How to add protein with out going over on fat and carbs?

rlandis0530

I’m new here. I’m getting too much fat and carbs and not enough protein- how do I add protein without going over on the other two?

fitness_freak78

Hi there,

There are a number of ways to supplement protein:

High levels of protein, come from things that have eyes, such a beef, fish, chicken etc.

You can also supplement your protein by having a protein shake with low carbs. Here in Australia, I use Gold Standard Iso Whey Isolate, it has 2.3g Carb, 24g Protein and 2g Fat per serve. But there are many other brands that have a similar make up. There are a number of supplement shops around, best to go in to them and discuss your needs if you go this route.

Poaching chicken breast reduces the fat content considerably, in a 100g serve, the fat is less than 5g

If you are vegetarian, there are lots of plant based protein powders on the market, but I have never used these, nor do I know anyine that has, so cannot attest to their effectiveness.

Im not a healthcare professional or anything, but I hope this helps. Find what works for you and your situation.

Alatariel75

Lean meat, basically. Chicken, fish, turkey, lean pork all have very low fat, no cdarbs and are basically pure protein sources.

tomcustombuilder

rlandis0530 wrote: »

I’m new here. I’m getting too much fat and carbs and not enough protein- how do I add protein without going over on the other two?

Just cut back on carbs and fat and add protein I guess I’m not understanding the problem.

AnnPT77

Take a look at this thread: It links a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods in order by protein/calorie efficiency, i.e., most protein for fewest calories.

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

Fewest calories per gram of protein inherently implies less fat, less carbs, or both. If you can find foods high on that list that you like, work on eating more of those in your routine eating patterns, less of something else, you can gradually increase your protein intake and end up in a good spot.

It can help to review your diary every day or few, looking for things you eat regularly that "cost" relatively many calories, but don't have much protein and aren't as important to you for feeling full, getting other nutrition or general happiness. Those are foods to reduce - frequency or portion size - and replace the freed-up calories with better protein contributors.

I actually am a vegetarian, and there's a strategy vegetarians can use to increase protein that also works for omnivores: Of course think about getting at least one big protein source per meal. But also consider choosing other items that have a least a little protein, rather than foods that have none. There are veggies, grains, breads, snacks, beverages, even fruits with more protein than others. Those tend to be lower quality protein (in terms of complete essential amino acid profile), but eating quite a variety of those kinds of things tends to compensate somewhat for that. The small amounts through the day can add up to a meaningful bump up in a person's protein total. Just a thought.

My experience is that it's not too difficult, and can be very effective, to gradually work at increasing protein via tweaking routine habitual food choices. For me, that kind of approach got me to the gram totals I was seeking, around 0.8g+ per pound of healthy goal weight minimum daily, in a way that didn't require constant micromanaging. These days, hitting the right level happens pretty much on autopilot.

Best wishes!

rlandis0530

Thank you everyone for answering my question.
specially AnnPT77 - I will go look at the spreadsheet. I am finishing my first week. I was eating meat for the protein but the carbs and fats where going over my goals. I have now adjusted my goals and I think it will be better. Thanks for answering my question.

nossmf

Asking how you can increase protein without also increasing carbs and fats makes an important assumption: you are wanting to keep your current carbs and fat intake more or less the same, meaning you are starting with the carbs/fat and looking to add protein.

Try the other direction: start with protein choices, then add carbs/fat to round out the meals. Let's see how this can work:

Let's say I'm going to attend a barbecue. I look around at all the sides I want to load up on, then realize I only have enough room on my plate for a single hotdog in a bun. The meal is delicious, but very low protein.

Now let's have the same meal, but this time I start my plate with a grilled chicken breast with BBQ sauce. I can still add some potato salad and chips, I just keep the serving size smaller so I don't go over on calories. I now have a plate of food with far higher protein for the same calories.