High Protein, Low Fat

janemem

What foods have the highest protein but lowest fat content?
I am coming to understand that I should increase my protein intake but I really don't want to increase my fats.
Any ideas?

theys1

The first thing is, you need fats, this is a huge misconception for people.......healthy fats though, such as coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil etc........With every meal you should be having some sort of healthy fat with it. When I prepare my meals for the week I add a tbls of either olive oil or coconut oil to whatever I have prepared. When I cook my eggs in the morning I use coconut oil. Hope that helps.

Kara_xxx

Fresh fish.

High protein. Good fats, no saturated ones.

janemem

I've just checked through my diary for the past week and aside from Sunday when I went way over (roast pork belly, need I say more, lol!) my fat total averages to around 2 per day. I realise this is a bit low but is it too low?
If I add cook with oil it is always organic olive oil extra virgin. Although thinking about it whenever I make a dish of anything around 6 portions I'll only ever add 2 tbsp maximum, I can't ever remember adding 3. Is this usual?

janemem

Fresh fish.

High protein. Good fats, no saturated ones.

I'm on a really fixed low income (part reason for why I only eat meat once a week) with very little to spare for luxuries like fresh fish and on top of that we don't have a fishmonger anywhere near and I refuse to buy fish from the supermarket.
I can't honestly remember the last time I ate a bit of fresh fish

Zichu

2 per day of fat in what measurement? Grams? If this is try then you are definitely not getting enough fat in your diet at all.

Fat isn't going to hurt you at all, there are good fats and bad fats. It isn't going to cause you to put on weight, eating above your BMR and not exercising will cause you to put on weight.

For now, I think you should worry more about actually hitting your calorie goals because you will stop losing weight and it's just not healthy for anyone.

Spanaval

Fresh fish.

High protein. Good fats, no saturated ones.

I'm on a really fixed low income (part reason for why I only eat meat once a week) with very little to spare for luxuries like fresh fish and on top of that we don't have a fishmonger anywhere near and I refuse to buy fish from the supermarket.
I can't honestly remember the last time I ate a bit of fresh fish

There is A LOT of alcohol in your diet. Use that money and buy some fish with it. Heck, buy some canned wild caught salmon, which tends to be pretty affordable.

Your body needs fats too. Just to give you an example, there are several vitamins that are fat soluble, and inadequate amounts of fat can lead to deficiencies.

TeaBea

fat free greek yogurt
fat free cottage cheese
chicken breast
canned tuna (water pack)
skimmed milk
non-fat traditional yogurt

I have the hardest time accepting that fat is good. But it IS. Fat helps keep you full, and helps your body absorb vital nutrients.

janemem

2 per day of fat in what measurement? Grams? If this is try then you are definitely not getting enough fat in your diet at all.

Fat isn't going to hurt you at all, there are good fats and bad fats. It isn't going to cause you to put on weight, eating above your BMR and not exercising will cause you to put on weight.

For now, I think you should worry more about actually hitting your calorie goals because you will stop losing weight and it's just not healthy for anyone.

Yes, grams. The only fat I tend to consume comes in the form of crisps/nibbles (I am addicted, I have to have some each day no matter how small the amount), olive oil in the dishes I cook and to be honest that's about that.
I know there are good and bad fats but if I'm honest all fats scare me, I just can't get my head around the fact that I should eat more fat to help lose weight, crazy as that sounds.

sapalee

Yes, more protein and fat. Shoot for .35-.75 grams total fat per pound of body weight.

And do you realize almost half of your total calories in the few days I looked at came from alcohol? I'm not saying you have to quit drinking, but your nutrition is suffering if you don't eat more real food. Alcohol already impedes your nutrient absorption, so you'll need to pay extra attention to getting more nutrients.

I understand not wanting to sacrifice quality of foods by buying frozen or tinned but its better than not eating it all.

janemem

fat free greek yogurt
fat free cottage cheese
chicken breast
canned tuna (water pack)
skimmed milk
non-fat traditional yogurt

I have the hardest time accepting that fat is good. But it IS. Fat helps keep you full, and helps your body absorb vital nutrients.

I do eat some of those very very rarely, I'll definitely make the effort to incorporate them into my diet more often. Thank you.

janemem

Fresh fish.

High protein. Good fats, no saturated ones.

