Lean protein ideas?

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Jessibear2854
Jessibear2854 Posts: 82 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey awesome MFP friends! I keep going WAY over on my fat percentage and was wondering if anyone has some good suggestions for low-fat protein. My body does much better when I keep carbs "medium" and protein higher, but currently I eat things like nuts, eggs, and peanut butter a lot. I do greatly enjoy fat free greek yogurt, but many of my protein foods have fat in them. I have a hard time healthily eating my calories, especially if I exercise. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated :) Thanks a lot!

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  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Are you vegetarian? I ask because you're not mentioning any meat there in your protein. Either way, beans are a great source of protein. You can make a meatless chili (or with lean meat if you're not opposed), or bean soup. If you're not vegetarian, lean meats abound! Chicken, lean steaks like beef top round, lean ground beef -- all kinds of good stuff there.
  • chrissym78
    chrissym78 Posts: 628 Member
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    I have the same approach. If I eat too many carbs I can't lose. I shoot for 100g of protein a day, which is hard sometimes. Cottage cheese has a good bit, so does 2% string cheese. I have been eating lots of fish lately b/c it's low-cal, low fat and I have 8 lbs left to lose. After I workout I make a protein shake too. I am so ready for maintenance!! :)

    Friend me if you want, maybe you can get ideas from my food diary :) (and me from yours, lol)
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Low-fat cottage cheese
    egg whites
    chicken breast
    lean pork
    lean beef
    sliced turkey
    Canadian bacon
    turkey bacon
    tuna
    salmon (actually high in fat, but it's the good kind of fat)
  • MindyC7609
    MindyC7609 Posts: 33 Member
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    Are you trying for vegetarian options? I noticed you didn't mention the obvious things like chicken, turkey or fish, so if you're going vegetarian, certainly tofu, beans and low-fat dairy are good protein sources. Quinoa has a lot of protein for a grain. Try googling lean protein foods... I do better with higher protein intake too. :o)
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
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    Fish, protein powders, greek yogurt like you said, nonfat/low fat dairy products in general, peanut butter, beans, chicken and turkey (no skin), shellfish, eggs, quinoa.

    I aim for 100+ grams of protein a day. So I almost always have greek yogurt and a protein shake for breakfast, a lean meat or tuna for lunch, and another lean meat at dinner. I also have cheese and nuts throughout the day. You can sneak a peek at my diary if you want, I have some days where I'm over 150g and I stay under 50g fat very consistently.

    *I should mention, I am following a diet plan laid out by a nutritionist for me, so yes the 150g a day is OK'd by a professional. :smile:*
  • Jessibear2854
    Jessibear2854 Posts: 82 Member
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    LOL! Major lightbulb moment here... I'm not vegetarian, but am not the greatest cook, especially when it comes to things like steak and chicken. I'm always paranoid about cooking meat myself. Guess I need to learn how to do it!

    Boy, am I feeling kind of dumb right about now.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    LOL! Major lightbulb moment here... I'm not vegetarian, but am not the greatest cook, especially when it comes to things like steak and chicken. I'm always paranoid about cooking meat myself. Guess I need to learn how to do it!

    Boy, am I feeling kind of dumb right about now.

    :laugh: No worries! Meat is no big deal to cook. I'm always worried about food-borne illnesses, and I've been cooking for years, but I just make sure everything is done. No pink in the middle (well, unless it's salmon, it's always pink). I'd rather have it be slightly dry than undercooked. The crock pot is a good way to cook meat without overdrying.

    If you want any easy recipes, let me know. I don't cook anything that takes too much effort, and we are carnivores around here. What kinds of things do you like?
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Oh, and a yummy, easy protein source is tuna salad. Drain a can of tuna, boil an egg and chop it into pieces, finely chop a carrot and a stalk of celery. Mix it all up with a little light mayo, a few drops of mustard, a pinch of cayenne for a little kick, and a little black pepper. Nommable on a sandwich or right out of the bowl with a spoon. You can do the same with canned chicken and slight alterations of the flavors.
  • wandastout
    wandastout Posts: 6
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    Fish, shrimp, salmon. Also, if you have a Kroger store near you, their Carb Master yogurt is 80 calories and 12g of protein! If not, fat free Greek Yogurt is good if you like the taste.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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