Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Ask 10 people in the gym how they prefer to eat — for gains, to get leanor for performance — and you’ll get 10 different answers. And every month, thereis a new diet or nutrition fad that everyone jumps to follow — keto, Paleo, Whole30and the like. But one style seems to get the brunt of the negative press, and mythsabout its veracity perpetuate, no matter how much research is done to disprovethem — eating high-protein.
Depending on who you ask (or follow on social media), anything above and beyond theRecommended Daily Allowance for protein will cause liver and kidney damage, overtaxyour digestive system, and even cause you to instantly gain body fat by eating more thanyour fair share of chicken in one sitting. So what is hype and what is truth? How muchprotein can — or should — you eat in order to stay healthy and still hit your goals?Read on to find out.
Myth Busting
The most prevalent myth about eating high-proteinis that it is hard on your kidneys, orworse, that it actually causes liver and kidneydamage. Second only to the organ-murderingeffects of a high-protein diet is the idea that anyexcess protein you eat quickly turns into bodyfat. Even though research has proved time and again that these concepts are false, for somereason, they persist. Here’s the real scoop.
Protein is one of only three macronutrientsthat constitutes your diet — the other twobeing carbs and fat — and is composed ofamino acids, the fundamental building blocksof muscle that are also essential componentsfor basic cellular function. Since your bodycan’t store protein as it does carbs and fat,it’s important to continuously replenish yoursupply of amino acids by eating plenty ofprotein every day. But is there a limit as towhat your body can handle? Nope.
Research has shown that there’s no absoluteupper limit to protein intake and no indicationthat you will incur irreparable damage toyour organs or physique if you eat more thanthe RDA of 0.8 g/kg of bodyweight. Case inpoint: A study published in the Journal of theInternational Society of Sports Nutrition foundthat those eating a very high-protein diet(4.4 g/kg/day) showed no ill effects on bodycomposition, organ function or overall health.Take that in a moment: Consuming more thanfive times the RDA for protein had no negativeeffects and did not cause any gains in body fat.
Obviously, you should not go out andeat a side of beef in one sitting, but it bearsremembering that the RDA for protein is justa baseline and represents the bare minimumneeded to prevent illness and/or malnutrition.For athletes, there are other considerationsthat come into play, depending on yourstrength and building-muscle and endurancegoals, and this demographic, most expertsagree, should take in between 1.6 and 2.2 g/kgof protein per day broken up between three tofour meals, or about 20 to 30 grams of proteinper meal.
Animal vs.Plant-BasedProteins
The two biggest factors thatdetermine protein qualityare digestibility and amino-acidprofile, and any source— animal or plant-based —that contains all the aminoacids your body needsare considered completeproteins. All animal proteinsare complete, whereasmany plant-based optionsare incomplete, meaningthey lack one or moreessential amino acids.
However, following aplant-based lifestyle doesnot inhibit you from eatinga complete amino-acidprofile — you’ll just have towork a little harder for it.As long as you’re gettinga variety of plant-basedprotein sources throughoutthe day, you should fulfill allyour amino-acid needs andhit your daily protein totals.
Try the High-ProApproach
These two-week, high-protein meal plans weredesigned with athletic women in mind and canmaximize your strength and muscle-buildingpotential while supporting your lean-bodygoals. Choose your path — animal-based orlacto-ovo — and follow the prescribed mealplan. If you prefer to stay completely awayfrom animal-based proteins, simply replacethose with plant-based options like soy, tofu,tempeh and plant-based protein powders ofequal protein value.
Standard High-Protein Meal Plan
Vegetarian High-Protein Meal Plan
Recipes
ChickenEnchiladas
Makes: 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- dash salt
- dash pepper
- 12 oz cooked chicken breast, diced
- ½ (10-oz) can diced tomatoes and greenchilies
- 4 low-calorie whole-wheat tortillas
- ½ (10-oz) can enchilada sauce, divided
- 1 cup low-fat Mexican shredded cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat oil in largesaute pan over medium-high. Addonions, peppers, garlic, salt and pepper.Saute until onions are translucent andsoft. Add chicken, tomatoes and greenchilies and saute until warm, about 3to 5 minutes. To assemble enchiladas,lay tortillas on a flat surface. Spreadeach with 1½tablespoons of enchiladasauce and chicken mixture (in a linedown the center). Roll them up andplace in a baking dish. Pour remainingenchilada sauce over top and sprinklewith cheese. Bake until cheese is meltedand enchiladas are slightly crisp, about15 minutes. Serve warm with your favoritegarnishes, such as tomatoes, fat-free sourcream, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, hotsauce, etc.
Nutrition Facts (per serving – regular):calories 402, fat 19 g, protein 44 g, sodium972 mg, carbs 27 g, fiber 15 g, sugar 5 g
- To make this recipe vegetarian, sub chicken for 1 pound of extra-firm tofu.
Nutrition Facts (per serving – vegetarian):calories 354, fat 21 g, protein 27 g, sodium907 mg, carbs 29 g, fiber 14 g, sugar 5 g
Sheet-Pan RoastedTurkey Breast
Makes: 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (1-2 lb) boneless turkey breast, skin on
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp black pepper, divided
- 2 tsp dried rosemary, divided
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, divided
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
- 2 medium onions, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 F and line a bakingsheet with aluminum foil. Trim excessfat from turkey but leave skin on. Patdry with paper towels and then brushwith 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season withhalf each of salt, pepper, rosemary andthyme. Place on baking sheet skin-sideup. Place Brussels sprouts, onions, garlicand sweet potatoes in a large bowl andtoss to combine. Spoon onto baking sheetaround turkey. Drizzle with remaining oliveoil and season with remaining salt, pepper,rosemary and thyme. Roast on the toprack 15 minutes, then stir the veggies. Roastanother 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internaltemperature of the turkey reaches 165 F atthe thickest part and the Brussels sproutsare slightly browned.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): calories 330,fat 9 g, protein 31 g, sodium 444 mg, carbs35 g, fiber 8 g, sugar 11 g
Vanilla BlackberryOvernight Oats
Makes: 1 Serving
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup dry rolled oats
- 1/3 cup unsweetened high-protein dairyfree
- milk of choice
- 1 scoop plant-based vanilla protein powder
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- dash salt
- ¼ cup fresh blackberries
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients except blackberriesin a small Mason jar and stir well tocombine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.Before serving, mix in blackberries.
Nutrition Facts: calories 402, fat 10 g,protein 34 g, sodium 378 mg, carbs 45 g,fiber 13 g, sugar 17 g
Cilantro LimeMango QuinoaBowl
Makes: 2 Servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cooked red or tri-colored quinoa
- 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 8 oz firm tofu, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup mango, diced
- ½ small white onion, diced
- ½ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a medium bowland toss well.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): calories626, fat 34 g, protein 24 g, sodium 713 mg,carbs 64 g, fiber 17 g, sugar 11 g
How to Calculate Your Protein Needs
How much protein do you need? Use this calculation to find out.
(Your bodyweight) ÷ 2.2 = weight in kilograms
(weight in kilograms x 1.6) to (weight in kilograms x 2.2)
=grams of protein needed per day
So a woman who weighs 135 pounds (61.36 kilograms) would need between 98 and 134 grams of protein per day, or 24 to 33 grams of protein per each of four meals.
