Getting enough protein without too much fat?

2

Replies

  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    amandaeve wrote: »
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    Try tofu or seitan....all you're eating is animal protein which has fat.

    I'd like to eat seitan more. My stomach doesn't agree with soy in any more than an ounce or so a day. Tofu has fat, too. Still, I wish I could eat it more.

    As noted above, it's gluten, not soy. I have not entirely acquired a taste for it yet (love tofu and tempeh, so luckily I'm good with soy). I personally want to like seitan because of the anti gluten trend. I'm a contrarian.

    Yeah, I enjoy seitan and would like to eat it more. I just haven't prepared it a whole lot myself and don't have an arsenal of recipes on hand- mostly just eaten it at restaurants. I ate a ton of tofu years back and developed an intolerance to it. Now I can eat a small amount of soy products, but still have digestive discomfort if I eat a meal's worth.
  • questionfear
    questionfear Posts: 527 Member
    amandaeve wrote: »
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    Try tofu or seitan....all you're eating is animal protein which has fat.

    I'd like to eat seitan more. My stomach doesn't agree with soy in any more than an ounce or so a day. Tofu has fat, too. Still, I wish I could eat it more.

    Seitan is actually wheat gluten. Stay away from tempeh, which is fermented soy, but you should be ok with seitan.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    questionfear wrote: »
    amandaeve wrote: »
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    Try tofu or seitan....all you're eating is animal protein which has fat.

    I'd like to eat seitan more. My stomach doesn't agree with soy in any more than an ounce or so a day. Tofu has fat, too. Still, I wish I could eat it more.

    Seitan is actually wheat gluten. Stay away from tempeh, which is fermented soy, but you should be ok with seitan.

    what's wrong with fermented soy?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    questionfear wrote: »
    amandaeve wrote: »
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    Try tofu or seitan....all you're eating is animal protein which has fat.

    I'd like to eat seitan more. My stomach doesn't agree with soy in any more than an ounce or so a day. Tofu has fat, too. Still, I wish I could eat it more.

    Seitan is actually wheat gluten. Stay away from tempeh, which is fermented soy, but you should be ok with seitan.

    what's wrong with fermented soy?

    I think that comment is because the person they are addressing said they had issues eating more than an ounce of soy products per day.
  • mellyrunsfar
    mellyrunsfar Posts: 30 Member
    You mentioned a concern about salad dressing...

    Here is a simple one I blend. 1 container of fat free cottage cheese, 2 Hidden Valley Ranch dip packets (the powdered seasoning) and a little bit of water (maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want it). Blend everything together and you've got a very flavorful dressing for salad or dip for veggies with no fat plus some protein.
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    mellyrunsfar wrote: »
    You mentioned a concern about salad dressing...

    Here is a simple one I blend. 1 container of fat free cottage cheese, 2 Hidden Valley Ranch dip packets (the powdered seasoning) and a little bit of water (maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want it). Blend everything together and you've got a very flavorful dressing for salad or dip for veggies with no fat plus some protein.

    Yum! So doing this, thanks!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    rhtexasgal wrote: »
    lean turkey or chicken breast ... I often eat a packet of water packed tuna with pickles and also eat a serving of turkey for lunch. I struggle trying to eat enough protein for my increased weight lifting workouts.

    ^this^ Chicken is the cheapest and best source of protein vs calories I've found. Boneless/Skinless chicken breasts have very little fat. Turkey is even higher in protein and lower in calories. Just buy the fresh stuff, you can find turkey in cutlets which is boneless and skinless and in ground versions with very little fat. They are great in a marinade and then grilled.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    Beans?? I'm guessing you can't have too much edamame if you're sensitive to soy, but black beans and kidney beans will give you protein and carbs without the fat. Lentils are a good option too.
  • fattothinmum
    fattothinmum Posts: 218 Member
    Skyr does it for me. I prefer it to protein powder.
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Chicken gizzards are almost pure protein. I cook mine for a day (or two) in the slow cooker with chicken stock, they turn out very tender and you get a great broth from it, too.
  • etvete
    etvete Posts: 4 Member
    Be sure to look at veggie and other plant proteins too so you are not completely eating tofu, beans, and animal protein. Chia, flax, and broccoli can be great sources of protein.
  • BigTandthesquatters
    BigTandthesquatters Posts: 151 Member
    mellyrunsfar wrote: »
    You mentioned a concern about salad dressing...

