I’ve been coaching people for a long time now, and there are a few things that come up over and over again.
“I just need to eat less.”
“I know what I should be doing.”
“I don’t think I eat that badly.”
And then, somewhere during our first couple of weeks together, we look at what they’re actually eating.
Almost every time, there’s one thing missing.
Protein.
Not because they’re doing anything wrong.
Not because they don’t care.
Simply because nobody has ever shown them what “enough” actually looks like.
Most people can tell me how many coffees they drink every day. They know how many glasses of wine they had on the weekend.
Ask them how much protein they eat?
Blank stare.
The funny thing is that protein isn’t just important if you’re trying to build muscle. In fact, I’d argue it’s even more important if your goal is to lose weight.
We don’t actually want you to lose weight
I know that sounds strange coming from a coach.
But think about it.
If you lose 10kg, I don’t really care that you’ve lost 10kg.
I care what the 10kg was.
Was it body fat?
Or did you lose muscle along with it?
Because muscle is incredibly valuable.
It helps keep you strong.
It helps you stay independent as you get older.
It gives your body shape.
And despite what Instagram tells you, it’s one of the biggest things that separates someone who has “dieted” from someone who actually looks healthy and athletic.
Eating enough protein helps protect that muscle while you’re in a calorie deficit.
That’s exactly what we want.
Protein makes dieting easier
Anyone can white-knuckle their way through being hungry for a week.
Almost nobody can do it for six months.
Protein helps because it’s incredibly filling.
Think about eating 500 calories worth of chicken breast versus 500 calories worth of biscuits.
Technically they’re the same calories.
But we all know which one is going to leave you rummaging through the pantry an hour later.
When you’re fuller, you snack less.
When you snack less, staying in a calorie deficit becomes much easier.
It’s not magic.
It’s just making the right choice the easier choice.
So how much protein do you actually need?
There’s no perfect number.
There doesn’t need to be.
For most people trying to lose body fat while keeping their muscle, aiming for around 1.6-2.2g of protein per kilogram of goal body weight is a really good place to start.
Don’t get caught chasing perfection.
If you’re currently eating 70g per day and we can consistently get you to 120g, that’s a massive win.
Progress beats perfection every single time.
Here’s how I’d make it easier
Don’t think about hitting 140g of protein.
Think about eating a serve of protein four times throughout the day.
Breakfast.
Lunch.
Dinner.
A snack.
Suddenly it feels much more manageable.
Build your meals around protein
Instead of asking:
“What am I having for dinner?”
Ask:
“Where’s my protein coming from?”
Chicken.
Greek yoghurt.
Eggs.
Fish.
Lean beef.
Tofu.
Protein powder if life gets busy.
Once you’ve answered that question, the rest of the meal tends to fall into place.
You don’t have to get it perfect
One of the biggest mistakes people make is waiting until Monday.
Or waiting until they know exactly what to eat.
Or waiting until they’ve downloaded another nutrition app.
Instead, just make your next meal a little better than your last one.
That’s how people actually change.
Not because they found the perfect diet.
Because they repeated enough small good decisions that they became habits.
At The Performance Hub, we spend far less time giving people meal plans than we do teaching them skills like this.
Because anyone can follow a plan for two weeks.
Learning how to eat well for the next twenty years?
That’s what really changes your life.
How about support that makes it easier?
Understanding protein is one thing. Applying it consistently is another.
At The Hub we don’t just tell you what to eat—we help you:
- Set realistic protein targets for your body and goals
- Build meals that fit your schedule and preferences
- Stay consistent without tracking stress or extremes
If weight loss has felt confusing, frustrating, or harder than it should be, it’s probably not an effort problem – it’s a strategy and support problem.