I'm on a really fixed low income (part reason for why I only eat meat once a week) with very little to spare for luxuries like fresh fish and on top of that we don't have a fishmonger anywhere near and I refuse to buy fish from the supermarket.
I can't honestly remember the last time I ate a bit of fresh fish

There is A LOT of alcohol in your diet. Use that money and buy some fish with it. Heck, buy some canned wild caught salmon, which tends to be pretty affordable.

Your body needs fats too. Just to give you an example, there are several vitamins that are fat soluble, and inadequate amounts of fat can lead to deficiencies.

I've got to have something to look forward to of an evening. ;-)
Seriously, my thinking (which I know is a bit skewed) is that as alcohol calories get burned first and I am almost always under my daily goal calorie wise then the alcohol doesn't have much of an effect on my weight.
I take a multivitamin and try to eat as 'clean' as possible (for the amount of calories I have to 'spend' each day).

TONYAGOOCH

It appears that you are calculating SATURATED fat and not TOTAL fat. It is a good idea to keep the saturated to a minimum but if you are concerned about fat content you need to look at the whole picture. Your body needs fats and carbs to function properly. You need to be eating at LEAST at your BMR. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns daily if you were in a state of rest all day long. So you need at least that amount of calories for normal organ functions. If you go to scoobysworkshop.com you can put in all of your information and it will tell you the amount of calories you should be eating as well as the proper macros you need.

You can get plenty of protein without eating meat. Vegetarians do it all the time.

The best sources of non-meat protein are beans and legumes; nuts; seeds like sunflower and pumpkin seeds; soy products like tofu, tempeh and veggie burgers; and for non-vegans, eggs and dairy products. Good sources of plant based protein include grains like barley, buckwheat, oatmeal, quinoa and rye, and fruits and vegetables such as beets, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, yams, bananas, pineapple, cantaloupes and grapes.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/245198-non-meat-protein-foods/#ixzz1xmsIdnjl


Chicken is a fairly inexpensive meat. You can buy a whole chicken and remove the skin and cook it and use for future meals. Canned tuna is also inexpensive. The have bags of frozen tilapia fish that is about $8 as well. Peanut butter is good too with good fats.

janemem

Yes, more protein and fat. Shoot for .35-.75 grams total fat per pound of body weight.

And do you realize almost half of your total calories in the few days I looked at came from alcohol? I'm not saying you have to quit drinking, but your nutrition is suffering if you don't eat more real food. Alcohol already impedes your nutrient absorption, so you'll need to pay extra attention to getting more nutrients.

I understand not wanting to sacrifice quality of foods by buying frozen or tinned but its better than not eating it all.

Seriously? That would be a minimum of 40g of fat per day. That sounds far too much for me, that's 20 x my average!
I do try to balance out the food/drink but to be honest in my mind I think that liquid cal's don't effect my weight but solid mass do.
It's all a bit scary trying to sort out my nutrition but I wouldn't have even given it a thought if it wasn't for MFP and all the wonderfully helpful people on here.

MoveTheMountain

Fresh fish.

High protein. Good fats, no saturated ones.

I'm on a really fixed low income (part reason for why I only eat meat once a week) with very little to spare for luxuries like fresh fish and on top of that we don't have a fishmonger anywhere near and I refuse to buy fish from the supermarket.
I can't honestly remember the last time I ate a bit of fresh fish

Why won't you buy fish from a supermarket? I don't have a fishmonger nearby either, but I still eat fish - just had some scallops the other nite... And if you keep your eyes open, you can get it on sale.

Also, you can get frozen shrimp at the supermarket, as well. 5 years ago, I wouldn't have recommended it, but they've gotten really good at it.

Kara_xxx

Alcohol does have an impact on your weight ultimately, as they're empty calories with zero nutritional value, giving your body nothing.

You need to have a think about your priorities.

You either stick with the booze and crisps and accept you won't get the body you want... or you change your habits?

TONYAGOOCH

Yes, more protein and fat. Shoot for .35-.75 grams total fat per pound of body weight.

And do you realize almost half of your total calories in the few days I looked at came from alcohol? I'm not saying you have to quit drinking, but your nutrition is suffering if you don't eat more real food. Alcohol already impedes your nutrient absorption, so you'll need to pay extra attention to getting more nutrients.

I understand not wanting to sacrifice quality of foods by buying frozen or tinned but its better than not eating it all.

