5 High-Protein, Low-Calorie, Ultra-Filling Breakfasts to Boost Weight Loss
An Evidence-Based Approach to Building an Elite Breakfast
Are you struggling with what to eat for breakfast? Finding it hard to hit your calorie and protein goals? You’re not alone. Many of my friends, family, and clients initially find breakfast challenging, especially when trying to lose weight and increase their protein intake. But here’s the good news: breakfast is actually a HUGE opportunity.
At breakfast, your willpower is high and your propensity for emotional eating is low.
It’s the easiest meal to automate, as most people naturally stick to just one or two go-to options.
A great breakfast can keep you full and energized until lunch.
You can crush your macros, getting 35 or more grams of protein with less than 400 calories.
Ultimately, breakfast is the perfect place to start taking your diet, fitness, and physique to elite levels. Let’s dive into some amazing breakfast ideas that will set you up for success!
Table of Contents
How to Use This Article
Knowledge is power. That’s why I’ve included a wealth of nutrition facts, all scaled to 100 grams of food. This allows you to customize each meal to meet your exact tastes and macros. It’s the best way to learn how to hit your individual calorie, fiber, and protein goals while making informed decisions about ingredients and portion sizes. However, this is an information-dense article. It is NOT light reading. I recommend bookmarking it and using it as a reference.
As you individualize each meal, your goals should be to:
Eat roughly 1/3 of your daily protein goal. This will reduce your hunger, help you recover from training, build and preserve muscle, and improve general health. Most people will do best with 30-45 grams of protein at breakfast. You can learn how to calculate your exact needs [HERE].
Have a substantial meal with well under 1/3 of your daily calories. We don’t want to eat a bird-sized portion because that will leave us ravenously hungry by mid-morning. Instead, we need to find a way to eat a big meal with fewer calories. Learn more about how and why this helps you lose weight [HERE].
Include loads of fruits, veggies, or whole grains. Their high fiber content will keep you feeling fuller for longer, and the slow-digesting carbs will provide a steady source of energy. This should make it easy to stay energized and avoid snacking until lunch.
Avoid junk food. Ensure your breakfast is healthy and nutritious to support your long-term health and fitness, while avoiding low-satiety calorie bombs.
Steer clear of high-calorie beverages. It’s hard to align a weight loss diet with a calorie-laden drink from Starbucks. I drink filtered coffee with milk.
Final Note: You don’t have to eat breakfast first thing in the morning. If you’re not hungry and weight loss is a goal, feel free to break your fast whenever you get hungry. I usually eat around three hours after getting up.
1. High-Protein Greek Yogurt with Fruits and Veggies
Macros: 375 calories, 38.5 grams of protein, 9.2 grams of fiber
Prep Time: 5 minutes or less. Can be prepared and stored overnight in a tupperware container and taken to work for a mid-morning breakfast.
Overview:
Nonfat Greek Yogurt with fruit toppings and a side of vegetable sticks is my go-to breakfast. Day in and day out, this is almost always how I get started. It’s absurdly healthy, ultra-filling, low-calorie, and high-protein. Plus, there are endless variations. You can mix and match the fruits, veggies, or even the yogurt flavor.
I have a big appetite and typically eat roughly 350 grams of skyr, topped with a diced apple and 300 grams of vegetable sticks. Macros: 375 calories, 38.5 grams of protein, 9.2 grams of fiber.
You can adjust to meet your appetite, protein goal, and taste. Here are some options:
Yogurt Options:
Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt: 59 calories, 10 grams protein per 100 grams
Skyr: 61 calories, 11 grams protein per 100 grams
Vanilla Skyr: 55 calories, 8.6 grams protein per 100 grams
Suggested Fruit Toppings:
Blueberries: 57 calories, 2.4 grams fiber per 100 grams
Raspberries: 52 calories, 6.5 grams fiber per 100 grams
Strawberries: 32 calories, 2 grams fiber per 100 grams
Blackberries: 43 calories, 5.3 grams fiber per 100 grams
Apple: 52 calories, 2.4 grams fiber per 100 grams
Vegetable Sides:
Carrots: 41 calories, 2.8 grams fiber per 100 grams
Cucumber: 15 calories, 0.5 grams fiber per 100 grams
Celery: 16 calories, 1.6 grams fiber per 100 grams
Red Bell Pepper: 28 calories, 1.2 grams fiber per 100 grams
Beverages:
Coffee, tea, or water. Skip the fruit juices and Starbucks calorie-bombs. (I drink 2 large cups of coffee with milk throughout the morning.)
