If you’re on the same side of Instagram as me, your algorithm is a nice mix of Creed memes and fitness information. While I would prefer to see the Creed memes when I doom scroll, more often than not it’s the fitness stuff. And with the holidays coming, the algorithm seems to have tweaked the balance just a bit to overload me with “high protein” snacks and holiday treats. Being sold as “high protein” and geared towards those that are trying to lose weight, these reels are some of the most misleading pieces of content you’ll come across. They will, not can…WILL, tank your progress if you’re trying to lose weight or remain lean.

What is “high protein?”

Listen, there is no actual threshold for what is considered high protein. And that’s kind of the problem. Many of these reels will tout things like “30 grams of protein in this high protein version of a peanut butter brownie!” Now, to me that doesn’t seem like much. But if you’re someone closer to 150 pounds, that might be a whole meal’s worth! But, instead of thinking about bulk numbers, try to contextualize it. If something has 30 grams of protein in it, that’s 120 calories worth. So if whatever snack you’re making is only 200 calories, that would be a very high protein snack. But if the snack is 600 calories, now we’re getting 30 grams of protein but a whole lot more fat and/or carbs. You see, whatever calories aren’t protein must be either fat or carbohydrate. Those are the only three choices (for the most part). So for something to be high protein, we would want it to be more than one third of the calories. You can simplify that as: for every 10 calories you should have 1 gram of protein (which is 4 calories). So let’s use that threshold for high protein.

The high protein formula

Most of these “high protein” snack reels follow a predictable formula. It starts with a protein base, like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. Let’s say one cup gives us 20-25 grams of protein. Then they add fats like peanut butter, avocado, or coconut oil. Half a cup of peanut butter, for instance, adds another ~29 grams of protein, but also 66 grams of fat. We’re packing in over 600 calories just from fat! Finally, they sweeten it up with honey or maple syrup, tacking on more carbs and calories. Here’s the math: that snack ends up with 974 calories but only 220 calories from protein, making it about 1 gram of protein for every 17-18 calories. Translation? It’s mostly fat and carbs, and definitely not “high protein.”

High protein or hyperpalatable?

When we look at those ingredients beyond their macronutrient profile, we have to also think about how the actual ingredients interact. Specifically, what’s the flavor profile? We’ve already established that it’s high carb and high fat, but mixing sweet with salty is also a recipe for overconsumption. Those two flavors are not ones that our bodies and taste sensors evolved to really be able to process. Because of this, our brain kind of freaks out when we eat something that has those. Our brain’s feel good centers go wild so we consume more. Hyperpalatable foods also can blunt the body’s signaling of the satiety hormones, such as leptin, that help regulate when we are full. And the downward spiral continues because the more you eat, the less sensitive your brain centers are to the “dose” so you need to eat more which can further disrupt the hormonal balance, and so on and so on. Neurohomonally these snacks hack their way in and before you know it, the eight servings turned into two.

Hung by a health halo.

Even knowing all of that, there still may be some of you who think “yeah, but at least the ingredients are healthy.” And that’s kind of the whole thing. The ingredients may be “real” food, but that’s what’s known as a health halo. A health halo is a deceptive marketing tactic that makes food seem healthier than it really is. Welcome to fitness Instagram, right? Ingredients may matter for someone who is immunocompromised or has some other clinically relevant health issue going on. But for most of us, we need to start thinking beyond the ingredients because we’re too easily duped by the outward appearance of things. We saw it before, right? The cholesterol myth was debunked so everyone was smashing bacon. Keto rolls around and everyone is putting butter on everything and eating whole avocados, because it was healthy. Tequila with lime juice to fit your Zone blocks? These are health halos. And high protein snacks are no different.

The real high protein snack.

So here it is, what’s the true high protein snack? Probably nothing you see on Instagram. And probably not half of the “protein” bars you snack on. The true high protein snacks are as follows:

• Meat (lean beef, chicken, turkey).
• Most cheeses, some dairy (Greek yogurt).
• Most quality protein powders (should have less than 3 grams of carbs).

Not nearly as sexy as those other snacks, but that’s the biz. Remember you’re trying to lose weight or stay lean. It’s a pretty boring, pretty monotonous journey. This is delayed gratification 101. 

Can you enjoy a sweet treat now and again while leaning or trying to stay lean? Honestly, probably not. Some people can. Some people have the will power and discipline. But, in my experience, most people don’t. At least not initially. So, no, you probably shouldn’t have the sweet treat until you’ve built the habits up to keep your brain in check. In the meantime, quit trying to have what you can’t. It’s likely that sweet treats are one of the culprits putting you in a state that you are trying to lose. Cut them out completely now and reassess in a few months when you’ve made significant progress.

If this feels overwhelming, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Dialing in nutrition doesn’t have to be a guessing game. The Power Athlete Nutrition Protocols are designed to help you focus on what fuels your body, cuts through the noise of fad diets, and builds habits that last. Whether you’re leaning out, bulking up, or aiming to perform at your peak, we’ll help you get there. Check them out today.

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