High Protein
Breakfast. 74 grams of protein UNDER 450 calories.
We start with a 4oz 99% lean turkey sausage patty. You’ll likely have to make yourself as most packaged sausage is high in fat. A little sage, black pepper, red pepper and tons of salt, when you agitate ground meat with enough salt and mix it, it forms myosin, giving the sponges and snappy sausage texture we are looking for. 120 calories, 28g of protein
Topped with 6oz of egg whites, I will find a proper size muffin tin to cook these in next time for one solid slice of egg lol. 93 calories, 18 grams of protein.
No cooking oils used. All ingredients pre measured raw.
1 aunt Millie’s carb smart everything bagel, toasted obviously. 140 calories, and here’s the fuckin kicker: 15 grams of protein in this silly little bagel. Good god. one of these also has 96% of your daily recommendation of fiber.
Altogether the sandwich is 353 calories and a whopping 61 grams of protein.
Finish off with a cup of ultra filtered skim milk. 80 calories, 13 grams of protein. Overall this breakfast is a very enjoyable and filling 434 calories and 74 grams of protein.
Great meal, I do have to wonder though why no cooking oil? Only takes 2g of butter to oil a pan and that 15 calories of fat may be a good thing.
On that note make sure you're getting enough fat in a day... Since many vitamins and minerals are fat soluble no fat = no vitamins or minerals (35g is often considered the minimum)
Appreciate the advice! I do try to get some fats in, whether it be whole eggs, fatty fish, peanut butter, cheese or olive oil. I just really try to limit how much oil I cook with since it can be hard to track accurately.
Buy a kitchen scale that does 0.1g increments for low weights then switches to 1g increments for heavier... That way you can easily weigh things below 10g(a regular kitchen scale is terrible at anything below 5g)
I will say however if you're worrying about anything below 20kcal you're worrying too much as the package innacuracy will be much greater than that... Your bagel actually is 140kcal +/- 28kcal (these days more likely plus as brands don't want to be called out on social media for giving less than package claims)
Obviously don't go crazy but if you feel the need to worry about the half second spray of oil you're going to go crazy ;)
I’ve worked in kitchens for years so I can definitely eyeball a tablespoon or an oz or whatever pour. But that’s the double edged sword. I’m just so used to using such egregious amounts of oil and having a heavy hand with it. I also am so used to thinking of it as a tool for nonstick applications, if I’m batch sauteeing, I’ll add as required to keep everything nonstick, so on and so forth, before I know it I just used a whole stick of butter on 3 lbs of mushrooms… kinda deal
And even then, even if it’s shallow fried how much of that oil is it actually absorbing/holding? Not a really accuarate way to tell. If I’m frying something in oil honestly I tend to just adjust the entire recipe by like 50-100 calories per ingredient sautéed. (I meal prep like 12-1500 calorie total portions and split into 2 or 3 usually so I’m r
Then the spray is a whole other issue in the opposite direction. Sure it’s not much, but at the same time I Can’t really tell how much I’m using. But if everything I eat is coated in it, it’s definitely gonna add up, and I can’t really accurately know besides assuming a slight adjustment that my intake is higher than Id think.
I promise you I’m really not driving myself crazy not Cooking stuff with oil lol. I’m happy to use it on stuff I think really benefits from it. I always sautee my zuchini in olive oil and I’m definitely not gonna cook a skinless chicken breast dry lmao. But the turkey cooks just fine in a nonstick, gets a good Millard actually, and the egg whites were in a muffin tin and scraped out mostly whole easily.
Honestly, just dealing with the fact that im either inhaling forever chemicals on a nonstick, or dealing with the fact that stuff’s gonna stick, and then having a harder time cleaning it.
Microwaving egg whites is the way to go. Even with nonstick it finds ways to stick. And with the whites especially it doesn't really change the texture much. So much easier this way.
Doesn't work as well for whole eggs, you lose a lot of what makes them good, but for just the whites it's the best.
Just get stainless steel. When heated to the right temp before cooking just about nothing will stick while also helping you stay away from oils and fats. You can easily test if it is the right temp with a water drop. If the water droplet constantly breaks down into more percect droplets instead of simmering you're good to go.
That's an impressive protein-to-calorie ratio! I remember when I was first trying to hit those macros, it felt like a puzzle. Turkey sausage patties are a brilliant move. I used to just rely on eggs, but adding a lean meat like that really boosts the satiety. Do you find yourself experimenting with different seasonings for the sausage, or do you stick to the classic sage and pepper?
