More protein
atreinen40
Posts: 1 Member
I'm not eating enough protein. I need ideas!! I need to lower my carb intake. Thanks
1
Replies
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This spreadsheet has a whole list of foods worth their protein (and fiber) count:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also3 -
If you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public we can tailor suggestions to what you are eating now: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
What I have seen in the diaries of others with the same question is large portions of bread and small portions of meat. Once reversed, problem solved.
Pescatarians, see https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10853563/daily-protein-goal-unreachable-plus-protein-per-calorie-chart0 -
For each meal/snack, I make sure to include foods that contain protein throughout the day. It will add up at the end.
My protein go to foods are chicken, steak, turkey, pork, tuna, eggs, beans, quinoa, brown rice, vegs, nuts, peanut butter, cheese, Greek yogurt, popcorn. I wish I liked cottage cheese or even seafood!
For my sweet tooth, protein bar, protein shake with banana, whole grain toast topped with peanut butter and banana, and dark chocolate with a side of nuts.
Hope this helps!6 -
Add some gelatin to your diet: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-gelatin#10
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What's your protein goal, and what's your height & goal weight? (Rhetorical questions.)
0.6-0.8g protein per pound of healthy goal weight is a reasonable daily minimum (and it's likely to be close to 0.8-1g per pound of lean body mass for quite a range of people).
I admit, this is a lower probability of being what's going on with you, but we do see some folks here trying to get amounts like 1g per pound of current bodyweight, when still substantially overweight, and trying to fit that into a low calorie goal. At extremes, that math just doesn't work out well.2 -
sardines, sausages, fatty steaks, lamb chops (eat the fat), chicken thigh (eat the skin), cheese. OMG cheese.
cheese slices, little vache qui rit cream cheese segments, double cream brie. sour cream, full fat sugar free yoghurt with blueberries...
The insane thing is we've been told to avoid fat for so many years, but it's only 5 calories more dense per gram than carb or protein. and so much more enjoyable. And sooo much more satisfying. and it's inert. Fat won't muck with your kidneys when you try to metabolise it. Protein can make you sick if you don't drink enough water to help your kidneys flush it - any protein your body doesn't need has to be turned into carbs, which is not very good for you. Carbs? well, I'm diabetic so they are not my friend.
I am even eating cheerios with low sugar tomato sauce. (the tiny sausage not the breakfast cereal) Can you believe nasty rubbish luncheon sausage fits the macros? so do frankfurter sausages.
I started eating whatever fit the macros. as I get better at this (slowly) I can find more things I can eat, which means I don't have to resort to luncheon sausage.
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Didn't see this mentioned but I drink Bone Broth. Good way to get some protein in.1
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Because of the negative health issues for me with red meat, cured meats (sausage, bacon, lunch meat, jerky, etc.), and cheese (trying to lower my intake of saturated fat), I rely on tofu, lean chicken, tuna, fish, Greek yogurt (fat free), nuts, protein powder and protein bars (either/or and only once a day at most). Also eggs, but only once or twice a week (since the science is still not definitive re: eggs and cholesterol). Same with shrimp. I'm trying to reduce carbs while dropping a few pounds, so am currently limiting beans, quinoa, and brown rice, though they're all staples in my diet when I'm eating at maintenance.2
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I have to manage high cholesterol so for me I look for low saturated fat, protein, and in a perfect world high fiber. My go-to foods are: lentils and beans which have both protein and fiber, turkey, roasted edamame (store-bought) makes a great snack and has a ton of protein vegan sausage, turkey sausage, steamed edamame, tofu, salmon, tuna, greek yogurt. egg beaters, hard boiled eggs (yolk removed).1
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I don't like it when a post gets a bunch of disagrees, but no one explains. I'll take a shot.sardines, sausages, fatty steaks, lamb chops (eat the fat), chicken thigh (eat the skin), cheese. OMG cheese.
cheese slices, little vache qui rit cream cheese segments, double cream brie. sour cream, full fat sugar free yoghurt with blueberries...
The insane thing is we've been told to avoid fat for so many years, but it's only 5 calories more dense per gram than carb or protein.
Or, fat's more than twice as many calories per gram as protein or carbs (9 vs. 4 calories per gram). That part depends on how a person looks at the numbers . . . and how a person looks at the numbers probably depends on some of their other thoughts about those macronutrients.and so much more enjoyable. And sooo much more satisfying.
