'I Tried Eating Protein at Every Meal for 2 Weeks, and My Cravings Disappeared'

When it comes to nutrition, protein is king. This essential nutrient supports your overall well-being big time—and its benefits extend beyond building and preserving muscle. Protein promotes satiety, which helps you feel full for longer periods of time. In fact, research indicates that protein is the macronutrient most responsible for helping you feel full.

Hence, getting your fill of protein serves as a great way to reduce food cravings and manage weight. And that’s not all—protein also boosts immunity and supports strong, healthy bones. All of these checkmarks are crucial for maintaining an active lifestyle.

Because of its many extraordinary health benefits, I ate protein at every meal for two weeks. My goal was not to lose or manage my weight, but rather to eat healthier and avoid snacking. And guess what? My cravings completely disappeared. 

To back up for a moment: I’ve always been mindful about consuming healthy meals. My weakness is a sweet tooth. I cannot resist a batch of freshly-baked cookies or a gooey cinnamon roll. I’m active and consistent in hitting my daily step count. But I know that being healthy requires better eating habits, which equate to less snacking. So, I decided to make a conscious effort to tighten up my diet. It was time to minimize sweets and save them for an occasional treat rather than routine snacks—and prioritize protein instead.

By adding protein to each meal for two weeks, I was able to control what I ate and better manage my snacking habits. When 8 p.m. rolled around, and I was on the couch binge-watching my favorite show, I didn’t feel the urge to sneak into the pantry for goodies—and that’s a truly glorious thing. It was all because I added protein to each meal.

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Spreading Protein Evenly Throughout the Day

You may be wondering whether it’s beneficial to pack all of your protein into just one meal or spread it out. Dr. Karan Rajan, MBBs, surgeon and bestselling author of This May Save Your Life, compares protein intake to watering a plant, noting that small increments are best.

“Spreading protein intake across the day improves muscle protein synthesis, helps maintain stable energy and appetite control, and supports better blood sugar regulation,” explains Dr. Rajan.

So, that’s exactly what I did.

When it comes to the ideal amount of daily protein to strive for in your own diet, Dr. Rajan breaks things down. This is the formula to follow: body weight (kg) × a factor (g/kg) = daily protein target (g). The factor is dependent on your current activity level.

• Sedentary or low activity: ~1.0 g per kg body weight per day
• Moderate activity, meaning light exercise a few days per week: ~1.2 g/kg per day
• Endurance training or high activity: ~1.4 g/kg per day
• Intense strength training: ~1.6 g/kg per day
• Heavy training loads or elite athlete status: up to ~2.0 g/kg/day.

“It’s also important to note that not all proteins are created equally,” Dr. Rajan adds. “Ensuring varied sources of protein, including dairy, meat, mixed plants, etc., rather than relying on protein powder, is the best route to go for the best results.”

Related: Looking To Add More Protein to Your Diet? Skip the Burger and Consider These High-Protein Foods Instead

What I Ate While Eating Protein at Every Meal for 2 Weeks

Since navigating the grocery store without a solid game plan can be a total disaster, my first step was to plan meals. I listed out some of my favorite high-protein foods—like chicken breast, lentils and eggs—and based my meals around them. When treating myself to takeout, I made sure each one of my orders had a solid source of protein and healthy sides.

I definitely consider my lifestyle to fit into Dr. Rajan’s “moderate activity, meaning light exercise a few days per week” category, so I consumed roughly 58 grams of protein per day.

Breakfast

For breakfast, I emphasized high-protein foods like eggs, oats, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. 

Lunch

For lunch, I had some sort of protein bowl with a base of farro, brown rice or quinoa, topped with salmon or chicken, avocado, and roasted vegetables (like sweet potatoes and broccoli) and freshly tossed salads with rotisserie chicken. I also prepared a batch of turkey white bean chili for some days and a hearty lentil soup for others.

Dinner

For dinner, I focused on baked protein with a side of vegetables, or occasionally something like homemade sloppy joes with lean beef and roasted potatoes to switch things up. 

