I'm interested to know if everyone hits their daily protein "requirement" on fitness pal

JalynRose1
JalynRose1 Posts: 30 Member
If so, what veg products do you eat that are high in protein? Are they processed veg "meats" or whole foods? My requirement is 60 and I'm having trouble making it over 50!

I eat beans, lentils, quinoa, chickpeas, almond butter, nut trail mix, etc every day and I'm still not making it! I'm considering vegan protein shakes, but I'm looking for other whole food suggestions.

I have seen other posters in the forums mention chia seeds. I have them, but the only way I have made them is as an overnight pudding and the texture kind of grossed me out. Any other ideas of how to add these guys in?

Replies

  • tlharin
    tlharin Posts: 143 Member
    I work hard to hit my goal, which is like yours on rest days and gets bumped to 70 or so g on running/hiking days. I do eat dairy, which helps a lot: often my most protein-filled meal is my breakfast of Greek yogurt and granola, coming in at a whopping 30 g. The granola I eat *is* protein-boosted ("Bear Naked Original Cinnamon 10 g Protein") and I love it because I'm not a fan of shakes/smoothies (dislike drinking my calories, ya know?). Other small gains can be made by consciously choosing whole wheat breads, which tend to be higher in protein, and even being choosy about *which* beans you're eating the most--chickpeas have about 3 g less per cup than white beans or lentils.
  • JalynRose1
    JalynRose1 Posts: 30 Member
    Thanks for the tips! I'm trying to be vegan for the moment, but when I was vegetarian (last week, lol) I also did the greek yogurt every morning and it really helped to boost my protein for the day. I was getting close, but still not quite hitting the mark. I think I use up to many calories with fruits for snacks in between meals. Maybe a good plan for tomorrow would be to substitute one of the fruits with edamame or something.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    I'm not vegetarian, sort of considering it.

    I would reach my goal of 96 grams. Assuming my logging is accurate etc

    What I plan to eat today would get me to 129g but includes some meat. So if I subtract the meat products I'm down to 88 grams, add in a Greek yogurt with blueberries and I'm back up to 102 ish.

    I think the main source for me is lentils eggs milk yogurt
  • JoeyFrappuccino
    JoeyFrappuccino Posts: 88 Member
    My goal is around 90 and I'm usually about 10 or so grams short. I eat half a block of tofu most days which is a big help. I eat legumes every day as well, they're really the best source of protein vegans have barring fake meat products. I do eat those a few times a year though, usually in the summer during barbecues.

    My breakfast is usually oats with some kind of nut butter, which I eat specifically for the fat which I have more trouble getting than protein, though it usually has around 16g of protein too (510 calories/24g fat).

    Chia seeds are great too but they're not a very good source of protein. I mix them with a banana, berries, flaxseed meal and almond milk for a smoothie. You don't have to soak them overnight, just add them before you blend and they won't get the weird texture.
  • Unknown
    edited May 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    The only way I can reach my protein goal is to include dairy into my diet. Here's what i do...

    Breakfast:
    Fage 0% Fat individual cup
    100 cals and 18g protein
    Teaspoon of local honey and a small handful of berries (50 cals)

    Lunch:
    Lentil soup, Vegetarian black bean chili, Felafel pita sandwich, or Amy's frozen meal
    300-ish calories and 15g protein
    I usually include some version of sliced carrots, cucumbers, or apples as a crunchy and cold addition (around 100 cals)

    Snack:
    Quest Bar or 1 Scoop of whey protein with ice cold water
    120-170 cals and 20-25g protein

    Then i work out and Sip on BCAAS.

    This leaves me with 700 cals or so for dinner where i can eat whatever i want and not have to worry about hitting my protein goal.

    In the past i decided to drink two scoops of protein before work (250 cals and 50g protein) that way i could just eat whatever it is i wanted throughout the day without purposely trying to hit my protein goal.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited May 2015
    Also, are you tracking iron and/or B12? Since it's your first week being vegan, I would suggest doing that.

    Keep in mind that stuff like nuts and seeds are mainly a source of fat. And !!PLEASE!! use a food scale. You could be eating so much more than you think.

    I also suggest you track this. I have iron deficiency anemia which causes some anxiety problems, heavy painful periods, super paleness/fatigue if i dont consistently take my iron supplement.

    Same with B12 deficiency, i start having nail problems, low energy, angular cheilitis, canker soars, etc.

    This is seriously no joke. I also have to take a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D and B you can buy anywhere, but for the Iron i suggest you take Spatone as it's the only iron i can take without having cramping/constipation/GI Issues. It's a naturally occuring water that is rich in Iron and you just add it to juice (oj is the best since vitamin c helps the absorption of iron).


