Protein first

A High-Protein Breakfast for Perimenopause: Why 2 Eggs Isn’t Enough

For years I thought two eggs and toast was a solid breakfast. I was running on a fraction of the protein I needed.

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I’m 48. In my early forties I was eating what I thought was a healthy breakfast: yogurt, a banana, maybe two eggs. By 10:30 I was hungry and irritable, and by 3pm I wanted something sweet. When I raised my protein, that whole pattern changed.

The math of two eggs

An egg has roughly six grams of protein. Two eggs is about twelve. Most of the women I talk to who eat the way I do aim for something closer to 30 to 40 grams at the first meal. I never counted before; once I did, I was shocked at how low I had been. That is what I mean when I say two eggs isn’t enough.

Why protein first, especially now

In midlife, my body responds differently to sugar and starch than it did at 30. Carbs-first meals leave me hungry soon after. Protein first keeps me level. It also gives my body the building blocks to keep muscle, and muscle is what keeps us strong. I think of protein as the anchor of the plate. I wrote about the afternoon side of this in why you crave sugar after dinner.

My breakfast

3 to 4 eggs cooked in butter or tallow.
A portion of beef: a small steak, leftover roast or a ground beef patty. Sausage and bacon without added sugar work too.
Salt. I season with Salt of Life.
Fruit last. A ripe peach, berries or a pear, with a small spoon of raw honey if I want it. Always after the protein.

That plate lands around 35 to 45 grams of protein. I’m full until the afternoon without thinking about food.

Easy swaps if you’re busy

Hard-boil a dozen eggs on Sunday.
Cook a pound of ground beef in a skillet and keep it in the fridge for the week.
Smoked salmon or sardines are fast and need no cooking.
A little liver pâté on a spoon is a gentle way to try organ meats. I’m still working up to liver and onions.

What I stopped eating at breakfast

Cereal, granola bars, flavored yogurt, protein bars wrapped in plastic and juice. They left me hungry in an hour. Protein bars and shakes are not my idea of food. I would rather eat an egg.

Pair it with a longer overnight gap

With this much protein, I’m not hungry first thing, so I usually wait until late morning. I describe how I build up to that in how to start intermittent fasting. A glass of water with salt first thing makes the wait easy.

See the things I keep in my kitchen on the Pantry page.

Questions I get

How much protein should I eat for breakfast in perimenopause?

I aim for roughly 30 to 40 grams at my first meal. For me that's three or four eggs plus a portion of beef or fish.

Is two eggs enough for breakfast?

Two eggs is about twelve grams of protein. That left me hungry within a couple of hours, so I eat more.

What can I eat if I don't have time to cook?

Hard-boiled eggs, pre-cooked ground beef, smoked salmon or sardines are all fast and need no cooking.

Should I eat fruit with breakfast?

I eat ripe fruit and a little raw honey after the protein, not instead of it.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements and products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This is my personal routine shared as education, not medical advice.