Jan 18, 2024 8 min read

The 200g Protein Diet That Changed My life

Sub 10% body fat.

I was overweight.

I thought I was happy but in reality - I wasn’t.

I couldn’t wear the clothes I wanted.

I couldn’t take my shirt off in the summer at the beach.

I felt uncomfortable in my own skin.

I tried different diets, consistently played sports and tried go to the gym regularly but nothing seemed to work.

I still looked the same.

But something changed not too long ago. Did I cut the fats or carbs out of my diet Did I start fasting a couple days of the week? Did I exercise all the time?

Nope, I increased my protein intake.

Today I’m going to tell you how a high protein diet changed my life.

Ok - I get it. You’re busy. Your life is hectic. You’re trying to have a balanced social life. You try to go to the gym as much as you can.

But in the back of your mind you know your diet is off and you can’t seem to hit your protein target consistently every day.

This was me.

I legit tried everything but my body wasn’t changing.

So how do I consistently hit 200g of protein every day? First, there’s something you need to know.

What even is protein?

You’re made of it. Your hair, your organs, your muscles, the enzymes in your body. Everything relies on proteins.

You probably know that there are 3 main macronutrients. Protein, carbs and fats.

Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids, bound to each other by peptide bonds. There are 20 amino acids that make up the proteins found in the human body. Your body needs all of them to function correctly.

There are 9 essential amino acids, meaning that you must get these from your diet. Your body produces the remaining 11.

And unlike carbs or fats, your body can’t actually store the protein.

I wont go into the chemistry but essentially, the protein you eat gets broken down into the individual amino acids during digestion and then they’re absorbed into the bloodstream and utilised throughout the body for making enzymes, hormones, immune system proteins and of course the contractile proteins found in your muscle.

Protein is in a constant turnover as well - let me explain.

Imagine a busy construction site where old buildings are constantly being knocked down while new ones are being built at the same time.

In our bodies, proteins are like the buildings, made up of smaller units called amino acids like we discussed.

Protein turnover is the continuous cycle of breaking down old or damaged proteins and building new ones using amino acids. This constant turnover is important because our bodies need proteins for growth, repair, and maintenance of basically everything.

So when you’re lifting weights in the gym you’re breaking down proteins and during rest and eating you’ll be making proteins.

And things leads on to muscle protein synthesis.

This is the actual building process where your body takes these amino acids and uses them to create and repair muscle proteins, making your muscles stronger and bigger. There are a couple of specific essential amino acids like Leucine, which play important roles in triggering muscle protein synthesis.

Leucine acts as a key signalling molecule that activates mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), which is a pathway involved in protein synthesis. Foods rich in leucine include beef, poultry, fish, dairy products, soybeans, and seeds.

Isoleucine and Valine are also important for protein synthesis.

In order to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, you need to eat enough protein at each meal.

How much is enough?

Approximately 0.4 grams per kilo of bodyweight per meal.

So if you weight 75 kilos, 0.4 multiplied by 75 = 30 grams of protein per meal.

Got it, but how much protein do you actually need?

Well, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

The World Health Organisation recommends about 0.8 grams per kg of body weight.

So if you weight 70 kilos, you’ll need just 56 grams of protein a day.

However - these recommended daily allowance figures that are thrown around don’t represent an ideal intake. It actually represents the minimum intake needed to prevent malnutrition.

This obviously isn’t enough to maintain and even build muscle.

Also body weight is not the only thing that matters, your activity levels are hugely important.

Just to add, if you’re overweight or have large amounts of body fat, using your weight as a guide for your protein intake might overestimate the amount of protein you should consume.

Instead, calculate your lean mass by multiplying your height squared by BMI figure of 25.

So if you are 175cm tall, square 1.75 and multiply that by 25.

You’ll get 76.6g.

If you’re bulking, your primary goal is to increase muscle mass.

You'll need a higher protein intake to support muscle growth and repair so you should be aiming for 1.6–2.4 grams per kg of body weight.

And if you’re in a calorie surplus, your body is less likely to break down protein and use it as a fuel source.

So you can probably get away with aiming for the lower end of that scale so around 1.6 grams per kilo of body weight.

If you’re in a cutting phase, you’ll typically be in a calorie deficit, meaning that you’ll have less glycogen and fat available to break down and use for energy. So you’ll be at an increased risk of using protein as an energy source which is not ideal.