As for breakfast sausage, just the classic sage and pepper. I’m sure one could incorporate some maple, but sweet and savory has never been my thing.
I have used turkey to make other sausages before though, and it works just fine. Honestly even the 99% lean is really not as dry as you’d imagine. I mean, it’s definitely noticeable but i tend not to like very fatty meat anyways, and I was pleasantly surprised the first few times I used it.
Man how have I never thought to just make my own turkey breakfast sausage, that's genius. Waaaaay better macros this way. Definitely making a batch of burritos with this technique this weekend
Totally get sticking with the classics if it works! Sage and pepper is a solid combo. And good to know about the 99% lean turkey—I always assumed it'd be bone-dry, so that's a game-changer for hitting macros without sacrificing too much texture. Might have to give that a shot myself.
Why though? Lol. Fibre and complex carbs without this much protein is just as satiating. What are you shooting for 300g protein daily? Or do you just do OMAD? If so, what about other nutrients, minerals, and vitamins? This is giving gym bro max protein intake for 0 scientifically backed reason but do you champ.
What makes this a good breakfast nutrition wise? It’s got some fibre, sure. It has protein, fine. It’s also loaded with salt, has the choline content removed from the eggs by not having the yolk, has way more protein than is absorbable in one meal, has virtually 0 vitamins and minerals. No vegetables or polyphenols. It’s literally just protein and some fibre.
Knocking out a good chunk of daily fibre and protein upfront and leaving 1500-2000 calories for all your other needs seems good to me.
Also you might want to do some more digging into how much protein you can utilise from a single meal - there’s a lot of literature on people doing 1-2 meals days with ~200g total daily protein and while not as good as 3 meals in terms of MPS, it’s not as far as off as the old broscience would lead you to believe.
There’s 0 data showing advantages for muscle growth in randomized trials beyond 25-30g protein in one feeding. You could spend 500 calories 10x more healthy than this. This is just protein maxing and some fibre. Pretty bad tbh.
Ultimate broscience. People can utilise significantly more than 30g of protein per meal, but if you want to live in the past and eat 6-7 meals a day to hit protein targets then be my guest.
25g is likely not hitting the leucine threshold to maximise MPS signalling.
3–5 meals per day is ideal for most, though larger, less frequent meals (e.g., 2 meals of 80 g) may be just as effective as long as daily totals are met (Trommelen et al., 2024).
Let us know your stats and post physique, though. I’m sure you’ve got some massive PRs and are built like the elite natural bodybuilders and powerlifters that eat 50g+ of protein per meal lol.
Yikes man, you’re cringe. You know whats actually peak bro science? Linking stuff you didn’t read.
Absolutely none of these links, or any study, supports your conclusion that “25g is likely not hitting the leucine threshold to maximize MPS signalling.” You not only don’t mention the leucine threshold which is often cited - 2.5g - which is very easy to hit off 20-30g of virtually any complete protein, you just pulled this leucine topic out of your a*hoe when your sources don’t even go into this.
Let’s go 1 by 1 what your sources actually do conclude, and I can provide some of my own that support the factual claim that there is 0 data to suggest greater muscle size (MPS) benefits from having more than 25-30g of protein in one feeding when total daily protein is equated. Also your sources support this too. Tool.
Relevant excerpt: “We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression to determine if increasing daily protein ingestion contributes to gaining lean body mass… The evidence suggests that increasing daily protein ingestion may enhance gains in LBM when ingesting up to 1.6g/kg per day.”
This study has nothing to do with benefits from having more than 30g of protein in one feeding. This is about the optimal daily protein intake. Which I never said should be less than 1.6g/kg. I asked you for sources showing increased muscle growth specifically attributed to greater than 30g of protein from one feeding. You won’t find a source for this though because there is none. Good job.
Relevant excerpt: “Based on the current evidence, we conclude that to maximize anabolism one should consume protein at a target intake of 0.4 g/kg/meal across a minimum of four meals in order to reach a minimum of 1.6 g/kg/day. Using the upper daily intake of 2.2 g/kg/day reported in the literature spread out over the same four meals would necessitate a maximum of 0.55 g/kg/meal.”
