Protein is essential for recovery and muscle growth—but getting enough of it can feel surprisingly difficult for a lot of people.
Let’s cover a few basics first, then walk through some realistic ways to make protein work better for you.
“Good” vs. “Less Good” Protein Sources
Proteins are made up of amino acids. For a protein source to be considered “good,” it needs to contain all the essential amino acids your body can’t produce on its own—the ones required for recovery, repair, and muscle building.
When a protein source is “less good,” it doesn’t mean it’s useless. It just means you need much larger quantities to get the same usable amino acids.
Here’s the tricky part:
In most cases, animal-based proteins fall into the “good” category, while plant-based proteins tend to be “less good” from an efficiency standpoint.
For example, to get the same usable protein as:
- 4 oz of chicken, you’d need roughly
- 6 cups of quinoa
This isn’t a judgment on vegetarian or vegan diets—it’s just a reality check on volume and planning. You can get enough protein from plants, but it takes more intention.
So… How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?
The generally accepted guideline is:
0.7–1.0 grams of protein per pound of goal bodyweight per day
Examples:
- 100 lbs goal weight: 70–100g protein/day
- 150 lbs goal weight: 105–150g protein/day
- 200 lbs goal weight: 140–200g protein/day
Yes—it’s more than most people expect.
Okay… How Do I Get That Much?
Step one: figure out your target number.
Step two: prioritize quality first.
- Eat meat? Choose leaner cuts when possible
- Vegetarian? Eggs, cottage cheese, Greek or Icelandic yogurt
- Vegan? Soy, legumes, nuts, and seeds
Every meaningful habit change starts small. At first, don’t worry about hitting your full protein target. Just focus on choosing higher-quality protein sources and learning how to enjoy them.
Once that feels normal, then start working toward your total intake.
This usually means making protein the first thing you think about in each meal—not just something that shows up on the plate by accident.
Snacks start looking like yogurt or almonds.
Breakfast shifts from pastries to eggs or cottage cheese.
Meals feel more intentional—and more filling.
Build It Gradually
A great approach:
Add 10g of protein per day.
Once that feels easy, add another 10g.
Then another.
Before you know it, you’ll be consistently hitting numbers that once felt impossible—and feeling the benefits that come with it: better recovery, better energy, and better results from training.
If you’ve got questions about protein, reply to this email anytime—I’m happy to help you problem-solve.
Have a wonderful day, y’all, and we’ll see you in the gym.
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