How to get 100g of protein in a day

The current FDA dietary recommendation of protein for an adult is astonishingly low. It is about 50g (!) per day for a sedentary adult eating a 2,000 calorie diet. That recommendation has changed very little since 1941. No, that is not a typo. The recommendations are just the minimum needed to survive - and we want to thrive, right?

My personal protein goal is 150g per day, as an active female in her mid 30's. That number was higher when pregnant/breastfeeding. Protein is the macronutrient that I track the most consistently. Again, just because it is right for me doesn't mean it is right for you but a good rule of thumb for active individuals is 1g of protein per lb of ideal/goal body weight.

When I was first dabbling in tracking macros, I was shocked by how little protein I was eating and I found it hard to incorporate more so I wanted to share some ideas to help you get started!

Here are some ideas for how to increase your protein intake throughout your day.

100g+ of protein in a day: Breakfast: 3 eggs cooked however you like (18g) and 2 slices of bacon (12g) = 30g

Lunch: 3 oz of turkey breast (24g) and a slice of cheddar cheese (7g) on a sandwich = 31g

Snack: Cheese stick (8g) and beef stick (10g) = 18g

Dinner: 6oz sirloin steak (46g) with any vegetable or side you prefer = 46g

Total protein: 125g

Breakfast: 1/2 cup cottage cheese with berries = 14g

Lunch: 6oz turkey burger (28g) with slice of cheese (7g) = 35g

Snack: 2/3 cup Plain Greek yogurt (18g) with fruit or granola = 18g

Dinner: 6oz salmon (34g) with any vegetable or side you prefer = 34g

Total protein: 101g

Breakfast: Protein overnight oats (35g) - can vary by recipe = 35g

Lunch: Chicken salad - made with greek yogurt instead of mayo = 30g

Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs (12g) and apple slices dipped in 2 tbsp PB (9g) = 21g Dinner: 6oz burger (33g) with bun and any sides of choice = 33g

Total protein: 119g

Hope this gives you some ideas! Let me know what your favorite protein snack is, I'm always looking for ideas!

With gratitude, Andrea