Hot girls eat protein

Protein has been rebranded as a glow-up essential for women. But beneath the soft fonts and strong messaging hides an older hunger.

- DEVRUPA RAKSHIT

ONCE THE DOMAIN of gym bros and their Tupperware of chicken breasts, protein has been reinvented. It’s drifted into rose-tinted collagen lattes, tubs of silky-smooth powders and even Khloé Kardashian-endorsed popcorn—best paired with matching lavender co-ords and a kilowatt smile.

Protein rode viral trends—through alpha bros pushing carnivore diets and educators waving red flags in return—straight into public discourse. Scroll through your feed, and you'll now find an army of #ProteinGirls flexing “strong, not skinny” silhouettes, an aesthetic shift that feels both inevitable and inexplicable. So how did this unassuming macronutrient become the wellness world’s most coveted accessory?

As muscle tone, metabolic health and longevity have become the new goals, protein has stepped into the spotlight. Fundamentally, it does more than give you bulging biceps. It’s the body's building block for muscle repair, hormone production, immune support, tissue turnover and even the glass skin your serum promises. When we skimp, we risk fatigue, mood swings and slower recovery. In women, low protein intake can worsen menstrual symptoms and accelerate muscle loss after 40.

“More women are embracing strength training and endurance sports, so they need more protein for recovery,” says clinical nutritionist Karena Adnani. “Add in perimenopause-related muscle loss and satiety benefits—protein keeps you fuller and balances hormones—and the recent boom makes sense.”