How much protein do i need

This Is How Much Protein You Really Need to Eat in a Day

Daily protein intake isn’t necessarily the same for everyone—here’s how to determine how much you should be aiming for.

Wondering exactly how much protein you should be consuming each day? The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), which is the minimum amount you need to be healthy, is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound) of body weight per day—46 grams for an average woman. That equals as little as 10% of daily calories. If you’re not super active, that’s likely adequate, and you’ll hit the target effortlessly if you follow a typical Western diet.

To get your personal protein «RDA,» multiply the number 0.36 by your weight in pounds. (For a sedentary 150-pound woman, that would be 54 grams.) Double it if you’re very active or aiming for «optimal protein,» which can help you maintain muscle as you age and support weight loss.

American women already eat about 68 grams a day, according to the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. «There’s no reason to go out of your way to get protein,» says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy. «Just eat a variety of fish, nuts, beans, seeds, and dairy, including yogurt.» However, increasing your protein well above the RDA may make sense if.

You’re Very Active

That means getting at least 35 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise four or five days a week, including resistance training two or more times a week. Consider eating 1.2 to 2 grams of dietary protein per kilogram (or about 0.5 to 0.9 grams per pound) of body weight each day, says Nancy Rodriguez, Ph.D., professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Connecticut. That amount is best for rebuilding muscle tissue, especially if you do a lot of high-intensity workouts, research suggests.

You’re Trying to Lose Weight

Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, helping you feel full, and also pushes your body to secrete the gut hormone peptide YY, which reduces hunger. «When you bring protein to about 30% of your daily calories, you’ll naturally eat less,» says Lauren Slayton, RD, founder of Foodtrainers, a nutrition practice in New York City, and author of The Little Book of Thin. «Protein decreases appetite and also, in my experience, helps you manage cravings.»

While studies are mixed about whether consuming more protein leads to weight loss, research is pretty clear that protein can help you retain more of your lean muscle as you lose fat. One 2011 study suggests amping up protein to as much as 1.8 to 2 grams per kilogram (roughly 0.8 to 0.9 grams per pound) of body weight per day to stave off muscle loss when restricting calories. Cut back on refined carbs to balance out the extra calories from adding protein.

You’re in Middle Age

Eating more protein as you get older may help you maintain muscle and ward off osteoporosis, «so you can stay stronger and more functional,» says Rodriguez. In a 2015 study, adults over the age of 50 who roughly doubled the RDA (eating 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram, or 0.68 grams per pound, of body weight) were better able to rebuild and retain muscle after only four days, compared with control groups eating the RDA.

Doubling the RDA gives you «optimal protein,» a concept that Rodriguez and more than 40 nutrition scientists advanced at a recent Protein Summit, the findings from which were published in 2015 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Optimal protein works out to be about 15% to 25% of your daily calories, still below the level recommended by many popular high-protein diets. Over a day, that could look like 20-30 grams per meal and 12 to 15 grams per snack, for a total of 90 to 105 grams daily.

How Much Protein Do I Need to Eat Every Day? Protein 101 Guide

So you want to know about protein, eh?

Great! In part one of our Ultimate Guide to Protein, we’re gonna dig into everything you need to know about this super important macronutrient.

Whenever we speak with new Online Coaching Clients, protein is the macronutrient we begin every discussion with! It’s THAT important when it comes to either weight loss or building muscle.В

Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide (click to jump to that part):

What are the Best Sources of Protein?

Protein is amazing.В

Your body uses protein to rebuild your muscles and keep you strong, especially if you areВ exercisingВ orВ strength trainingВ regularly.

Protein is both good for you AND satiating without being a calorie bomb.

Protein can come from any number of whole food sources, including:

A serving of protein is about the size and thickness of your palm.

*The 4 oz serving is for an uncooked piece of meat. Cooking reduces about 25% of the weight, bringing it down to about 3 oz.

When building a plate, aim for the following amount of protein:

If you’re curious, here’s how much protein is in a serving of food:

As we cover in our “how to start eating healthy” guide, protein should be PART of a balanced plate:

How Much Protein Do I Need to Eat Every Day?

Claims for the amount of protein needed vary wildly from source to source (and athlete to athlete, and nerd to nerd).

