How to eat more protein?

JAT74
JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ideas please - need to somehow eat more protein and can't stomach protein bars. I have a protein shake once a day but one is about all I can manage adn want to keep costs down too.

Any other ideas?

I had some serrano ham and cheddar cheese as a snack today which added 23 gms of protein but need to find lower fat snacks ideally. I find it really hard to eat plain chicken and things like that so any other suggestions please help!

I am ideally looking for low calorie protein snacks to eat between meals or ideas about how to add protein to my meals other than just a piece of chicken, meat or fish.
«13

Replies

  • in4mer
    in4mer Posts: 4
    nuts (almonds, cashews etc), chickpeas, kidney beans,
  • jallen47
    jallen47 Posts: 12
    sprouts!
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    I'm trying to keep my carb consumption down so low carb protein is what I am looking for
  • akilahleemarie
    akilahleemarie Posts: 80 Member
    chicken caesar salads and tuna
  • in4mer
    in4mer Posts: 4
    What do you consider a low carb protein diet? 50cal/100cal a serving?
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    -Talapia
    -Salmon
    -Tuna
    -Protein Shakes
    -Eggs
    -Chicken
    -Turkey Burgers
    -Turkey deli meat
    -Chicken Deli meat
  • SquidgySquidge
    SquidgySquidge Posts: 239 Member
    Eggs
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    Snacks are the main things I'm looking for. I think I can try and pack in protein at mealtimes. I need to eat around 100g per day.
  • aszwarc
    aszwarc Posts: 200 Member
    I have been adding low fat (or fat free) cottage cheese to most of my meals. You do have to watch the sodium, though, since most cheese products have a bunch of salt added.

    And it's boring, but the primary meat I have in the house now is a bag of 7-8 oz. chicken breasts. One of those for a meal has a ton of protein.

    EDIT: you snuck in while I was typing to mention snacks. Cottage cheese is a good snack, or low fat cheese.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Simply add a protein shake to each meal.
    Its an additional 120-200cals and 15-26g or protein.
  • hannahomom
    hannahomom Posts: 3 Member
    I have that issue too...Eating one chobani low fat or fat free Greek Yogurt a day help (14 to 16g in one)
  • _CrepeSuzette_
    _CrepeSuzette_ Posts: 53 Member
    Azuki beans jam (anko)
    Tuna
    Chickpeas
    Lentils
    Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese
    pine nuts, peanuts (but rich in fats)
    air-cured beef (bresaola)
  • hannahomom
    hannahomom Posts: 3 Member
    Which Protein shakes do you find most palatable?
  • Louisianababy93
    Louisianababy93 Posts: 1,709 Member
    Milk.
    Protein shakes.
    protein bars.
    Special K now has protein cereal.
    yogert.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    I just read your dairy and you need to eat more. I am sorry that I sound like I am being your dad but if you really want to be "Healthy" You need to eat more than just 980 calories a day. You are starving your body. I don't even recommend people doing 1200 cals especially if you work out. I am surprise you can even get through a workout with only 980 cals a day. Please go to bodybuilding.com or add woman with similar workouts and goals as you so that you can get some input. I have a some great female friends who work hard and eat hard. You can check them out. They are ChitownFoodie and love4fitnesslove4food
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    I'm trying to keep my carb consumption down so low carb protein is what I am looking for
    Why?

    Chicken breast and whey.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    I aim for about 100g a day too. My snacks consist of:

    Cheese - spready triangle on crackers, babybel light, string cheese, cottage cheese
    Eggs - hard boiled
    Fish - crab sticks, small tin tuna
    Meat - lean slice of ham, corned beef, meat paste, beef jerky/ pepperami
    Nuts - almonds, brazils, pecans, nut based bars like Nakd.
    Roast pulses - garbanzos, soy nuts, wasabi peas
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    Chicken breast, egg/egg whites, whey, milk, PB2

    I pretty much manage at least 128g a day using these foods
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
    Fage Total 0 yoghurt.
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    I am a vegetarian(ovo-lacto) so I am really struggling with this also.

    Tempeh, tofu, seitan all have high protein.
    Black beans, kidney beans - all legumes
    Nuts - Walnuts and they are super high in Omega 3, Almonds, Pistachios, Pecans also great for protein
    Hummus
    Quorn, Gardein and other brand fake chicken nuggets and cutlets (make great snacks, 50 cal, pop in microwave)

    Kashi GoLean cereal is very high in protein, but it has carbs, too. (I'm not trying to eliminate carbs myself.)
    By the same token, pasta and whole wheat bread actually are high in protein. (Again, I'm not giving up any foods.)