Seriously? That would be a minimum of 40g of fat per day. That sounds far too much for me, that's 20 x my average!
I do try to balance out the food/drink but to be honest in my mind I think that liquid cal's don't effect my weight but solid mass do.
It's all a bit scary trying to sort out my nutrition but I wouldn't have even given it a thought if it wasn't for MFP and all the wonderfully helpful people on here.

Sweetie not all liquid calories are the same. Your body processes alcohol sugar in a completely different way than other sugars or liquids. I can almost guarantee that if you reduce your alcohol intake you will see a big difference.

jones137

sapalee is right.......you look to be averaging around 500 calories a day in food and 450 a day in alcohol. You don't get nearly enough fat.....or any nutrients for that matter. I'm getting around 80 grams of fat a day, 220 grams of protein and 100 grams of carbs with 2000 calories and I'm losing weight and feel great.

I would imagine you feel very weak with the tiny bit of food intake your getting. Fats are good (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) and are required to function (your brain needs fats).

Not trying to give you a hard time but I don't think your current food intake is healthy or sustainable.

Spanaval

Yes, more protein and fat. Shoot for .35-.75 grams total fat per pound of body weight.

And do you realize almost half of your total calories in the few days I looked at came from alcohol? I'm not saying you have to quit drinking, but your nutrition is suffering if you don't eat more real food. Alcohol already impedes your nutrient absorption, so you'll need to pay extra attention to getting more nutrients.

I understand not wanting to sacrifice quality of foods by buying frozen or tinned but its better than not eating it all.

Seriously? That would be a minimum of 40g of fat per day. That sounds far too much for me, that's 20 x my average!
I do try to balance out the food/drink but to be honest in my mind I think that liquid cal's don't effect my weight but solid mass do.
It's all a bit scary trying to sort out my nutrition but I wouldn't have even given it a thought if it wasn't for MFP and all the wonderfully helpful people on here.

Your body needs good fats. Your nerve cells, for instance, are covered in fat (good insulation, keeps the "current" from leaking, so to speak, and allows for transmission of impulses over long distances without loss of signal).

You really need to change the way you think about food. Food is not your enemy. Fat is not your enemy. Eat a good, well balanced meal while staying near your calorie goals. Alcohol is fine, in moderation. However, you're getting the bulk of your calories from it, and it is nowhere near being a nutritionally complete food, so you're wasting your calories on stuff that does nothing good for your body.

Kara_xxx

Also there is a massive difference between saturated fats (which are generally best avoided) and the mono & polyunsaturates (which your body needs for the most primary functions like cell renewal etc).

Kara_xxx

Todays lunch... THREE grams of white bread...??? :huh:
is that a mistake or was it a crumb??

susannamarie

I've got to have something to look forward to of an evening. ;-)
Seriously, my thinking (which I know is a bit skewed) is that as alcohol calories get burned first and I am almost always under my daily goal calorie wise then the alcohol doesn't have much of an effect on my weight.
I take a multivitamin and try to eat as 'clean' as possible (for the amount of calories I have to 'spend' each day).

Good that you recognize it's a bit skewed Because honestly, alcohol has almost as many calories per gram as fat.

Your fat's low -- but not as low as you think it is because you're looking at saturated fat only. It's still really low.

You've posted in another thread about hair loss. You need to get some fat/protein/calories in general into your diet, because this is a sign of a serious nutritional problem. Someone as lean as you already are (and you ARE) can't afford too high of a calorie deficit.

janemem

Fresh fish.

High protein. Good fats, no saturated ones.

I'm on a really fixed low income (part reason for why I only eat meat once a week) with very little to spare for luxuries like fresh fish and on top of that we don't have a fishmonger anywhere near and I refuse to buy fish from the supermarket.
I can't honestly remember the last time I ate a bit of fresh fish

Why won't you buy fish from a supermarket? I don't have a fishmonger nearby either, but I still eat fish - just had some scallops the other nite... And if you keep your eyes open, you can get it on sale.

Also, you can get frozen shrimp at the supermarket, as well. 5 years ago, I wouldn't have recommended it, but they've gotten really good at it.

