Help! I can't seem to get enough protein.
kellieprindle
Posts: 69 Member
Every time I try and get enough protein it seems like I go over my calorie limit. What are some of the foods you eat that has a great balance of protein to calories?
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Replies
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Replace one of your meals, or at least the drink with your meal, with a protein shake. Take a look at my diary and see if it would suit you.0
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I said this, too. It turned out that I was eating too much bread/desserts with my protein. Lol!
Turkey breast, chicken breast, tuna, Greek yogurt, and high protein cheeses are my go-to's.0 -
Lean meat, such as chicken breast or sirloin. Do that with a side of veggies for the micronutrients and fiber.0
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Protein and carbs have exactly the same amount of calories per gram. 4 calories per gram.0
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Plain Chicken breast- 30G Protein- 250 calories
Protein Powder - 20 G Protein- around 170 Calories
Protein Bar - 20 G protein around 200 calories
2 eggs - 12 g protein - 160 Calores
102 grams in 790 Calories
I usually have chicken for dinner, and a scoop of protein powder for breakfast with an omlet. Then a protein bar for a snack (some days).
I'm usually way over on protein.0 -
Protein and carbs have exactly the same amount of calories per gram. 4 calories per gram.
Do we have to wait for the point, or do we get to guess?0 -
I have really tried to up my protein, and I found that the easiest way was protein powder. I add some vanilla whey to my morning berry/banana/kale smoothie after my workouts (gives it a GREAT flavor), and I make chocolate pudding with chocolate casein powder, almond milk, and homemade yogurt after my nightly workout. There are so many recipes for protein powder that it's pretty easy to find a way to stick it into your meals. Nuts, yogurt, chickpeas, cheese, fish, and eggs are all good things to try and fit into your diet too.0
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Every time I try and get enough protein it seems like I go over my calorie limit. What are some of the foods you eat that has a great balance of protein to calories?
I have this EXACT same problem. Easy fix of course is to chug protein shakes but I figure I shouldn't have too, right???
I eat greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken/beef--lots of veggies, very little carbs....I eat about 1440 cals a day and can never get close to 100g of protein and stay within that limit.
The flip side is I'm not noticing any issues with being tired and have decent muscle definition now that I'm quite lean (I do resistance training and about 20 mins of cardio 4x week).
Long story short--I'm not worrying about it. I eat what I eat. When/if I start having issues or want more muscle I may try the shakes.0 -
Pretty self explanatory if you read OP's opening sentence. Guess you missed the point.Protein and carbs have exactly the same amount of calories per gram. 4 calories per gram.
Do we have to wait for the point, or do we get to guess?0 -
I just try to eat meat at every meal. Also, I eat peanuts or cashews for snacks.0
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Pretty self explanatory if you read OP's opening sentence. Guess you missed the point.Protein and carbs have exactly the same amount of calories per gram. 4 calories per gram.
Do we have to wait for the point, or do we get to guess?
Oh, you're assuming then that her protein sources have lots of carbs too and that is why she is going over her calorie goal without hitting her protein macro goal? I find fat to be the bigger issue with protein considering that it has 9 calories per gram (and much more prevalent in things like meat), but I guess that's just me. :flowerforyou:
Oh. Or are you assuming that she's not understanding that protein and carbs have the same number of calories, and you're arguing that protein doesn't matter?
Or . . . lol0 -
I agree with others about protein powder, I usually have 2 shakes a day, cottage cheese, eggs, tuna, chicken. I find it hard to get to my protein goal too! The shakes really help and if you make them with unsweetened almond milk that keeps the cals lower.0
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Turkey, chicken and lean red meats are an excellent source of protein without too many calories. You could also try protein shakes or look up recipes to use protein powder. I put protein powder in my oats... tastes great and it's a good way to get my protein without always having shakes...0
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I have the same problem too.
I just purchased the PlantFusion Chocolate rasberry after researching many different proteins.
I am soo excited for it to arrive because muscle is GOOD and I like yummy treats
.
•contains 21-22g of protein to support lean body mass
•and 3.4g of L-glutamine to support lean body mass, immune function and GI health
•is low in fat (2g) and has only 4g of carbs per serving
If you google it you can find recipes that use protein powders too. I will definitely be looking into that0 -
Pretty self explanatory if you read OP's opening sentence. Guess you missed the point.Protein and carbs have exactly the same amount of calories per gram. 4 calories per gram.
Do we have to wait for the point, or do we get to guess?
