Eat a portion of protein at every meal

Why breakfast and lunch matter

Many people eat the bulk of their protein in the evening. A chicken breast or a piece of fish at dinner, then very little before it. The plain idea here is a palm of protein at every meal. That means a portion about the size and thickness of your palm, which for most foods is roughly 20 to 30 grams of protein.

Protein foods count in many forms: eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, chicken, tofu, lentils, beans and tempeh. You do not need shakes or special products. Ordinary food covers it.

How protein keeps you going

Protein tends to be more filling than the same number of calories from carbohydrate or fat. In studies, meals with more protein were linked to feeling fuller afterward and eating a little less later. Your body also uses protein to repair and build muscle, and it does not store spare protein the way it stores fat.

So a steady supply through the day may suit your muscles better than one large dose at night. For a rough daily target, mainstream guidance for healthy adults is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 70 kilograms, that is about 56 grams a day, or close to 20 grams at each of three meals.

What the research found

A 2015 review by Heather Leidy and colleagues looked at diets with more protein than the minimum. These diets were linked to better appetite control, easier weight management and keeping more muscle while losing weight. A small 2014 trial compared two ways of eating the same daily protein. When eight healthy adults ate about 30 grams at each meal, they made around 25% more muscle protein over 24 hours than when most came at dinner.

That trial was tiny and short, and later studies have not all found the same benefit from spreading protein evenly. The idea is promising, but not settled. On the question of whether more is better, a 2018 meta-analysis of 49 trials in people doing strength training gave a useful answer. Extra protein added modest gains in muscle size and strength, and the benefit levelled off around 1.6 grams per kilogram a day.

Making it stick

Start with the meal that is lightest on protein now, usually breakfast. Swap jam on toast for eggs on toast, or stir a few spoons of Greek yogurt into your oats. At lunch, add a tin of chickpeas or tuna to whatever you were already having. Keep two or three easy options in the fridge and cupboard, so a busy morning does not decide for you.

On a bad day, a palm of protein at every meal can be as simple as a boiled egg, a pot of yogurt or a handful of beans. Over a few weeks, you become someone who builds each plate around its protein first. Changes in fullness may show within days, while any change in muscle takes weeks of regular eating and activity. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, talk to your doctor before eating more protein. Which meal tomorrow has the most room for a palm of protein?

References

• Leidy, H. J., et al. (2015). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 101(6), 1320S–1329S. doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.084038
• Mamerow, M. M., et al. (2014). Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 144(6), 876–880. doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.185280
• Morton, R. W., et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608