Here’s How to Eat 250 Grams of Protein a Day and Stay on Your Protein Intake Goal
Shopping for healthy foods isn’t cheap. And, if you’re on bulking and your diet includes a high protein diet, then it becomes more costlier. Similarly, another bigger challenge is to eat a big amount of protein-rich food on a daily basis. And, if you’re following a massive diet plan and have to consume anywhere 250 grams of lean protein a day, then it’s highly possible you might be wondering how to eat 250 grams of protein a day. Nonetheless, if you’re someone who has such a question, then keep reading, as we’re going to dig into this topic deeper.
One of the best ways is to start making weekly plans and look around for some grocery deals. When it’s about budgeting for food, make sure you’re visiting supermarkets, as through one grocery store, you will only find the best price for some of the food you’re looking for. For instance, chicken might be on sale, but you won’t find good deals on eggs if that shop is keeping. However, in malls and supermarkets, there’s a high chance that you’ll find deals on both the items and also on some others you might be looking to purchase.
Further, make sure you’ve made the lists of items you’re going to purchase and enter the mall, supermarket, or store with a proper plan. Prioritize the food you’ll be purchasing; for instance, first purchase protein sources, which are chicken, fish, and turkey, and then move to starches & vegetables and lastly fats. Similarly, if you’re on a tight budget, then make sure first you buy lean protein and then other sources like carbohydrates.
Have space in your diet plan for foods not on your list, as it helps keep your craving at a distance. Hence, avoid adding cheat foods to your grocery shopping list. But, at the same time, stay open to eating something you like once in a while as a reward, and don’t be overly strict about diet.
Follow Below Sample Meal Plan to Eat 250 Grams of Protein a Day
Here below is the sample meal plan that covers 250 grams of protein a day:
Meal 1:
- Whole Egg – 1
- Egg Whites – 1.5 Cup
- Oats – ¾ Cup
- Peanut Butter – 1.5 Tbsp
- Banana – 1
Meal 2, 3 & 4:
- Potato – 11.5 Oz
- Chicken – 5 Oz
- Olive Oil – 2 Tsp
- Green Beans – ½ Cup
Meal 5:
Meal 6:
- Brown Rice – 1.5 Cups
- Chicken – 5 Oz
- Olive Oil – 2 Tsp
- Green Beans – ½ Cup
Snacks:
- Banana – 1
- Peanut Butter – 1.5 Tbsp
- Whole Wheat Bread – 2 Slices
Simple to Follow 12 Tips to Reach 250 Grams of Protein a Day
Those who have decided to consume 250 grams of protein a day, make sure you go through these tips below:
1) Know the Sources of Protein
To consume 250 grams of protein, you’ll need to know which are the best sources for the macronutrient. For instance, some of the best protein sources are shellfish, fish, skinless turkey breast, skinless chicken breast, and egg whites. Hence, make sure you’re eating enough of these foods, as it’s some of the main sources of lean protein and are readily available.
2) Go for Carbs & Fat That Have High Protein
Choose to go with carbohydrates and fats that have a higher ratio of protein, like quinoa, kamut, teff, beans & legumes. It’ll make it easier for you to achieve your goal of consuming 250 grams of protein a day. Similarly, when it comes to fat, go with whole eggs, nuts, seeds, and cheese instead of butter.
3) Include Portion of Protein in Every Meals & Snacks
Whenever you take any meal or snack, make sure it has a good portion of protein in it. Ensure all your meals are built around protein, as it’ll make it easier for you to go for 250 grams of protein a day.
4) Have a Targeted Portion of Protein in Each Meal
One of the best ways is to make sure you keep a certain targeted amount of protein in each meal. It’ll help you to find out how much you’ll need to eat instead of reaching the end of the day and knowing you still need to complete your daily protein intake. For instance, divide the total of 250 grams of protein by the number of meals you’ll eat in a day.
5) Stay Planned
Keeping yourself pre-planned is best as it’ll help you know ahead of time how you’ll be able to hit 250 grams of protein a day. And, you’ll be sure how many meals and snacks you’ll need to reach your goal and at what time you’ll eat. For instance, if you stay planned, you’ll not have to worry about what you’ll be eating another day or what will be your next meal, as all your meals will be planned, and you’ll simply need to follow it.
Hitting 250 grams of protein a day doesn’t happen by mistake. It’s best if you tailor your diet and plan all your meals and snacks ahead of time so you can stay assured you aren’t eating anything out of it that doesn’t need to be included, nor you’re missing on your goal.
6) Shop Your Grocery Smartly
Once you step into a supermarket or grocery store to shop for your food, how do you know what you should be shopping for? For that, as mentioned above, make a proper plan before you decide to go shopping. Similarly, get used to buying different types of protein sources like fish, chicken, or high-protein dairy products like high-protein milk, Greek yogurt, and protein bars to make it convenient.
In addition, make sure you’re buying all those items that you can make without altering your schedule and time constraints. For instance, if you’ve got a busy week ahead, then you may need more time to prepare your food. Hence, you should stick to other options like pre-cooked chicken that can be ready by heating it for some time.
