Easy, High Protein, Low Calorie Meals for Busy People

As a husband, father, engineer, and owner/operator of multiple websites I often find myself struggling to maintain a healthy, protein packed diet. Between meeetings, drop offs for the kids, and content creation I simply do not have enough time to cook an intricate meal.

But, being obese and out-of-shape will only hurt me and my family in the long run so I set out to find healthy, quick meals that don't taste like cardboard nor require a high level of skill to prepare. Fortunately for me and you, I found the perfect list of meals that you can incorporate into your busy lifestyle.

Low Calorie, High Protein Meals

Finding meals that are tasty, low in calories, and high in protein is an impossible task. You'll have to make peace with the fact that to achieve the body you want, you're going to have to sacrifice taste to get the best diet for busy your lifestyle. No matter how much we try to convince ourselves, Greek Yogurt does not taste as good as regular, nor is diet soda as delicious as full calorie ones.

It is true that if you drink it often enough, you'll simply get used to the taste, but should you ever venture back to the dark side, it'll be hard to leave. That being said, there are several foods that taste pretty good without smashing your daily caloric limit. Here are some of the best easy ways to eat healthy.

High Protein Beef Burrito

This meal requires the use of lean ground beef, cheese, and plain greek yogurt. Yes, you read that right, greek yogurt. This pasty substance tastes similar to sour cream but contains almost as much protein as three eggs. Just be sure that you grab the plain kind; if you accidentally smear vanilla Greek yogurt on your burrito, you'll need to take the day off from work. Add some eggs to recipe and it doubles as a low calorie breakfast burrito.

Here are all the ingredients you'll need.

• 93% Lean Ground Beef - The 80/20 variant will just result in less beef and more smoke in your house due to the fat content. If you can afford it, go as lean as you can.

• Keto friendly lo-carb tortilla - Be careful with the standard tortillas these can contain as many calories as the beef (200 cals+).

• Low-fat Mozzarella shredded cheese - The mixed blend tastes better, but this one has fewer calories per serving.

• Worchester sauce - the perfect sauce to season your beef in.

• Taco Bell taco seasoning.

• Plain greek yogurt

Now, this is optional but if you find your burrito lacking in the flavor department, head to Walmart and pick up a bottle of Taco Bell's mild sauce. If the store nearest to you doesn't stock it, pick up some extra packets from Taco Bell.

Unlike McDonalds, the cashiers won't sauce shame you and ask you how many packets you need. Instead, they'll happily hand you two massive handfuls and bid you a pleasant farewell.

Turkey Burgers with healthy Big Mac sauce

Ground turkey is inexpensive, healthy, and widely available, making it the perefect protein for any meal. And for those who prefer to steer clear of red meat, it's the only viable alternative. Turn your turkey meat into a Big Mac clone by using these ingredients.

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon pickle relish

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

High Protein Flatbread Pizza

This low-calorie pizza uses no sauce, shredded Mozzarella cheese, and a keto-friendly flour tortilla. Start by laying your tortilla flat in an air fryer, then sprinkle a sensible amount of cheese on it. Next, air fry it for no more than 3 - 5 minutes and you'll have a very tasty, guilt-free pizza at your finger tips. Here are the only ingredients you'll need for this easy cheese quesadilla a.k.a pizza.

• 1/2 cup of shredded Mozzeralla cheese

• 1 flour tortilla

• Access to air fryer and 5 minutes to spare

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Grilled chicken is a staple in any high-protein diet but can get boring quickly. Spice things up with a fresh avocado salsa. Not only does this add a burst of flavor, but it also packs in healthy fats and vitamins.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 ripe avocados, diced

• 1 small red onion, finely chopped

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

• Juice of 2 limes

• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Spicy Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp is a fantastic source of lean protein and cooks in a flash. These spicy shrimp tacos are perfect for a quick and healthy dinner. And, as an added bonus, spicy stuff tends to cut your appetite which will help stave off weight gain.

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 8 small corn tortillas

• 1 cup shredded cabbage

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• Juice of 1 lime

• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

And that's it! I'll be sure to amend this list as I discover more recipes but these are currently the best quick healthy meals I've made. Using these meals and a consistent workout routine, I've been able to drop from 248lbs down to 225lbs. This puts me about 25lbs away from my goal weight.

If you're also trying to hit a daily caloric deficit, check out my article on achieving a 1,000 calorie deficit daily. It's no simple feat but totally worth the effort as you'll certainly transform your body into something you can be comfortable in.