Oh, you're assuming then that her protein sources have lots of carbs too and that is why she is going over her calorie goal without hitting her protein macro goal? I find fat to be the bigger issue with protein considering that it has 9 calories per gram (and much more prevalent in things like meat), but I guess that's just me. :flowerforyou:
Oh. Or are you assuming that she's not understanding that protein and carbs have the same number of calories, and you're arguing that protein doesn't matter?
Or . . . lol
What? You can't read people's minds?
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I didn't mean to sound like a commercial for PlantFusion but I have been concerned about my protein intake for quite a while. And i don't always feel all that great with such an emphasis on meat, dairy in my diet.
Good luck finding protein sources that work for you.0 -
Greek yogurt is my favorite...yoplait has a 100 calorie version that is just as high in protein as the regular version. I hate plain greek yogurt though so I'd advise flavored ones.0
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pumpkin and flax seeds, black beans, lentils, ricotta cheese, lean ground turkey, fish, quinoa, almonds
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As far as protein to calorie ratio goes it's hard to beat tuna. Good old tuna.0
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To the poster above me - THANK YOU. I had no idea how much protein was in a can of tuna (I can see a lot of my lunch ideas being tuna-centric now!) 0
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I've been having trouble too. Thank you to everyone who commented with tips!
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I like Greek yogurt. I get the individual cups from Dannon (light and fit) that have 12g of protein for only 80 calories. One of my favorite snacks to help hit my protein goal for the day.0
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Low fat cottage cheese has a good bang for your buck. Something like 12 grams per 90 or 100 calorie serving? Plus, I think its delicious. I eat light n fit greek yogurts a lot, which are probably so bad for you...they have to be cause they are so good. But, they are 12 grams with 80 calories. Zero fat if I can remember..0
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Feel free to take a gander at my diary. Yesterday I got 180 grams of protein, which is my goal, and 144 of those were not supplements, and that would have been under 1600 calories.0
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Low fat cottage cheese has a good bang for your buck. Something like 12 grams per 90 or 100 calorie serving? Plus, I think its delicious. I eat light n fit greek yogurts a lot, which are probably so bad for you...they have to be cause they are so good. But, they are 12 grams with 80 calories. Zero fat if I can remember..
Yep... no fat... not that a little would hurt lol.0 -
Seafood. It surprised me how much protein there is in seafood, compared to the calories. I smoked a whole pound of shrimp one day and ate it over the course of the day. My protein was over my goal, calories still waaaaaay under, and it was delicious! I wish I could afford to eat shrimp every day, every meal! Fortunately, talapia is cheap.0
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Seafood. It surprised me how much protein there is in seafood, compared to the calories. I smoked a whole pound of shrimp one day and ate it over the course of the day. My protein was over my goal, calories still waaaaaay under, and it was delicious! I wish I could afford to eat shrimp every day, every meal! Fortunately, talapia is cheap.
Be careful of your cholesterol with shirmp
Though lemon pepper grilled shirmp is pretty amazing...and shrimp cocktail.0 -
Low fat cottage cheese has a good bang for your buck. Something like 12 grams per 90 or 100 calorie serving? Plus, I think its delicious. I eat light n fit greek yogurts a lot, which are probably so bad for you...they have to be cause they are so good. But, they are 12 grams with 80 calories. Zero fat if I can remember..
Cottage Cheese is one of my go to, but I had to switch to full fat cottage cheese. All this focus on lowfat or fat free I found I wasn't getting near enough to reach my macro goals. Even going full fat and also using more olive oil now I still am not hitting fat. In all my research, Fat and Protein are the most important macro's. Carbs is secondary, but no reason to hate on them
I also started making a frozen dessert. I use FAGE Greek Yogurt, Cookies and Cream Protein powder, and a couple packets of Stevia. I mix it up and then stick it in the freezer. About an hour later I pull it out and mix it up and then stick it back in for another 30 to 60 minutes and then eat. I think the key is mixing it up after about an hour. If you don't it just ends up being a rock, but the way I have been doing it, it ends up like ice cream. Yes there is a little work involved , but it is so worth it. It tastes delicious and has 60g of protein for less than 300 calories.0 -
Optimum Nutrition protein shake at least twice daily, white fish, chicken BREAST (dark meat has more calories/fat....thats why it tastes sooooo good!!) tuna, peanut or almond butter, eggs (boiled for convenience). Good luck!0
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The link between dietary and serum cholesterol does not actually appear to be a causal one.Be careful of your cholesterol with shirmp
Though lemon pepper grilled shirmp is pretty amazing...and shrimp cocktail.0
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