My program › Food guide
The food guide
Your number, turned into real food. Grams are estimates from standard labels; the point is the ballpark, not the decimal.
The program
This part is for people who have the program.
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What protein actually looks like
| Food | Protein |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast, 5 oz cooked | 39 g |
| Lean beef or pork, 5 oz cooked | 36 g |
| Turkey breast, 5 oz cooked | 38 g |
| Salmon or white fish, 5 oz cooked | 32 g |
| Canned tuna or salmon, 1 can (5 oz) | 28 g |
| Shrimp, 5 oz cooked | 30 g |
| Cottage cheese, 1 cup | 25 g |
| Greek yogurt, plain, 1 cup | 20 g |
| Whey or blended protein powder, 1 scoop | 20 to 25 g |
| Eggs, 2 large | 13 g |
| Egg whites, 1 cup | 26 g |
| Firm tofu, 6 oz | 18 g |
| Tempeh, 4 oz | 21 g |
| Edamame, 1 cup shelled | 17 g |
| Lentils or beans, 1 cup cooked | 15 to 18 g |
| Milk, dairy or soy, 1 cup | 8 g |
| Cheese, 1 oz | 7 g |
| Peanut butter, 2 tbsp | 7 g |
| Almonds, 1 oz (a handful) | 6 g |
| Quinoa, 1 cup cooked | 8 g |
A palm-size portion of meat or fish is 30 to 40 grams. Build the plate around one thing from the top of the table, then add the rest.
Ten breakfasts that reach 30
Breakfast is where most people fall short. Fix breakfast and the day usually fixes itself. Three of these are Lori's, the ones she actually rotates.
| Breakfast | Protein | How |
|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt and two eggs | about 33 g | A cup of plain Greek yogurt with berries, two eggs on the side however you like them. |
| Lori's protein pancakes with chicken sausage | about 40 g | Blend two cups of oats, two cups of egg whites and two cups of cottage cheese; cook like any pancake. Makes about ten; the rest keep all week. Two pancakes with raspberries and a spoon of Greek yogurt, plus three chicken breakfast sausages. |
| Lori's Greek yogurt bowl | about 35 g | A cup and a quarter of plain Greek yogurt, sweetener to taste, a tablespoon of chia, berries, a small handful of granola. The chia and the extra quarter cup are what get it over 30. |
| Lori's egg bites, made on Sunday | about 36 g | Two cups of egg whites, two whole eggs, half a cup of cottage cheese, a cup of frozen hash browns, a diced pepper, half an onion, three diced chicken sausages, half a cup of shredded cheese. Pour into a greased 12-cup muffin tin, bake at 350 for about 22 minutes. Four bites is 36 g; they keep five days. |
| Cottage cheese bowl | about 28 g | A cup of cottage cheese with fruit and a spoon of granola or nuts. Stir in a scoop of whey and it is 45. |
| Three-egg omelet with sausage | about 36 g | Three eggs, two chicken sausages, whatever vegetables are in the fridge. |
| Protein oats | about 35 g | Oats cooked in milk, a scoop of protein powder stirred in off the heat, berries on top. |
| The shake | about 33 g | A scoop of whey or a blended plant powder, a cup of milk or soy milk, a banana, ice. For the mornings there is no time. |
| Tofu scramble (plant) | about 30 g | Six ounces of firm tofu crumbled and fried with turmeric and vegetables, a slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter, a cup of soy milk. |
| Leftover dinner | about 40 g | Chicken and rice, or last night's salmon, at seven in the morning. Nothing says breakfast has to be breakfast food. |
Snacks that count
- Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, 1 cup: about 22 g
- Two hard-boiled eggs: about 13 g
- Edamame, 1 cup: about 17 g
- Apple with 2 tbsp peanut butter: about 7 g
- A handful of almonds: about 6 g
- Cheese stick and a piece of fruit: about 7 g
- Beef jerky, 1 oz: about 10 g
- Protein shake (a missed meal in disguise): about 25 g
A whole day, four ways
A day that hits about 125 g
| Meal | What | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Greek yogurt (1 cup) + 2 eggs + berries | 33 g |
| Lunch | Big salad + 5 oz chicken breast | 39 g |
| Snack | Cottage cheese (¾ cup) or a shake | 20 g |
| Dinner | 4 oz salmon + ½ cup lentils + vegetables | 34 g |
| Total | 126 g |
No red meat or poultry: about 120 g
| Meal | What | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Cottage cheese bowl + a scoop of whey | 45 g |
| Lunch | Tuna (1 can) on greens with beans | 34 g |
| Snack | Two eggs | 13 g |
| Dinner | 5 oz white fish + quinoa + vegetables | 40 g |
| Total | 132 g |
Vegetarian: about 120 g
| Meal | What | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Greek yogurt (1¼ cup) + chia + granola | 35 g |
| Lunch | Lentil soup (1½ cups) + cheese toast | 30 g |
| Snack | Edamame (1 cup) | 17 g |
| Dinner | Tofu (6 oz) stir-fry + edamame + rice, glass of milk | 38 g |
| Total | 120 g |
Vegan: about 115 g (aim high, use soy and pea)
| Meal | What | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Tofu scramble (6 oz) + soy milk + toast with peanut butter | 34 g |
| Lunch | Tempeh (4 oz) bowl with black beans (½ cup) and vegetables | 29 g |
| Snack | Pea-protein shake in soy milk | 30 g |
| Dinner | Lentil chili (1½ cups) + edamame on the side | 24 g |
| Total | 117 g |
Vegan days land a little lower per meal, so aim for the top of your range and use a pea or soy powder as the fourth meal on the days it is short. At matched protein, plant eaters gained the same muscle from lifting as omnivores in the trials [44].
When you are not hungry
- Protein first on the plate. With a small appetite, whatever you eat first is what you actually finish.
- Smaller, more often. Four 25-gram meals beat three you cannot finish.
- Liquids count. A shake, drinkable yogurt, milk. On no-appetite days, go small and liquid.
- Track one honest week. Most people discover they are at half their number. That is the fix hiding in plain sight.
The grocery list
Protein
- Chicken breast or thighs
- Lean ground beef or turkey
- Salmon, white fish, or frozen shrimp
- Canned tuna and salmon
- Eggs (two dozen)
- Egg whites (carton)
- Plain Greek yogurt (the big tub)
- Cottage cheese
- Firm tofu, tempeh, edamame
- Lentils and canned beans
- Whey or a blended plant protein powder
- Cheese, milk or soy milk
Half the plate
- Bagged salad and spinach
- Frozen broccoli, green beans, peppers, mixed vegetables
- Carrots, cucumber, snap peas, cherry tomatoes
- Onions, garlic, peppers for cooking
- Berries (fresh or frozen), apples, pears, bananas
- Avocado
- Canned tomatoes
Starch, whole
- Oats
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Rice (any), quinoa
- True whole-grain bread
- Beans again (they are both)
Fats and flavour
- Olive oil
- Nuts and peanut butter
- Chia seeds
- Salsa, mustard, hot sauce, vinegar, lemons
- Herbs and spices
Optional
- Creatine monohydrate, plain, third-party tested
- Psyllium husk
- Sparkling water, tea