I'm sincerely happy that you've found a way of eating that works well for you. The thing is, the formula for enjoyment and satiation differs, and can be quite individual.
I don't find fat particularly enjoyable. It's the one macro I'm most likely to under-eat, if I don't pay attention. Further, I don't find it filling at all. I eat some, because it's technically an essential macronutrient so needful. I'm more sated by protein and volume, and fats have the least volume per calorie - not that helpful, for people like me. And I'm not the only person who's wired that way. Like I said, it's individual.
I'm glad for you that it keeps you full and happy, but suggesting that's an inherent property of fat, and that it will do that for everyone, is inaccurate.and it's inert.
Fat won't muck with your kidneys when you try to metabolise it. Protein can make you sick if you don't drink enough water to help your kidneys flush it - any protein your body doesn't need has to be turned into carbs, which is not very good for you.
Kidney disease is relatively common in the US (and probably other developed countries, dunno) . . . among people who have other kidney-health compromises, such as being overweight, diabetic, etc. Otherwise, no. There's no evidence reasonable amounts of protein, including amounts on the high side, "make you sick" or "muck(s) with your kidneys". Yes, unneeded protein can be used as energy or even (though quite rarely) be stored as fat - the latter only in a calorie surplus.
Fat is not "inert". It has effects on the body. Different types have different effects. Some are good effects, some not so good. It's complicated, like the other macronutrients.Carbs? well, I'm diabetic so they are not my friend.
According to other diabetics here, and some I know in real life who successfully manage the condition, carbs are not strictly off limits for diabetics, though they do need to be managed. Mostly eliminating them can be a choice, for anyone. That's fine, if needful or it helps that person.
Carbs are not the devil in a more generic sense. There's a lot of nonsense about them in the blogosphere and tabloids these days, though. Many of us lose weight, maintain weight, have good health and favorable health markers while consuming quite a few carbs. The bit of protein that may be converted to energy ("carbs"), in a surplus, is not inherently some nefarious thing.I am even eating cheerios with low sugar tomato sauce. (the tiny sausage not the breakfast cereal) Can you believe nasty rubbish luncheon sausage fits the macros? so do frankfurter sausages.
I started eating whatever fit the macros. as I get better at this (slowly) I can find more things I can eat, which means I don't have to resort to luncheon sausage.
There's a fairly well documented correlation between processed meat intake and stomach or colorectal cancer, so it would probably be good not to resort to luncheon (or frankfurter) sausage frequently, if you like playing the odds. Your call, though.
Best wishes!5 -
I love it when I answer a question by sharing what works for me because of my personal health indicators and people “disagree.” I’m so over these forums.1
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I've found that the easiest for me is to include a protein shack with each meal. That's in addition to the protein that I have with the meal.0
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@AnnPT77, just curious where you gained all your knowledge because you are one smart cookie!!(sugar-free, lo-cal and healthy cookie of course
)
Thank you, but I wouldn't describe myself anything like that way. 🤣 I'm unnaturally curious generally, like researching things that happen to interest me, have more free time in retirement (especially in pandemic times!), can touch-type dangerously fast.
Also, not sugar free: Over my MFP default sugar goal pretty much every day, and don't even care (small fraction is added sugar, most inherent - I'm usually well within WHO/USDA guidelines). 😉0 -
0.6-0.8g protein per pound of healthy goal weight is a reasonable daily minimum (and it's likely to be close to 0.8-1g per pound of lean body mass for quite a range of people)...At extremes, that math just doesn't work out well.
thank you so much for sharing this. no one explains it anywhere in any of the protein needs calculators I've seen, and I was really feeling like 140 g of protein daily seemed unattainable when I'm not restricting carbs. 78 g is a much more reasonable number.3 -
My go-tos are greek yogurt, protein powder and bars for snacks, chicken/pork/lean beef for meat, eggs/egg whites. Sometimes string cheese.1
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Some easy ways to get high protein in are: greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder, bone broth, chicken and fish are high in protein.1
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Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.2
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michellewale1977 wrote: »Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.
Thank you. I live here in the USA1 -
rodneybrookshire wrote: »michellewale1977 wrote: »Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.