    Here is a simple one I blend. 1 container of fat free cottage cheese, 2 Hidden Valley Ranch dip packets (the powdered seasoning) and a little bit of water (maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want it). Blend everything together and you've got a very flavorful dressing for salad or dip for veggies with no fat plus some protein.

    I am so trying this. Never thought to use cottage cheese. I will also try using onion soup mix.
  • Chrismadison100
    Chrismadison100 Posts: 70 Member
    Try sardines. They are a delicacy and come in a tin so there is zero prep work.
  • AndiJH
    AndiJH Posts: 84 Member
    I'm striving for a 40% protein, 30/30 ratio, and it's really difficult, but I usually get around 100g of protein on only 1500 calories. (My goal is closer to 150 but I honestly don't need that much)
    PB2 and other powdered proteins are a great way to add peanut butter to recipes without the added fat (great for smoothies, thai sauces, desserts).
    Egg whites! Chicken! Lean turkey! Salmon! All the fish! (Plus the fats you get from wild caught fish are better quality fats you need anyway)

    Another thing I do to keep the other macros low is to pair my proteins with low GI fruits and tons of veggies, and avoid starchy things (but sometimes I splurge with oatmeal and potatoes because I love them). Fruits and veggies are usually very low in fat (and sometimes carbs) compared to grains and packaged sides.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    More fish.
  • Kekekylene
    Kekekylene Posts: 112 Member
    I eat 160g protein a day and I eat chicken breast a lot on the days that I don't have a lot of fat macros available. I have protein powder daily as well.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    For salad dressings or veggie dip, nonfat yogurt or greek yogurt mixed with salsa, hot sauce, or dry seasoning(soup or dip mix) are really good. I prefer Quest bars over builders bars, less calories for the 20g protein. Quest protein powder is also very good, 20 g protein 100 calories. If you drink milk, fairlife has more protein and less carbs than other milk.
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    I make my own non-fat Greek yogurt and skyr. I strain mine until it is nearly the consistency of a brick of cream cheese. Then it is just eating pure protein basically and it will fill you up like you just ate a box of rocks for a very reasonable number of calories.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    BigTandthesquatters wrote: »
    mellyrunsfar wrote: »
    You mentioned a concern about salad dressing...

    Here is a simple one I blend. 1 container of fat free cottage cheese, 2 Hidden Valley Ranch dip packets (the powdered seasoning) and a little bit of water (maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want it). Blend everything together and you've got a very flavorful dressing for salad or dip for veggies with no fat plus some protein.

    I am so trying this. Never thought to use cottage cheese. I will also try using onion soup mix.

    Pretty cool recipe. I'm guessing if cottage cheese works, that quark would work as well. And it is smooth already.
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
    amandaeve wrote: »

    • Cottage cheese (70% less fat and 0% fat)
    • Fat free Greek yogurt
    • 1/2C cottage cheese, 1/2C Greek yogurt, 1 t lemon juice
    • Protein powder
    • Chicken breast
    • Shrimp
    • Tuna
    • Salmon
    • White fish
    • Turkey breast
    • Turkey bacon
    • Ground turkey
    • Pork loin
    • Petite sirloin steaks, marinated
    • Tri-tip beef roast
    • Tri-tip beef steak
    • Eggs
    • Builder’s bars
    • Tofu
    • Seitan
    • PB2

    You can add lean ham to the list.

