๐ฅ Protein goal (MOST important)
๐ 110โ140g protein per day
This is what will:
- Build/maintain muscle
- Keep you full
- Help body recomposition
โ๏ธ Calories (simple approach) Be sure to know your maintenance calorie intake. this is different from person to person. depends on how active you are. Once you figure that out,
Since you want to maintain + build muscle:
- Eat around maintenance or slightly below maintenance on rest days
- Donโt crash diet
Think:๐ โFuel performance, not restrictionโ
๐ฝ๏ธ 2. HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR MEALS
Instead of overthinking, use this simple structure:
๐ฅ EACH MEAL = โProtein Anchor Ruleโ
Every meal should include:
- 1 palm-sized protein
- 1โ2 fists of veggies or fruit
- 1 cupped-hand carbs (adjust based on activity)
- 1 thumb fats
Examples of meals:
๐ณ Breakfast
- Eggs + egg whites OR Greek yogurt
- Fruit (berries/banana)
- Optional oats or toast
๐ฅ Lunch
- Chicken or turkey
- Rice, potatoes, or quinoa
- Veggies + olive oil
๐ Dinner
- Salmon, lean beef, or chicken
- Veggies
- Small carb portion if training day
๐ฅค Snack (important for protein)
- Protein shake OR Greek yogurt OR cottage cheese
๐ง 3. HOW TO INCREASE PROTEIN (WITHOUT HATING FOOD)
This is where most people struggle.
Easy protein upgrades:
- Swap cereal โ Greek yogurt + fruit
- Add protein shake daily
- Use egg whites + whole eggs
- Choose lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish)
- Add cottage cheese before bed
- Snack on jerky, yogurt, or protein bars
๐ โHIT 30G PER MEALโ RULE
Instead of counting all day:
๐ Aim for 25โ35g protein per meal (3โ4 meals)
That alone gets you there.
๐ช 4. FOR MUSCLE GROWTH (IMPORTANT)
You canโt just eat proteinโyou also need:
๐๏ธ Training focus:
- Progressive overload (increasing weights/reps)
- 3โ5 strength sessions/week minimum
- Train glutes, legs, back (big muscle groups)
๐ค Recovery:
- 7โ9 hours sleep
- Rest days matter (muscles grow here)
โ๏ธ 5. COMMON MISTAKE TO AVOID
๐ซ Eating too little while trying to โtone upโ
That leads to:
- Low energy
- No muscle growth
- Plateaued results
Instead:๐ Eat enough protein + train consistently + stay slightly structured
๐งฉ 6. SIMPLE DAILY EXAMPLE
Breakfast
- Greek yogurt + berries + honey + granola
- (25โ30g protein)
Lunch
- Chicken bowl (rice + veggies + avocado)
- (30โ40g protein)
Snack
- Protein shake
- (20โ30g protein)
Dinner
- Salmon + potatoes + veggies
- (30โ40g protein)
๐ฅ 7. REALITY SHIFT (THIS MATTERS)
Youโre not trying to โdiet.โ
Youโre trying to:๐ rebuild your body composition
So the goal is:
- Stay consistent
- Hit protein daily
- Train with intention
- Donโt under-eat