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6 high-protein breakfast ideas to kick-start your weight loss in 2024

Start your day (and 2024) off right

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Egg round
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Starting your day with high-protein breakfast items can be a great way to support your weight loss and other health goals. In many ways, your first few actions in the morning can determine how the rest of your day looks, so why not have a game plan for a tasty, nutritious breakfast?

Keep reading to discover simple and delicious high-protein breakfast ideas to help you start your morning right and boost your weight loss efforts for 2024.

Protein powder
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How does protein promote weight loss?

Protein is the most helpful macronutrient for weight loss, and typically, the more protein you eat, the easier your weight loss journey will be.

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Your body has to use energy and, therefore, burn calories in order to digest food. The body burns the most calories when digesting protein in comparison to carbohydrates and fat. Approximately 20-30% of total calories are burned; this means for every 100 calories of protein you consume, 20 to 30 calories are used for energy during digestion.

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Protein is also the most satiating macronutrient. Eating foods that make you feel more full can help discourage overeating. In order to lose weight, it is essential that you are in a caloric deficit. This means that you have to consistently eat 250 to 500 calories less than your maintenance calories. Maintenance calories are the number of calories required to allow you to maintain your current weight.

Additionally, the more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism is. Protein is required for the building and maintenance of muscle mass. Therefore, the more protein you eat to contribute to muscle mass, the more calories your body burns at rest, which also supports weight loss.

Scrambled eggs.
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How much protein should you eat at breakfast?

Everyone is different, and factors like gender, age, weight, and health goals play a role in how much you should eat of anything. Generally, someone who wants to lose weight should aim for high-protein breakfast meals that contain 20 to 35 grams of protein.

This is a good rule of thumb for all meals and snacks you eat throughout the day. Spacing out your protein intake allows your body to absorb it more efficiently and keeps you feeling full more effectively as well.

A close-up of a bowl of oatmeal with banana slices, blueberries, and seeds on a table.
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6 tasty high-protein breakfasts for weight loss

Protein oatmeal

Nutrition facts

Calories: 397

Protein: 33g

Fat: 10g

Carbohydrates: 39g

Ingredients

  • 40 grams of oats
  • 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
  • 1 cup of almond milk
  • ½ cup of blueberries
  • ⅛ cup of sliced almonds
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Heat almond milk on a stove over high heat. 
  2. Once the almond milk starts to boil, add in the oats.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, and stir until you have achieved the desired consistency.
  4. Pour the oats into a bowl and mix in the protein powder and vanilla extract.
  5. Top with blueberries and sliced almonds.

Banana and berry smoothie

Berry smoothie

Nutrition facts

Calories: 364

Protein: 30g

Fat: 19g

Carbohydrates: 28g

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of frozen mixed berries
  • ½ cup of almond milk
  • 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
  • ½ avocado 
  • 1 tablespoon of chia seeds

Instructions

  1. In a blender, combine the ingredients.
  2. Blend until the smoothie has achieved the desired consistency, and enjoy.

Omelette stuffed with spinach and cheese for a breakfast.

Egg white omelet

Nutrition facts

Calories: 242

Protein: 22g

Fat: 14g

Carbohydrates: 4g

Ingredients

  • 4 egg whites
  • ½ cup of spinach
  • ¼ cup of bell peppers
  • ¼ cup of mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • Desired spices

Instructions

  1. Heat pan over medium heat, and add olive oil.
  2. Chop the spinach, bell peppers, and mushrooms, and add the mixture to the pan.
  3. Cook the veggies for a few minutes until soft.
  4. Add desired spices to the egg whites and pour on top of the veggies.
  5. Wait until the bottom of the omelet is slightly browned before folding it.
  6. Flip the omelet one last time and remove it from the pan.

Serving egg bites garnished with fresh chives on a white plate.

Egg bites

Nutrition facts

Calories: 292

Protein: 29g

Fat: 18g

Carbohydrates: 3g

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup of shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
  • 2 ounces of cooked ground turkey
  • ½ cup of chopped spinach 
  • Desired spices

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Grease a muffin tin.
  3. In a bowl, combine the eggs, cooked ground turkey, chopped spinach, and desired spices.
  4. Evenly pour the mixture into the pockets of the muffin tin.
  5. Bake the egg bites for 20 minutes or until fully cooked, and enjoy.

Plain protein pancakes on a plate made with eggs, oats and quark

Protein pancakes

Nutrition facts

Calories: 278

Protein: 32g

Fat: 6g

Carbohydrates: 24g

Ingredients

  • 1 scoop of protein powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk
  • ½ teaspoon of baking powder
  • ½ tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • ½ cup of chopped strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon of agave syrup

Instructions

  1. Heat a pan over medium heat, and grease the pan.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the protein powder, eggs, almond milk, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
  3. Pour the batter into the pan in amounts depending on your desired number of pancakes.
  4. Flip the pancakes when one side is slightly brown.
  5. Place the pancakes on a plate and top with chopped strawberries and agave syrup.

Tasty avocado toasts on wooden board

Chicken sausage and avocado toast

Nutrition facts

Calories: 303

Protein: 20g

Fat: 16g

Carbohydrates: 22g

Ingredients

  • 1 slice whole grain bread
  • ⅓ of an avocado
  • Everything but the bagel seasoning as desired
  • ¼ cup of sprouts 
  • 1 chicken sausage

Instructions

  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add in chopped chicken sausage.
  2. Toast the slice of whole grain bread.
  3. Top the toast with avocado, everything but the bagel seasoning, and sprouts.
  4. Serve with chicken sausage on the side.

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Christine VanDoren
Christine VanDoren
Contributor
Christine is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with an undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Her…
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