I Went On A High-Protein Diet For 2 Weeks—Here’s How My Skin and Body Changed

Has a food group ever experienced such a rebrand as protein? Once synonymous with gym bros mainlining egg whites and blended chicken, the macronutrient has since become a hot favorite among literally everyone, from nutritionists to Gen Alpha TikTokers to mums making protein shakes for their toddlers. Protein fever has accelerated so much that, in fact, the food pyramid has been flipped upside down, with—you guessed it—protein, right at the top.

It feels like we can’t escape the word, even in 2026, when other words like “fibermaxxing” and “ear seeds” are also jostling for attention. Well, it turns out there’s proof in the (protein) pudding: According to experts, protein is essential for tissue repair, skin benefits, healthy aging, hormone balance, muscle regeneration, and staying full for longer. “Most of us do not get enough protein,” biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess, says. “We need roughly a gram of protein per pound of body weight.”

All of that sounds very convincing. Still, I like to try things out for myself before I start spreading the message and gathering disciples (see also: drinking 2.5 liters of water, getting really into aloe vera). To that end, to kick the year off, I decided to go on a high-protein diet for two weeks to see what gives. And while I didn’t count or measure the protein content religiously, I did aim for roughly 75 to 90g of protein per day. Here’s how it went.

Days one to five

The first week was the easiest. I didn’t need persuading to start my days off with two eggs on buttery wholewheat toast with a sprinkle of cheese, and I looked forward to the evenings, when I could have chicken in various formats (Gochujang chicken and rice, lemon and herb chicken and butterbean mash, jerk chicken with green beans and more rice). By the fifth day, however, I got tired of chicken and decided to dine out, being rewarded with one of the best beef burgers I’ve had in recent memory (clocking in around 20g of protein), followed by what was essentially a giant profiterole (not very “protein” of me, but it contained dairy!).

Days five to 10

There were two things I noticed at this stage. One was that I didn’t want any more chicken or eggs (the latter, especially, started to give me the ick. What even are they?). The other was that I was beginning to feel a bit… solid. Like a human rock. And also bored. I realized that perhaps I was approaching my high-protein diet in ways that were fairly unimaginative and uniform.

And so, I started opting for meals based around other types of protein, like salmon, prawns, chickpeas, feta with lentils, with lots of Greek yogurt on the side (you will never catch me spooning cottage cheese, regardless of how good it is for you). At one point, I made a Malaysian curry crammed with cockles (an underrated protein source). Going high protein, I realized, didn’t have to involve eating like someone embroiled in the manosphere. High-protein diets can also entail plenty of color and fiber! Thank God.

Days 10 to 14

Now that I’d switched up the variety on my plate, my high-protein diet became not just easier, but more enjoyable. I also started noticing a few of the benefits, such as: never, literally never, feeling hungry in between meals; having a decent amount of energy by the end of a workday; sleeping through the night; and not noticing any new breakouts whatsoever. I was eating less throughout the day, but more efficiently, which meant that I didn’t randomly get hungry at 11 p.m. and raid the fridge for snacks. Nor did I have to battle that 2 p.m. slump by shoving gummy candy into my mouth—in fact, the slump never arrived.