    Lastly, i agree wholeheartedly that nuts/seeds/etc. are SOOOO much higher in calories than they're generally worth. Seriously i ate 6-700 calories in peanuts within 5 minutes. You'll also see a bunch of dumb "clean eating" "totally raw vegan" recipes which are usually 1,500 cals PLUS and use things like cashews, avocados, sesame, dates, figs, etc. Be weary of these items you may see on social media, 9/10 they are significantly worse than their "original" counterpart.
  • atynk
    atynk Posts: 400 Member
    I was worried about protein and losing muscles while vegan, as i am very athletic. I have no problem getting in my protein a day looks like this

    breakfast- protein pancakes ( banana, flax, sun warrior protein powder, chia seeds, maca powder)
    after workout - protein shake

    lunch- chickpea/avacado sandwich on ezikeil, veggies

    snack- apple with almond butter

    dinner- lentil sloppy joes with salad

    snack- roasted chickpeas

    hope this helps
  • rh091
    rh091 Posts: 100 Member
    My current protein goal is 97 g on a 1550 daily calories. I think I have the macro set at either 25% or 30% for protein. Most days I get a minimum of 80 but usually hit between 85 and 95 g. I am vegetarian and do rely quite a bit on dairy to help get my protein requirements.

    Protein rich staples in my diet are: 0% greek yogurt, 1% cottage cheese, goat cheese, eggs, spinach, peanut butter, lentils, chickpeas (and hummus), quinoa, almonds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, whole grain bread, broccoli, edamame beans, black beans.

    I eat tofu and add soy milk to my tea sometimes- I try to limit my intake of soy products, and don't eat any processed fake meat products.

    I also have vega one all-in-one nutritional shake powder that I use occasionally in smoothies which adds 15g of protein. I also occasionally eat protein bars before going to the gym as an afternoon snack.
  • rh091
    rh091 Posts: 100 Member
    I agree on watching your vitamin levels. I take a vegan multivitamin and a B12 supplement. I've been fine on iron as a vegetarian for the past six years, but without meat you can't get enough B12.
  • amyjeanw84
    amyjeanw84 Posts: 46 Member
    atynk,

    Could you give me your lentil Sloppy Joes recipe?? Thank you!
  • amyjeanw84
    amyjeanw84 Posts: 46 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Also, are you tracking iron and/or B12? Since it's your first week being vegan, I would suggest doing that.


    Lastly, i agree wholeheartedly that nuts/seeds/etc. are SOOOO much higher in calories than they're generally worth. Seriously i ate 6-700 calories in peanuts within 5 minutes. You'll also see a bunch of dumb "clean eating" "totally raw vegan" recipes which are usually 1,500 cals PLUS and use things like cashews, avocados, sesame, dates, figs, etc. Be weary of these items you may see on social media, 9/10 they are significantly worse than their "original" counterpart.

    I was recently trying to eat more "raw vegan" but ended up gaining weight because a lot of the recipes have a lot of nuts, avocados etc. I agree with being careful with this. They are healthy but lots of calories and fats if your trying to lose weight.
  • LeilaTurk
    LeilaTurk Posts: 3 Member
    I always go over with protein. I try to only eat veg things high in protein, low in calories and sodium. My go to is lentils! Sometimes I buy them pre cooked at trader joes, other times I will make a big batch and munch of them for days. I will add a little bit of trader joes yellow curry sauce, about 1/4 cup for every 4 cups lentils. Also! I've been eating think thin bars when I'm in a hurry in the morning. Low sugar and 20 grams of protein! Smooth peanut butter is my favorite. If I have the time, I eat 2-3 eggs on a half or whole English muffin.

    For snacks I'll do edamame. A cup of lentil soup is wonderful too. I found an awesome recipe and so far I've made two batches.

    Best of luck!!
  • LeilaTurk
    LeilaTurk Posts: 3 Member
    P.S. Here is that great lentil kale carrot soup recipe! I make a huge batch and freeze half of it. I only use half the salsa it calls for and 8 cups of veg stock instead of 6. No need to add any salt, the sodium in the salsa takes care of it.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/220173/amazing-lentils-and-kale/