Because of this, aiming for 2.3–3 g/kg is probably a better option. This is also recommended by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

And this brings me onto my 200 grams of protein diet.

What did I eat?

I’ve been doing time-restricted eating for a little while, I’ve done a video on this (below)

The Power of Intermittent Fasting.

Basically, I avoid eating in the mornings.

Before the protein police come at me, I do it for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, in a weight loss phase, if you reduce the time window in which you eat, you can reduce your total calorie intake. I also don’t really feel that hungry in the mornings. I feel sharper and more focused when I don’t eat first thing.

It also can improve your insulin sensitivity and reduce overall inflammation.

So my first meal is a high protein one, chicken breast, bit of rice and some vegetables. About 30 grams of protein.

This is technically my breakfast so it’s not the most traditional type of meal people have for their first meal. I usually have it around midday to lunchtime.

I always have a protein yoghurt for dessert as well and there’s 15 grams of protein in there.

So the first meal is around 45 grams of protein.

Then a couple of hours later I usually have 2 cans of tuna with some light mayonnaise. My cupboard is actually stacked with tuna cans.

So that’s another 55 grams of protein.

I hit the gym usually late afternoon or early evening and after my workout I have 2 scoops of clear whey isolate, which is another 40 grams of protein.

Also after a workout, the anabolic effect of protein is more pronounced due to increased sensitivity in your muscles.

So you should ideally consume a protein source within a couple of hours after the gym.

Ok so for dinner the protein is usually either chicken, lean mince, steak or fish. Usually I have a lot more protein than the carbs and veg it gets paired up with. I’m consciously trying to get more vegetables in.

So that’s another 45 grams of protein at least.

And then I have a protein yoghurt for dessert so another 15 grams of protein there.

And that adds up to 200 grams of protein.

This is generally what I eat on most days but it’s not a super rigid diet.

For example I sometimes swap the yoghurts for a protein bar or for my first meal I have some eggs - really good source of protein by the way and I have them with a small piece of toast to keep the carbs minimal.

I like adding some egg whites as well to boost the overall protein content. (Also this is not all I eat, I obviously eat fruit and veg to keep it balanced.)

I’m not on a protein only diet.

I usually eat out with family or friends at least once a week, if we do I try to pick things high in protein like steak and chicken.

Actually not too long ago I went to Nando’s (shock), and I got a half chicken with broccoli and coleslaw. A half-chicken has about 80 grams of protein which is impressive.

Some people say that you should avoid consuming over 30 grams of protein per meal because of your body can’t absorb much more than that.

So the question is, can you absorb all of it?

The answer is yes.

Absorption refers to the uptake of nutrients in your digestive tract, most of which happens in the small intestine.

Your digestive system wouldn’t be much use if you just ate a meal and then hours later you get diarrhoea and all the nutrients would be wasted.

Just because it’s not utilising the protein immediately after you eat, doesn’t mean that it won’t get used. Your body will digest and use all the protein in your diet.

I’ve linked a couple of studies at the end of this article, one demonstrates that having more protein, so 40 grams after resistance training stimulates more muscle protein synthesis than having 20 grams.

Whilst the amount of protein per meal can be a useful guide, the overall amount you consume in a day is probably more important.

So what if you’re veggie or vegan? Both plant and animal proteins can be part of a healthy diet. But if you’re plant-based, your protein requirements might be even higher.

This is because they contain less essential amino acids and are less bioavailable than animal proteins.

So to compensate you can either increase your soy or pea protein intake or try a leucine supplement. For individuals who prefer a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, combining different plant protein sources throughout the day can ensure an adequate intake of all essential amino acids.

Protein is critical.

Having a diet packed in protein is important for so many reasons.

It was one of key lever moving actions for generating a good physique.

And if you want to build muscle or maintain a toned body then a protein-rich diet can help lay the groundwork for these goals.

It helps you to maintain and build muscle if you’re resistance training.

It helps keep you satiated more than fats or carbs and it has really helped me in managing cravings and controlling my overall calorie intake.

And having a high protein diet massively helps when you’re cutting.

In a calorie deficit, you're obviously consuming fewer calories than your body requires.

Protein helps in preserving muscle mass and can prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue for energy, ensuring that weight loss comes from fat stores rather than precious muscle.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you really should prioritise protein.

But you probably won’t get anywhere if you don’t actually put the work in the gym because muscle hypertrophy is triggered by engaging in physical activity.