You are a unique snowflake and your protein requirements should be aligned with your goals.

You want specific numbers, right?

The current international Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.4g per pound of bodyweight (0.8 g per kg of body weight): [2] Case closed?

In our opinion, and as pointed out by this study [3] the RDA for protein is too low and should be higher regardless of your body composition.

You just want me to tell you how much to eat, right? I figured.

Well, you’re in luck, because we have a protein calculator you can play with!

THE NERD FITNESS PROTEIN CALCULATOR

Let’s explain some of this a little.

As Examine.com points out in their heavily researched summary on protein: [4]

If you’re overweight or obese, aim for 0.54–0.68 g/lb (1.2–1.5 g/kg) . You do not need to try to figure out your ideal body weight or your lean mass (a.k.a. fat-free mass). Most studies on people with obesity report their findings based on total body weight.

If you’re of healthy weight, active, and wish to build muscle , aim for 0.64–1.09 g/lb (1.4–2.4 g/kg).

These are starter numbers that you can experiment with as you see your body transform.

Can you eat TOO MUCH protein?

As Examine points out in its research on protein, [5]

“Higher protein intakes seem to have no negative effects in healthy people**,” so aim for the higher end of the spectrum depending on your goals and adjust from there.

**Of course, if you have specific kidney or medical issues with regards to protein intake, PLEASE go with your doctor’s recommendation for required protein consumption!

LONG STORY SHORT : Consuming protein is an important part of life for everybody, both the sedentary and the athlete:

I personally consumed a significant amount of protein (240g of protein per day at a bodyweight of 190 pounds) during a recent “lean out” phase, and it allowed me to cut bodyfat while getting stronger and without feeling hungry.

In summary, a major portion of your plate each day should be a source of protein.

You still need to have the right systems, the right nutritional strategy, and the right workout in place to put that protein to work!В

To help busy people like you fix their nutrition and not waste time in the gym, we created our Online Coaching Program that might be a good fit for you.

When is the best time for me to eat protein in a day?

What you THINK the answer is: “You need to eat 30 grams of protein, no more or less, at equal intervals throughout the day in order to promote muscle growth!”

Here’s the actual answer:

According to this abstract: [6]

“ In general, protein supplementation pre-AND post-workout increases physical performance, training session recovery, lean body mass, muscle hypertrophy, and strength. Specific gains, differ however based on protein type and amounts.”

And in this extract: [7]

“These results refute the commonly held belief that the timing of protein intake in and around a training session is critical to muscular adaptations and indicate that consuming adequate protein in combination with resistance exercise is the key factor for maximizing muscle protein accretion.”

WHAT THIS MEANS: The amount of protein you consume in a day is more important than the timing of your protein with regards to muscle building.

So eat protein when you want, either before OR after a workout.В Just focus on TOTAL amount of protein consumed, in whatever time-frame works for you!

I do like the mental cue of “get 30g of protein with each meal,” as that tends to be 1 serving of a whole food protein.

Now, if you’re like me and targeting significantly MORE protein than the RDA minimum amount, supplementing with a protein shake could be beneficial!

Should I Take Protein Supplements?

Maybe!

If you are strength training correctly and eating the right way, consuming enough protein will help you build muscle and perform better!

And “enough protein” can include protein supplements and protein powders.

Just remember that protein shakes are not a panacea for all of your ailments:

They are NOT required for being healthy, they MIGHT help you lose weight, and they should only SUPPLEMENT (zing!) a healthy diet, not be expected to do all the “heavy lifting.”

You still need to be eating well, following a strength training routine, and getting enough sleep.

But I bet you have WAY more questions about protein supplements, like:

You can check out Part 2 of our protein series: “Ultimate Guide to Protein Shakes and Supplements.”

Protein and Strength Training: A Match Made in Heaven

Bringing it all together, protein is a crucial macronutrient whether you are trying to:

Now, in order for protein to get to work rebuilding your muscle…you need to strength train!

Essentially, your muscles get broken down when you strength train, and then the protein you’ve consumed gets to work rebuilding those muscles stronger. This burns extra calories and requires your body to divert more resources to the muscle building process.

In other words:В your body will have a tendency to store fewer calories as fat, it’ll need to pull from fat stores to carry out bodily functions (if you’re losing weight), and rebuild your muscles stronger.