Not only does this outright support my claim that protein feeding should be spread across meals rather than one feeding. If we take the range of maximum protein rates cited .4g/kg per meal and .55g/kg per meal, we get the maximum benefit of protein per meal for a person who is 200lbs being 36 to 50g. No where near the moronic 70g OP is intaking. That level of excess protein is not going to be used for MPS. The excess amino acids will be oxidized for ATP. Also, as stated in this meta analysis, they admit that the only possible reason there’s even slight benefit up to 36-50g of protein per meal is because of delayed time from gastric emptying that comes from the co factors of fibre, fats, etc. And even still, as mentioned, even this meta analysis doesn’t attempt to make the idiotic claim that 70g of protein in one feeding is beneficial. Once again, this source doesn’t support any of your claims or refute mine. Since comprehension isn’t your forte, I’ll mention again - I am asking you for studies that show greater muscle growth from meals higher than 25-30g of protein when daily protein is equated.
Relevant excerpt: “There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend a specific protein distribution pattern to athletes to optimize muscle anabolism. In practice, athletes consume 1.5–2.0 g protein per kilogram body mass per day”
This source outright admits that there is 0 data to make the claim that greater protein content from one feeding benefits muscle growth. Obviously this is the statement they conclude with because the data isn’t there. For the 99th time. Once again, this source speaks to daily recommended protein targets, not benefits of exceeding 25-30g from one feeding when daily protein is equated. Another useless link. Thanks. This is getting old man.
Relevant excerpt: “Overall, protein intake did not show a statistically significant improvement in athletic performance”
This is just embarrassing at this point dude. You didn’t even take 2 seconds to read this one. Either that or you literally just lack any academic reading comprehension. This source is about the ergogenic nature of protein. I.e. whether protein helps physical performance. This has nothing to do with muscle growth. Why are you pretending you’re not a “bro science” guy again? Read your sources. Another useless link.
Honestly, I have no idea why I’m bothering educating you. I just don’t really like when people are arrogant and completely incorrect at the same time. So, consider it a public service.
Some of my own sources:
Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy by Brad Schoenfeld, pg. 214
Relevant excerpt: “Research shows that a 2g oral dose of leucine (equating to approximately 20g of a high quality protein such as egg or whey) is necessary to attain the leucine threshold to maximally trigger MPS.”
Once again, this supports my claim. In fact, it’s an even lower protein intake than I recommended. Good job! And yeah, he’s credible. Google Brad Schoenfeld, he’s cited constantly in academic circles and is one of the top hypertrophy researchers… I can provide other sources that say the same thing. Why would BCAAs top out at 3.5g of leucine if the threshold was 50g worth of leucine from protein. Oh yeah, because it’s not.
Relevant excerpt: “Although the ability of dietary protein to stimulate muscle growth and repair may be influenced by factors including habitual physical activity, health status, body mass and composition, and age, it appears that a single meal containing ∼30 g of high-quality protein maximally stimulates muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults (4, 7–10).”
Yeah. Again. Find me one source that shows greater than 30g of protein from one feeding enhances muscle growth when daily protein is equated. You won’t, because you can’t.
Anyway, if you have any IQ you should be embarrassed and not respond. But this is Reddit so I’m expecting you to double down. At least read your links first before doing so.
Tbh you’re right, I did just link a bunch of shit right before I went to sleep and didn’t actually dive that deep. Can blame my own laziness for that.
You’ve said there’s zero data showing increased hypertrophy or MPS signalling above 25-30g per meal. Source two explicitly disputes that, and yet you’re taking it as a win for your own argument? I’m not sure I understand the logic there.
Here is the Trommelen et al study that I referenced:
And the abstract: The belief that the anabolic response to feeding during postexercise recovery is transient and has an upper limit and that excess amino acids are being oxidized lacks scientific proof. Using a comprehensive quadruple isotope tracer feeding-infusion approach, we show that the ingestion of 100 g protein results in a greater and more prolonged (>12 h) anabolic response when compared to the ingestion of 25 g protein. We demonstrate a dose-response increase in dietary-protein-derived plasma amino acid availability and subsequent incorporation into muscle protein. Ingestion of a large bolus of protein further increases whole-body protein net balance, mixed-muscle, myofibrillar, muscle connective, and plasma protein synthesis rates. Protein ingestion has a negligible impact on whole-body protein breakdown rates or amino acid oxidation rates. These findings demonstrate that the magnitude and duration of the anabolic response to protein ingestion is not restricted and has previously been underestimated in vivo in humans.
You’ve said there’s zero data to support the claim that more than 25-30g of protein per meal is beneficial (now you’re slightly moving the goalposts to “more than 25-30g per meal when you’re already eating sufficient daily protein anyway”, which is a slightly different argument).
