How the heck do I eat enough protein!!???
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Bump! Just for Protein ideas myself0
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Bump0
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~ The general rule of thumb is to consume 1 gram of Protein per pound of your lean body mass ... some people will consume 1 gram per pound of their actual weight. You should try to consume a decent amount of Protein with every meal ... but more importantly it is most beneficial after a heavy burn from any type of weight lifting. Other than that ... just work on consuming what you can per serving throughout the day.
Trying to consume 100+ grams of protein is not unrealistic ... it is indeed very attainable.
Protein is required by the body for the growth, maintenance and repair of all cells.
Protein is a major component of all muscles, tissues and organs and is vital for practically every process that occurs within the body such as metabolism, digestion and the transportation of nutrients and oxygen in the blood.
It is also necessary for the production of antibodies, which fight against infection and illness, and is the main nutrient that keeps our hair shiny and healthy, our nails strong, our skin fresh and glowing and our bones strong and healthy.
Any amount consumed can be beneficial in one way or another ... :flowerforyou:
Here are some suggestions :
~ My breakfast alone can be 90 grams of protein ...
16 oz of H2O with Body Fortess Chocolate Protein Powder ... 280 cal 52 g Protein
Fage Nonfat 0% Greek Yogurt ... 100 Cal 18 g Protein
½ Cup raw Blueberries ... 41 Cal 1 g Protein
Healthy N Fit - 100% Egg Protein - Strawberry Passion, 3/4 scoop 100 cal 24 g Protein
* This is generally my breakfast on a hard workout day burning 1,000+ calories
I love the " Premier Nutrition Protein Chocolate Peanut Bar 280 cal and 30 g Protein
I also enjoy :
Edamame
Sushi
Nuts
Salmon
Chicken
Peanut Butter
Pumpkin Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
There is a " Body Fortress - Super Whey Protein Shot - Fruit Punch, 1 vial at 110 cal and 26 g Protein ... I will sometimes use this after a good burn.
Protein is the most difficult macro to accumulate ... when looking to get to 100 g or more a day .... either double up on the chicken, salmon and lean meats .... or find some really good protein bars that are low in sugar and carbs.
Hope this helps ! 0 -
I think you're worrying over nothing and starting to obsess - which will only get you worked up and you'll start to not enjoy your food or your meals any more - and THAT'S what's important. If you're a top-level athlete then your coach will be able to put you straight. If you're not a top-level athlete but are simply working out hard, then just make sure you're having plenty of protein throughout the day. I find protein really tough to stomach in the morning so I don't bother with it - and I'm an endurance runner so yes, I do know about nutrition requirements (just in case you think I'm pitching in a mere 'opinion' lol). It's also much better to work out - and much easier - on a carb-based breakfast - unless you work out before breakfast, which is fine, too. Don't pack in protein before your workout, though. Save it for after. You want the protein for muscle repair AFTER your workouts, you need carbs for energy. As plenty have already said, a third of your lunch and dinner plates should be protein - but that's a normal chicken breast, a tin of tuna, a nice piece of fish .... whatever you choose. It's vital not to overdo the protein as you'll end up with kidney problems. If the rest of your plate has plenty of complex carbs then you'll be fine. If you're working out really hard, then protein shakes are great - if not, then you're overdoing it. And MFP is very unreliable when it comes to the numbers so forget about that!! Most are input by people who generally only log half of the ingredients of products so ignore everything on here. If you want a real breakdown of foods then you need to go to another site (there are plenty) - not reliant on users' input!! MFP is fab for cal-counting but you can totally ignore any indication of carb/protein/mineral quantities lol
Hope that helps. I find that I eat completely 'naturally' every day except for Fridays. Friday is my protein day - my one day a week that I do 'only protein' - mostly because this helps me maintain my weight, it's my exercise 'day off' and I can just concentrate on relaxing and eating lol
Best of luck. Is that you in the pic, by the way? You look great! x
Thanks for this........part of what you said is the concern I have.......I am actually working on becoming a distance runner and I'm training for a half marathon (while working my way up with shorter distance races). I've also just found that I'm losing weight more efficiently with a protein dense diet, but I just never really paid too much attention to the exact numbers until now. I've lost 35lbs and my weight loss is a lot tougher now. I want to have a leaner body in order to be a more efficient runner, so thats what I'm working towards now.
I currently work out at least an hour a day, I do weight conditioning 2 or 3 days a week and cardio the other days (either running or Spinning). I'm running about 6 miles on weekends, and 3 or 4 on week days.
I also try to eat as "clean" as I can. I actually have a nutritionist and a trainer, so yeah I should talk to them about this too.
And yep, that's me in my pic. I used to be fat!!!!
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And thank you everyone for the food suggestions.......I kind of hate greek yogurt (*ducks*) but there are a lot of other suggestions I hadn't even thought of. I'm going to start experimenting with my menu this next week and try to spend a little time finding a better protein supplement (I'm currently using the one I get at Trader Joes which actually only has 16gs per serving). I'm also going to see if I focus a little on protein if I can create some habits of making my meals & snacks more protein dense. So thank you!!!0
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Feel free to add me and take a look at my diary.0
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Er.... so I didn't manage to read the whole thing, but I heard it was 0.36 * body weight for the amount of protein. That's nearly 2/3 less than what you are using!!
