My Favourite High Protein Snacks As A Gym Girl

I’ve recently become a wannabe gym girl, so I’ve heard a thing or two about how much protein I need to be eating. It can all be very overwhelming and confusing at first, especially when you’re still trying to figure out your goals and how many grams of protein you should actually eat in a day to achieve those goals. 

I went into working out thinking I wanted bigger glutes like every other girl, which led me to believe I needed to eat 200 grams of protein every day, which is a lot. As I’ve progressed in the gym, that’s still a priority, but I’ve developed long-term goals as well. Moving forward, I want to get stronger so that when I’m 30, 40, and even 50, I have maintained an enhanced quality of life. 

Although I’m still trying to figure out the protein aspect, I do make it a priority to get protein in with each meal. That way, I’m fuelling myself properly so I can maximize my workouts, support my progress in the gym (for example, lifting heavier), and feel good and energized throughout the day. Throughout the last couple months, I’ve discovered a few tips and tricks to make this possible. These three foods have been the holy grail for me lately because they have elevated my favourite meals so that I’m getting at least 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal. The best part is, it’s been super easy to add these into my diet. 

1. Greek Yoghurt 

My go-to Greek yoghurt brand has to be Oikos. They have so many flavours (my personal favourites are vanilla, coconut, and strawberry-banana) and are the best everyday breakfast or mid-morning snack option no matter how busy you are. I often incorporate Greek yoghurt into my smoothies, oatmeal, or on its own in a high-protein yoghurt bowl and it easily adds 10 to 15 grams of protein to any meal. Add some nut butter or seeds and I have 25 grams of protein in my breakfast effortlessly. It also makes a great snack on the go, like on days when I’m going into the office, I bring yoghurt in a tupperware container topped with some fruit or berries of my choice. It really helps me stay focused for the whole morning since I feel full and satisfied. 

2. Cottage Cheese 

I’m sure we have all seen the craze on TikTok over this; if there was one food I could eat for the rest of my life and not get sick of, it would be this one. Not only is cottage cheese high in protein (half a cup is 100 calories and 13 grams of protein), but it’s a ridiculously easy option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. My personal favourite meals are avocado mixed with cottage cheese on toast topped with turkey slices with a side of boiled or scrambled eggs for breakfast (35 grams of protein), cottage cheese and cucumber on toast with everything bagel seasoning sprinkled on top for lunch, or sometimes I put a sweet twist on it. The most common way to eat it sweet is with strawberries and maple syrup, but I’ve also tried edible cottage cheese cookie dough which is surprisingly pretty good. 

3. Turkey Slices 

I will shout about this from the rooftops forever. Turkey slices pack in 11 grams of protein in only three slices, making them super easy to add them diced to your scrambled eggs, plopped on top of a piece of toast, or in a sandwich. I love this especially because it’s a super easy lunch option for busy days when I’m going to campus or the office. 

Having these easy staples has made it so much easier to stick to my gym goals, since they’ve just become a part of my routine I don’t even need to think about.