Vegan failing to meet protein goals

em72313 · April 2016

Hello there! I'm living a vegan lifestyle, but lately I've been having a hard time meeting my nutrition goals. I work crazy shifts and don't have a lot of time to prepare food every day. I need some advice/ daily meal plans to help meet my nutrition goals. The most important right now is meeting (or at least coming close to) my protein goal which is 69g while still staying under my 30g daily fat goal. Thanks a bunch

yarwell · April 2016

em72313 wrote: »

I need some advice/ daily meal plans to help meet my nutrition goals.

Ditch the vegan fad, don't eliminate an entire food group and join the majority.

chastity0921 · April 2016

Add seeds, nuts, vegan dairy substitutes, vegan protein shakes, beans, meat analogs, more protein rich veggies.

I would honestly say don't worry so much about fat intake if it is unsaturated fat (which it should be if you're vegan).

DaddieCat · April 2016

The only thing I can really recommend is eating more protein dense foods.

My personal favorite is seitan. You can buy it premade or make it yourself... it's easy once you've done it a time or two. I make up several pounds at once and it generally lasts me the week.

Personally, I also eat things like Field Roast, tofurky, tempeh, tofu, soy, beans, edamame, quinoa... pretty much anything I can get my hands on that is protein dense. Some people will say nuts, but I find that nuts have too much fat per gram of protein (not that anything is wrong with fat, mind you)

Also, protein powders are your friend, in my experience.

AmandaDanceMore · April 2016

How important is it to hit the protein Mark MFP sets out for us? I can't get anywhere near what it says I need, and I'm only "veganish" most of the time. I eat lots of beans, dark leafies, quinoa, nuts. I would be eating constantly and going way over my calories if I tried to get anywhere near what my protein goals are supposed to be. I feel fine, never really hungry unless I do something stupid, and have plenty of energy and stamina.

DaddieCat · April 2016

If it's default settings is most likely at or near the RDA or recommended daily allowance, which is a minimum

But, for preservation of lean mass and minimizing lean tissue losses during extended deficit, it's pretty important.

RodaRose · April 2016

Fat is good. Only eat the carbs that also have lots of protein.
If you are going to stay with the vegan plan, you need to drastically reduce fruits and breads.
Eat beans, lentils, chic peas, tofu, soy milk, chia seeds, nuts, peanut butter, broccoli, kale, and so on.

opalquartz · April 2016

yarwell wrote: »

Ditch the vegan fad, don't eliminate an entire food group and join the majority.

It's ironic how so many people complain about vegans being preachy, yet responses like this are so common. There are many reasons a person may choose to be vegan, including ethics and the environment. I don't think what dietary lifestyle someone follows is anyone's business but their own.

That's a good protein goal, but there's no need to limit your fat levels so low! Healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil provide great nutrition. Demonizing fats or carbohydrates is pointless, and it's important to eat a balance of nutritious foods that provide adequate levels of all three macronutrients.

I'll echo what others are saying in terms of incorporating more legumes, soy milk, edamame, tofu, seitan, nuts, seeds and nut butters (you can try plant-based protein supplements/powders too if you wish). Even the protein from many veggies (broccoli!) and whole grains (quinoa!) contribute a decent amount. Chickpeas, black beans, and edamame are some of my personal favorites.

CM_73 · April 2016

When I was vegan I really struggled to reach my protein goal (although mine is a lot higher)
Easiest way for me to do it was with a soy protein isolate shake.
I'm not vegan now but mainly plant based, so still have at least a shake every day.

rakowskidp · April 2016

I was temporarily vegan (for Lent only) and it wasn't TOO hard to meet protein goals with a bit of planning. I used a lot of higher-sodium packaged foods (meatless crumbles, burgers, etc.), so that may be a concern for some folks. I made fruit smoothies and added peanut butter and vegan protein powders (Sunwarrior's Warrior Blend or Designer Protein's Sunshine blend) when necessary.

saragd012 · April 2016

I'm a vegetarian and I aim to get at least 100g of protein a day, when my schedule gets crazy I will grab a protein shake, throw some nuts in my purse, and plan on having beans, quinoa, and/or something like tempeh for my big meals. My favorite vegan protein powder is Garden of Life - RAW Protein, it doesnt cause me to bloat like some others. If you are weary of powders, consider hemp seeds, they are delicious and very high protein.

Dont worry so much about your fat intake, stick with "healthy fats" like opalquartz mentioned

Good luck!

janejellyroll · April 2016

AmandaDanceMore wrote: »

How important is it to hit the protein Mark MFP sets out for us? I can't get anywhere near what it says I need, and I'm only "veganish" most of the time. I eat lots of beans, dark leafies, quinoa, nuts. I would be eating constantly and going way over my calories if I tried to get anywhere near what my protein goals are supposed to be. I feel fine, never really hungry unless I do something stupid, and have plenty of energy and stamina.

You could check out some lower calorie sources of protein like tofu and protein powders or very protein-dense foods like tempeh and seitan. Once I began including these in my diet more regularly, I had no problem meeting my protein goals while staying within my calorie range.

Vegan failing to meet protein goals

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