g of protein per day

There’s one problem with this though and where a lot of people get stuck….it’s… just… a… number.

It doesn’t really tell you the “how” to eat more protein.

So, if you don’t know how to reach your protein number in grams, then what’s the point?

So, instead of looking at how much protein to eat per day which I gave you above…. let’s instead look at HOW you can actually get more in.

1. Plan and Prioritize Protein to Lose Weight

Most people struggle with eating enough protein because they simply don’t have a plan.

When you pay your bills, do you just go in blind?

No, you plan how much money you have to spend each month so that you can properly budget.

If you plan and prioritize eating more protein, you’re going to have no issues hitting your protein goals consistently.

One of the best ways to do this? Plan you day/week ahead.

First, start by creating a list of your favorite protein sources (more on this below).

That way, you know what to buy when you go to the store.

Some questions to consider:

From there you can plan ahead for the week.

Remember, the most important thing is to HAVE a plan and set yourself up for success!

If you don’t plan, then don’t be upset if you continue to struggle.

2. Create a List of Your Favorite High Protein Foods

This is going to be your foundation for eating more protein to lose weight.

Notice how I mentioned your favorite sources?

This doesn’t need to be plain ass chicken breast all day every day- unless you’re a maniac and want it to be.

If that’s the case, much respect to you!

But I’d rather add some flavor to my protein to make it more palatable.

This can include different spices, cooking methods, low calories sauces, different types of meats, and whatever your imagination comes up with.

Now, here’s one big thing where I see a lot of clients struggle….

They eat enough protein but it’s not lean protein.

So, they have trouble fitting it into their calories and macros.

For example, 100g of chicken breast is only about 165 calories for 31g of protein.

But to get that same amount of protein from let’s say, 80/20 ground beef, that would be around 330 calories for 33g of protein.

Or Tysons popcorn chicken where you’d have to eat 14 pieces, totaling 26g of protein and 340 calories…

That’s double the amount of calories than chicken breast!

Yikes.

As you can see, higher calorie protein options add up QUICK.

Now, I’m not saying that to freak you out.

You can 100% still enjoy some fattier cuts of meat on occasion.

It’s that those proteins shouldn’t consist of the majority of your protein.

So what protein is good for weight loss?

MOST of your protein sources should come from lean sources (~80%) that don’t contain a lot of calories.

Examples of lean protein sources:

Protein Option: (4 oz)	Protein Grams	Calories
Chicken Breast:	26g	120 Cals
Turkey	20g	118 Cals
Pork Tenderloin	23g	136 Cals
1 Egg	12g	143 Cals
Egg whites	12g	57 Cals
Salmon	20g	200 Cals
Shrimp	15g	80 Cals
90/10 Ground Beef	23g	200 Cals
96/4 Ground Beef	24g	140 Cals
Sirloin Steak	23g	207 Cals
Fillet Steak	23g	150 Cals
Greek Yogurt – 2%	11g	80 Cals
Cottage Cheese	15g	100 Cals
Tempeh	21g	220 Cals
Tofu	9g	86 Cals
Edamame	14g	160 Cals
Beans	10g	150 Cals
Whey Protein Powder – 1 Scoop	22g	100 Cals

While some should come from fattier cuts of meats (~20%) since there are still a bunch of nutrients in these cuts as well.

Examples of the not-so-lean sources of protein:

Protein Option: (4 oz)	Protein Grams	Calories
80/20 Ground Beef	20g	300 Cals
Ribeye Steak	23g	247 Cals
Chicken Thigh	19g	186 Cals
Chicken Wings	10g	115 Cals
Italian Sausage	21g	385 Cals
Fried Chicken	17g	336 Cals
Popcorn Chicken	18g	330 Cals

As you can see, there is a MASSIVE difference between lean and fatty sources of protein.

And no, peanut butter or and nuts is not a protein source.

It’s a fat source. (Sorry, had to throw that in there)

3. Create Your High Protein Meal Plan To Lose Weight

Here’s the truth… having 1-3 go-to meals for each of breakfast, lunch, and dinner is going to make being consistent that much easier.

