The Protein Overview
Protein is one of the most important nutrients for building muscle, recovering from workouts, maintaining strength, and staying full between meals. The good news is that measuring your protein intake doesn’t have to be complicated.
I understand, using a food scale may seem time consuming, and possibly intimidating, but with a little practice, it can become part of your routine. Weighing your protein is the most accurate way to determine your protein intake.
I did provide a way to eyeball protein, but I do not recommend using this method until you have adequately practiced using a scale. The more you weigh your food, the better your eyeballing will be. Try to reserve the eyeball method for times when you do not have access to a scale – eating out and traveling.
Below you will also find a helpful protein table, which you may want to consider printing out and putting on your refrigerator.
Step 1: How Much Protein Should You Eat?
A simple recommendation for people who exercise regularly is:
0.7–1.0 grams of protein per pound of goal body weight per day.
Examples:
- Goal weight 150 lbs = 105–150g protein
- Goal weight 180 lbs = 125–180g protein
- Goal weight 200 lbs = 140–200g protein
Step 2: How do I measure protein?
The MOST Accurate Method: Use a Food Scale
If you want a more precise measurement, a food scale is an inexpensive and easy tool.
1: Place Your Plate on the Scale
Set your plate or container on the scale and press the “tare” button to bring the weight back to zero.
2: Add Your Protein
Place your protein source on the plate and record the weight.
3: Calculate Protein
Make sure you are measuring in ounces (oz) or grams (g).
Most people prefer to measure in ounces because it’s less confusing – it avoids the whole grams of protein vs grams in weight thing.
So here is a simple quick guide for serving sizes.
For clarity, see examples below table.
| Food | Typical Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast | 4 oz | ~35 g |
| Turkey Breast | 4 oz | ~33 g |
| Lean Steak | 4 oz | ~29 g |
| Salmon | 4 oz | ~25 g |
| Shrimp | 4 oz | ~27 g |
| Tuna | 1 standard 5 oz can (drained) | ~30–32 g |
| Greek Yogurt | 1 single-serving cup (5.3 oz / 150 g) | ~15–17 g |
| Cottage Cheese | 1 cup | ~28 g |
| Whole Eggs | 2 eggs | ~12 g |
| Egg Whites | ½ cup | ~13 g |
| Whey Protein | 1 scoop | ~25 g |
Example 1: if you have 4oz of turkey breast on your plate, that is about ~33g of protein.
Example 2: If you wanted to catch up on your protein for the day and eat 60g of protein via steak, you’d weigh out 8oz.
Don’t Overcomplicate It
You don’t need to weigh every meal forever. Many people start by using a scale for a few weeks to learn what portions look like. Once you develop an eye for serving sizes, the eyeball method becomes decently accurate. I would still recommend checking back in with the scale method because the eyeball method requires regular calibrating.
The most important thing isn’t perfection—it’s consistency. Eat a quality protein source at every meal and you’ll be well on your way to better recovery, improved body composition, and stronger performance.
Easy Portion Guide: How Much Food Equals Your Protein Goal?
This table does the math for you – keep this on your fridge!
For clarity, see examples below table.
| Protein Source | 25 g Protein | 30 g Protein | 40 g Protein | 50 g Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.5 oz (100 g) | 4.5 oz (128 g) | 5.7 oz (161 g) |
| Turkey Breast | 3 oz (86 g) | 3.6 oz (102 g) | 4.8 oz (136 g) | 6 oz (170 g) |
| Lean Steak (Sirloin) | 3.5 oz (99 g) | 4 oz (113 g) | 5.5 oz (156 g) | 6.8 oz (193 g) |
| Salmon | 4 oz (113 g) | 4.8 oz (136 g) | 6.4 oz (181 g) | 8 oz (227 g) |
| Shrimp | 3.7 oz (105 g) | 4.5 oz (128 g) | 6 oz (170 g) | 7.5 oz (213 g) |
| Tuna (Water-Packed) | 3.3 oz (94 g) | 4 oz (113 g) | 5.3 oz (150 g) | 6.7 oz (190 g) |
| Nonfat Greek Yogurt | 1.1 cups (250 g) | 1.3 cups (295 g) | 1.7 cups (395 g) | 2.2 cups (495 g) |
| Cottage Cheese (1% Low Fat) | 0.9 cup (200 g) | 1.1 cups (242 g) | 1.4 cups (323 g) | 1.8 cups (403 g) |
| Egg Whites | 1 cup (243 g) | 1.2 cups (290 g) | 1.6 cups (388 g) | 2 cups (485 g) |
| Whole Eggs | 4 large eggs | 5 large eggs | 7 large eggs | 8–9 large eggs |
| Whey Protein Isolate | 1 scoop | 1¼ scoops | 1½–1¾ scoops | 2 scoops |
Example 1: If you cooked chicken and you need 40 grams of protein, you will need to weigh out 4.5oz (128g) of chicken.
Example 2: If you wanted a quick snack and needed 25 grams of protein, you could have 1.1 cups (250g) of Greek Yogurt with some fruit.
The “Eyeball Method” Cheat Sheet
As implied above, I am not a fan of ALWAYS using the eyeball method, as I would get plenty of practice with a scale first… but here is a helpful guide for when you are traveling, out to eat, or not around a scale:
- 🥩 A palm-sized chicken breast = 30–35 g protein
- 🥩 A palm-sized steak = 25–30 g protein
- 🐟 A palm-sized salmon fillet = 25 g protein
- 🍤 A heaping handful of shrimp = 25–30 g protein
- 🥣 1 cup cottage cheese = 28 g protein
- 🥣 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt = 23 g protein
- 🥚 2 eggs = 12 g protein
- 🥚 4 eggs = 24 g protein
- 💪 1 scoop whey protein = 25 g protein
Key Takeaways
- Aim for 0.7–1.0 grams of protein per pound of your goal body weight each day.
- Include 25–40 grams of protein at each meal.
- Prioritize whole food sources like chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese.
- Don’t stress about perfection—consistency wins.
Hopefully you found this helpful!
-Liam
More Resources:
PROTEIN NERDS: Watch This video for a deeper dive!
A conversation about protein: Dr. Rhonda Patrick & Andrew Huberman
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