That’s a win-win-win!

If you are looking for more resources around strength training:

The tips outlined above will get you started with protein and strength training, but if you’re looking to go a bit further…

1) If you want step-by-step guidance on how to lose weight, eat better, and get stronger, check out our killer 1-on-1 coaching program :

#2) The Nerd Fitness Academy – This self-paced online course has helped 50,000 people get results permanently.В

There’s a 10-level nutrition system, boss battles, 20+ workouts, and the most supportive community in the galaxy!

#3) Join The Rebellion! We have a free email newsletter that we send out twice per week, full of tips and tricks to help you get healthy, get strong, and have fun doing so.В

I’ll also send you tons of free guides that you can use to start leveling up your life too:

Protein Calculator

The Protein Calculator estimates the daily amount of dietary protein adults require to remain healthy. Children, those who are highly physically active, and pregnant and nursing women typically require more protein. The calculator is also useful for monitoring protein intake for those with kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, or other conditions in which protein intake is a factor.

What are proteins?

Proteins are one of three primary macronutrients that provide energy to the human body, along with fats and carbohydrates. Proteins are also responsible for a large portion of the work that is done in cells; they are necessary for proper structure and function of tissues and organs, and also act to regulate them. They are comprised of a number of amino acids that are essential to proper body function, and serve as the building blocks of body tissue.

There are 20 different amino acids in total, and the sequence of amino acids determines a protein’s structure and function. While some amino acids can be synthesized in the body, there are 9 amino acids that humans can only obtain from dietary sources (insufficient amounts of which may sometimes result in death), termed essential amino acids. Foods that provide all of the essential amino acids are called complete protein sources, and include both animal (meat, dairy, eggs, fish) as well as plant-based sources (soy, quinoa, buckwheat).

Proteins can be categorized based on the function they provide to the body. Below is a list of some types of proteins:

As can be seen, proteins have many important roles throughout the body, and as such, it is important to provide sufficient nutrition to the body to maintain healthy protein levels.

How much protein do I need?

The amount of protein that the human body requires daily is dependent on many conditions, including overall energy intake, growth of the individual, and physical activity level. It is often estimated based on body weight, as a percentage of total caloric intake (10-35%), or based on age alone. 0.8g/kg of body weight is a commonly cited recommended dietary allowance (RDA). This value is the minimum recommended value to maintain basic nutritional requirements, but consuming more protein, up to a certain point, maybe beneficial, depending on the sources of the protein.

The recommended range of protein intake is between 0.8 g/kg and 1.8 g/kg of body weight, dependent on the many factors listed above. People who are highly active, or who wish to build more muscle should generally consume more protein. Some sources suggest consuming between 1.8 to 2 g/kg for those who are highly active. The amount of protein a person should consume, to date, is not an exact science, and each individual should consult a specialist, be it a dietitian, doctor, or personal trainer, to help determine their individual needs.

Recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein, based on age

Extra Protein Requirements for Pregnancy and Lactation

Foods high in protein

There are many different combinations of food that a person can eat to meet their protein intake requirements. For many people, a large portion of protein intake comes from meat and dairy, though it is possible to get enough protein while meeting certain dietary restrictions you might have. Generally, it is easier to meet your RDA of protein by consuming meat and dairy, but an excess of either can have a negative health impact. There are plenty of plant-based protein options, but they generally contain less protein in a given serving. Ideally, a person should consume a mixture of meat, dairy, and plant-based foods in order to meet their RDA and have a balanced diet replete with nutrients.

If possible, consuming a variety of complete proteins is recommended. A complete protein is a protein that contains a good amount of each of the nine essential amino acids required in the human diet. Examples of complete protein foods or meals include:

Generally, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products are complete protein sources. Nuts and seeds, legumes, grains, and vegetables, among other things, are usually incomplete proteins. There is nothing wrong with incomplete proteins however, and there are many healthy, high protein foods that are incomplete proteins. As long as you consume a sufficient variety of incomplete proteins to get all the required amino acids, it is not necessary to specifically eat complete protein foods. In fact, certain high fat red meats for example, a common source of complete proteins, can be unhealthy. Below are some examples of high protein foods that are not complete proteins:

As can be seen, there are many different foods a person can consume to meet their RDA of protein. The examples provided above do not constitute an exhaustive list of high protein or complete protein foods. As with everything else, balance is important, and the examples provided above are an attempt at providing a list of healthier protein options (when consumed in moderation).

