How do you get your protein?

LosingTheInches
LosingTheInches Posts: 47
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
^^ i HATE meat. other than deli slices. and i need lots of protein, which im not getting.

Replies

  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
    Cottage cheese
    greek yogurt
    light string cheese
    beans
    ground turkey
    chicken
    nuts
    eggs
    cheese
  • rachel5576
    rachel5576 Posts: 429 Member
    cottage cheese is very high in protein, natural peanut butter, nuts, dairy-milk, yogurt. beans
  • samb
    samb Posts: 464 Member
    I am a vegetarian so I do not eat meat. I get protein from dairy - cheese, yogurt, etc. Also from pasta like barilla plus pasta, breads & wraps high in protein (La Tortilla Factory makes a wrap with 13g of fiber and I think 10g protein --- it is awesome), also nuts, protein shakes, vegetables, eggs, beans, and so on. There are tons of options out there and meat alternatives too such as vegan/vegetarian "meats."
  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Also, quinoa.
  • td_ssam
    td_ssam Posts: 32
    I saw that the previous poster put Protein Shakes. That's exactly how I do it. I put two scoops of chocolate whey protein into some milk with a banana. That, to me, is amazing in flavor! I get more than enough protein that way.
  • johnporcaro
    johnporcaro Posts: 76 Member
    double up on the protein shakes. it's the only way to get to the 50% protein mark (the plan I'm currently on, the first 30 days of P90X. Other than that, meat, cottage cheese and lots of it, string cheese, edemame, greek yogurt, protein bars (love the P90X protein bar, 20g and tastes like candy!).

    I am SOOO sick of protein,... :-) I'm trying to get almost 300g a day!!! Yikes!!!
  • brendansmom1
    brendansmom1 Posts: 526 Member
    Anyone else waiting for binary to answer this post??? LOL

    I am always over on my protein.
    My favorites...

    Lean meats
    Greek Yogurt
    Eggs
    Almonds

    I am a big chicken eater. I am not so much a red meat gal...but between the chicken and fish I generally get my fill of the protein. :)

    Good luck finding what works for you!!
  • alliecore
    alliecore Posts: 446 Member
    Also, quinoa.

    Exactly what I was going to say! I also add whey protein to greek yogurt.
  • johnporcaro
    johnporcaro Posts: 76 Member
    Oh, ya, eggs. Right.
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
    cottage cheese, greek yogurt has a lot too... and i love luna protein bars or nugo free chocolate crunch bars.

    Another great thing is fish. half a pound of salmon, baked with dry herbs is like 250 cals and 40 grams protein. Tilapia is good, trout, flounder. If you like poultry- Chicken cutlets are great. Nasoya Extra firm light tofu is also a great source of protein. Egg whites are amazing for omelets and scrambled eggs, I mix 4 servings of egg whites with one real egg for about 30 grams of protein, and if you add some cheese, you will also be adding to the protein grams!

    There are so many options out there!
  • brendansmom1
    brendansmom1 Posts: 526 Member
    [/quote]

    Exactly what I was going to say! I also add whey protein to greek yogurt.
    [/quote]

    Duh, I never thought of that! Grand idea. I do a protein shake after working out sometimes if I am low....I like the Jillian whey protein one...but I never thought of adding it to the greek yogurt! Would make that yummy I bet!
  • bangarangbree
    bangarangbree Posts: 39
    Protein boosters are a good way! I had a scoop of protein added to a smoothie today..couldn't tell the difference. I think I know what I"m going to be investing in!
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    Lentils
    Soy
    Beans
    Whole Grains

    These are the big proteins for vegans...there is also dairy and eggs if you choose to eat those.
  • Glitter_pumpkin
    Glitter_pumpkin Posts: 81
    I don't, i make my own. Protein is just a bundle of amino acids found in all foods. You eat the amino acids in your healthy foods like fruits and vegetables and nuts and beans and your body goes to work to make it's own protein out of those amino acids. You don't have to combine foods to make complete proteins either, your body stores amino acids in your body for up to 24 hours so it gives you time to load up on all they foods that will give you the amino acids your body needs to build protein. Eating animal protein is just like having a middle man in your way. Your body eats it and has to rip it apart to get the amino acids out to start building protein in your body. If you eat a variety of colorful fruit and vegetables you don't have to worry about getting your protein. If you want to know more you can research the protein myth and learn more about what protein actually is and what foods have the most amino acids and which ones are the best for your body to build protein. Ask people who live off fruit and vegetables and nothing else, where do you think they get their protein? They don't. Potatoes are very high in protein, as well as spinach. Fruits are only about 2-5% protein so if you want a lot of bang for your buck then i would eat a lot of uncooked vegetables. But you can also eat beans and nuts and seeds as well, it's better than eating animal protein and easier for your body to digest.
  • VegGrrl
    VegGrrl Posts: 336 Member
    Tempeh, tofu, quinoa, non-dairy "milk", non-dairy "yogurt", and vegan protein shakes (usually hemp protein). Nearly ALL plant based foods have at least some protein in them - it all adds up.

