Short answer
Build breakfast around 30 to 40 grams of protein, then add fruit, vegetables or whole grains. Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, smoked salmon or leftover chicken all get you there. A sugary muffin with a double-double does not, and by mid-morning you feel it.
By Dai Manuel, CrossFit L2, HYROX L2, Precision Nutrition, NeuroChange Practitioner. Last reviewed 26 September 2026.
Healthy adults. Adjust for allergies and medical diets.
Most men eat little protein early and a lot at dinner. Moving it forward evens out the day and makes the whole target easier to hit. In episode 113 I talk about the mid-morning crash that follows a sugar-heavy start.
Episode · jump to 16:48
Chapter 6: The Art of Mindful Eating: A Dialogue with Kathy Smart
I think we've all had that sort of moment, right, but that's what she strives for, which I think is something we can all strive for when we're in the kitchen. Just as I encourage people to find and exercise they love to do, kathy stresses that we need to find healthy foods that we love to eat and to make it delicious. It's that simple. I think there is a preconceived notion of people thinking that healthy food is gross. Kathy explains. So she makes sure she gives people healthy choices that taste good to them. Specifically, honor their palate. So if they have a more savory palate, obviously give them more savory, and if it's more sweet, then give them healthier sweet choices, because as humans, we're always going to gravitate to things we like. So what's your palate like?
Episode · jump to 0:08
Why Starting Your Day with One of the 7 Best Breakfast Proteins Will Change Your Life
Hey there, my 2% Collective Wellness Warriors. Your host back again. Dai Manuel is bringing you another episode of the 2% Solution. Today we're discussing starting your day with high-protein breakfast, so let's get ready to fuel our day in the best way possible. I remember way back when this is going way back, but at the ripe old age of 15 years old. You know this is like over 30 years ago but when I was at my largest, you know, I was morbidly obese, bmi in the 40s, extremely sedentary, very unhealthy, and I decided to make some changes. I won't go into all the details today, but I did share this story in an earlier episode.
Episode · jump to 6:56
Why Starting Your Day with One of the 7 Best Breakfast Proteins Will Change Your Life
You know people presume that if I take some protein powder and I mix it in my smoothie, I'm going to get just shredded and be all muscular and I'm like, uh, no, while protein it's crucial for muscle building you also got a couple of with regular strength training exercises to see the muscle growth. All right. Just eating protein alone is not going to build muscle. It's definitely great, it's part of the building blocks that help do that, but the training is actually what stimulates that muscle growth and creates that evolutionary response in us where our body has to adapt to the stresses that we're putting in under. More on that in a future episode. For sure, I've had some past episodes where I've talked about this. But realize this if you're someone that believes if you eat too much protein you're going to get big and bulky, I hate to break the bubble. It's not going to Okay.
Episode · jump to 1:46
Why Starting Your Day with One of the 7 Best Breakfast Proteins Will Change Your Life
But I want you to experience that too. So today let's dive into a little bit of why you know it's so impactful to increase our protein intake on the day-to-day, but also uncover the magic behind a variety of high-protein foods. In fact, there was a great article that came out as recently a bunch of dieticians got together and they basically debated and discussed what they felt were the seven best high protein foods to eat for breakfast. So we're going to get into that. So protein in the morning it's not just a trend, it is a game changer. It's the foundation for your muscles, keep you satiated and satisfied longer, while also significantly boosting your metabolism. And here's the best part, it's not just for fitness enthusiasts as much, as we can pick up pretty much any health magazine on the shelf and it'll say something about protein.
Episode · jump to 18:12
Chapter 6: The Art of Mindful Eating: A Dialogue with Kathy Smart
For anyone who suffers from a mid-morning slump or afternoon cravings, this advice is significant If you're having cravings or even late-night dinges. Look at your breakfast. This relates to the GI rating of the foods you eat. When you have protein first thing in the morning, it helps you to stabilize your blood sugar for the whole day. This will have a domino effect and will set you up to succeed. To make the success truly sustainable and enjoyable, pick a high protein or low GI food that you really like, she advises, such as steel cut oats, smoked salmon or zesty omelettes. Going for a couple of pieces of toast and orange juice at breakfast will spike your blood sugar, and what goes up must come down, kathy reminds us. When it comes down, you start to crave sugar and carbohydrates and so you're up and down all day and therefore you get moody Foods and Moods.
Episode · jump to 22:22
Breaking Free from Diet Culture: Lisa Franz's Journey to Nutritional Enlightenment
I don't get the blood sugar spikes and dips, you know. So I appreciate that. Now I know there is a big question and everyone sort of thinks, well, how much there is? such a debate around this. Lisa, I want to hear your thoughts on that. All right, so how much protein, especially on a per day basis? Like what should we be shooting for? And, of course, you can give them a range. I think that's even better than a like, a formula we got to memorize right. Well, I would say, if you're really, if you're pretty, pretty new to nutrition and you're just trying to clean your diet up a little bit, I would say something as simple as in like if you're a female, something like a palm sized portion of a protein in terms of you, you know, chicken or eggs or so that's a good start for a meal. Definitely a full handful or two palm-sized portions or so.
Episode · jump to 0:05
Protein: Elevate Your Health with the Building Blocks of Life
Hey there, fit Fam, welcome back to your weekly dose of the 2% Solution Podcast. It's Tit Friyay and we're about to unravel the mysteries of the mighty macronutrient that has more drama than a reality TV show. Yup, you guessed it we're talking all about protein. Picture this a world where chicken isn't just for clucking and eggs aren't just for Easter. Hey folks, protein is the unsung hero of your plate and today we're singing his praises, myth-busting like ghostbusters and giving you the skinny on getting well, not so skinny. First let's tackle protein. Myth number one High protein diets are a one-way ticket to Kidneyville. Spoiler alert if you've got a pair of healthy kidneys, they can handle the protein party. All nutrition researchers looked high and low and found zilch evidence of the high protein horror show on your kidneys.
Episode · jump to 11:10
Debunking the Protein Myths: The Truth About How Much and What Type of Proteins are Best for You
If you keep that protein intake included with all the meals, so you have a little bit of protein every time you're eating something, you're going to find it's going to keep you satiated, you're going to make better decisions and you're just going to feel better. Now got to bust some myths here now, because before we wrap up, if I didn't address those myths, I'd be doing you a disservice. First, the idea that you can absorb only 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal is a bit of a misconception. Your body's really smart. It can adapt and utilize more protein over a longer period, especially when you're active. So don stress if you're eating a big protein-rich meal, your body's got you covered. Another myth that plant-based diets can't provide enough protein.
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Ask: What should I eat for breakfast?The Whole Life Fitness worksheets: the baseline tracker, the four anchors, the week zero protocol and the cheat sheet. Free, no catch.