Everyone keeps telling you to eat more protein.
But honestly? When you’re trying to hit 150, 180, even 200 grams a day… it feels impossible.
You’ve got a full-time job. Kids. A life. You’re not spending your Sunday prepping 10 pounds of chicken breast. That’s just not realistic.
So you end up eating whatever’s quick, feeling like you’re failing at this whole “healthy eating” thing, and wondering why your body isn’t changing even though you’re trying.
You’re not alone in this. Almost every single person who walks through our doors at TENRA deals with this exact struggle.
And I’m going to show you how to actually hit your protein goals without losing your mind or living in the kitchen.
Why You Even Need This Much Protein
Protein isn’t just about building muscle (though yeah, it does that too).
It helps with healthier skin, hair, and nails. But the reason our clients care care is when you’re trying to lose weight, having enough protein means you’re losing fat, not muscle.
That’s how our clients get those transformations that actually last. They’re not just losing weight, they’re changing their body composition.
So How Much Do You Actually Need?
Here’s the science without making it complicated: there’s technically no such thing as “too much” protein unless you’re eating in a massive calorie surplus.
Your body just stops using it as efficiently after about 1 to 1.2 grams per pound of lean body mass.
So if you weigh 200 pounds, shooting for 200g of protein per day puts you in a really good spot.
“Mike, that sounds like a ton of protein.”
I know. But it’s way more manageable than you think.
How to Actually Eat That Much Protein
Tip #1: Spread it out
Most people front-load their day with carbs and fat (think bagels and cream cheese), then try to cram all their protein into dinner.
That doesn’t work.
If you weigh around 200 pounds and eat 4 meals a day, you’re looking at roughly 50g of protein per meal. That’s one chicken breast. Or two protein shakes. Or a big scoop of Greek yogurt with some eggs.
Not that crazy when you break it down, right?
Tip #2: Supplement the gap
Protein shakes and bars aren’t cheating. They’re tools.
A shake can give you anywhere from 20-60 extra grams. Bars can add another 10-30 grams. Some of our clients have 2-3 of these throughout the day just to bridge the gap.
Try out different brands. Find what tastes good to you. You don’t have to suffer through chalky shakes. Finding the right fit for you can make your life easier.
Still Sounds Like Too Much?
I hear you.
The 1g per pound bodyweight thing? That’s to make absolutely sure you have enough. But we can work with a lower number if we know your actual lean body mass.
Problem is, you need pretty fancy equipment to measure that accurately.
So here’s what I’m going to do for you:
If you shoot me an email saying you read this blog, I’ll give you a free InBody scan (normally people have to pay for those, but as a thank you for reading this one is on me) anytime before June 2026.
That scan shows you exactly how much lean mass you have, and we can calculate a more realistic protein minimum from there. Way less intimidating than 200g when you might only need 140g.
My email is michael.kenefick@tenra.fitness. Just mention this blog and we’ll get you scheduled.
Want the Cheat Sheet Our Clients Use?
Our members get access to our Protein Cheat Sheet, it’s basically a master list of high-protein foods broken down by category. Lean meats, poultry, seafood, plant-based options, all of it.
It makes grocery shopping and meal planning so much easier when you can just pick from a list instead of Googling “high protein foods” for the hundredth time.
I’m giving that away for free in our Facebook group.
Inside the group, you’ll also get other free resources we share, tips we don’t post anywhere else, and you can ask questions directly.
Join the group here and grab your Protein Cheat Sheet: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CoJavVdxM/
Thanks for reading this. Seriously. I know there’s a million people talking about fitness online, so I appreciate you giving me your time.