    Yogurt, cheese

    Peanut butter, almond butter

    Shrimp, salmon, sardines, mussels, clams
    My bf just sits down and has a can of sardines as a snack a couple times a week. Not really low-fat though.

    I do protein powder shakes as a snack most days.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Just had a look at your diary.

    Leaving aside the calories are set so low, make sure if you're really keeping an eye on protein that the values you pick from the database are all there - you had a whole load of nuts the other night but the protein value shown was zero. The daatbase is very incomplete at times, don't rely on it for accuracy.
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    Which Protein shakes do you find most palatable?

    The ones you can't taste because you have lots of other stuff in the shake... I don't care for the taste either, though i want to try one someone recommended that is unflavored.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    It's really hard to keep the calories low and unfortunately I know my body and I am unable to eat more than 1000 calories per day without putting on weight.

    I gained the weight I'm carrying now (over the past 2-3 years by eating healthily 80% of the time (Christmas aside!) and I was eating around 1300-1600 calories per day on average which left me pretty full up. I ate plenty of vegetables and protein with every meal plus most of my snacks were fairly healthy. I only ate whole grains most of the time too and although I did have more high carb snacks/alcohol at weekends during the week my diet was pretty good. For whatever reason my body can't tolerate more calories and my body fat shoots right up.

    I watched a documentary last night and I've read research to say that people who eat a very low calorie diet live longer and are able to maintain a low body weight/body fat eating this way.

    Personally I am currently drinking Promax diet shakes as they're low carb but I can't have more than one per day as I can't afford to.

    Bronx_Montgom I'll bear in mind what you've said. Everyone I know who's fit/slim in reality doesn't eat a lot and I don't think that 980 cals is very low. Yesterday I did the 30 day shred workout 1 and that's hardly a very long/very intensive workout. If I did something more strenuous I'd eat a little more.
  • CougarVic1
    CougarVic1 Posts: 3
    Peanut butter is high in protein.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    It's really hard to keep the calories low and unfortunately I know my body and I am unable to eat more than 1000 calories per day without putting on weight.


    Really? Are you really small? 1000 cals is really low. I mean it is one step up from a VLCD. (very low calorie diet) Are you eating the right things in the right proportions. Too much sugary things and you probably won't shift the weight for example.
  • GetFitCarly
    GetFitCarly Posts: 151
    Greek yogurt is good
  • alexbusnello
    alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
    sprouts!

    I'd love me some sprouts right now. Mmmmmm
  • alexbusnello
    alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
    Greek yogurt is good

    VERY good
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    I know about sugar and heathly eating, I've got a Diploma in the subject and theoretically it should be as simple as following scientific principles but in my case it just doesn't work quite so easily.

    What works for some doesn't necessarily work for others and I'm not one of these people who eats loads and denies it. I am quite small framed but I'm carrying a very high percentage of body fat and not a lot of muscle. My mum is exactly the same. She's a UK size 8 but is very flabby despite exercising regularly and eating very healthily. It's in my genes and all I can do is my best to change the situation.

    I have been battling my weight problems really since the age of around 16 or 17. That's when I realised that even by eating well I would gain weight. As a student my healthly eating went completely out the window and I ate nothing buy junk food take aways and drank 6 units of alcohol per night as a minimum and of course my weigh ballooned so when I changed my eating habits to eating normally again I was able to lose a lot of that weight very easily.

    The problem I have now as I get older is getting my body fat down and I'm probably also carrying quite a lot of water. Not a week goes by when I don't work out for at least 3 days but that along with eating well 80% of the time at what is considered to be a normal level just doesn't work for me.

    I have now decided to try increasing my protein and cutting my carbs right down because I really don't know what else I can do.
  • jallen47
    jallen47 Posts: 12
    I just read your dairy and you need to eat more. I am sorry that I sound like I am being your dad but if you really want to be "Healthy" You need to eat more than just 980 calories a day. You are starving your body. I don't even recommend people doing 1200 cals especially if you work out. I am surprise you can even get through a workout with only 980 cals a day. Please go to bodybuilding.com or add woman with similar workouts and goals as you so that you can get some input. I have a some great female friends who work hard and eat hard. You can check them out. They are ChitownFoodie and love4fitnesslove4food

    True story! There is a great equation to use to calculate your daily caloric need which takes into account your body weight, age, activity level, etc. Food is energy and your body needs it or else it will store your fat trying to preserve until the next food it receives instead of burning it. Also you risk losing muscle instead of building it. This is a tricky concept for most people as we are trained to think that losing weight means you cut down on you calories drastically. If you'd like that equation, let me know and I'd be more than happy to type it out for you :)

Categories