This is How Much Protein You Need to Build Muscle

Everyone knows we need protein to build muscle, but how much is enough?

Let’s face it, protein and muscle-building go hand-in-hand. The macronutrient is vital for muscle tissue repair and is full of amino acids: the building blocks of strength. But, with sources, calculations and advice varying wildly, few men actually know how much protein they need to maintain muscle and to keep building bulk.

And without that knowledge the caricature of the gym bro guzzling a protein shake that’s surgically attached to him is allowed to live on. Well, no more. We’re here to tell you exactly how much protein you need in your diet to build muscle, as well as explain how you can calculate a protein intake that’s personalised to you and the foods you can add to your diet to up your protein numbers, if that’s necessary.

According to the NHS, the daily reference intake of protein is 50g, but that doesn’t take into account the differences between people, so it doesn’t change whether you’re 6 ft 9 or 4 ft 4, nor does it allow for the difference in need between someone who weighs 80 kilos compared with someone who weighs 200 kilos. But there are ways to work out how much protein you need. And all you have to do is keep reading to find out how.

What Protein Is and Why It’s Important

Before we work out how much protein you need, let’s first break down exactly what it is. Put simply, protein is a macronutrient (a nutrient that we need in larger quantities) that is built from amino acids, which are stitched together into long chains. Some of these chains your body can make naturally – known as ‘non-essential’ – and some of which it can’t. These are called ‘essential’ amino acids and you need to source them from food. When you chow down on a chicken breast your body breaks proteins down into their constituent amino acids, which it then uses to build everything from new muscle to organs and hair.

Why Protein Is Important for Building Muscle

To build muscle, your body needs to synthesise more muscle protein than it breaks down, which is why anyone looking to build muscle needs to make sure they’re getting enough protein, as well as making sure the work they’re doing in the weights room is right too.

It’s not just us saying that, there’s a body of research that confirms the part protein plays in building muscle. A study published in the journal Nutrients, for example, found that «protein intake was shown to promote additional gains in lean body mass beyond those observed with resistance exercise alone.»

Why Protein Is Important for Weight Loss

As well as being good for building strength, protein also plays an important role in losing weight. Evidence suggests that eating protein can both increase the number of calories you burn, by stimulating your metabolic rate, as well as reduce your appetite, meaning you’re less likely to put on pounds in the first place. What’s more, a study by researchers at Maastricht University reported that even a modest increase in protein, from 15% to 18% of calories, reduced the amount of fat people regained after weight loss by 50%.

Are You Getting Enough Protein?

So the current daily reference intake of protein is 50g, while the recommended dietary allowance suggests that you should eat a modest 0.8g of protein daily per kg of bodyweight. If you’re not already aware, let us be the first to tell you: that’s not enough to really pack on muscle.

“Elite athletes eat around 2g per kg every day,” says Dr Karen Reid, a sports science nutritionist who’s worked with the Wales rugby team, and the founder of Performance Food. She recommends getting near that level for the first 12 weeks of a new workout programme. “That’s when you’re sore, when you’re breaking down muscle fibres and creating new structures.” And damage plus fuel equals growth. After 12 weeks, she recommends scaling back to between 1.2g and 1.6g per kilo.

Why You Shouldn’t Calculate How Much Protein You Need Based on Total Calories or Weight

On a simple level, protein guidelines generally fall into one of two camps: a proportion either of how much you eat or how much you weigh. However, both are flawed if you’re looking to build muscle fast.

Take only eating a specific percentage of protein. The problem is that the numbers are going to be affected in a big way by your total calorie intake. For example, 30 per cent protein on a 2000-calorie diet (600 calories) is very different from 30 per cent protein on a 4000-calorie diet (1200 calories) despite the fact that the percentages are exactly the same: 150g a day compared to 300g a day.

So, calculating your protein intake relative to your weight could be better, as it stays consistent regardless of how many calories you’re packing in.

