How to get protein without tons of calories

flippy1234

Hi,
I am trying to eat more protein but I don't want lots of extra calories. Do I make protein priority on my plate then add some veggies and carbs? Any suggestions?

sardelsa

My go-to protein sources that are lower in cals are chicken breast, fish (tuna, tilapia, cod), turkey, shrimp, egg whites, protein powder, low/no-fat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, skim milk.

MikePTY

Boneless skinless chicken breast (6 ounces cooked is 50 grams), tuna fish, either canned or in the fish. White fish. Turkey. Very lean beef. Shrimp and most shellfish.

deannalfisher

shrimp is pretty much all protein- limited fat, zero carbs

chicken, pork tenderloin, turkey have slightly more fat - but still owrth the protein bang for the buck

cmriverside

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10244142/list-of-foods-with-highest-protein-calorie-percentage/p1

^^Good chart Protein/Calorie

cmriverside

Here's his other thread with links to the spreadsheet...if it still works...

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also/p1

rebeccaj822

A good rule from the nutritionists - 1/2 your plate vegetables, 1/4 protein source (lean meat, tofu, whatever), and 1/4 something starchy (potatoes, pasta, brown rice) etc. Better to use whole wheat pasta/brown rice because of the higher nutritional content.

apullum

rebeccaj822 wrote: »

A good rule from the nutritionists - 1/2 your plate vegetables, 1/4 protein source (lean meat, tofu, whatever), and 1/4 something starchy (potatoes, pasta, brown rice) etc. Better to use whole wheat pasta/brown rice because of the higher nutritional content.

There is not clear evidence that brown rice is "better" than white rice. There are tradeoffs between them, and it ultimately depends on one's tastes and nutrition goals. Here is a good discussion (in non-scientific language, with links to sources): https://lifehacker.com/is-brown-rice-really-that-much-healthier-than-white-ric-1820044994