High protein for Vegetarians

treggy23

I'll try again!

I'm just getting started on dieting and following a macro based plan but really struggling on hitting protein. I don't eat eggs or meat substitutes so finding it hard. Can anyone suggest a few blogs/instagram/fb pages for inspiration please?

Many thanks.

SelenaMariaStewart

If you are looking for protein sources without meat, I suggest tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, edamame, things like that

livingleanlivingclean

Vegetarian protein? Eggs are a great protein source. Dairy is too - particularly things like yoghurt, Quark, skyr, cottage cheese.

arnoldchristopher

one good thing to remember is that all vegetables contain protein (some are better than others, of course). You won't be able to match the protein content of a grilled chicken breast, but you get some big benefits from eating a lot of vegetables: low caloric content/high fiber/vitamins/protein. Which makes meal planning easier to do for fitness, in that you can pair a small portion of a meat protein (say, chicken breast or salmon fillet) with a LOT of vegetable and be able to get your protein/fiber/amino acids AND keep your calorie count down AND get that full feeling from the fiber. And, of course, there are a LOT of vegetables out there, so you can find what you like and work them into a rotation for variety.

kommodevaran

You can look at blogs for inspiration/recipes, but your problem is figuring out how to get enough protein as a vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs, and maybe figuring out how much protein is enough.

Dairy has protein. Vegetarian sources of protein are beans/lentils, nuts/seeds, grains, and to some extent, vegetables.

Your protein goal may be unnecessarily high, unless you're very tall. If you aim for 90-100 grams, it will be easier to reach.

elfin168

Protein bars beans rice...can't help with blogs. Nutritionist?

shaf238

Quorn.

AnnPT77

Best thread ever for finding tasty, lower-calorie protein options that might not have occurred to you:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

It links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods in rank order by protein efficiency: Most protein for fewest calories. As vegetarians/vegans, we have to scroll past the meaty fishy things near the top of that spreadsheet, but there are plenty of good veg-friendly choices further down the list. It really helped me, as a vegetarian, hit my protein goal. Find things you like on that list, and eat more of those, less of something else.

Related strategy: If you're coming out low on protein, take a look at your food log. Look for foods that have relatively many calories, but relatively few protein grams. Those are your best candidates to reduce or replace, in favor of foods that better meet your goals. Can you think of more protein-rich foods you enjoy that you could eat in place of some of your high-calorie, lower-protein items (maybe beans instead of potatoes, quinoa instead of rice, etc.)?

Also, you could try something that helps me get enough protein as a vegetarian: Thinking not just about "one big protein" in each meal like many meat-eaters do (though that's important, too), but also considering small ways you can add a few grams of protein here or there, throughout the day. Those small amounts can really add up! There are veggies with more protein than others, snacks with protein, drinks with protein, even a few fruits with protein. (That spreadsheet from the link above can help you identify them.)

Think about each meal/snack as a protein opportunity. Sometimes when people report issues with getting protein, and I look at their diary, I see that they're eating more carb-y or fatty breakfast/lunch, and getting most of their protein at dinner. It helps to factor protein in all day long, meals and snacks.

I do eat eggs, but probably no more than 3-4 per week, and I don't eat fake meat, protein powder, or protein bars (not because there's anything wrong with them, I just don't find them tasty/satisfying). I don't have much trouble now, in maintenance, getting 100g of protein every day, minimum, and substantially more some days. (I'm not a big person, 5'5", weight in lower 130s, so it's not like I'm needing zillions of calories to do this). It was a bit lower protein while losing weight than now, but still consistently in the 0.6-0.8g protein per pound (yes, pound, not kg) of healthy goal weight range that I target.

treggy23

This is fab, thank you so much.