Having difficulty eating enough protein...

underthecherrytree

MFP has me at 135 calories of protein a day. But at the end of the day, I am only eating maybe 50 grams. What can I do?

lauleipop

I also ran into this problem. I finally conceded the point and bought protein powder. I will say, I noticed quite a difference when I increased my protein and consider the protein powder worth it. YMMV.

LAMypie

Protein Powder. Or some nice lean meat like chicken. Also eggs are chock full of protein.

dg09

Protein Powder. Or some nice lean meat like chicken. Also eggs are chock full of protein.

Definitely chicken! A cup of diced chicken is like 40g of protein.

ChelleDJM

I do either a protein smoothie or an egg white omelet in the morning. That gives a big protein boost to start the day. Fish and chicken are high protein and low fat. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese also had a good amount of protein.

Raddichio

I also ran into this problem. I finally conceded the point and bought protein powder. I will say, I noticed quite a difference when I increased my protein and consider the protein powder worth it. YMMV.
[/quote

I just purchased some whey protein concentrate (unflavored) and made my first protein drink after my workout today. You mention that you've noticed a difference when you increased yoru protein. What differences did you notice?]

Lennox497

MFP has me at 135 calories of protein a day. But at the end of the day, I am only eating maybe 50 grams. What can I do?

With only 50g of protein intake a day. I would curious to see your food diary. The first couple of responses hit the nail right on the head. Protein powder/shakes work great as a supplement, but whole food in my opinion is better.

I'm having a protein shake right now, it is 48g of protein.

coolteenager101

Eat
-Meat
-Protein Shakes
-Protein bar
-Eggs
-Beans

jsapninz

http://www.livestrong.com/article/91587-four-major-sources-protein/

(most to least)
Meat
Fish
Soy
Eggs

PLEASE NOTE that nuts are not on the list due to their high fat content. But you can STILL eat peanut butter.

I like to eat Kashi Go Lean (original) for breakfast, which has 13 grams in 140 cals.
Also, for snack try greek yogurt, (the kinds without loads of sugars are best), I like Fage 2% plain, 20 gs protein per 150 cals.

87missc87

I do either a protein smoothie or an egg white omelet in the morning. That gives a big protein boost to start the day. Fish and chicken are high protein and low fat. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese also had a good amount of protein.

Same here! I never realized how much protein is in greek yogurt and cottage cheese. They are my new go-to snack options. :-)

addict3

I do either a protein smoothie or an egg white omelet in the morning. That gives a big protein boost to start the day. Fish and chicken are high protein and low fat. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese also had a good amount of protein.

This^^^^ and try Quest bars, they are great tasting and well balanced nutritionally, check out their website. Another little trick is to eat some kind of protein every time you eat, it adds up better. I eat three meals and 3-4 snacks / day. Those are small meals and all that spread out eating helps keep you less hungry and keeps up your energy better.

JKiger14809

Egg whites are the leanest protien, and is easy to add to you diet. Hardboiled a couple eggs, don't eat the yolks.

_Schatzi_

I am having the exact same problem. I also don't like to eat a lot of meat. Right before I started this diet I was eating it as sparingly as possible. Maybe once or twice a week, and trying to have fish or chicken instead of red meat.

I just got some Greek Yogurt (a whopping 28g of protein per cup!) and am trying to be more creative with eggs- which I love. I have an egg cooker, so I can make a batch of hard boiled eggs to last a few days. Those can go in salads, on breakfast sandwiches, salads. And eggs always keep me from starving between meals.

sheschemes

Beans like chickpeas, black beans, and lentils are great when you pair them with a starch to make a complete protein. Quinoa with black beans + whatever else you want makes an easy meal or side dish.

3ur0tr45h

MFP has me at 135 calories of protein a day. But at the end of the day, I am only eating maybe 50 grams. What can I do?

I might catch flack for this but if you are feeling satisfied and you are moving towards your physical goals, why do you need to change? You are not eating a dangerously low amount of protein to maintain a healthy body in my opinion. The nutrition goals set on MFP at default are just basic balanced guidelines but it doesn't mean if you don't hit them you aren't healthy. If you are really trying to build muscle you should supplement as others have said. However if you are maintaining or losing, I personally wouldn't worry about it.

I am a vegan so it is almost impossible for me to hit the "normal" amount of protein for a guy my size anyway. However I am still able to stay healthy and lose weight which are my goals. In my opinion (and I'm not alone on this one) there is too much emphasis placed on protein and a lot of the fats and sodium that accompany it are downright unhealthy.

SalishSea

I love the satiating power of protein. Since I've increased my protein intake my cravings have nearly ceased. Nearly, not all!

I'm lucky in that I love meat. My favorite is fresh caught halibut. So good. But very expensive. But my health is worth it if I can afford it at the time.

