You’ve read up on why protein is such an important part of your diet (helps balance blood sugar, maintain lean muscle, and supports hormonal, gut, and liver health, for starters).
You’ve figured out how much protein you should be eating (around 0.7 grams to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight).
Whey (ha) to go!
Now comes the hard part—actually hitting those protein goals.
Luckily, functional medicine and nutrition specialist Leona West-Fox is full of tips for sneakily upping your protein intake. She shares her best ones with us below.
1. Increase the portion sizes of protein-rich foods you already eat and enjoy.
This is the easiest, simplest tip for those trying to eat more protein, says Leona. “Even an extra half ounce or a few more tablespoons can add up over the day and week.”
2. Make sure a protein source is present with all three main meals.
Is it eggs? Yogurt? Lentils? Fish? Chicken? Steak? Leona says it’s important (and helpful!) to identify the main protein source in each meal as a starting point.
3. Choose higher protein veggies.
Leona says the ones below are good choices:
- Broccoli ~ 2.5 grams protein per cup
- Spinach ~ 2 grams protein per cup
- Brussels sprouts ~ 5.5 grams protein per cup
- Asparagus ~ 5 grams protein per cup
4. Swap everyday basics with high-protein alternatives.
Leona recommends:
- Legume-based pasta instead of regular pasta.
- Quinoa instead of rice.
- ¼ of your baking flour for protein powder.
- Greek yogurt or 2% cottage cheese instead of milk or oil in waffle and pancake mixes.
- High-quality breads made from sprouted, fermented, and ancient grains instead of “regular” bread.
5. Stock up on high-protein snacks.
Some examples to get you started:
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Hummus
- Jerky (grass-fed beef, turkey, salmon)
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Homemade protein muffins (batch cook ahead of time)
- Protein shakes
- Quality protein bars—we like David Bar. Leona recommends whole food options like Laird, The Only Bar, EPIC Paleo Valley, Rise Bar, and Rx Bar.
6. Try underrated protein sources like hemp seeds and cottage cheese.
“While many people default to Greek yogurt, almonds, or peanut butter, hemp seeds offer a complete plant-based protein with healthy fats, and cottage cheese is rich in protein and great at supporting muscle recovery and satiety,” she explains. “I currently like Good Culture grass-fed cottage cheese.”
“When eating eggs, combine whole eggs with egg whites for extra protein,” Leona suggests.
And there you have it—seven expert-backed tips that help make hitting your protein goals a lot less overwhelming. We’ll raise a protein shake to that!
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