How to Build a High-Protein Diet Without Eating Fucking Chicken All Day

I’ve been going on about it for years, the importance of protein in your diet, the fact it is the foundation of your house that is your body.

However, we get it—when people talk about high-protein diets, the first thing that pops into your head is probably chicken breast, broccoli, and a pile of egg whites.

Nobody wants to live off bland, repetitive meals, and the idea that you have to eat chicken for every meal just to hit your protein goals. That’s absolute bollocks.

The good news? You can hit your protein targets without force-feeding yourself chicken and broccoli 24/7. Whether you’re trying to build muscle, lose fat, or just not feel like shit all the time, variety is key.

Why Protein Actually Matters (And No, It’s Not Just for getting jacked)

Protein isn’t just about getting jacked—it plays a crucial role in fat loss, recovery, and metabolism. Here’s why you need to give a shit about it:

Preserve muscle mass – This is especially important if you’re over 40 and don’t want to lose strength and mobility.

Keeps you full for longer – Reduces cravings and stops you from raiding the snack cupboard every 10 minutes.

Boosts metabolism – Your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbs or fats. Free calorie burn? Yes, please. Although let’s not over do this, it does but it’s not a massive amount.

Helps recovery – If you train regularly, your muscles need protein to rebuild and strengthen.

So, how much do you actually need?

I recently put up a post about this on our socials, asking people what they thought and it was interesting to see their responses from the standard 0.8g per kg of weight to the body not being able to process more than 40g of protein at a time.

Before we go into working out how much you need, firstly let’s chat about the whole processing no more 40g of protein at a time, all the research says that this is purely a myth, there is no upper limit to the amount of protein the body can absorb at any one time, so you could have all your days worth of protein in one hit and you would still get the effect on the body as you would do if you ate it over 3 meals or so.

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs (Without Overcomplicating It)

A simple guide:

1.2–2.2g of protein per kg of body weight (or 0.6–1g per pound).

• Sedentary? Aim for the lower end (1.2g/kg or 0.6g/lb).
• Training regularly? Go for the higher end (2.0g/kg or 1g/lb).
• Losing fat? Stick to 1.6–2.2g/kg (0.7–1g/lb) to keep muscle while dropping weight.

For example, if you weigh 70kg (154 lbs), your protein target should be somewhere between 84–154g per day, depending on activity levels.

High-Protein Foods That AREN’T Just Chicken & Eggs

How do you hit those numbers without eating chicken for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Our members get a full list of the best protein sources based on their diet and we remind them to eat a variety of those sources to get as many of the essential amino acids into their body.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for you to work from if you’re not a member here:

Animal-Based Protein Sources (That Aren’t Boring as Fuck)

Beef & Steak – More iron, more flavours, and great for muscle growth. Swap chicken for lean ground beef, steak strips, or minced beef in your meals.

Salmon & Tuna – High in protein and omega-3s. Around 22-25g protein per 100g.

Shrimp & Prawns – Low in fat, high in protein—perfect for a quick, lean meal.

Greek Yogurt & Cottage Cheese – 15-20g protein per serving, great for snacks, breakfast, or smoothies.

Eggs & Egg Whites – Simple, versatile, and full of good fats. Scrambles, omelettes, even in oats.

Protein Powders – If you’re short on time, throw some protein powder in your oats, coffee, or smoothies. Done.

Plant-Based Protein Sources (No Sad Lentil Salads Required)

Tofu & Tempeh – Absorbs flavours well and packs 15-20g per serving.

Nuts & Nut Butters – Almonds, peanuts, cashews—but watch portion sizes, or you’ll accidentally smash 500 calories in 5 minutes.

Chickpeas & Black Beans – Toss them into curries, stews, or salads for a protein boost.

High-Protein Bread & Pasta – Yep, it exists. Look for whole grain or lentil-based options.

Seitan – 21g protein per 100g and has a meat-like texture, making it perfect for swapping into meals.

Plant-Based Protein Powders – Pea, hemp, soy—great for shakes, smoothies, or even baking. Ideally, if you can get a mix it will certainly help with the taste.

Quick & Easy High-Protein Meal Ideas (Because you’re a human in 2025 and busy as fuck)

If meal prepping for 3 hours on a Sunday sounds like hell, and let’s be honest, there are sometimes more important things to be getting on with, here are some fast, protein-packed options:

Breakfast: High-protein Greek yogurt bowl with nuts, seeds & berries (25g protein).

Lunch: Steak salad with feta & avocado (40g protein).

Snack: High-protein bread with peanut butter & banana (20g protein).

Dinner: Shrimp stir-fry with rice & veggies (35g protein).

Dessert: Cottage cheese mixed with dark chocolate & almonds (30g protein).

Protein Hacks for Busy People

• Always have protein snacks ready – Greek yogurt, boiled eggs, jerky, and protein bars.
• Potentially Batch-cook protein sources – Grill steak, bake salmon, and prep tofu at the start of the week.
• You can always sneak protein into everything – Add protein powder to oats, smoothies, and even pancakes.

Try not to get sucked into the whole marketing ploy of things with added protein in them though, like protein mars bars, Weetabix etc, they generally have protein in them to start with and the actual difference is negligible but the ones with protein on the box or wrapper tends to be more expensive.

Final Thoughts: Protein Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.

The idea that high-protein eating = dry chicken and broccoli is outdated gym bro bollocks. There are tons of ways to get enough protein without sacrificing taste, variety, or enjoyment.

Find what works for you, mix things up, and stop making high-protein eating harder than it needs to be.

Want help structuring a high-protein meal plan that actually fits your lifestyle?

Drop me a message, and let’s build something that actually works for YOU.