    FOOD AMOUNT PROTEIN(gm)
    Tempeh 1 cup 41
    Seitan 3 ounces 31
    Soybeans, cooked 1 cup 29
    Lentils, cooked 1 cup 18
    Black beans, cooked 1 cup 15
    Kidney beans, cooked 1 cup 13
    Veggie burger 1 patty 13
    Chickpeas, cooked 1 cup 12
    Veggie baked beans 1 cup 12
    Pinto beans, cooked 1 cup 12
    Black-eyed peas, cooked 1 cup 11
    Tofu, firm 4 ounces 11
    Lima beans, cooked 1 cup 10
    Quinoa, cooked 1 cup 9
    Tofu, regular 4 ounces 9
    Bagel 1 med.(3 oz) 9
    Peas, cooked 1 cup 9
    Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked 1/2 cup 8
    Peanut butter 2 Tbsp 8
    Veggie dog 1 link 8
    Spaghetti, cooked 1 cup 8
    Almonds 1/4 cup 8
    Soy milk, commercial, plain 1 cup 7
    Soy yogurt, plain 6 ounces 6
    Bulgur, cooked 1 cup 6
    Sunflower seeds 1/4 cup 6
    Whole wheat bread 2 slices 5
    Cashews 1/4 cup 5
    Almond butter 2 Tbsp 5
    Brown rice, cooked 1 cup 5
    Spinach, cooked 1 cup 5
    Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 4
    Potato 1 med.(6 oz) 4

    Sources: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, 2005 and manufacturers' information.

    The recommendation for protein for adult males vegans is around 56-70 grams per day; for adult female vegans it is around 46-58 grams per day (see text).
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
    If you are eating a well balanced diet, I really don't see a need for protein shakes. I only eat a protein bar when I know I'm not going to work out till lunch time and I don't think I have enough food in me to sustain me till then. I don't really eat them for the protein itself.

    If you have a yogurt and a hand full of nuts with breakfast, a salad with tuna for lunch, and tofu and veggies for dinner- there would be no need for the shakes. Just remember that the recommended serving is just for nutritional information. When I make tofu, i eat the ENTIRE package for dinner. That's 35 grams of protein!
  • smithda86
    smithda86 Posts: 10
    Doesn't seem anyone has mentioned tuna or salmon! Canned fish IN SPRINGWATER is an excellent source of protein and low calories for the amount of protein your getting. John West Tuna Tempters in springwater is about 12 + g of protein and only 54 calories.
  • fitoverfifty
    fitoverfifty Posts: 192 Member
    Thanks for the list Veggrrl.....I copied it :-)

    It looks like all the protein sources have been mentioned.

    I would like to add that you may want to choose any of them over deli meats....they are not healthy at all!
  • Jilly78
    Jilly78 Posts: 7
    I go over my protein alot ...peanut butter, nutella, anything with milk. What do you eat that does not have lots of protein?
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I am a vegetarian so I do not eat meat. I get protein from dairy - cheese, yogurt, etc. Also from pasta like barilla plus pasta, breads & wraps high in protein (La Tortilla Factory makes a wrap with 13g of fiber and I think 10g protein --- it is awesome), also nuts, protein shakes, vegetables, eggs, beans, and so on. There are tons of options out there and meat alternatives too such as vegan/vegetarian "meats."

    You have to watch out when you're getting your protein from carbs and dairy. Dairy often has high amounts of fat. You need to watch your carb and fat intake. The body can only process a certain amount of carbs and fats at one time and the excess gets stored as fat. Also, vegetarian "meat" products are highly processed and are often made with genetically modified ingredients.


    I was vegetarian for 10 years but started eating meat again when I got pregnant. If I were to go back, I'd get my protein from eggs, beans, vegetarian protein shakes and protein bars, and soy products that are processed as little as possible like edamame, and maybe some soy milk and tofu.

