This month in health & nutrition

My Thoughts: Issue #4: August 2026

Have you noticed how protein seems to be absolutely everywhere right now?

Protein yoghurt.

Protein bars.

Protein cereals.

Protein crisps.

Protein pancakes.

Protein everything.

And then there's the advice telling you that you need to eat protein at every single meal...

Or hit a certain number of grams every day...

Or add protein powder to absolutely everything.

And before you know it, you're standing in the supermarket looking at a yoghurt thinking:

"Is this healthy because it has protein in it?"

"Am I eating enough protein?"

"Should I be eating more?"

"Do I need a protein shake?"

And suddenly something that should be relatively simple has become another thing to worry about.

Can we talk about that for a second?

Because one of the biggest nutrition trends I've noticed this year is the obsession with protein.

And don't get me wrong...

Protein is important.

Very important.

But I think we've reached the point where something genuinely useful has started to become another wellness trend.

And whenever something becomes a trend, we need to take a step back.

Because more isn't automatically better.

And your nutrition doesn't need to become a mathematical equation just because social media has decided protein is the answer to everything.

One of the biggest conversations I've been having recently is around women feeling like they're somehow failing if they aren't eating enough protein.

They're adding powders.

Buying protein snacks.

Changing meals they already enjoyed.

Worrying about hitting a number.

And sometimes...

They're making food far more complicated than it needs to be.

The first thing I always say is this:

Protein is important. But it's not the whole picture.

Your body needs a variety of nutrients.

Carbohydrates.

Fats.

Protein.

Fibre.

Vitamins.

Minerals.

And plenty of foods that don't necessarily come with the word "PROTEIN" written across the packaging.

The goal isn't to eat as much protein as possible.

The goal is to eat well overall.

And now, here are my thoughts:-

Protein is important... but more isn't always better

Protein plays an important role in the body.

It helps maintain and repair muscle.

It supports many different functions within the body.

And as we get older, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important.

So yes...

We absolutely need protein.

But this doesn't mean you need to spend your entire day thinking about it.

A balanced diet already contains protein.

Eggs.

Fish.

Chicken.

Greek yoghurt.

Milk.

Beans.

Lentils.

Tofu.

Nuts and seeds.

And plenty of other foods.

You don't necessarily need a protein product at every meal.

Sometimes you just need to eat lunch.

Not optimise lunch.

One of the reasons we're talking about protein so much is because the food industry has noticed that we're talking about protein so much.

And suddenly everything has become a "protein" version.

Protein cereal.

Protein chocolate.

Protein ice cream.

Protein snacks.

And some of these products can absolutely have a place in a healthy diet.

But I think we need to be careful about assuming that "high protein" automatically means "healthy."

It doesn't.

A food can be high in protein and still be high in sugar, saturated fat or calories.

It can also be highly processed.

And sometimes you're paying considerably more for a product simply because someone has put the word "protein" on the front.

This is where reading the whole label matters.

Not just the marketing.

You don't need to chase a protein number

One of the things I find concerning about the current protein trend is how quickly it can turn into another number to obsess over.

Calories.

Steps.

Weight.

Macros.

And now...

Protein grams.

For some people, tracking protein can be useful.

But for many women, it simply creates another opportunity to feel like they're getting something wrong.

"I only had 80g today."

"I didn't hit my target."

"I need to add another shake."

And suddenly we're losing sight of the bigger picture.

What did you actually eat today?

Did you have some fruit and vegetables?

Did you eat enough fibre?

Did you drink enough?

Did you enjoy your meals?

Did you have enough energy?

Did you eat regularly?

These things matter too.

Protein shouldn't replace the foods you already love

I've seen a real shift towards replacing perfectly good foods with "higher protein" alternatives.

And sometimes that's completely unnecessary.

You don't need to turn every breakfast into a protein experiment.

You don't need to stop eating your favourite yoghurt because another one contains 10g more protein.

You don't need to add protein powder to something simply because you saw somebody else doing it online.

Food is about more than one nutrient.

It's about nourishment.

Enjoyment.

Culture.

Social connection.

Convenience.

And pleasure.

Your diet should fit into your life.

Not take over your life.

Muscle health matters... but so does the rest of your health

I actually think the renewed focus on muscle health is a positive thing.

Especially for women as we get older.

Strength training.

Movement.

Adequate nutrition.

Enough protein.

Good sleep.

These are all important.

But there is no single magic food or nutrient that suddenly makes everything else irrelevant.

You can't out-protein a poor diet.

You can't build a healthy lifestyle around protein bars and shakes alone.

And you certainly don't need to be frightened of carbohydrates or fats because protein is currently having its moment.

Balance still wins.

Every time.

Don't let "proteinmaxxing" become another form of diet culture

This is probably the biggest point I want to make this month.

Because I think we're seeing something familiar happening again.

A genuinely important part of nutrition becomes popular...

And then suddenly it's everywhere.

Then there are rules.

Then targets.

Then products.

Then people start feeling guilty if they're not doing enough of it.

We've seen this before.

With calories.

With fasting.

With carbs.

With fat.

With supplements.

And now...

Protein.

The problem isn't protein.

The problem is the obsession.

You don't need another rule.

You don't need another food fear.

You don't need another reason to feel like you're not doing enough.

You need a balanced approach that works for you.

What your takeaways are from this:-

Don't be afraid of protein

Protein is an important part of a healthy diet.

Include it regularly.

But you don't need to make every meal a high-protein challenge.

Look beyond the marketing

"High protein" doesn't automatically mean healthy.

Look at the whole food.

Look at the ingredients.

Look at the overall nutritional value.

And ask yourself whether you actually enjoy it.

Don't obsess over numbers

Protein targets can be useful in certain circumstances.

But you don't need to spend every day worrying about whether you've hit a particular number.

Your overall diet matters more than one day's total.

Remember the rest of your plate

Protein is only one part of nutrition.

Don't forget your fruit and vegetables.

Your wholegrains.

Your healthy fats.

Your fibre.

And the foods you actually enjoy.

Focus on building muscle, not just eating protein

If you're interested in supporting muscle health, think beyond protein.

Strength training.

Regular movement.

Adequate nutrition.

Recovery.

Sleep.

It's the combination that matters.

Don't let another trend become another rule

You don't need to jump onto every nutrition trend.

You don't need to eat like someone on Instagram.

And you definitely don't need to feel guilty because your breakfast wasn't "high protein."

Healthy eating isn't about constantly finding something to optimise.

It's about creating a way of eating that supports your health...

And that you can actually maintain.

My goal is always to help women cut through the noise and understand what genuinely matters when it comes to their health and nutrition.

Because I think we're all becoming a little too obsessed with doing everything perfectly.

The perfect amount of protein.

The perfect breakfast.

The perfect workout.

The perfect routine.

But health doesn't come from perfection.

It comes from the things you do consistently.

So yes...

Eat your protein.

Look after your muscles.

Eat nourishing food.

Move your body.

But please don't forget that you are a whole person, not a collection of macros.

You don't need to optimise every bite of food you eat.

Sometimes...

You just need to sit down, enjoy your meal, and get on with your day.

And honestly?

I think that's pretty healthy too.

See you in the next one!

G xx 💕