Not enough protein?

Bluepegasus

I'm slightly worried that I'm not getting enough protein in my diet, but I don't really know how to increase it and still stay under my calories for the day. I eat stuff like eggs, chicken, pork, and I got some chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds, but it's still not really reaching my daily goal. The obvious thing would be protein shakes but as I'm lactose intolerant, I can't have them. I'm getting close to my goal weight and I'd really like to keep lowering my body fat but keep my muscle so I look toned, I do running and kettlebells. The kettlebells are making a difference I think, but I don't know if I will still achieve what I want if I'm not getting enough protein? Any advice please?

silvilunazul

You need to choose foods that provide the most protein with the lowest calories. I found these to be fish and seafood in my case. Crayfish and shrimp for instance are packed with protein and are so lean that you basically cannot get better value for protein! Another option is using supplements such as protein bars. I do eat a quest bar for breakfast a couple of times a week but I prefer not to drink shakes because I make it a rule not to drink my calories. You may be able to find protein bars that do not have dairy on them.

StealthHealth

OK first things first: Before changing anything in your diet you need to be sure that there is a need. You are slightly worried but is that worry justified?

Protein recommendations vary wildly, but the consensus (for someone who is active) is around 2.0 to 2.5g per lean body mass in Kg (0.9 to 1.2g per lean lb). If you are significantly below this, a macro change would be useful.

If you do need more protein (within a fixed calorific target) you will have to reduce one of your other macros. So, it is worth also understanding your minimum fat intake target (which should be around 1 to 1.5g per kg of total body weight).

Assuming that you need more protein and are routinely hitting your fat target, then the extra protein must come with a corresponding reduction in carbs.

RodaRose

Check to make sure that you really do need that amount of protein.
Then if you do need to increase protein, decrease some of your carbs: fruit, pasta, rice.

Bluepegasus

Thank you for all your input, much appreciated. I don't know if my protein intake is a cause for real concern or whether I'm just over thinking things. I suppose I just want to make sure I don't end up skinny fat, I'd like to keep my muscle and I don't know if too little protein would impact that. According to MFP, my protein goal per day is 60, but using the calculations above makes it 110g required, which as I barely hit the MFP goal, that would make it way under?

jakeycork

MFP protein goals are generally wrong they tend to base figures more based around weight loss/calorie counting than macro nutrient figures. As above - protein between 0.8-1g per 1lb of body weight, fats generally 0.4 per 1lb, the rest carbohydrates.

Bluepegasus

In that case I think I am consuming significantly less protein than I should be but I still don't know how to get that much per day unless I just eat fish and nothing else!

StealthHealth

If you open your diary I'm sure that people would be willing to comment/help but I just added these from my frequent foods into my diary

and got 119g Protein for 758 cals without resorting to protein powders.

Edit: just remembered your're lactose intolerant so yogurt is out, but you get the picture.

ivanfawcettgibson

Have a read of this. It gave me the impetus to stop wasting money on whey protein (which is a crap source of protein in its own right).

http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

extra_medium

egg whites

sunnybeaches105

Egg whites and chicken breast. There's a reason these two are "bro" foods. They're both essentially protein delivery vehicles, and egg whites in particular.

Edit: yet another typo!

arditarose

I eat 1300 calories during the week and can get about 110-130 grams of protein. You can look at my diary.

sunnybeaches105

ivanfawcettgibson wrote: »

Have a read of this. It gave me the impetus to stop wasting money on whey protein (which is a crap source of protein in its own right).

http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

They're still saying 0.82 grams per pound overall body weight, which is pretty much consistent with most advice of 0.8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. Also note the exception at the end of "But what about when cutting" regarding beginners.

lemurcat12

Examine.com says .65-.85 g/lb of heathy body weight for max benefits when eating at a deficit and working out. More is okay, but not going to add anything.

I find it easy to hit that amount if I make sure to get protein at all meals. I have 2 eggs (a vegetable omelet) plus some other source at breakfast (often dairy, but sometimes smoked salmon--adding egg whites to the omelet would work too). I have a salad with protein (usually chicken, sometimes a meatless salad with tofu or falafel, sometimes a lentil and veg soup or wrap with shrimp or simply dinner leftovers) for lunch. Then for dinner I normally have meat (occasionally not), some kind of starch (potatoes, pasta, etc.), and lots of veg. The meat is usually leaner but could be seafood, chicken, lamb, beef, pork, venison, etc.

This hits it easily, although when I was first paying attention to protein I had to teach myself to increase servings of high protein items a bit (seemed counter-intuitive when dieting, since I wanted to make them smaller) and cut back a bit on starches to make room.

Bluepegasus

Brilliant, thank you all for the advice and taking the time to reply. I'll start eating more of the things everyone has suggested, and that article was helpful too.

ivanfawcettgibson

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

They're still saying 0.82 grams per pound overall body weight, which is pretty much consistent with most advice of 0.8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. Also note the exception at the end of "But what about when cutting" regarding beginners.

Most of what I've read is 1g per lb of body weight.
The exception is just hypothesis, there are no studies to support it.

sunnybeaches105

ivanfawcettgibson wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

They're still saying 0.82 grams per pound overall body weight, which is pretty much consistent with most advice of 0.8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. Also note the exception at the end of "But what about when cutting" regarding beginners.

Most of what I've read is 1g per lb of body weight.
The exception is just hypothesis, there are no studies to support it.

We work with imperfect information. That's life. If there is no risk (and there isn't any risk for healthy individuals in getting too much protein at these levels) then I'll always fudge upwards a bit.

ivanfawcettgibson

Well of course, it has to be a one size fits all application that may work for some and not others and a little guestimation to get the results you need.

kimdawnhayden

Try adding in some beans along with your meats.

IILikeToMoveItMoveIt

If you can do fish, talapia is insane for calorie to protein ratio... https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=tilapia+protein
I get that and salmon pretty cheap frozen. I don't pay more than $1 per 4oz for either kind but talapia is almost always cheaper. If you have an Aldis', they have a 5lb bag for less than $5...

sunnybeaches105

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

ivanfawcettgibson wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

They're still saying 0.82 grams per pound overall body weight, which is pretty much consistent with most advice of 0.8 grams per pound of body weight or 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. Also note the exception at the end of "But what about when cutting" regarding beginners.

Most of what I've read is 1g per lb of body weight.
The exception is just hypothesis, there are no studies to support it.

We work with imperfect information. That's life. If there is no risk (and there isn't any risk for healthy individuals in getting too much protein at these levels) then I'll always fudge upwards a bit.

I should have added that there are studies supporting this level of intake, and if you look at them you'll see they give a range of intakes. I think many of us pick a point as a target and go with it but it's probably best that we understand that the recommendations are from a little less than the 1gram/pound to more than that in certain situations. I'll try to post later but a search on here for "protein" will bring up thread after thread with links to these studies.

lizzieloo934

You can buy vegan protein powders. I try to get all my protein from food but if I can't then I consume some protein powder!

JoRocka

can you open your diary? It's not really helpful to give you advice based on " i'm not meeting my protein goals"

I mean- I'm not meeting my protein goals either- but generally my goal is 160- so when I don't hit it- it's like 140 when I'm low. (okay- not this week b/c I'm meatless this week but generally- that's the goal).

Honestly - it shouldn't' be that difficult to hit 100 grams of protein a day without going over your calories.

Generally speaking- they recomend 0.8 per pound of body weight- or ONE gram per pound of LEAN body weight (which if you do the maths- it's about the same thing)

and generally- a really good rule of thumb- is " anything over 100".