Tips for Athletes:
Endurance Athletes: When training for an Ironman or other endurance events, I often switch the apple for a banana and add oats or granola to my skyr for extra carbs and calories.
Bodybuilding Athletes: When trying to gain weight, I like to add nuts and seeds. Chia seeds and almonds are my favorites – super healthy and calorie-rich.
2. Low Fat Cottage Cheese with Fruit and Veggies
Macros: 359 calories, 42 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fiber
Prep Time: 5 minutes or less. Can be prepared and stored overnight in a tupperware container and taken to work for a mid-morning breakfast.
Overview:
Cottage cheese with fresh fruit and a bowl of berries is my go-to alternative to yogurt. It’s quick to prepare, high in protein, super healthy, low in calories, customizable, and ultra-filling. Plus, it’s delicious!
My favorite portion includes roughly 350 grams of low-fat cottage cheese, topped with diced cantaloupe, and 300 grams of vegetable sticks. Macros: 359 calories, 42 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fiber.
Cottage Cheese Options:
Nonfat Cottage Cheese: 72 calories, 10 grams protein per 100 grams
1.5% Fat Cottage Cheese (my choice): 69 calories, 12 grams protein per 100 grams
Suggested Fruit Toppings:
Berries: See above
Cantaloupe: 34 calories, 0.9 grams fiber per 100 grams
Honeydew: 36 calories, 0.8 grams fiber per 100 grams
Peaches: 39 calories, 1.5 grams fiber per 100 grams
Nectarines: 44 calories, 1.7 grams fiber per 100 grams
Vegetable Sides:
See above
Beverages:
Coffee, tea, or water. Skip the fruit juices and Starbucks calorie-bombs. (I drink 2 large cups of coffee with milk throughout the morning.)
Tips for Athletes:
Endurance Athletes: When training for an Ironman or other endurance events, I often switch the cantaloupe for a banana and add granola for extra carbs and calories.
Bodybuilding Athletes: When trying to gain weight, I like to add nuts and seeds. Chia seeds and almonds are my favorites – super healthy and calorie-rich.
3. Protein-Packed Smoothie with Veggies
Macros: 359 calories, 36 grams of protein, 5.7 grams of fiber
Prep Time: 5 minutes or less
Overview:
Protein-packed smoothies are versatile, quick, and loaded with protein. Although liquid calories don’t keep you full as long, adding some raw veggies and fruit can help you stay fuller for longer. When I need to run out the door first thing, a super smoothie is my first choice. I’m not usually hungry first thing, so I take it with me along with a tupperware container of sliced veggies.
To get started, pick a base liquid, a protein powder, a favorite frozen fruit, and maybe some leafy greens (spinach has almost no flavor). Blend it up and see what you think.
My typical portion includes 1 serving of chocolate or vanilla whey with 350 ml of skimmed milk. I add a generous portion of frozen berries (blueberries are my favorite) and a handful of arugula (adds a nutty taste). I blend that all up, then add a side of 300 grams of veggies to make it more filling. Macros: 359 calories, 36 grams of protein, 5.7 grams of fiber.
Smoothie Base Ingredient Options:
Almond Milk: 17 calories, 0.6 grams of protein per 100 grams
Skimmed Milk: 34 calories, 3.4 grams of protein per 100 grams
Whole Milk: 61 calories, 3.2 grams of protein per 100 grams
Water: 0 calories
Coconut Water: 19 calories, 0.7 grams of protein per 100 grams
Soy Milk: 52 calories, 4.2 grams of protein per 100 grams
Oat Milk: 48 calories, 1.2 grams of protein per 100 grams
Note: These calories add up fast! One cup of whole milk weighs 240 grams and has 146 calories.