    I tried to do the ratios you're using, at 2200 calories. I couldn't do it, had to drop my protein back to 25%. That still leaves me going for 138g.
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  • mellyrunsfar
    mellyrunsfar Posts: 30 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    BigTandthesquatters wrote: »
    mellyrunsfar wrote: »
    You mentioned a concern about salad dressing...

    Here is a simple one I blend. 1 container of fat free cottage cheese, 2 Hidden Valley Ranch dip packets (the powdered seasoning) and a little bit of water (maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want it). Blend everything together and you've got a very flavorful dressing for salad or dip for veggies with no fat plus some protein.

    I am so trying this. Never thought to use cottage cheese. I will also try using onion soup mix.

    Pretty cool recipe. I'm guessing if cottage cheese works, that quark would work as well. And it is smooth already.

    Oh my goodness! The onion soup mix is an awesome idea. Y'all rock
  • brilliantwords
    brilliantwords Posts: 97 Member
    edited July 2016
    Egg whites, chicken breast, tuna, haddock, protein shakes, cottage cheese, plain greek yogurt, and shrimp- these are my go to options for lean protein! I used to be vegetarian and just added the poultry and seafood back a few months ago, so I still stay away from pork and beef at this point in time.

    I know soy is controversial, but some brands of tofu make a lower fat variety that has decent macros. That usually means it's soy protein isolate. Do what works for you!
  • jvhealthy2012
    jvhealthy2012 Posts: 5 Member
    My suggestion would be to lower your carbs by 5-10% and raise your fats. See if you notice any difference in energy levels during your long biking sessions. I find combining a healthy fat like nut butter with a complex carb such as oats and a fast acting carb like sliced bananas fuels me up all morning and way into the afternoon with my kickboxing sessions.
  • Gisebs81
    Gisebs81 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi there, I would recommend eating more pulses like chickpeas , lentils, beans of any color and peas. They are high in protein and low in fat, mix them with some rice or other cereal to improve protein quality. I hope I've helped you.
  • socalrunner59
    socalrunner59 Posts: 149 Member
    Oatmeal
    Peas
    Spinach
    Beans
    Lentils
    Quinoa
    Non-fat yogurt
    Fish (halibut, tuna, talapia, mahi)
  • media_veronica
    media_veronica Posts: 1 Member
    Wheat germ has 4grams of protein per serving (2tbsp) and you can add it to anything without noticing much. You can add it to granola, oatmeal, burger mix etc. IS the same about of protein as the PB2 powder.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    redraidergirl2009 wrote: »
    Try tofu or seitan....all you're eating is animal protein which has fat.

    Tofu and seitan aren't fat-free.

    I didn't say they were fat-free. However, they have a lot less fat than meats, eggs and dairy. It would not hurt to incorporate them into a diet looking to reduce fat content while keeping protein high.

    Chicken and turkey are very low fat
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    edited August 2016
    How about whey protein powder? Depending on the brand, it should have no fat. I don't drink it, but I've read that after a workout it has been shown by some studies to be ideal for rebuilding protein stores and meeting overall protein goals.

    Otherwise look into good sources of plant proteins, like legumes. That would really help with protein, fiber, healthy carbs and be very low in fat.
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    edited August 2016
    etvete wrote: »
    Be sure to look at veggie and other plant proteins too so you are not completely eating tofu, beans, and animal protein. Chia, flax, and broccoli can be great sources of protein.

    Broccoli has only 4.2 g of protein per 148 g serving. It is an incomplete protein, but not a concern if you are getting the lacking essential amino acids elsewhere in your diet.

    Beef (85/15) has 22 g of protein per 85 g. serving. It is a complete protein.

    You would have to eat 5+ servings of broccoli to get the amount of (incomplete) protein as in a 3 oz hamburger.

    Yes, broccoli is a healthy addition to your diet, but don't depend on it as a great protein source.
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