    I'm not sure what exactly it is about meat that you don't like, but I've had my share of issues with it. For a while I had to have my husband prepare all the meat and I couldn't eat it unless it was either ground beef or turkey or was cut into small pieces and put into pasta or rice. If you can handle preparing meat for yourself you can cook ground beef or turkey for tacos, pasta sauce, maybe even meatballs, or you can cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts and put them into pasta, rice or a salad.
  • swisspea
    swisspea Posts: 327 Member
    I'm vegetarian, this is how I usually get my protien (technically I am a pescetarian as I sometimes eat fish, but we all know it has amazing sources of protein so I don't have to go there):

    Eggs (don't worry too much about the cholesterol, if you have a diet that does not have meat you are essentially getting NO cholesterol, which is also harmful to your body on a cellular level)
    Beans (I add beans to green salads, sauces, make my own bean dips and make some great veggie cold salads with beans)
    Green vegetables (lurking here is some powerful protien! You wouldn't think it but broccoli and spinach are huge sources of protien)
    Lentils (canned or dry, I use these to make soups that are SO filling you swear you'd just had a steak)
    Nuts (make sure they are unsalted and aren't coated in, all-natural peanut butter is great)
    Soy products like soy milk and tofu! (I loooove soy milk, even the fat-free kind! Just beware, soy contains estrogen mimickers, so don't give soy products to baby boys, also, soy production requires a large amount of water and the seeds themselves are trademarked, so ethically soy isn't all that great)
    Oats
    Quinoa

    Strategies:
    I always start my day on a protein source. And not just cottage cheese or yogurt! I start usually with peanut butter, oatmeal or an egg or two to start the day off right and to not have to stress about making a bean-lentil-soy-spinach dinner to compensate for the fact that I had no protein all day! (This happened a lot when I started being a vegetarian).

    Track your protien over the day and make a dinner decision based on your day.

    Most importantly, diversify! Protien is made up of 20 different amino acids, and technically, if you don't eat meat, you put yourself at risk of not getting enough of these different amino acids, which is bad. Try to keep your body as healthy as possible by diversifying your protein sources as much as possible.
  • kimwig
    kimwig Posts: 164
    I'm vegetarian, this is how I usually get my protien (technically I am a pescetarian as I sometimes eat fish, but we all know it has amazing sources of protein so I don't have to go there):

    Eggs (don't worry too much about the cholesterol, if you have a diet that does not have meat you are essentially getting NO cholesterol, which is also harmful to your body on a cellular level)
    Beans (I add beans to green salads, sauces, make my own bean dips and make some great veggie cold salads with beans)
    Green vegetables (lurking here is some powerful protien! You wouldn't think it but broccoli and spinach are huge sources of protien)
    Lentils (canned or dry, I use these to make soups that are SO filling you swear you'd just had a steak)
    Nuts (make sure they are unsalted and aren't coated in, all-natural peanut butter is great)
    Soy products like soy milk and tofu! (I loooove soy milk, even the fat-free kind! Just beware, soy contains estrogen mimickers, so don't give soy products to baby boys, also, soy production requires a large amount of water and the seeds themselves are trademarked, so ethically soy isn't all that great)
    Oats
    Quinoa

    Strategies:
    I always start my day on a protein source. And not just cottage cheese or yogurt! I start usually with peanut butter, oatmeal or an egg or two to start the day off right and to not have to stress about making a bean-lentil-soy-spinach dinner to compensate for the fact that I had no protein all day! (This happened a lot when I started being a vegetarian).

    Track your protien over the day and make a dinner decision based on your day.

    Most importantly, diversify! Protien is made up of 20 different amino acids, and technically, if you don't eat meat, you put yourself at risk of not getting enough of these different amino acids, which is bad. Try to keep your body as healthy as possible by diversifying your protein sources as much as possible.
    Not being picky, but just a couple of corrections.

    22 Amino acids, of which the body cannot make 8 (it can make the rest) so it is these 8 (we vegetarians / vegans) must get from the diverse legume, soy, nut and other veg source.

    Cholesterol - the body makes this from various lipid components and it is also present ( but to a much lesser level) in plant sources. So you do not suffer if you do not eat foods with cholesterol, you just have to eat foods with the building blocks for it
  • bowmin05
    bowmin05 Posts: 8
    I use Amplify XL - Chocolate from GNC. It tastes like YOOHOO! Super yummy and only 4oz's of water.
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