Protein Powder Options:
Whey Protein: 120 calories, 24 grams of protein per scoop
Plant-based Protein: 150 calories, 21 grams of protein per scoop
Vegetable Sides:
See above
Beverages:
Coffee, tea, or water. Skip the fruit juices and Starbucks calorie-bombs. (I drink 2 large cups of coffee with milk throughout the morning.)
Tips for Athletes:
Endurance Athletes: When training for an Ironman or other endurance events, I often add a banana and some chia seeds.
Bodybuilding Athletes: When trying to gain weight, try adding some nut butter or a bit of avocado (they sell frozen avocado cubes).
4. Veggie Egg-White Scramble
Macros: 360 calories, 33 grams of protein, 4.4 grams of fiber
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes, making it a perfect weekend breakfast for extra variety. You can also make a large batch on Sunday and save several servings in the fridge for a quick reheat.
Overview:
You can load your scramble with any of your favorite veggies or just whatever happens to be in the fridge. Here’s how I do mine when I have my favorite veggies handy. Sauté some diced yellow onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli florets in a bit of olive oil (a little olive oil goes a long way). Add in some halved cherry tomatoes and spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
After a couple of minutes, pour in your egg whites (a carton of egg whites is super convenient and less wasteful!). Make sure the eggs completely cover the pan. As the eggs cook, stir occasionally until done.
I like to mix 300 grams of egg whites (9 large egg whites), roughly 300 grams of veggies (you can put some on the side if you prefer), and a tablespoon of olive oil (so many calories!). Macros: 360 calories, 33 grams of protein, 4.4 grams of fiber.
Egg Options:
Whole Eggs: 155 calories, 13 grams protein, 373 mg cholesterol per 100 grams
Egg Whites: 52 calories, 11 grams protein, 0 mg cholesterol per 100 grams
Beverages:
Coffee, tea, or water. Skip the fruit juices and Starbucks calorie-bombs. (I drink 2 large cups of coffee with milk throughout the morning.)
Tips for Athletes:
Endurance Athletes: When training for an Ironman or other endurance events, I like to add a slice or two of Danish rye bread, lightly buttered, and maybe some feta cheese.
Bodybuilding Athletes: When trying to gain weight, I also go for the rye bread and feta cheese. So good!
5. Protein Pancakes with Berries
Macros: 398 calories, 37.3 grams of protein, 7.9 grams of fiber
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes, making it a perfect weekend breakfast for extra variety.
Overview:
Here’s a simple and delicious 3-ingredient recipe that even my kids love! Whisk together a scoop of protein powder and 3 egg whites in a large bowl. Mash up a banana and stir it in. Add a touch of milk if the batter is too thick.
Cook the batter on a pan using a bit of butter, cooking spray, or olive oil (a little goes a long way! You need to count those calories too).
I like to top mine with two tablespoons of vanilla skyr and a bunch of blueberries. To round out the meal and increase fiber, try adding a bowl of blueberries and raspberries (100 grams in total). Macros: 398 calories, 37.3 grams of protein, 7.9 grams of fiber.
Tips for Athletes:
Endurance Athletes: When training for an endurance event, you can try adding some extra fruit or a side of whole grain toast for additional carbs and calories.
Bodybuilding Athletes: When trying to gain weight, you can add some crushed nuts and seeds or even some nut butter.
Why It Matters: Final Thoughts
Study after study has shown that planning meals in advance and establishing routines is a diet superpower! It removes willpower and indecision from the equation and offers a scalable way to iteratively improve your diet. Just tackle one meal at a time.
Do you need to eat one of these breakfasts to succeed? Absolutely not. You can use the guidelines in this article to build your own killer breakfast. You can make egg white bites, a breakfast salad, egg white casseroles, a breakfast burrito, a turkey and egg breakfast sandwich, and more.
Would you like to work with me 1:1 to hit your weight loss and fitness goals? Consider my online coaching program. I’ve helped people just like you lose weight and keep it off. Check out my coaching offer with the link below.
