9 Easy Ways to Get More Protein to Decrease Hunger and Lose Weight Faster

Updated on 12/9/2018 at 2:45 PM

Getting enough protein is a must if you want to satiate hunger for weight loss and also build muscle when working out (yeah, gains!). As a general guideline, The Institute of Medicine recommends that the average woman aged 19 to 70 consume 46 grams of protein per day. That doesn't take activity level into account though. You'll need to increase your protein if you're pregnant or if you're training hard.

If your goal is to build muscle, aim to eat 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. If weight loss is your goal, you may want to eat a little less, about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.

If you're not even close to getting enough, fitness and lifestyle coach Marci Nevin (@marcinevin on Instagram) posted nine simple ways to get more protein.

Start Your Day With a Serving

Toast or oatmeal is an easy breakfast, but pair those carbs with a serving of protein to start your day. This breakfast bowl is made with sweet potato and tofu, but other protein-packed breakfasts include hard-boiled eggs with avocado, tofu scramble, high-protein smoothies, or cottage cheese with fruit.

Double Up at a Meal

Instead of just eggs for breakfast, add in some black beans, cottage cheese, or turkey bacon. You can also mix peanut butter into yogurt or add protein powder and eggs to pancake mix. If you're an overnight oats fan, add chia seeds and hemp seeds.

Prep It Ahead of Time

Make prepping a variety of protein sources part of your Sunday meal prep. Cook beans in the slow-cooker, roast chicken in the oven, or make egg muffins. Having bulk portions of protein in your fridge makes it easy to grab and eat.

Utilize Portable and Convenience Items

Buying packages of individual portioned foods is more expensive and the extra packaging isn't great for the environment, but when you're short on time, they can offer a quick and easy dose of protein. Keep single-serving containers of hummus, cheese sticks, yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds, nut butter packets, and tuna fish on hand.

To cut back on waste, buy small single-serving reusable plastic containers to store nut butter, nuts, hummus, and more.

Eat Leaner Sources of Meat and Dairy

"99 percent lean ground turkey will have more protein than 93 percent lean, and nonfat Greek yogurt will have more protein than full-fat," Marci wrote in her caption. If you're plant-based, extra firm tofu has more protein than firm, and almond milk yogurt has more protein than those made with coconut milk.

Sneak It Into Your Meals

Find ways to add protein into the foods you already eat. Mash beans into your jar of overnight oats or cook egg whites with oatmeal. Add tofu to smoothies (it makes them so creamy!) or add a can of beans before you puree soup.

Eat a Slightly Larger Serving

"Eat just a little bit more at every meal," suggested Marci. If you're only eating three ounces of meat, go for four. Just a couple more bites of protein can add five grams to each meal, and that will add up over the course of the day.

Choose the Brands With the Higher Amounts

Be a label reader and choose the brands of products with the higher amounts of protein. Different brands of yogurt, milks, veggie burgers, and protein powders will offer more protein per serving.

Use a Supplement if Necessary

In a pinch, protein bars like RXBAR and protein powders can offer 10 to 30 grams of extra protein.

What's your favorite way to get in your protein?