How to Meet Protein Macros

One thing I hear from clients when they first start out is they aren’t used to so much protein. Well I like to start off saying you may not need as much protein as you think and I always try to make reasonable protein goals for clients based off their lifestyle. It’s never a one size fits all equation. But macro counting is about eating in healthy balance so it is necessary to eat protein

So if you are a meat eater my first recommendation would be to double up on the meat protein you are already eating. Make twice the amount you would normally eat or order double meat portion when eating out. I always make sure I finish my meat and leave some of the other stuff on my plate if I’m too full (I’m rarely not in clean plate club, ask my husband 🤣). Protein like chicken breast, turkey, shrimp, egg whites have very little fat and great for when you only have the protein macro to meet and don’t have fats/carbs to spare. I add egg whites to many things and you don’t even know it’s there (oatmeal & salads). Red meat like beef is very high in protein, but will always have some fat involved so you will need to be mindful of that fits your macros. I love red meat so I use the lean ground beef and I’ll eat one brand of fresh sliced roast beef lunch meat

If you are not a huge meat eater or vegetarian/vegan then you are going to get your protein from plant based sources (tofu, lentils, edamame, broccoli, asparagus, nuts, quinoa). These proteins will contain carbs/fat so you will have to get used to what type of food it takes to fit your puzzle

I recommend low carb/fat protein shakes, yogurt (reg or FF), cottage cheese, cheese, unsalted almonds. I love these items at end of night because you can really fine tune your serving size to fit what you need to meet your macros. Remember you don’t always have to eat the whole thing!! I buy pre-made protein shake cartons with a cap and drink 1/4, 1/2, or whole thing based off what I need and save the rest in fridge

Macro counting is a huge learning experience and takes a lot of trial and error. No one will ever have a perfect day right from the get go. Tracking your food every day it gets easier and more precise! ❤️SC