Another value was to keep protein between 15% and 30% of your daily calories.
Either way, if you aren't able to get it without adding "artificial means" (like protein shakes), you probably don't need it. Just eat a balance of real foods.0 -
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Good question, I have trouble meeting my goal too!0
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you do not need that many!! 100-110 g is plenty for you!!! If you eat more than 30g in 3 hours your body pees out the excess nitrogen from it... putting a strain on your kidneys, and too much of any macronutrient will get stored as fat.... at a max protein should be 35% of your diet, spread out throughout the day!!!!0
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Whey protein isolate is your friend!!! I use two different kinds: GNC 100% whey strawberry and Biotech 100% whey Vanilla. Both have around 110 calories and 20 grams of protein per serving. They are "instantized" so they mix beautifully in water or unsweetened vanilla almond milk (which adds 35 calories.)
I make these in the morning and in the evening if needed to supplement my requirements. Hope this helps!!0 -
Whey protein isolate is your friend!!! I use two different kinds: GNC 100% whey strawberry and Biotech 100% whey Vanilla. Both have around 110 calories and 20 grams of protein per serving. They are "instantized" so they mix beautifully in water or unsweetened vanilla almond milk (which adds 35 calories.)
I make these in the morning and in the evening if needed to supplement my requirements. Hope this helps!!
Thank you for this tip! I really have had a hard time finding a decent protein powder, but I do have a GNC really close to me!!!!!!!! I'll hit them up this weekend!0 -
Try protein shakes! I buy the cheap kind from walmart and it's 25-30g protein in one scoop (140-160 calories)
Greek yogurt is great... I get the plain, nonfat kind (1 cup is 22g protein, 120 calories) It doesn't taste like much but if you mix it with some protein powder you can get some flavor and extra protein in there.
Tuna and chicken are also awesome.
Best of luck!0 -
you do not need that many!! 100-110 g is plenty for you!!! If you eat more than 30g in 3 hours your body pees out the excess nitrogen from it... putting a strain on your kidneys, and too much of any macronutrient will get stored as fat.... at a max protein should be 35% of your diet, spread out throughout the day!!!!
I hadn't heard this before, but that makes sense. Good info, thank you.
After looking at my LBM numbers, that sounds about right........my LBM is somewhere between 100 and 120 which I didn't take into account at first.0 -
Remember it doesn't have to be all meat and protein shakes - quinoa is a great source of protein and you can pair it with fish or chicken like you would rice - cook it, mix in some veggies... that, my friend, is a badass dinner!0
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Tuna seems to be one of the most protien dense, low calorie foods that I've found so far. I eat tuna for lunch almost every day which is working reat for me. The biggest problem is if you get bored with eating the same foods over and over.0
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And thank you everyone for the food suggestions.......I kind of hate greek yogurt (*ducks*) but there are a lot of other suggestions I hadn't even thought of. I'm going to start experimenting with my menu this next week and try to spend a little time finding a better protein supplement (I'm currently using the one I get at Trader Joes which actually only has 16gs per serving). I'm also going to see if I focus a little on protein if I can create some habits of making my meals & snacks more protein dense. So thank you!!!
Have you tried Dannon Oikos Fruit on the Bottom Greek Yogurt? I hate most of it too- but I eat the Strawberry one every morning for breakfast and have recently added a homemade protein muffin to my breakfast. It's tasty and keeps me full!0 -
Tuna seems to be one of the most protien dense, low calorie foods that I've found so far. I eat tuna for lunch almost every day which is working reat for me. The biggest problem is if you get bored with eating the same foods over and over.
Careful- you can have too much tuna! I love it too, but try to limit it to 1 or 2 servings a week, as it contains a lot of mercury (especially the Albacore). So I try to buy the chunk light, even though Albacore is my favorite.0 -
Tillapia. 8oz of Tillapia is only 200 calories and 40g protien0
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I was always taught to go with the 1g of protein for each pound of LBM. From my experience this is the most consistently used equation.
I'm a vegetarian, so I depend wholly on non-flesh protein sources.
You said you don't like Greek Yogurt, but are you just eating it plain? I do a 1cup of Fage Greek Yogurt (130cal, 23g protein, no fat) and add in 1-2tbs of sugar free fruit/berry preserves. It tastes like a nice fruity ice cream dessert.
I also integrate a lot of whole grains and oats into my diet as well as dairy products- It seems like I have cheese in every meal! A Sargento cheese stick for a snack only has 60cal but 5 grams of protein, and it's quite enjoyable.
Some veggies have protein counts and low calorie, no fat compositions, add in some low cal/fat creamy dressing with them as a snack and 120 calories later you have another nice chunk of the big P.
