Registered dietitian Rachael DeVaux grew up on the basketball court and soccer field, and realized early on that what you eat shows up in how you perform.
The biggest muscle-building lesson she learned? Protein makes a big impact.
“I’ve really found a huge difference in when I focus on protein as the anchor of my plate and then layering in those fiber-rich veggies, those healthy fats, those complex carbs,” DeVaux, author of “The High-Protein Plate: 100 Satisfying Everyday Recipes,” told Business Insider.
DeVaux, who strength and resistance-trains about 3 to 4 times a week, aims to reach about 100 grams of protein a day — the same benchmark she generally gives her clients because “people highly undereat protein.”
General guidance is to eat 0.5 to 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, depending on your muscle-building or fat-loss goals. So if you’re 150 pounds, that’s about 25 to 35 grams of protein per meal if you’re eating three meals a day.
Sometimes, DeVaux surpasses her 100 grams. Other days, she doesn’t reach it, but she said the goal helps her stay on track without stressing out too much.
“It’s nothing too extreme, and I don’t obsessively track my protein intake,” she said. “But I do feel the difference in my energy and recovery when I make that a priority.”
DeVaux shared what she typically eats on a workout day to ensure she meets her protein targets.
She maximizes protein in her overnight oats
DeVaux usually has breakfast before one of her morning workouts. “I really love to prep overnight oats in the fridge,” she said, “which will give me about 35 grams of protein.”
One of her favorite go-to recipes is honey-blackberry overnight oats, which includes gluten-free protein oats, almond milk, protein powder, almond butter, Greek yogurt, and toppings like frozen blackberries, nuts, and chia seeds for extra protein and fiber.
Her recovery lunch includes a protein smoothie and eggs
After her workout, she has a protein-packed recovery meal.
“I’ll have a protein smoothie and usually with two eggs and beef sausage on the side,” she said.
DeVaux changes up her smoothie flavors, from “pumpkin pie” to “strawberry shortcake,” by using different protein powder flavors. She also adds ingredients like collagen peptides, ground flaxseed, nut butter, and granola for little protein boosts.
She snacks on meat sticks for quick protein
Depending on the workout, DeVaux sometimes gets hungry between lunch and dinner.
When that’s the case, “I’ll have a Chomps meat stick, which is going to give me 10 grams of protein,” she said.
The meat sticks also have zero sugars and few to no carbs, making them a lower-calorie option for squeezing in more protein.
Dinners rotate, but always center on protein
For DeVaux and her family, dinners vary, but always include ample protein.
“Protein should be the center of the dish,” DeVaux said. “It’s not just for aesthetic purposes and building muscle mass — there’s so much more that goes with protein and your metabolic health.” What DeVaux is referring to is just how much protein slows digestion and helps regulate hunger hormones, which can reduce cravings and overeating.
Some of her favorite dinner recipes include a ginger-garlic turkey skillet, air-fryer salmon bites, Korean beef with glass noodles, salsa verde shrimp and rice, brothy beans, and tofu and quinoa power bowls.
“Tonight, we’re planning to have tacos,” she said. “So I’ll do grass-fed beef with taco seasoning and tortillas with sautéed onions and peppers on the side, and that’ll get to my goal.”
She sneaks protein into her desserts, getting up to 21 extra grams
DeVaux loves using dessert as a vehicle for a little extra protein.
She sometimes adds protein powder or cottage cheese to her desserts, like a chocolate-coconut-caramel tart (16 grams), a protein mug cake (20 grams), and strawberry cheesecake pudding (21 grams).
“I really believe that people should enjoy their diet,” she said. “There’s a variety of different things that will kind of hit any craving that you have.”
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