Since I enjoy meal prepping and sticking to my Italian roots, one week, I even made a couple trays of lightly breaded chicken cutlets to incorporate into meals.

I Had More Energy

When I made a conscious effort to prioritize protein in each meal, I could really tell the difference in how my body responded. I had much more energy to tackle daily tasks—compared to days that start with a carb-heavy breakfast, like cereal or a bagel with cream cheese, or whenever I dig into a heavy pasta dish for lunch. After carb-loaded meals, I usually feel weighed down.

“Sugar and carb cravings can stem from spikes and crashes in blood sugar, which happen when you eat refined carbohydrates in isolation. Your blood sugar rises quickly, then falls rapidly, which can lead to feeling hungry again, especially for sugar or carbs, which are the body’s preferred and quickest source of energy,” explains Lainey Younkin, MS, RD, Weight Loss Dietitian at Lainey Younkin Nutrition. “When you eat more protein, it not only releases hormones that boost satiety but also slows the rise of blood sugar, preventing spikes and crashes. This leads to steady energy and fewer cravings throughout the day.”

Related: I’m a Registered Dietitian—Here’s Every Single Thing I Do To Make Sure I Get Enough Protein

My Cravings Disappeared

I also found myself reaching for sugary snacks much less, because the fullness after each meal lasted. Since my focus was on all-around healthier meal habits, when I did want a little extra something, I opted for combos like veggies with hummus or Greek yogurt with berries (both of which are high-protein snacks).

This all makes perfect sense, as Dr. Rajan explains, “Higher protein intake tends to increase satiety, so you naturally eat less, reduce snacking and grazing, and lower calorie intake without deliberate restriction.”

Related: 10 Weird Ways Your Body Tells You That You Need More Protein, According to Registered Dietitians

Caveats

Meals packed with protein can absolutely be beneficial, but there are a few important things to keep in mind.

“Most of us can digest and use 15 to 30 grams of protein at regular intervals—less than that, and we have blood sugar satiety issues, much more (>40g), especially if we have suboptimal digestion (hormonal shifts, stress, fatigue and IBS can be factors), and it won’t be used,” explains Ashley Koff, RD, registered dietitian, founder of The Better Nutrition Program, and a USA Today bestseller of Your Best Shot: The Personalized System for Optimal Weight Health: GLP-1 Shot or Not.

In addition, the quality of protein matters. Protein is broken down into amino acids, known as the building blocks of your muscles, hair, hormones, enzymes, and more.

“If we have poor quality or insufficient diversity of aminos, these will suffer,” says Koff.

Consider preparing a burger from half meat, half chickpeas, then topping it off with grilled veggies and enjoying it in a lettuce wrap. Alternatively, whip up a burger or piece of fish with a side of baked fries or chickpea fritters. 

Another way to get your fill of protein—20 to 30 grams—is through liquids, such as a quality nutrition shake or bone broth pureed soup with hemp seeds and chickpeas.

“In the liquid form, there’s less digestive work so absorption happens easier—this is great when stressed or underslept,” explains Koff.

Takeaways

Overall, I believe this habit is sustainable because I genuinely enjoyed the meals in my rotation, rather than settling for something I didn’t like. Adding protein to each meal is something I see myself sticking with in the long-run. Not only did it boost my satiety and energy levels, but this habit also motivated me to incorporate even more healthy habits into my daily routine.

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Sources:

• Morell, P., & Fiszman, S. (2017). Revisiting the role of protein-induced satiation and satiety. Food Hydrocolloids, 68, 199–210.
• Dr. Karan Rajan, MBBs, Doctor, Health Educator, Bestselling Author of “This May Save Your Life,” and Founder & SEO at LOAM
• Lainey Younkin, MS, RD, Weight Loss Dietitian at Lainey Younkin Nutrition
• Ashley Koff, Registered Dietitian, Founder of The Better Nutrition Program, and a USA Today bestseller of Your Best Shot: The Personalized System for Optimal Weight Health: GLP-1 Shot or Not.