Having the same routine is much easier to stick to than having something new everyday and shit getting too complicated.

This is why planning is so important.

If you’re the type A person, eating the same proteins will probably work pretty well for you.

If you hate eating the same thing, you’ll have to learn how to switch things up a bit.

That may look like having a new protein source every week or day.

Or maybe having a different side or sauce with your protein.

Or maybe cooking it a different way – i.e. grilled, baked, slow cooked, etc..

Something that I personally love to do is ingredient prep where I basically prepare a bunch of different ingredients for the week ahead.

That way, I have a choice of what I’m feeling for that day.

Maybe I’ll make a bunch of shredded chicken or ground beef.

Then all I have to do is heat it up with something else the next day and bam… super simple!

Again, notice the theme here though… it’s simple and all planned out!

So, choose 1-2 palm sized servings of protein to base each meal around.

Here are some examples of meals that I eat:

High Protein Breakfast To Lose Weight:

-Eggs/egg whites, spinach, w/a sprinkle of cheese for me

-Oatmeal with berries and a scoop of protein powder.

-Eggs/egg whites, peppers, and an english muffin

-Ground beef with eggs (Don’t knock it until you try it)

High Protein Lunch To Lose Weight:

-2 Wraps with leftover shredded chicken, spinach or lettuce, and some buffalo sauce.

-Greek yogurt, protein powder, and fruit

-Leftover chicken, broccoli, and rice with my favorite sauce.

-A Salad with chicken and a fuck ton of vegetables

High Protein Dinner To Lose Weight:

-Shredded chicken

• Sometimes with Jasmine rice (carbs) and either broccoli or stir fry veggies.
• Thin crust pizza
• Quesadilla on low carb wraps
• Pasta with sauce

-Ground beef (90/10 or higher)

• Tacos
• Pasta with Meat Sauce

High Protein Ideas When Eating Out To Lose Weight:

• When you eat out, eat a protein based meal.
• If you order a salad, get protein (maybe extra) added on
• Aim for lean protein dishes that include chicken, fish, lean pork, and steak. As if they can add double protein.

And BOOM.

That is how simple it is. Nothing is over complicated.

Each meal has a protein, fruit/veggie, and carb source.

And the cool thing is the more you do this yourself, the more you will learn what works best for you.

If you want more recipe ideas (I’m not a recipe guy), you can find some good ones HERE.

4. Eat Protein 3-4 Times Per Day and PRACTICE

Once you’ve created your protein lists and meals, it’s time to divide it up.

The simplest way I like to do this is to take your grams of protein and divide it by how many meals you’re going to eat for that day.

For example, if I were to eat 150g of protein over 4 meals, which is pretty common, that would look something like:

150g / 4 meals = 38g of protein per meal

Now you know exactly how much protein you have to eat per meal to hit your goals for the day.

As a general rule, the more protein you have to eat, the more meals you may want to eat to split it up and make it easier on yourself.

However, the most important part is getting your protein in regardless of how many meals you eat.

If you’re still struggling with eating enough protein to lose weight after this, try these two things:

1. Add in a protein shake. 1 Protein shake is about 120 calories for 30g of protein. Take 2 of those and you’re already at 60g for the day!
2. Double up your portion sizes. Instead of having 4 oz of chicken, have 6 oz or 8 oz. Instead of having 2 eggs, add in some egg whites.

It may take some time to learn what works for you but that’s ok.

Because it’s going to stick with you for the rest of your life and you’ll continue to find new ways to add things in as you go.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully after reading this article, you have the tools you need to eat more protein to lose weight.

Hope this helps!

-Coach Bob

Ps. What’s your favorite protein options and meals? Do you have any other ways/tips that help you get more protein in?

Let me know down below and you can win a free consultation call with me!

Pps. If you’re interested in having all of the guesswork taken out for you so that you can eat more protein, get leaner, and build healthy sustainable habits… Apply for 1:1 coaching HERE so we can set up a free call to chat on the phone and see if we’re a good fit.