Getting enough protein without supplements

You don't need a powder to get enough protein. Regular groceries do the job, and Health Canada's food guide already tells you how big a share protein should get.

Picture the plate again: half vegetables and fruit, a quarter whole grains, a quarter protein foods. That last quarter is where protein lives, no supplement required.

Animal protein: eggs, chicken, fish, plain yogurt, milk, cheese. All ordinary groceries, all count.

Plant protein: beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, nuts, and seeds. The guide points out plant proteins bring more fibre and less saturated fat than most animal protein.

You don't have to pick one side. Most people eat a mix across the week, and that's exactly what the guide describes, not a rule you have to follow perfectly.

A protein quarter can be as simple as a couple of eggs at breakfast, chicken or lentils in a lunch bowl, and yogurt or nuts as a snack.

We're not going to hand you a target number or a schedule. That's not what the guide does, and it's not what a gym should be telling you.

If you have a health condition, an allergy, or a specific goal in mind, your doctor or a registered dietitian can build a real plan around it. We can't, and we won't pretend to.

Simple groceries, spread across your day. That's the whole idea.