Thank you. I live here in the USA
Skyr is available in the US, though specifics may differ by locale. If you don't find it in your mainstream grocery store, look in stores that have a bit of a health food slant, if you have those.
Looking at labels here, I've found that things labeled as Skyr don't always have more protein, less sugar, etc., than (say) some things labeled as Greek yogurt (which also vary brand to brand), and there are a few other yogurt-like categories that I can't think of names of right now, that are also in the running.
Reading labels and comparing is a good plan, as you have time. There can be surprising differences among different brands in the same category.
That's IME super-duper true here for vegan/vegetarian faux meat products. Some things in that category have a pretty terrible calorie-to-protein ratio, others are quite good. Check those labels!
It's not clear to me whether you (person quoted) or the OP are vegetarian, though. (I am.)
Regardless of overall eating style, it's possible that anyone trying to get more protein may benefit from a strategy that IMO is essential for vegetarians on limited calories: Go beyond thinking in terms of "one big protein per meal" orientation that's common IME among omnivores. ("What's for dinner?" "Chicken."😉).
A major protein source in every meal can be important, maybe essential (depending on calorie budget). But in addition to that, if short on protein, think about whether you can get little bits of protein from nearly anything you eat, while still eating in a way you can enjoy.
If you eat bread or pasta or grains, seek out types you like that have relatively more protein. Choose snacks with protein. There are flavoring ingredients that many of us find useful/tasty that have a bit of protein (things such as defatted peanut butter powder or almond butter powder, nutritional yeast, miso, etc.). Some veggies have more protein than others. There are even fruits with a little protein! (The more plant sources of protein in one's diet, the more important it becomes to keep essential amino acid balance in mind, and adequate intake of B-12, iron, and some other nutrients that meat-centric omnivores get from animal-source foods).
The thread linked above, which I'll repeat again, is a great source for ideas to plug into one's eating. Scrolling past the mostly meaty/fishy/main-dishy things at the top of its spreadsheet, you'll find plant sources further down.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
As a process, look at your food diary, notice foods that bring quite a few calories, but that aren't essential to your nutrition, satiation, or taste-preference happiness. Those are things to reduce or eliminate, replace with other foods you like eating (maybe found via that spreadsheet) that add some protein to your day.
Little bits through the day can add up to a surprisingly good contribution to total protein, by the end of the day. At first, it takes some attention/effort; after a while, it becomes a nearly automatic part of one's habitual eating patterns.1 -
rodneybrookshire wrote: »michellewale1977 wrote: »Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.
Thank you. I live here in the USA
Skyr is available in the US, though specifics may differ by locale. If you don't find it in your mainstream grocery store, look in stores that have a bit of a health food slant, if you have those.
Looking at labels here, I've found that things labeled as Skyr don't always have more protein, less sugar, etc., than (say) some things labeled as Greek yogurt (which also vary brand to brand), and there are a few other yogurt-like categories that I can't think of names of right now, that are also in the running.
Reading labels and comparing is a good plan, as you have time. There can be surprising differences among different brands in the same category.
That's IME super-duper true here for vegan/vegetarian faux meat products. Some things in that category have a pretty terrible calorie-to-protein ratio, others are quite good. Check those labels!
It's not clear to me whether you (person quoted) or the OP are vegetarian, though. (I am.)
Regardless of overall eating style, it's possible that anyone trying to get more protein may benefit from a strategy that IMO is essential for vegetarians on limited calories: Go beyond thinking in terms of "one big protein per meal" orientation that's common IME among omnivores. ("What's for dinner?" "Chicken."😉).
A major protein source in every meal can be important, maybe essential (depending on calorie budget). But in addition to that, if short on protein, think about whether you can get little bits of protein from nearly anything you eat, while still eating in a way you can enjoy.
If you eat bread or pasta or grains, seek out types you like that have relatively more protein. Choose snacks with protein. There are flavoring ingredients that many of us find useful/tasty that have a bit of protein (things such as defatted peanut butter powder or almond butter powder, nutritional yeast, miso, etc.). Some veggies have more protein than others. There are even fruits with a little protein! (The more plant sources of protein in one's diet, the more important it becomes to keep essential amino acid balance in mind, and adequate intake of B-12, iron, and some other nutrients that meat-centric omnivores get from animal-source foods).
