By DON Saladino
ANCHOR YOUR PLATE. THE REST FALLS INTO PLACE.
If you've ever stood in front of the fridge wondering what to eat, or finished a day and realized you barely hit half your protein, this is for you. The Protein Protocol is a simple, repeatable system to hit your daily protein target, build balanced meals, and stay consistent without overthinking it.
No extremes. No elimination phases. No starting over on Monday. Just a clear framework you can use every single day, plus 45 high protein recipes that make it easy.
You will receive the complete Protein Protocol Guide with 45 recipes, an example day, and a weekly protein tracker. Buy Now ($59.99) … or keep reading to learn more.
Over the last thirty years, I've worked with thousands of people. Athletes, professionals, parents, performers. People with big goals and real lives. If I've learned anything, it's this: when your nutrition is clean and consistent, everything starts to fall into place. Not because you're doing something extreme. Because you're finally doing something consistent.
Your energy improves. Your digestion improves. Your sleep, your confidence, your training. It all gets better when protein becomes the foundation of every meal.
WHY PROTEIN?
Think of protein as your body's daily repair system. Every day your body is either building tissue or breaking it down. Protein is what lets you rebuild stronger, hold on to lean muscle, and support long-term health. It supports muscle repair, metabolism and fat loss, hormone balance, immune function, and even your hair, skin, and nails.
The problem is that most of us aren't getting nearly enough, and it usually starts at breakfast. A bowl of cereal gives you about 6 to 8 grams of protein. A bagel, maybe 7 to 9. Even two eggs and toast lands around 18 to 20 grams, which still falls short for most goals.
The breakfasts in the Protein Protocol start you at 33 to 53 grams. That changes your whole day.
THE SYSTEM: THREE SIMPLE STEPS
1. Set your daily protein target. A simple guideline is 0.7 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of goal body weight. Want a personalized number? My free macro calculator does the math for you.
2. Work within a range. Stop chasing a perfect number. A 150 gram target becomes a 140 to 160 gram range. If you're in your range, you're on track.
3. Spread it across your day. Divide your target by your number of meals. 150 grams across 4 meals is about 38 grams per meal. Now you know exactly what every meal needs to deliver. That's it. Instead of guessing what to eat, you have a clear target for every plate.
SEE HOW IT ADDS UP
Here's a real day from the guide, built for a 150 gram target:
Meal 1: Strawberry Cream Overnight Oats (46g)
Meal 2: Herbes de Provence Ground Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Thyme Paprika Yukon Potatoes (42.5g)
Meal 3: Chocolate Blueberry Protein Shake (22g)
Meal 4: Tex-Mex Ground Beef, Peppers & Onions, Jasmine Dill Rice (43g)
Daily total: 153.5g. Right in range, and every one of those meals is something you'd actually look forward to eating.
PREP TWICE. EAT WELL ALL WEEK.
The lunch and dinner section is built to mix and match. Every plate is simple: one protein, one vegetable, one carb.
Pick two prep days a week. On each one, cook two proteins, two carbs, and two vegetables. That's 8 complete meals, ready to grab. Store them in individual containers or in bulk and build your plates as you go.
Each lunch or dinner plate lands around 400-500 calories with 35-50 grams of protein, depending on what you pair.
And because you're rotating 14 proteins, 6 vegetables, and 6 carbs, you never get bored. Teriyaki Pineapple Steak with Jasmine Dill Rice one day. Lemon Garlic Chicken with Brussels Sprouts the next.
WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU PURCHASE
The Protein Protocol is a complete, mobile friendly guide you can pull up right in your kitchen. Inside you'll find:
The System
How to set your protein target and work within a range
How to build a balanced plate and fill the gaps when you come up short
A full example day showing exactly how it adds up
Breakfast (19 recipes)
8 overnight oat variations, from Blueberry Muffin to Chocolate PB Banana
4 Greek yogurt chia puddings
3 protein shakes, with macros for 1 scoop and 2 scoops
4 meal prep breakfast scrambles, including Hot Honey Sweet Potato and Southwest Taco
Lunch & Dinner (26 recipes)
4 marinated steaks
4 marinated chicken cutlets
6 ground meat spice blends (beef, turkey, and chicken)
6 vegetables
6 carbohydrates
Plus
Mel's favorite kitchen gadgets and splurges, the exact tools we use every week
A printable weekly protein tracker
Every recipe includes full macros, calculated from real package labels of the brands listed, so the numbers on the page match the food on your plate.
This is not a gourmet cookbook. It's a system designed to remove decision fatigue, simplify your week, and make consistency feel easy.
WHO IT'S FOR
If you're new to tracking, this is your starting point. You'll finally have a clear number and a simple way to hit it.
If you're experienced, this becomes a powerful tool to expand your meal options and stay consistent without overthinking.
THE GOAL
More protein. More energy. More consistency. Less guesswork.
When protein anchors your plate, you stop chasing numbers and start building every meal with intention.
This isn't a diet. It's a system you can use every day.
Let's go!
Buy Now ($59.99)
Kitchen Gadgets
All the kitchen gadgets I use on repeat, plus storage, and meal prep finds that just make sense. Things I reach for every day.
Kitchen Splurges
Our high-end kitchen favorites… from cookware to appliances that are 100% worth the investment.