The 140g Protein Challenge: How to Hit Your Target Without Boring Chicken

“Eat more protein.” You’ve heard it a thousand times. So you grill another breast, choke it down, and wonder how anyone is supposed to hit 140 grams without turning into a walking poultry ad.

The good news: protein tracking doesn’t have to be boring. The 140g target is achievable—and even enjoyable—if you know where to find stealth protein and how to stack it across the day.

Here’s how to hit your number without dying of chicken fatigue.

Why 140g (and why it feels impossible)

For most people aiming to build or preserve muscle, 140g is in the sweet spot: enough to support recovery and growth without turning every meal into a chore. The problem isn’t the number. It’s the imagination. We default to chicken, eggs, and maybe a shake—and run out of ideas by Tuesday.

The fix isn’t more willpower. It’s more options.

1) Greek yogurt: the 20g shortcut

A single cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt packs about 20g of protein for under 200 calories. Add a scoop of protein powder and you’re at 40g before you’ve touched “real” food. Use it as a base for breakfast bowls, mix in fruit and nuts, or sub it for sour cream in tacos and sauces. Protein tracking gets easy when one ingredient does heavy lifting.

2) Egg whites: volume without the guilt

Whole eggs are great. But when you need a lot of protein without a lot of calories, egg whites are your friend. A cup of liquid egg whites is roughly 25g protein and ~120 calories. Scramble them, fold them into oats, or add them to a smoothie. Boring? Only if you don’t season them. Paprika, hot sauce, and herbs go a long way.

3) Lean beef: the dinner anchor

You don’t have to live on chicken. Lean ground beef (93/7 or 96/4), sirloin, or flank steak deliver 25–30g per 4 oz serving. Rotate in a couple of beef nights a week and your palate—and your protein tally—will thank you. Consistency in hitting your target is easier when you’re not dreading every meal.

4) Protein coffee: the morning hack

Blend cold brew or iced coffee with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder and a splash of milk or almond milk. You get 25–30g of protein with your caffeine. No extra meal prep, no extra time. Just a drink that counts. Small hacks like this are what make the 140g challenge sustainable.

5) Cottage cheese: the comeback king

Cottage cheese is having a moment for a reason. Half a cup can deliver 14–18g of protein. Eat it sweet (with fruit and a drizzle of honey) or savory (with pepper and everything bagel seasoning). It’s versatile, cheap, and stacks easily with other sources. Protein tracking works when you have a roster of go-tos, not a single star player.

Stack it, log it, own it

The 140g challenge isn’t about perfection. It’s about having enough options that you don’t quit by day three. Spread protein across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack or two. Use Greek yogurt, egg whites, lean beef, protein coffee, and cottage cheese as your core—then add variety from there.

The final piece: log your next meal with LastCall to see your protein progress. When you tell Scully what you ate, you get real-time feedback on how close you are to your target. No guessing. No forgetting. Just clarity.

Log your next meal with LastCall.