7) Increase Your Serving Size per Meal
If you’re already eating different sources of protein through meals, then you can reach your goal of eating 250 grams of protein a day by simply increasing the serving size of your meal. For instance, if you’re stuck with 200 grams of protein, then you need to increase your serving size of the meal by 25%, and it’ll reach 250 grams of protein.
8) Prioritize Snacks That Have High Protein
When you’ve questions like how to eat 250 grams of protein a day, then all your meals, including some snacks in between counts and, shouldn’t be taken lightly. Hence, you’ll need to give equal importance to all the snacks you eat in a day like you give to other meals. And you’ll need to go for snacks that have a higher ratio of protein as well. For instance, go for a protein bar or make your recipe for snacks that have high protein.
9) Get High-Quality Whey Protein
It’s not easy to consume 250 grams of protein daily from whole food, and you won’t even find it physically comfortable to eat it regularly. Hence, make sure you invest in high-quality whey protein powder. It’ll be easier for you to prepare, and you won’t even get bored, as you’ll get an opportunity to keep your taste buds fresh by choosing to go with flavors available in whey protein.
10) Make Different Recipes Using Whey Protein
You can use whey protein powder for making different types of recipes, and it’s not limited to only whey protein shakes. For instance, you can make some snacks or add to your oatmeal pancakes and even make smoothies out of it. Hence, go with one of your favorite flavored whey proteins and try experimenting with different types of recipes that you can prepare in minutes.
11) Track Overall Protein Intake
You can’t be 100% accurate that you’ve hit 250 grams of protein a day all the time. Hence, make sure you track all the food you eat. By tracking your protein intake that comes through food, you’ll be able to know how much protein you’ve consumed and whether to eat more or not.
12) Go for Your Protein
Whenever you eat your meal, prioritize to eat protein sources first and then move to other sources like starches. In addition, increased protein also reduces hunger hormones while increasing your metabolic rate after eating and even when you’re sleeping.
How Much Protein Should Be Coming From Whole Foods vs. Dietary Supplements
To avoid missing valuable micronutrients that are found in whole foods, make sure you only intake around 20 to 33% of your daily protein from dietary supplements like whey protein. Similarly, for whole foods, keep the ratio of around 65 to 80% for the daily protein requirement.
Hence, for the person who’s going for 250 grams of protein a day for them, roughly 50 to 83 grams of protein powder will do the work. In other words, you can go for 2 to 3 scoops of protein a day, as each scoop gives around 25 grams of protein. Also, it includes other protein sources of dietary supplements like protein bars.
Practical Recommendation on Eating 250 Grams of Protein a Day
For those who are experienced lifters and even competing for them, it might be familiar compared to those gym enthusiasts who just had a few years. Hence, if you’re someone new and just started calculating macros or bulking, it’s recommended that you figure out your ideal protein intake using free online tools like Macro Calculator and reach the level of eating 250 grams of protein.
In other words, 250 grams of protein means 1000 calories should be coming from protein. Your protein should be around 30% of your overall calorie intake, another 30% from fat, and 40% from carbohydrates. Hence, if you’re eating 125 grams of protein, then it’s not ideal nor recommended to start eating 250 grams of protein overnight.
Increase Slowly
Increase your protein intake slowly, such as adding 20 to 30 grams of protein into your diet every week. It means adding around 4 oz of lean meat. Continue to increase your protein intake in a manageable way until your goal of 250 grams of protein is achieved.
Have Goal of Progressing & Not Perfection
Always have a goal of progressing. You’ll face days where you might not be able to eat 250 grams of protein due to some circumstances, like a sudden office party or family gathering, and it’s alright. However, make sure that you’re consistent with the diet and not taking sudden breaks for months or years.
Wrapping Up
Protein is the building block of a healthy diet plan. However, consuming 250 grams of protein is a big goal, and it is only recommended or healthy for some. Hence, make sure that you’re eligible to consume that much protein in your diet, which you can figure out using free online tools such as Macro Calculator or even Daily Calorie Calculator.
Secondly, here we’ve given some quick tips on how to eat 250 grams of protein a day, which you can follow to achieve your goal if you’re already determined.
FAQs
Here below are some of the commonly asked questions among those who’re looking to eat 250 grams of protein a day:
Is It Safe to Consume 250 Grams of Protein Daily?
Safety is something that should be considered. However, if your doctor or any healthcare provider has specifically mentioned limiting protein intake, then you should avoid it. But, if you’re not having any health issues, then it’s perfectly fine to eat about 250 grams of protein, ensuring you’ve worked up for that much protein and not thought about it overnight.
Similarly, it’s recommended that you eat around 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight.
Can I Eat 250 Grams of Protein From One Source?
Yes, absolutely, you can consume your entire 250 grams of protein from one source like chicken breast. However, adding variety in protein sources will ensure you’re getting protein that has a different micronutrient profile.
Can I Eat 250 Grams of Protein in One Single Sitting?
It’s not recommended to eat 250 grams of protein in a single sitting as it can cause digestive distress.
How Many Calories Are 250 Grams of Protein?
1 gram of protein is 4 calories. Hence, 250 grams of protein equals 1000 calories.