Quesadillas with carefully picked ingredients can be healthy and low fat/cal. Honestly, I don't worry too much about calories as long as they're healthy. If you're scared because peanut butter has 200 calories and 16g (OMG :-p) of fat, consider the advantages that come with the contents...don't just fret over the fat count. Make it count as a rich source of nutrition, and note that it's filling and healthy, so eating it with an apple for a 300cal snack in the afternoon is not a bad thing in moderation.
Meat Alternatives like Soy-based products (including tofu) like other's have noted are extremely high in protein and low in calories and fat, especially compared to many meats (especially those that particular products are meant to emulate). Some mornings I'll have two morningstar sausage patties with my toast or eggs, those give me a whopping 20g protein and only 160 calories. Yes, these foods are somewhat processed, but they're still food, not a chalky powder.
For those who are pushing different protein powders- those are great, especially after a work out, but I'm wary of drinking it every day (especially in the doses you guys note- like four total scoops a day!) though it can come from natural sources, it's still a processed food. I'd rather enjoy eating real food for my protein unless I'm in a hurry or have a big deficit for the day. As far as Whey Protein Isolate- my research and personal experience notes that it doesn't settle as well with most people as other powders. When I tried it I got the symptoms of food poisoning for about 8 hours after. When I use the powders I stick with MRM 100% Natural Whey Protein powder, and on super deficit days I use Pea Protein powder (horrible consistency though) for 23g protein per low-calorie serving.0 -
you do not need that many!! 100-110 g is plenty for you!!! If you eat more than 30g in 3 hours your body pees out the excess nitrogen from it... putting a strain on your kidneys, and too much of any macronutrient will get stored as fat.... at a max protein should be 35% of your diet, spread out throughout the day!!!!
I hadn't heard this before, but that makes sense. Good info, thank you.
After looking at my LBM numbers, that sounds about right........my LBM is somewhere between 100 and 120 which I didn't take into account at first.
What he said is not true.
What he said is "partly true".0 -
In another thread, many folks were talking about eating 1g of protein per lb of body weight. Which would put me at eating about 150 grams of protein per day. I changed my MFP goals to adjust for that and MAN I did not even come close!!! I had egg whites with breakfast, a chicken breast with lunch, a protein shake for a snack, and a sprouted grain tortilla with hummus at dinner and I was still at less than HALF of what I "should" be eating for protein!
How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
That's a fallacy...men need to have about 75g of protein a day. Women about 65-70g per day0 -
I have 2 Morningstar veggie sausage in the morning with my tea so that is 20 grams for breakfast. I then drink a Premier Protein shake after my workout for another 30 grams. I have some sort of meat on my salad or just down some turkey lunch meat. Then for dinner I make sure to get a good serving in. I am going for 100 g or more a day and I don't seem to have a problem. The days I don't drink a protein shake are hard to get there though.0
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Most days I'm over 100g. Plain, non-fat Greek yogurt helps me a LOT (15 g protein and only 80 calories).0
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In another thread, many folks were talking about eating 1g of protein per lb of body weight. Which would put me at eating about 150 grams of protein per day. I changed my MFP goals to adjust for that and MAN I did not even come close!!! I had egg whites with breakfast, a chicken breast with lunch, a protein shake for a snack, and a sprouted grain tortilla with hummus at dinner and I was still at less than HALF of what I "should" be eating for protein!
How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
I eat a lot of fish.0 -
Protein shakes (good ones - i only order pure 100% whey protein isolate, 0% cholestorl is key, 0 to no carb), greek yogurt, lean meat, beans, quinoa, tofu, fish -- easy! Just change your meals/snackes to items with higher protein.
If you're also watching sodium, watch out for cheese... it has protein but it has tons of sodium so I avoid it.0 -
you do not need that many!! 100-110 g is plenty for you!!! If you eat more than 30g in 3 hours your body pees out the excess nitrogen from it... putting a strain on your kidneys, and too much of any macronutrient will get stored as fat.... at a max protein should be 35% of your diet, spread out throughout the day!!!!
I hadn't heard this before, but that makes sense. Good info, thank you.
After looking at my LBM numbers, that sounds about right........my LBM is somewhere between 100 and 120 which I didn't take into account at first.
What he said is not true.
What he said is "partly true".
The only part I agree with is 100g of protein "MIGHT" be enough for her. It probably is. 35% of you diet? depends. It won't get stored as fat.(research is just touching on this subject, so i won't call him out on it. Not many people know what really happens.)
I agree... women can easily eat 50g+ of protein in one go and muscular men 100g+... the only difference from (the myth) of 30g is it will take longer to digest - the body is an amazing machine!
The nitrogen retention for the numbers being discussed is also not an issue.
How do you think Intermittant fasters deal with eating 4000 cals in 4 hours hitting all their macros in one or two meals?
Lastly to put on fat (unless you have other conditions) you need to be eating a calorific excess!0 -
Lastly to put on fat (unless you have other conditions) you need to be eating a calorific excess!
BINGO!0 -
Tillapia. 8oz of Tillapia is only 200 calories and 40g protien
This is great to know, thank you!0
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