How I Eat 150 Grams of Protein Per Day
Why I'm upping my protein, how I do it, and a sample day of meals.
About six months ago, I started taking a closer look at the protein (or lack thereof) in my diet. I was gearing up for a big surgery, my total hip replacement last November, and I wanted to go into it feeling stronger and healthier than ever.
I’ve always considered myself pretty good at “eating healthy,” but I knew I wasn’t getting nearly enough protein. I’ve never eaten red meat or pork (except maybe when it was forced on me as a kid during family dinners). It’s not an ethical thing or even a health thing - it’s mostly just a texture thing. So, my protein sources have primarily been chicken, fish, and the occasional turkey sandwich.
Looking back, my guess is that I was getting maybe 50 to 60 grams of protein per day…tops.
1 Gram of Protein Per Ideal Body Weight
After listening to a few podcasts and following experts like Dr. Mary Claire and Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, I realized that the general recommendation is to aim for one gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight.
For me, at 5’8”, that means roughly 150 grams of protein a day. Yikes. How the heck was I going to hit that number?
I know 150 grams sounds like a lot and every time I share that on Instagram I get tons of messages saying it’s too much. From my research, it’s a solid rule of thumb for women who want to maintain muscle and energy as they age. I’m 36, but I know perimenopause is in my future and I want to be ready!
You do you (and talk to your doctor, of course).
My First Step: Tracking
The first thing I did was start tracking my protein intake. I used the MacroFactor app, which has been incredibly helpful. Yes, it’s a paid app, but it’s been worth it for me. There are also free calorie-tracking apps out there if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option.
Once I started tracking, I set a goal to get at least 30 grams of protein per meal and another 15-20 grams for snacks. I didn’t jump from 50 grams to 150 grams overnight - it was a slow, steady increase.
I also made sure to start tracking my fiber and aimed for 25 grams per day. My digestive system wasn’t super happy with the increase in protein at first, so focusing on fiber helped!
Protein with Every Meal
Here’s how I typically structure my day to hit my protein goals:
Breakfast: Weekdays, I have the same greek yogurt breakfast just about every morning. On the weekend, I may change it up a bit.
Greek yogurt mixed with vanilla protein powder, topped with berries or kiwi, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseed.
Protein waffles or pancakes (we use the Kodiak brand).
Some egg forward meal. I like to mix cottage cheese when whipping up scrambled eggs to increase the protein.
Lunch: Finn does a lot of meal prep on the weekends and grills protein and veggies.
Salmon with roasted veggies and cauliflower rice.
I also love making meals with rotisserie chicken. My favorite is a high-protein buffalo chicken dip. I mix rotisserie chicken, cottage cheese (Good Culture is the best brand!), Frank’s hot sauce, and ranch seasoning. I scoop it up with protein chips and cucumbers. I have this at least twice a week!
On-The-Go Snacks:
Chocolate protein shake: I blend almond milk, ice, 1/2 frozen banana, and this chocolate protein powder. Tastes like a Wendy’s frosty!
2 hard-boiled eggs with everything but the bagel seasoning on top.
Fairlife protein drink if I’m on the go…30 grams of protein, only 150 calories, and just 2 grams of sugar. I also heated it in a mug during the holiday season for a hot cocoa treat!
This brand of protein bars is my favorite. I usually have one before heading to the gym in the mornings.
Dinner: It’s usually salmon or chicken for us at home, paired with a side of roasted veggies. Finn is all about that grill life.
Day In The Life
Here are screenshots of my meals from a typical day of eating…
Pre-Workout - Protein Bar (20 grams of protein)
Breakfast - Greek Yogurt Bowl (33 grams of protein)
Lunch - Salmon & Veggies (27 grams of protein)
Snack - Chocolate Protein Shake (24 grams of protein)
Dinner - Buffalo Chicken Dip (55 grams of protein)
Total = 159 grams of protein.
*Note, I had other snacks that day without a protein focus to get my calories up. But this was the main portion of my day.
Recipe Accounts To Follow
As you know, I am not a fan of cooking, so you won’t be finding any recipes coming your way (sorry, just not my thing). But here are a few accounts that share great high-protein ideas if you want to check them out.
Useful Tools
Here are a few things I recommend having on hand.
Food scale: When tracking, you want to know how much you’re consuming. I use this food scale and it’s very easy to use.
Nutribullet: This is my go-to for protein shakes. I love that it makes individual serving sizes. I also blend cottage cheese and mix it with pasta sauce or into scrambled eggs. (Side Note: I was never a cottage cheese girl - the texture, ugh - but if I mix it with something or blend it, it’s actually great).
My go-to protein powders: I always have chocolate and vanilla protein powder on hand. These brands have been the best tasting to me!
Powdered collagen: Collagen isn’t considered a complete protein, but it still has lots of good stuff in it. I mix this in my decaf coffee everyday. It tastes like a chocolatey coffee. Yum.
Creatine: I started taking creatine mixed into my morning electrolyte drink. It can build stronger bones, increase muscle mass, and recent studies show that it has cognitive benefits too.
Small Changes, Big Results
Since prioritizing protein, I’ve noticed some real changes. I’ve lost about five pounds, my body fat percentage has gone down 3%, my energy levels are better, and I can see more muscle definition. Plus, I feel stronger overall.
Final Thoughts
Am I a doctor or nutritionist? Nope. So I urge you to talk to yours before making any big changes to your diet.
I’ve also learned so much from female health experts like Dr. Mary Claire and Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, and I highly recommend checking out their content if you’re interested in healthy aging and muscle preservation.
I will have to do a whole other post about weight lifting because that’s been a focus for me this year (as you already know, my word of the year is “strong”!). My hope is to be able to do one unassisted pull-up by the end of 2025. Fueling with protein will definitely help me get there!
xo,
Casey
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Casey, this is SO incredibly helpful!! I’m solidly in (probably late) perimenopause and have just started learning more in the last year about these symptoms I’ve had for years that were never put together by the doctors I saw. I finally found a gynecologist who is trained to help women at this stage and getting help through hormone therapy but now turning to weight training and dietary changes that I know are needed. I’m a pescatarian so I’ll need to evaluate how I can add more protein and this is such a helpful post to get started. Thank you so much for laying it all out like this! I’m happy it’s going well for you.
Such a helpful post! I’m a few weeks outside of my 1st trimester in which I was just eating for survival, so this is a great starting point for me to start thinking about getting more protein in again.