I also love beef tenderloin with melted bleu cheese on top. Another fav is extra lean ground turkey mixed with Greek yogurt (so the turkey isn't so dry). Then I add fresh ground curry powder to the turkey and cook in coconut oil. So much protein and so delicious. Sometimes I eat the burger just plain and sometimes I add it to a spinach salad.

I also love my protein shakes. I use Garden of Life protein powder. No soy, no whey. And I use fat free plain Greek yogurt. These shakes are the yummiest!

Cottage cheese is good. But the calories add up quickly for a small portion. I love hard boiled eggs. I eat the yummy yolk.

I ALWAYS eat protein with every meal. And super-especially in the morning. This keeps me satisfied for a long time. And staves off vicious cravings. Eating a large amount of protein in the morning has been one of the best suggestions for me. I used to not eat breakfast thinking it doesn't make a difference. Boy, was I wrong! Protein in the morning is now a must for me. For life.

UrbanRunner81

i added protein powder. I really noticed a difference in my lifting after increasing and eating more of it.

Sarauk2sf

MFP has me at 135 calories of protein a day. But at the end of the day, I am only eating maybe 50 grams. What can I do?

I might catch flack for this but if you are feeling satisfied and you are moving towards your physical goals, why do you need to change? You are not eating a dangerously low amount of protein to maintain a healthy body in my opinion. The nutrition goals set on MFP at default are just basic balanced guidelines but it doesn't mean if you don't hit them you aren't healthy. If you are really trying to build muscle you should supplement as others have said. However if you are maintaining or losing, I personally wouldn't worry about it.

I am a vegan so it is almost impossible for me to hit the "normal" amount of protein for a guy my size anyway. However I am still able to stay healthy and lose weight which are my goals. In my opinion (and I'm not alone on this one) there is too much emphasis placed on protein and a lot of the fats and sodium that accompany it are downright unhealthy.

Low fat greek yoghurt
Quinoa
Whey protein


to name a few - where are the fats and sodium?

the MFP goals are set very very low.

angel_north

That right in your quote: fats, sugar and sodium what good is a balanced diet if you don't look at your over all program. I have a protein shake that has no soy or whey just egg whites fill it with fresh fruit and diet v8 fusion if I am on the go. Then make sure that I have another meal of fresh veggies, cheese and fruit of the day. If you have 5 meals a day, workout and they are small you are able to get all the vitamins you need, stay within your calories and feel great!

saraann4

Have a nice lean biggish piece of chicken/pork with your dinner. It has filled me up and filled my protein for the day. I usually only cook on the weekends. The boyfriend has been grilling out so we grill plain chicken breasts or thin pork chops without the bone and one of the bigger pieces usually gets the work done. Plus it's sooo good! If not willing to have a big piece, even a normal portion will do you some good. I don't have that much protein during the week. So, on the weekend, I have the bigger piece.

momjmd

Do you like Tuna? A bag of tuna (flake tuna) is really good, low in fat and high in protein.

rdy2lose

For a snack I will eat a Detour lower sugar whey protein bar, but there are lots of different protein bars out there, so check them out. Also there are several protein powders you can try. Of course the best way to get protein is in it's true form, so add low fat cheese and meat to your diet.

My son has a protein drink from GNC after a workout. They are expensive though.

Sweet_Potato

I wouldn't worry about it. If you're already eating 50g a day that's a lot of protein! It's not like you're trying to become a bodybuilder (I'm assuming).

Mommyof3texans

Some things I eat to get protein"

Turkey/chicken
greek yogurt
cheese
eggs
protein shakes
pb2
special K protein plus cereal
milk

Sarauk2sf

I wouldn't worry about it. If you're already eating 50g a day that's a lot of protein! It's not like you're trying to become a bodybuilder (I'm assuming).

That's actually not much protein at all - and higher protein is not only relevent for body builders.

Sweet_Potato

I wouldn't worry about it. If you're already eating 50g a day that's a lot of protein! It's not like you're trying to become a bodybuilder (I'm assuming).

That's actually not much protein at all - and higher protein is not only relevent for body builders.

Well, I RARELY get up to 50g myself, and my diet's pretty good. Sometimes I do the whey powder shakes, and they usually gets me close to the MFP goal, but we should be able to get enough protein from whole foods.

Sarauk2sf

I wouldn't worry about it. If you're already eating 50g a day that's a lot of protein! It's not like you're trying to become a bodybuilder (I'm assuming).

That's actually not much protein at all - and higher protein is not only relevent for body builders.

Well, I RARELY get up to 50g myself, and my diet's pretty good. Sometimes I do the whey powder shakes, and they usually gets me close to the MFP goal, but we should be able to get enough protein from whole foods.

You may not go up to 50g - my point is, its not a lot and a higher level is not only applicable to body builders.