50 Gram Protein Breakfasts
Have you taken the 50 Gram Challenge? It’s super simple. Take the most important macronutrients – protein – and make sure you get a big serving early in the day.
You’ll kick start your body using this protein early to build or maintain muscle. You’ll curb your cravings for the rest of the day. You’ll reduce the total calories you end up eating by getting protein early. And finally, you can keep your energy levels steady for more hours of your day.
I’m deep in the process of building a more comprehensive challenge that you will have first access to in the New Year. It will allow you to build one of the easiest systems to maintain a healthy bodyweight and build your most important organ for longevity and health…. YOUR MUSCLE.
For now, I want to take our HIGH PERFORMANCE FOOD LIST concept for nutrient dense, lower calorie foods, and turn them into 50-gram breakfast ideas for you. Below you will see six recipes and approximate macros for each meal. Get any one of these in before 10 am for the whole month. Just having a 50-gram protein meal to start your day is going to help you make more mindful decisions when you are feeling tempted by your environment.
6 HIGH PROTEIN BREAKFASTS
Egg White Omelette with Spinach and Greek Yogurt
- Ingredients:
- 2 cups Egg Whites
- 1 cup Spinach, fresh
- 1 medium Apple
- 1/2 medium Sweet Potato (75grams)
- Seasoning: Herbs, Salt, Pepper
- Macros (Approx.):
- Protein: 53g (egg whites) + 2g (sweet potato) = 55g
- Carbs: 50g (sweet potato and apple)
- Fat: 1g
- Calories: ~450 calories
- Serving Size: 1 large omelet
Protein-Rich Cottage Cheese Bowl with Chicken Breast
- Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Low-Fat Cottage Cheese (about 35 grams of protein)
- 2 oz Grilled Chicken Breast (about 16 grams of protein)
- 1/2 medium Cucumber
- 1/2 medium Papaya
- 1/2 Acorn Squash (about 150g)
- Seasoning: Cinnamon or Nutmeg, Lime
- Macros (Approx.):
- Protein: 50g (cottage cheese and chicken breast)
- Carbs: 50g (fruits and squash)
- Fat: 5g (from cottage cheese)
- Calories: ~460 calories
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Ingredients:
Protein-Boosted Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Raspberry
- Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups Greek Yogurt (about 50 grams of protein)
- 1 medium Zucchini, grated
- 3/4 cup Oatmeal, ground into flour
- 1 scoop Whey Protein Powder (about 20 grams of protein)
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Raspberries (topping)
- Macros (Approx.):
- Protein: 70 (Greek yogurt, whey protein and oatmeal) = 81g
- Carbs: 80 (oatmeal and raspberries)
- Fat: 6h (from Greek yogurt)
- Calories: ~630 calories
- Serving Size: 1 serving of pancakes with toppings
- Ingredients:
Steak and Eggs
- Ingredients:
- Lean Beef Steak (6 oz, about 170g): Approximately 40g protein
- Whole Eggs (3 large): Approximately 18g protein
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, herbs
- Macros (Approx.):
- Protein: 60g (eggs and steak)
- Carbs: 1g (trace from eggs)
- Fat: 18 (depending on the cut of beef and egg preparation)
- Calories: ~540 calories
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Ingredients:
Egg White Frittata with Turkey Breast
- Ingredients:
- Egg Whites (1.5): Approximately 44g protein
- Cooked Turkey Breast (3 oz): Approximately 30g protein
- Vegetables of choice (.5 bell pepper, .5 onion)
- Seasoning: Garlic, herbs, salt, pepper
- Macros (Approx.):
- Protein: 65
- Carbs: 14g (from vegetables)
- Fat: 2g (from turkey, no added fats)
- Calories: ~360 calories
- Serving Size: 1 large frittata (2 servings)
- Ingredients:
Sweet Potato Hash with Pork Loin and Turkey
- Ingredients:
- Pork Loin (4 oz): Approximately 23g protein
- Turkey Breast (3 oz: Approximately 25 protein
- Sweet Potato (1 large): Approximately 4g protein
- Seasoning: Paprika, cumin, salt, pepper
- Macros (Approx.):
- Protein: 53
- Carbs: 38 (from sweet potato)
- Fat: 6g (depending on the cut of the meats)
- Calories: ~400 calories
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Ingredients:
Shopping List
If some of these, or all of them, look appealing to you, then go ahead and use the shopping list below to head to the store right now and start to stock your kitchen with everything you need to be successful at breakfast this week and next.
