Never enough protein

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a_candler
a_candler Posts: 209 Member
in Food and Nutrition
As I love carbs I often find my calories being used up from them before I've had an adequate amount of protein.

How do you all manage to hit the protein goal? And please don't tell me by eating protein bars or shakes. I need real (tasty) ideas to boost intake.

For example I like oatmeal for breakfast, but this it has next to no protein. Lunch while working is often a Healthy Choice meal or something similar, 15+ grams protein. So you can see how quickly I begin to lack in the area. I need helpful ideas.
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Replies

  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
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    Meat
    Dairy
    Cheese
    Greek Yogurt
    Cottage Cheese
    Eggs
    Tofu
    Tempeh
    Seitan
    Bacon because it needs its own category


    Basically any protein rich food. There are tons of meat, dairy, and plant based proteins and the worlds your oyster.. which is also a protein source.

    Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with shakes either, they come in a million differing kinds of protein and and endless array of flavors. Provided you get a good quality product, it's just powdered food.

  • troytroy11
    troytroy11 Posts: 180 Member
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    For inexpensive protein I like to add a boost to many meals with either tuna or sardines. I am careful with the tuna and only buy light, and never get white or albacore because of the high mercury.
    Lowfat Cottage cheese is another decently priced protein food you can add between meals.
    And if you want something hot, chicken breast, at least where I live is the best cost per pound. If you are not used to cooking yet, chicken breast is a good meat to start with as there are so many things you can do with it.
    That is what works for me :)
  • Linzon
    Linzon Posts: 294 Member
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    You can add egg whites to your oatmeal, I do that and the only difference I notice is that the cooked oatmeal is a little gloopier and the pot is harder to clean :p
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Might find some ideas here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10232335/list-of-higher-protein-foods

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
  • generallyme2
    generallyme2 Posts: 403 Member
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    Linzon wrote: »
    You can add egg whites to your oatmeal, I do that and the only difference I notice is that the cooked oatmeal is a little gloopier and the pot is harder to clean :p

    I've been wanting to try a whole egg in my oatmeal... I just haven't gotten over my egg issue from a couple weeks ago to brave it yet ;) Apparently, it's super creamy that way.

    I have to make an effort for protein as well. I usually do Greek yogurt on everything (in spaghetti sauce, as sour cream on fajitas or stuffed peppers, in taco salad, with fruit, and so on), chicken breasts, beans, and I used to do lots of eggs (hardboiled, in salads, scrambled- with greek yogurt, over easy on sandwiches, etc).
  • Kib13
    Kib13 Posts: 38 Member
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    I add 14-16 grams of almond butter to my oatmeal. So good!
  • MsBuzzkillington
    MsBuzzkillington Posts: 171 Member
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    I know you say you don't want this recommendation but protein shakes and bars are actually very very tasty. I would 100% recommend them. One protein bar can have 20 grams of protein, same with shakes. Like, it's a very easy way to boost your intake.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I just insist on getting at least some protein in every meal. Where there is a will, there is a way.
  • Cohalligan
    Cohalligan Posts: 26 Member
    edited May 2016
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    You could add 2 Tbsp of Peanut butter (8g protein) and 2 Tbsp of Hemp seeds (12g protein) to your oatmeal (protein content dependent on serving size) for a 20+g protein breakfast option :)

    I have opened my food diary if you want to peek at what I have: Fair warning, I do have a protein powder once or twice a day. I love it. :)
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    How much do you weight and how many g of protein are you getting daily? Based on the .36g per lb RDA a 150 lb person needs about 54g daily......more if you're bodybuilding.

    Having said that, I add peanut butter to my oatmeal (my breakfast most days) for the extra fat and protein otherwise I'd gnaw the leg off my desk at work before lunch.....

  • ConicalFern
    ConicalFern Posts: 121 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I think the easiest way is with tuna. It's so versatile - last night I had a piece of breaded fish WITH a large can of tuna on rice cakes to get my protein fill. I've also been known to mix it into sweet potato mash.

    I'm also a big fan of Skyr yoghurts; not huge amounts of protein but if you're having something sweet anyway this is a good way to up your protein levels.

    I get about 20% protein each day and I eat a lot (average 3000 calories+ /day) so feel free to have a look at my diary.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I will usually add shredded chicken to my breakfast (scrambled egg wrap) or even just eat shredded chicken as a snack.
  • mikeski52
    mikeski52 Posts: 59 Member
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    I like to add chocolate flavored protein powder in with my milk and cereal/quaker oats in the morning. Gets me a good jump start to my protein intake, and it makes my cereal/oats taste kinda like Count Chocula. Of the few protein powders I've tried, Optimum Nutrition has been the tastiest in this situation.
  • robdowns1300
    robdowns1300 Posts: 152 Member
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    Quaker makes a high protein oatmeal. I think it has some soy in it.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    a_candler wrote: »
    As I love carbs I often find my calories being used up from them before I've had an adequate amount of protein.

    How do you all manage to hit the protein goal? And please don't tell me by eating protein bars or shakes. I need real (tasty) ideas to boost intake.

    For example I like oatmeal for breakfast, but this it has next to no protein. Lunch while working is often a Healthy Choice meal or something similar, 15+ grams protein. So you can see how quickly I begin to lack in the area. I need helpful ideas.

    Usually it is not getting enough at breakfast and/or lunch.

    I love oatmeal and when I have it (sorry) I add protein powder to it, along with the berries, AND I often have some vegetables and cottage cheese on the side. More often I have a 2-egg omelet for breakfast and typically have either smoked salmon or cottage cheese or greek yogurt with that. I usually end up with about 30 g of protein with breakfast, which really helps me feel more satisfied all day.

    For lunch I normally take dinner leftovers or have a salad with protein (chicken usually), both reasonably high protein (around 30 g again).

    One possibility is adding in snacks with more protein, like greek yogurt or cottage cheese or hard boiled eggs or (my favorite) smoked salmon or there are various jerky things people like (not my thing). I'm sure there are other ideas.
  • AlphaCajun
    AlphaCajun Posts: 290 Member
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    Chicken. There's a reason bodybuilders hate chicken.
  • indiacaitlin
    indiacaitlin Posts: 691 Member
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    I know you said not to mention protein shakes BUT, I use protein powder every day but hardly ever have them as an actual shake. It's easy to add a scoop to something like Greek yogurt and top with some nuts and it's a pretty high protein/low carb snack and tastes great! You can also add it to things like oats in the morning, again it's not like having it as an actual shake but adds a nice flavour (depending on what flavour you go for) and gives you a big boost of protein. If you're creative with how you use protein powder you can have some really tasty stuff without actually having it as a conventional shake :smile:

    I usually have oats with protein powder and peanut butter for breakfast, chicken and veggies for lunch with no carbs, and then more lean meat for dinner. Snacks wise I have nuts, protein bars and you could cook up some chicken in bulk and have it ready to snack on in the fridge. I manage to get about 40% protein a day.
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    I always hold aside some brewed coffee each day and stick it in the fridge for the following day. I mix my vanilla or chocolate protein powder with the cold coffee before I go to the gym in the early am. The caffeine (even cold) helps warm up my muscles faster and the protein helps give me a boost. I have also made my version of a frappucino adding protein powder.

    I much prefer though eating my protein than drinking it. I will often make extra meat when I cook dinner so I can bring it for lunch the following day. I get an overall sense of well-being when my protein is meat rather than dairy, eggs or protein powder/bars. If your week is jam-packed, purchase a roasted chicken in the deli section of the store and eat on that for a few days ...

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