The only supermarket near me is Tesco and the fish counter only gets a 'fresh' delivery once a week and when you ask any of the guys none of them can tell you what day the last delivery was, nor whether the fish has been frozen previously so there's no way I'll buy potentially 'old' fish that can't be kept longer than that day because I don't know if it's safe to freeze. Then there's the method of capture and the lies that Tesco spout, but that's another topic altogether.

yentess

It appears that you are calculating SATURATED fat and not TOTAL fat. It is a good idea to keep the saturated to a minimum but if you are concerned about fat content you need to look at the whole picture. Your body needs fats and carbs to function properly. You need to be eating at LEAST at your BMR. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns daily if you were in a state of rest all day long. So you need at least that amount of calories for normal organ functions. If you go to scoobysworkshop.com you can put in all of your information and it will tell you the amount of calories you should be eating as well as the proper macros you need.

You can get plenty of protein without eating meat. Vegetarians do it all the time.

The best sources of non-meat protein are beans and legumes; nuts; seeds like sunflower and pumpkin seeds; soy products like tofu, tempeh and veggie burgers; and for non-vegans, eggs and dairy products. Good sources of plant based protein include grains like barley, buckwheat, oatmeal, quinoa and rye, and fruits and vegetables such as beets, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, yams, bananas, pineapple, cantaloupes and grapes.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/245198-non-meat-protein-foods/#ixzz1xmsIdnjl


Chicken is a fairly inexpensive meat. You can buy a whole chicken and remove the skin and cook it and use for future meals. Canned tuna is also inexpensive. The have bags of frozen tilapia fish that is about $8 as well. Peanut butter is good too with good fats.

You are not eating only a gram or 2 of fat everyday. You have yours set to SATURATED FAT not FAT. There are different types of fat that make up your total fat consumed and saturated fat is only one. You should go to settings and change it from saturated fat to fat. I checked your diary briefly and trust me if you are eating chips, eggs, bread and meat you are not only eating 2 grams of total fat.

Kara_xxx

Lunch on Tuesday... a polo mint.... :huh: :huh: :huh:

Are you serious?

janemem

Todays lunch... THREE grams of white bread...??? :huh:
is that a mistake or was it a crumb??

Lol! I'm ashamed to say it's true. My son had houmous on toast and I just couldn't resist a nibble. I log ABSOLUTELY everything, saddo that I am. )

TONYAGOOCH

I don't believe her post is directed at the fact that you logged that "nibble" but the fact that you logged it as your LUNCH with nothing else

janemem

Alcohol does have an impact on your weight ultimately, as they're empty calories with zero nutritional value, giving your body nothing.

You need to have a think about your priorities.

You either stick with the booze and crisps and accept you won't get the body you want... or you change your habits?

It's difficult to really explain the way I think. I am not stupid and I know more about nutrition than you would think, I can give all the good advice but when it comes to myself I stumble. For instance my son is 14 and all his (post weaning) life I have been like a walking talking nutrition manual. He eats the best I can provide and is super healthy because I know what he should and shouldn't be eating for optimum health. I just don't put it in to practise myself even though I know I should.

janemem

I don't believe her post is directed at the fact that you logged that "nibble" but the fact that you logged it as your LUNCH with nothing else

My 'Lunch' diary isn't really for lunch as such, it's just where I log whatever I eat during the day whilst cooking or nibbling as I never have a meal before my dinner and that's eaten just before or (mostly) in bed.

Kara_xxx

Alcohol does have an impact on your weight ultimately, as they're empty calories with zero nutritional value, giving your body nothing.

You need to have a think about your priorities.

You either stick with the booze and crisps and accept you won't get the body you want... or you change your habits?

It's difficult to really explain the way I think. I am not stupid and I know more about nutrition than you would think, I can give all the good advice but when it comes to myself I stumble. For instance my son is 14 and all his (post weaning) life I have been like a walking talking nutrition manual. He eats the best I can provide and is super healthy because I know what he should and shouldn't be eating for optimum health. I just don't put it in to practise myself even though I know I should.

I see where you're coming from buy aren't you concerned that your son may think you're a bit of a hypocrite if you don't practice what you preach?

Kids learn by imitation.

TONYAGOOCH

Ok so you know what you should do and don't. I get that. We don't always practice what we preach. BUT.....you are now experiencing adverse effects of your poor nutritional habits and are asking for advice. We have given it to you and now it is up to you to fix it. Change is hard but it is neccessary. I honestly hope you can make the needed changes for your health. Your son needs you around as long as possible.