How do I eat enough protein ?

Jtbuddy13

I’m trying to eat 115 grams of protein and low fat. How do I divide my meals and what do I eat ?

springlering62

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10945320/how-do-i-eat-enough-protein

welcome to the boards.

I am a high protein eater, and have been for several years.

There’s a lot of minutiae about timing your protein, whether to eat it before of after workout etc.

all that stuff makes me confused and a little crazy.

I just make it a point to make sure I have about a quarter for breakfast lunch and dinner, with the last quarter scattered throughout the day via snacks.

I know that Sunday can tend towards low protein because that’s typically “Doughnut Day”, and no protein there of course! But early Monday is personal trainer for an hour and then an hour of lap swimming. So I either try to make it up with more protein rich dinner, or add extra protein before my workouts Monday.

For me, I analyze my habits and my workout schedule and learn from those, as well as other things that pop up.

For example, I’ve started a new arthritis med and switched to another one last weekend. I’m already learning that my typical afternoon snack of blueberry’s and yogurt will need to come earlier in the afternoon because having a nauseous belly full of blueberries is a total No-Go during a late afternoon hot yoga class.

You are your own best teacher and education. What satiated you yesterday or the day before? What did you eat that immediately made you peckish? Could you have that glass of water and stave off a snack attack?

AnnPT77

Dividing the meals is the easiest part, or the hardest. Why? Because a lot of it is personal preference. Try some variations, see how they affect your energy level, how long you stay reasonably full after eating, and that sort of thing.

For most people, the total amount of protein they eat over the whole day is the big deal, outside of the considerations in the previous paragraph. Exception: There is reasonable evidence that older people (say 55-60 and older) may metabolize protein somewhat less efficiently than they did when they were younger. Therefore, advice to older people is to spread protein through the day. (I can give you a cite for a report from an international expert medical/nutrition group on this issue, if you wish.)

Some ideas for increasing protein intake on reduced calories:

1. Review your diary every couple of days, notice foods that have relatively high calories, little or no protein, and that aren't very important to you personally for satiety, other nutrition, or general happiness. Reduce portions or frequencies of those foods, use the freed-up calories to put something in your routine habits that you like eating that has at least some protein. Keep tweaking your routine eating habits in that way, and you'll dial in higher protein over a period of time..
2. For sure, try to get at least one major protein source in each meal . . . but don't stop there. Try to get at least a bit of protein from sides, beverages, condiments, snacks, etc. There are breads with more protein, grains with more protein, veggies with more protein, even fruits with some protein. Those are smaller amounts of protein, but when you make it a point to include those foods, those protein grams add up through the day, and can bump up your total. Some of those will be less balanced in essential amino acids (EAAs), or less bioavailable, but using a variety of sources will somewhat compensate for EAA imbalances in individual foods.

For both of those tactics, I found the thread linked below a useful resource. It links a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods in order by most protein for fewest calories. Find foods near the top of that list that you like to consider as main protein sources, and look for things further down that can add bits of protein in other places in your eating routine.

If your key goal is weight loss, that's all about the calories. Protein is important for health and body composition, but if you don't have a pre-diagnosed deficiency or relevant health condition, it's OK to take some time, like a small number of weeks, to dial in better protein intake. Human bodies are adaptive, and malnutrition is more about long term patterns, not very short intervals of OK but less than ideal nutrient intake.

Best wishes!

nossmf

Carbs and Fats are cheap. Here's a Guide to getting your Protein's worth. Fiber also.

This is the link our dear @AnnPT77 intended to attach.

AnnPT77

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48732429#Comment_48732429

Oops, yes - thank you for fixing it, @nossmf !

nossmf

👍

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Keep some of the fat, cut back on the carbs. My cutting meals look like salad, olive oil-based dressing, feta cheese, and a nice piece of fish, chicken, or lean beef. I match my carbs to my level of exercise that day. I find that best carbs are still things like white or sweet potatoes and fruits. It's amazing what happens when you omit bread and sweets!