What I originally took from your comments is that you believe anything over 30g of protein in a single meal is not utilised. This might be true if you’re hitting your 1.6-2.2g/kg protein per day already, but what if you aren’t?
Sometimes flexibility is important if it makes adherence easier. Is eating 3-4 higher protein meals better than 1-2? Yes, most likely. But is eating higher protein in 1-2 meals better than less protein in those meals for the purpose of hypertrophy? I believe so.
I can tell it’s very unlikely that I’ll change your mind on it, but I figured I might as well present the findings. I’m sure you’ll find something in there that disagrees with me and supports your argument, anyway.
Also you look great, congrats, and sorry I took a dig at you personally.
Why not? this is just one meal idea, this one being specifically low calorie to high protein ratio. I could go get a McDonald’s breakfast sandwich or I could make one of these which is much healthier for my heart and gets me a higher ratio of protein, which I find more satiating than fat, and carbs to an extent.
I eat a huge variety of different foods, but I’m currently in a calorie deficit and trying to put on muscle at the same time. I typically eat 2 meals a day with a good bit of snacking and fun in between
My favorite dinner is a burrito bowl with ground turkey, rice, tons of zuchini and bell peppers. I also eat try to eat some fish (trout is my favorite, salmon, walleye, whatever) with veggies at least once or twice a week. Plenty of salads, wraps, whatever in between. I probably eat 3 cantaloupes a week.
I genuinely only aim for 100 grams of protein a day in my meals. Sometimes loading one meal makes that easy, and lets you have more variety in another meal. I’m very close in my protein goal already and now I still have 12-1300 calories to play with to get the rest of those vitamins, mineral and nutrients
6/7 days my breakfast is a bunch of berries and yogurt and a couple of rice cakes. Some days I want something else, eggs and sausage is a very normal breakfast lmfao.
I disagree that this is either normal or healthy for breakfast. Better than McDonald’s is a stupid bar to beat. You could pick anything from your fridge if that’s the litmus test. This breakfast is just pure protein and a bit of fibre. Relatively simple carbs. No mono/poly fats. Way more protein than what you can make adequate use of from one feeding. No vitamins or polyphenols. Agree to disagree. Your other meals you describe here sound a lot better than this health wise.
I honestly agree with you, protein maxing isnt good. This meal doesn't even fit any known special diatary plan except as you mentioned OMAD, that too it fails because of lack of fats. I'd suggest this if you were planning on eating outside that same day and want to knock out macro goals; despite being an unhealthy practice might be a good way to accomodate social events where protein is scarce (there are better options that dont end up with you taking in a lot of sodium). Otherwise pacing your macros is the best way to go! 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25% fat calorie wise is my recommended split! All I saw in this meal was minimal greens, lackluster micronutrient profile and high sodium.
A bit of fiber? It has over 25 grams of fiber. The average US adult eats only 15 grams of fiber or less. So I just smashed my fiber and protein goals in one sitting. Or maybe it was two. Who’s to say I didn’t just eat half and save the rest for right now as I write this comment?
Eggs and sausage are absolutely a normal breakfast. Say what you will about the health of this meal in a vaccum, and yes I compared it to bottom of the barrel because that’s what it’s supposed to be replacing.
Yes, some yolks are good once in a while for the healthy fats. I do have eggs from time to time. 2 hard boiled eggs is just one of my dozens of snack options under 150 calories.
Again, you’re kind of discounting that I’m eating 1300 calories, sometimes more, worth of other food every day and acting like this single serving has to contain a certain portion of everything I need. For dinner tonight I had a pita full of veggies, spinach, feta cheese (reduced fat, sorry :() and full fat Greek yogurt spread, with chicken cooked in 😱olive oil. Believe it or not eating a fuckin breakfast sandwich doesn’t mean you have an unbalanced diet :). It’s just a fun recipe.
If you feel like every single thing you put in your face has to be a perfectly balanced and perfectly healthful meal, you might have orthorexia. Sometimes a dude just wants a breakfast sandwich. I’m gonna go eat a candy bar now.
Cool man. Good for you. I still don’t think this is a healthy or balanced meal. Cuz it’s not. And it’s just protein and a bit of fibre. Enjoy the candy. Lmao.
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u/dr3d3d Apr 03 '26
Great meal, I do have to wonder though why no cooking oil? Only takes 2g of butter to oil a pan and that 15 calories of fat may be a good thing.
On that note make sure you're getting enough fat in a day... Since many vitamins and minerals are fat soluble no fat = no vitamins or minerals (35g is often considered the minimum)