The Protein Starter

Part one: your number

Your ideal body weight in pounds (100 lb at 5 ft plus 5 lb an inch for women; 106 plus 6 for men), times 0.7 to 1.0. That is your grams for the day. Not lifting yet? Use 0.7. Lifting and losing weight? Use 1.0. Split it across three or four meals, 25 to 45 grams each, protein first on the plate. Ten-second version here.

Part two: what 30 grams looks like

• 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

Part three: three breakfasts that get there

• 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.

Part four: your first week

One rule for seven days: 30 grams of protein at your first meal. Nothing else changes. Pick one breakfast from above and repeat it. Tick the box each day.

Part five: the honest part

More protein without lifting does not build muscle. Lifting does, and then protein has a job. If you are not lifting, the other half of this is Unlock Strong. If you are on a GLP-1 medicine, protein first at every meal is not optional; the medicine reduces appetite and does nothing for your muscle. And if you have kidney disease, set your number with your own doctor, because the guidance there is lower.

Educational content for generally healthy adults, not medical advice. Talk with your physician before changing how you eat if you have kidney disease, diabetes on insulin, or are pregnant.