Proteins
- Egg Whites: 4 cups (approximately 84 grams of protein)
- Greek Yogurt: 3 1/2 cups (about 60 grams of protein)
- Low-Fat Cottage Cheese: 1 1/2 cups (about 42 grams of protein)
- Grilled Chicken Breast: 4 oz (about 35 grams of protein)
- Whey Protein Powder: 1 scoop (about 25 grams of protein)
- Lean Beef Steak: 6 oz (about 40g protein)
- Whole Eggs: 3 large
- Cooked Turkey Breast: 10 oz (about 50g protein)
- Pork Loin: 4 oz (about 23g protein)
Vegetables & Fruits
- Spinach: 1 cup, fresh
- Apple: 1 medium
- Cucumber: 1/2 medium
- Papaya: 1/2 medium
- Zucchini: 1 medium, grated
- Raspberries: 1 cup
- Bell Peppers: As needed (for frittata)
- Onions: As needed (for frittata)
Carbohydrates
- Sweet Potato: 2 large
- Acorn Squash: 1/2
- Oatmeal: 1 cup
Herbs & Seasonings
- Deried Herbs (e.g., parsley, thyme)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cinnamon or Nutmeg
- Lime
- Vanilla Extract
- Honey or Maple Syrup
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Cumin
Notes:
- Buy Cooking spray (for cooking) – I like Avocado Oil and I use a very light spray to not add too many calories to my cooking.
- Adjust the quantities based on the number of servings you plan to make for each recipe.
BONUS MATERIAL
To win the month while still enjoying yourself at parties and social gatherings, I recommend following.
- Get 50 Grams of Protein for Breakfast every single day. Even days you hit a little binge the night before.
- Pack a high-protein meal to take with you to work every day. Meal prep something simple from the shopping lists above or from the High Performance Food list. 5 Ingredient meals are king here.
- Protein – grab some lean protein that is precooked
- Vegetable – grab a zero prep veggie like cucumbers, carrots, or sugar snap peas
- Fruit – grab a low-calorie high nutrient-dense fruit like watermelon, berries, or an apple to take with you.
- Starch – Microwave a large white potato. This is the most satiating food on the planet and you will feel full all afternoon if you eat one for lunch.
- Make Dinner Simple – on the way home from work grab a rotisserie chicken from the store. When you get home remove the skin and peel all the meat off the bones. Toss the skin and bones out and just take the lean chicken meat and chop until its bite sizes. Serve it over a salad or some brown rice with a simple store bought tomato sauce or a low calorie salad dressing.
- NEVER FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT A HIGH PROTEIN SNACK – This list that follows is the BONUS. You should have this with you anywhere you go. I always have a little bag in my car or with me so that when I find myself in a pinch, hungry, and without a great option around, I can just have one of these.
- Kirkland Protein Bars or Quest Protein Bars – high fiber and 20 grams of protein each. Two of these together is very convenient meal replacement for me.
- EPIC BRAND – Baked Pork Rinds – Super high in protein, low in fat, and low in calories.
- Tuna Packets – these you simply peel and eat right out of the bag for nothing but protein. Bonus tip, if you can carry with you a couple of packets of hot sauce from a local restaurant then it will make these packets that much better.
- Shaker Bottle with 1-2 Scoops of Whey Protein – keep the powder dry and in the bottle. Then you just need some water and ice and you have a protein shake at any time.
- Low Fat String Cheese – this one I picked up from my kids. We always have these available for our kids when we are out and about and they actually make for a pretty filling little snack. I have about 3-4 of them with a large water and I can make it to the next solid meal.Or try my favorite, Just Meats.
Take the 50g Challenge
Can you eat 50g of protein for breakfast every day for a month? Sign up for the free challenge and see how good you can feel when you get an early start to protein for the day!
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