Protein, without the maths

You do not need to weigh food to eat enough protein. You need a rule you can apply while standing in front of a menu.

The rule

A serve of protein the size of your palm, at every meal you eat. Three meals, three palms. If you train hard or you are trying to hold muscle while losing fat, make one of those a double.

• —Chicken, beef, fish, eggs, tofu, tempeh — a palm each.
• —Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese — a cupped handful.
• —A shake counts, but it is a convenience, not a strategy.

That is roughly 1.6 g per kilogram of bodyweight for most people, which is where the research settles. You can arrive at the same number with an app and forty minutes a week. The palm is faster and you will actually keep doing it.

General information only — if you have a medical condition affecting protein intake, speak to your GP or an accredited practising dietitian.