    :)
  • jamiesharp88
    jamiesharp88 Posts: 3 Member
    I rarely meet my protein goal and rarely worry about it! Check out the work by Garth Davis MD, new book coming out, "proteinaholic" :)
  • jamiesharp88
    jamiesharp88 Posts: 3 Member
    And I usually add chia seeds to my oatmeal or a smoothie!
  • I definitely don't . I think the protein numbers are way too high on this site.
  • jillebean86
    jillebean86 Posts: 79 Member
    I usually make it to about 70-80% of my protein goal. Protein-rich foods tend also to be calorie-rich foods that take time to prepare; eating low-calorie foods on the go works better with my lifestyle. I think it's more important to focus on getting complete protein - all the essential amino acids - than to worry about how much.
  • selrold
    selrold Posts: 15 Member
    Isle my own Seitan, low sodium, and absolutely easy and delicious. I ground it, sauté it, slice it and stir fry it. I am Vegan and no more protein issues. Oh o make my wraps with it too.
    I make eggless "egg salad." Live love love it!
  • HappyAnna2014
    HappyAnna2014 Posts: 214 Member
    Tofu is really high in protein and iron. I <3 tofu. Also, I have soy powder that I mix in drinks. Most days I get between 80 and 100 g protein.
  • HappyAnna2014
    HappyAnna2014 Posts: 214 Member
    Oh...and my doctor, who is a vegetarian, told me to take a B12 and iron supplement, so I do that. She says that B12 is difficult for vegans/vegetarians to get, so I've taken that supplement for a while. I've recently been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, but my doctor is pretty sure that it is not my diet that is causing it, so the iron supplement is temporary until her testing figures out what is causing the anemia. You may want to check with your doctor on both supplements. Good luck!!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Oh...and my doctor, who is a vegetarian, told me to take a B12 and iron supplement, so I do that. She says that B12 is difficult for vegans/vegetarians to get, so I've taken that supplement for a while. I've recently been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, but my doctor is pretty sure that it is not my diet that is causing it, so the iron supplement is temporary until her testing figures out what is causing the anemia. You may want to check with your doctor on both supplements. Good luck!!

    I just want to point out... I started having thyroid issues, high prolactin levels, and malabsorption issues (low iron, low vitamin d, low b and folic acid) as a result of eating too much soy in my diet. To be fair i was eating, like, a LOT of soy trying to hit a protein goal of 90-ish grams per day.

    I'm not saying that's the cause, but considering it's an estrogen like substance, it's something to consider.

    I cut it out (mostly, and this is hard because my favorite dish in the whole world is stir fried tofu w/veggies) and all these problems were fixed within a few months.
  • HappyAnna2014
    HappyAnna2014 Posts: 214 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Oh...and my doctor, who is a vegetarian, told me to take a B12 and iron supplement, so I do that. She says that B12 is difficult for vegans/vegetarians to get, so I've taken that supplement for a while. I've recently been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, but my doctor is pretty sure that it is not my diet that is causing it, so the iron supplement is temporary until her testing figures out what is causing the anemia. You may want to check with your doctor on both supplements. Good luck!!

    I just want to point out... I started having thyroid issues, high prolactin levels, and malabsorption issues (low iron, low vitamin d, low b and folic acid) as a result of eating too much soy in my diet. To be fair i was eating, like, a LOT of soy trying to hit a protein goal of 90-ish grams per day.

    I'm not saying that's the cause, but considering it's an estrogen like substance, it's something to consider.

    I cut it out (mostly, and this is hard because my favorite dish in the whole world is stir fried tofu w/veggies) and all these problems were fixed within a few months.

    WOW!!! Thanks for letting me know that. I'll ask my doctor about it. I do like soy, I drink so milk, have the soy protein powder (although I could switch to help) and I love tofu. She did say that eating all the soy was why I wasn't having any menopause symptoms. I'll ask her if I am having too much of a good thing. :smile:
  • robingmurphy
    robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
    Tempeh and tofu are some of the highest protein foods I eat. They usually get me there.
  • lindaroberts73
    lindaroberts73 Posts: 1 Member
    I drink a nature's bounty shake at work and eat a huge can of black beans for dinner at night. Most days I'm over 100.
  • Chelsealovesart
    Chelsealovesart Posts: 12 Member
    I usually don't unless I am drinking protein smoothies. Dairy does help but alot of dairy is not good for your digestive health or skin from what I hear. I recommend the Vega protein. It is soy free and does not taste like vitaminy, chalky protein powder at all. I feel refreshed and gealthy after drinking it, bUT I have to be more cautious about staying within my calorie goals if I am drinking them because otherwise, I am eating more protein and calories which causes weight gain. I wish I could learn to drink it as a meal replacement for one meal..... hmmm... otgerwise, I think the recommendations are higher than we need unless you are doing alot of strength training. I feel if if am sluggish and overeating, I realize it's bc I am eating only carbs and my body wants a longer term sustenance (ie protein rather than carbs), so I mix vega with almond milk and gel better within a day. I think everyone else has mentioned the other good sources..
  • Chelsealovesart
    Chelsealovesart Posts: 12 Member
    so I mix vega with almond milk and gel better within a day. I think everyone else has mentioned the other good sources..

    *feel better. Not "gel"

  • arizonadesert3
    arizonadesert3 Posts: 8 Member
    Hi all,
    I think the protein levels are too high (personally). I've been vegan for 30 years and I remember reading that women should have around 48 grams of protein per day. I have gone by that rule all this time with no problems. I exercise - walking,hiking, cycling. Eat as healthy as you can, a variety of foods, listen to your body and don't stress over the number is my thought.
  • toxicslix
    toxicslix Posts: 18 Member
    For those watching B-12, according to the National Institute of Health in the US, they recommend 2.5 micrograms, which is about 1 tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast. I use it to make a nice cheese flavoring and usually more than 1 TB, so you're probably okay. My strict Vegan friends use it in a lot of stuff..