The thread linked above, which I'll repeat again, is a great source for ideas to plug into one's eating. Scrolling past the mostly meaty/fishy/main-dishy things at the top of its spreadsheet, you'll find plant sources further down.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
As a process, look at your food diary, notice foods that bring quite a few calories, but that aren't essential to your nutrition, satiation, or taste-preference happiness. Those are things to reduce or eliminate, replace with other foods you like eating (maybe found via that spreadsheet) that add some protein to your day.
Little bits through the day can add up to a surprisingly good contribution to total protein, by the end of the day. At first, it takes some attention/effort; after a while, it becomes a nearly automatic part of one's habitual eating patterns.
Thank you very much, I will check my diary and read the labels much closer. I'm not a vegetarian but I did have weight loss surgery back in 2010. I've noticed that I've put some weight back on and working to better myself, get it off again and to be more conscious about my eating habits when I'm at work driving a truck2 -
rodneybrookshire wrote: »rodneybrookshire wrote: »michellewale1977 wrote: »Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.
Thank you. I live here in the USA
Skyr is available in the US, though specifics may differ by locale. If you don't find it in your mainstream grocery store, look in stores that have a bit of a health food slant, if you have those.
Looking at labels here, I've found that things labeled as Skyr don't always have more protein, less sugar, etc., than (say) some things labeled as Greek yogurt (which also vary brand to brand), and there are a few other yogurt-like categories that I can't think of names of right now, that are also in the running.
Reading labels and comparing is a good plan, as you have time. There can be surprising differences among different brands in the same category.
That's IME super-duper true here for vegan/vegetarian faux meat products. Some things in that category have a pretty terrible calorie-to-protein ratio, others are quite good. Check those labels!
It's not clear to me whether you (person quoted) or the OP are vegetarian, though. (I am.)
Regardless of overall eating style, it's possible that anyone trying to get more protein may benefit from a strategy that IMO is essential for vegetarians on limited calories: Go beyond thinking in terms of "one big protein per meal" orientation that's common IME among omnivores. ("What's for dinner?" "Chicken."😉).
A major protein source in every meal can be important, maybe essential (depending on calorie budget). But in addition to that, if short on protein, think about whether you can get little bits of protein from nearly anything you eat, while still eating in a way you can enjoy.
If you eat bread or pasta or grains, seek out types you like that have relatively more protein. Choose snacks with protein. There are flavoring ingredients that many of us find useful/tasty that have a bit of protein (things such as defatted peanut butter powder or almond butter powder, nutritional yeast, miso, etc.). Some veggies have more protein than others. There are even fruits with a little protein! (The more plant sources of protein in one's diet, the more important it becomes to keep essential amino acid balance in mind, and adequate intake of B-12, iron, and some other nutrients that meat-centric omnivores get from animal-source foods).
The thread linked above, which I'll repeat again, is a great source for ideas to plug into one's eating. Scrolling past the mostly meaty/fishy/main-dishy things at the top of its spreadsheet, you'll find plant sources further down.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
As a process, look at your food diary, notice foods that bring quite a few calories, but that aren't essential to your nutrition, satiation, or taste-preference happiness. Those are things to reduce or eliminate, replace with other foods you like eating (maybe found via that spreadsheet) that add some protein to your day.
Little bits through the day can add up to a surprisingly good contribution to total protein, by the end of the day. At first, it takes some attention/effort; after a while, it becomes a nearly automatic part of one's habitual eating patterns.
Thank you very much, I will check my diary and read the labels much closer. I'm not a vegetarian but I did have weight loss surgery back in 2010. I've noticed that I've put some weight back on and working to better myself, get it off again and to be more conscious about my eating habits when I'm at work driving a truck
If you have had bariatric surgery, then depending on the surgery you got, you really need specialist advice on how to eat safely. I say that because the full bypass cuts off a foot or something of your small intestine and there will be things you cannot take out of the food you eat.
I hear that stapling is less intrusive but you don't identify which you have had done. I would be anxious about giving you any advice given your special conditions.1 -
I love it when I answer a question by sharing what works for me because of my personal health indicators and people “disagree.” I’m so over these forums.
I did not and would not have disagreed with your post. Unlike the other poster who got a lot of disagrees, you shared your personal experience only and did not include any magical thinking.
I once got a disagree when I posted that I have vegetables rotting in my composter 0
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