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The 10:1 Ratio

The world of health and fitness is overwhelming, with endless opinions, perspectives and options. But one thing that most of us agree on: your diet is the key to everything.

• Lose weight? Diet

• Gain weight? Diet

• Muscle? Diet

• And so on

However, even with that in mind, the details of the diet aren’t so simple either.

How much to eat, what to eat, when to eat... it's easy to get lost in the noise.

As a grade A over thinker myself, I know how overwhelming and paralyzing it can feel.

This noise overwhelmed me when I first started. So, how do I break through the noise? By:

• Always keeping it simple

• Relying on straightforward formulas or strategies that help me stay focused and consistent.

When it comes to diet, we've talked about the importance of protein before. It's crucial for satiety, tissue repair, hormone regulation, and overall health. But even with that in mind, it's not always easy to figure out how to fit it into your daily calorie needs or your diet.

That's where simple strategies come in. One that I've found to be incredibly helpful is the 10:1 Ratio.

It's a simple calculation you can do daily, with every meal. This strategy has been so crucial to my progress that I still rely on it, even after eight years.

So What Is The 10:1 Ratio?

Unfortunately, not all protein sources are created equally. The 10:1 ratio rule states:

Let's break this down with an example:

Steps to Use the 10:1 Ratio

Step 1 - Determine the number of grams of protein: In this example, the food contains 10g of protein per serving.

Step 2 - Multiply the protein grams by 10: So, 10g becomes 100.

Step 3 - Read the Calories: This food has 100 calories per serving.

Step 4 - Compare the numbers: Compare the number we got in Step 2 (100) to the Calories (100).

Step 5 - Interpret:

• If the Calories are higher than the number in Step 2, then that food does not meet our rule.

• If the Calories are the same as the number in Step 2, then that food meets our rule and can be considered a good protein source.

  • In our example, this is the case!

• If the Calories are less than the number in Step 2, then that food meets our rule and is an even better choice.

For those who have enjoyed my visual masterpieces:

This way of approaching food has become second nature in my day-to-day life. I've been using it for so long that every time I look at a label, I immediately run this quick calculation without even thinking about it 😅. Because of this approach:

• I’m able to quickly identify protein-rich foods and avoid excessive calories. This is key for weight loss.

• Simplifies meal planning and food choices, which helps me avoid getting bogged down in nutritional details.

• Helps me avoid foods with empty calories, ensuring every calorie I eat is backed by enough protein.

• Improves consistency and adherence, helping me stick to my diet more reliably.

Here are some foods that meet the criteria we discussed and that I have eaten often throughout my 100lb weight loss:

Nonfat Greek Yogurt

90 calories with 18g of protein. Per the rule: 90 < 180 (18 x 10) so this is a very protein-dense food.

Liquid Egg whites

25 calories with 5g of protein. Per the rule: 25 < 50 (5 x 10) so this is a very protein-dense food. (I’m not going to lie to you, it doesn’t really taste like anything, so be ready to blast it with seasonings and combine it with other foods 🙂)

Pure Proteins

Here is a list of pure protein sources. At the top of each, I did the math for you to show you how amazing these are per the ratio.

Protein Powders

A similar story to the pure protein sources above.

There are so many other options out there as well.

Disclaimer: You do not have to exclusively eat foods that fit this criteria. I often run this calculation on my entire meal rather than every single individual ingredient. You can definitely still eat foods that don’t fit this criteria and lose weight. The point is to utilize this method to simplify finding high-protein and low-calorie foods.

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