For example, if you were to eat two grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight, you’ll be fuelling yourself with the same amount of protein regardless of your total daily calorie count — whether that’s 1500 or 4000. However, this system is also not without its flaws.

How to Actually Calculate Your Protein Needs

Perhaps, then, the best way to measure how much protein you need to consume daily is based on lean body mass, or everything in your body that isn’t fat. This could provide a more accurate figure than focusing on just your total weight.

Of course, if you’re a fitness model sitting comfortably at four per cent body fat, then there’s obviously not going to be much difference whether protein intake is expressed relative to your weight or lean body mass. For the average guy, however, it’s a considerably different story. They’re likely to be carrying more weight around their midriff and have a higher body-fat percentage.

On the flipside, let’s look at an obese man who weighs 135kg. In this case, it would be unwise to base his protein intake on his total bodyweight. Using the 2g of protein per kg, he’ll be eating a whopping 270g protein on a daily basis.

Needless to say, our hypothetical overweight man definitely doesn’t need to be eating the equivalent of 10 chicken breasts a day, even if he’s looking to build muscle. In fact, most research shows little benefit to consuming more than 2.2g of protein per kg of lean body mass.

If you weigh 90kg with 20 per cent body fat, you have 72kg of lean body mass. Multiply that number by 2.2, and you get a daily protein target of 158g per day. If you weigh 90 kilograms with 10 per cent body fat, you have 81 kilograms of lean body mass. Multiply that by 2.2, and you get 178 grams of protein per day. Far more realistically achieved by upping your steak and eggs intake.

So, How Much Protein Do You Need?

For any guy who’s cut his teeth on the gym floor and with several years of training behind them could theoretically get away with less daily protein. That’s because, the closer you are to your genetic limit in terms of muscle growth, the slower the gains will come. And the slower your rate of growth, the less protein you need to support that growth. Understood?

In short, if you’re trying to gain muscle, or even if you just want to hold on to the muscle you have while you drop fat, 2.2g of protein per kg of lean body mass is plenty.

You can eat more if you like. However, bear in mind that it’s not going to make much difference to the speed at which you gain muscle and will make a difference not only to your bank balance, but potentially your waistline too.

Best High-Protein Foods for Building Muscle

Need to up your protein intake? Look no further than the following foods.

When to Eat Protein

Timing your protein hits is vital to optimise your gains. Your body can’t process more than 25 to 35g of protein per serving, so scoffing six steaks at dinner is a waste. “It’s not about having shedloads all at once,” say Reid. And anyway, your most important protein hit is the one after your gym session.

“You want that immediate stimulus,” says Reid. “Within the 30-minute window post-workout you’re looking to optimise the repair and regeneration process.” That’s when you want rapidly-absorbed whey protein, either by chugging a shake or a pint of milk. Reid also recommends a skinny latte for a pre-gym boost: “You’ve got the caffeine kick, the protein in the milk and if you try a banana with it, a bit of carbohydrate.” Pairing your protein with carbs is good sense. After exercise your body produces the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which break down proteins, fats and sugars. When they’re coursing through you, you’re not building muscle. “When you get some recovery nutrition in it counters those stress hormones,” says Reid, switching your body back into repair mode and kickstarting growth.

Are You Eating Too Much Protein?

While we want you to get enough protein in you diet, you can also have too much of a good thing, and if you eat too much protein, you may be doing more harm than good. People that eat very high protein diets have a higher risk of kidney stones, while a high protein diet that contains lots of red meat and higher amounts of saturated fat has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and colon cancer.

Sign up to the Men’s Health newsletter and kickstart your home body plan. Make positive steps to become healthier and mentally strong with all the best fitness, muscle-building and nutrition advice delivered to your inbox.

Love what you’re reading? Join our goal-smashing membership today from only £5, cancel anytime. You belong in the Men’s Health SQUAD!

How Much Protein Do I Need to Lose Weight?

Here’s the breakdown on this popular diet-friendly macro and expert advice on what your optimal daily protein intake should be.

Calculate Your Protein Needs in Minutes

Learn exactly how much protein your body needs each day with this simple protein calculator!

Let’s do this!

Your daily protein goal is on its way to your inbox now!

Get your results!

Enter your email address to see your results. We’ll also send you a follow-up email for your records.

Why Do You Need Protein?

Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks for nearly every cell in your body.

For this reason, protein is considered an essential nutrient and if you don’t get enough through food, your body is forced to borrow amino acids from your muscles (your main storage form of protein) which can result in a loss of important lean tissue and strength.

How Much Protein Should I Eat a Day?

Clinical nutrition recommendations suggest a protein intake of 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.27 to 0.36 grams/pound) (1).

This would equal roughly 40 to 55 grams of protein a day for a 150-pound adult.

Another way to consider protein needs is by looking at macro balance.

The US Dietary Guidelines suggest protein intake should make up 10% to 35% of your daily calories. And on a 2,000-calorie diet, this will equal 50 to 175 grams of protein a day—quite a large range!

It is important to note that the recommended daily 0.8 g kg typically skews towards the minimum amount you should be eating.

And 50 grams of protein a day might not be adequate in maintaining lean mass, building muscle, and promoting better body composition for some—especially active individuals and older adults.

In reality, protein needs are not as directly related to calorie intake or total body weight as they are to the amount of lean mass you have and how much you use your muscles.

The Benefits of Protein for Weight Loss Explained

While the research cannot conclusively determine that dietary protein alone promotes weight loss or that high protein diets are the best approach to losing weight, what we’ve seen so far is fairly compelling.

It is becoming more apparent that higher protein intake potentially has some serious benefits for dieters.

There are three main arguments for why you should consider consuming more protein when looking to shed pounds.

What is the thermogenic effect of protein?

It takes energy to digest your food—commonly referred to as the thermic effect of food (TEF). And as it turns out, each macro requires a different amount of energy to digest.

Protein is thought to be the most thermogenic of all the macros, causing a small spike in metabolism to digest protein foods compared to fat and carbs ( 2 ). And it is commonly believed that eating more protein overall may lead to tiny increases in your daily metabolism and overall energy expenditure.

Does protein reduce hunger?

Hunger is an inevitable side effect of cutting calories, but the type of foods you are choosing might help curb your appetite more than others.

In one study, consuming 30% of calories from protein caused participants to eat almost 450 calories less per day—leading to twelve pounds of weight loss in 3 months ( 8 ). Some research has even suggested 25% of your calories coming from protein can help curb cravings ( 9 ).

It is no wonder popular high-protein diets recommend roughly 30% to 40% of calories come from protein, which would equal out to 150 to 200 grams of protein per day on a 2,000 calorie diet (or 1 to 1.5 grams/pound for a 150-pound adult, eating 2,000 calories a day).

Why do you want to protect lean mass?

When cutting calories to shed pounds, you will lose a combination of fat and muscle weight. But your goal should be to lose more fat than muscle.

More lean mass means a better body composition (less body fat %), helping you look more toned and lean overall. Muscle is also your storage place for carbs (in the form of glycogen), meaning you can process carbs and store them more efficiently. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you store. So when it comes to losing weight, maintaining your muscle is going to be a huge benefit.

How Much Protein a Day to Lose Weight?

So how can you tell exactly how much protein do you need to maintain your muscle and lose weight?

When calorie restriction for fat loss is considered, some research suggests between 2.3 to 3.1 grams of protein/kg of fat-free body mass or 1.04 to 1.4 grams/pound of muscle is best ( 10 ).

You can find out your muscle mass by estimating your % body fat or getting a body composition test done.

But again, this amount can vary widely from one person to the next, And of course, you have to have the muscle to begin with. So if you are looking to lose weight and do not participate in any strength training, you might want to consider adding weight lifting or at least bodyweight exercises to your weight loss plan.

Consider increasing your protein intake to 30% of your calories or roughly 1 gram per pound of body weight/day if you are looking to drop some pounds and tone up.

How to Eat More Protein

Knowing your protein goals is only half the battle, you still need to figure out how that translates into food choices.

Start by learning where the best sources of protein can be found and identify high-protein foods you enjoy eating. You can enjoy quality protein sources from a variety of foods including animal-based options like meat, fish, and dairy, or plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.

Here are some resources to help you find the most protein-dense foods:

Want to take things up a notch? Get results faster by sticking to your calorie and protein goals with this free guide complete with weight loss guide food lists, and expert advice to help you lose weight quickly.