Protein Tips

LetsDoulaThis2018
LetsDoulaThis2018 Posts: 14 Member
edited 4:15AM in Food and Nutrition
I am struggling with getting enough protein and keeping my macros on point. I'd been told by a dietitian previously to eat 50% carbs, 20% calories from fat and 30% from protein. I know a standard recommendation is 20% from protein and 30% from fat but I'm struggling with getting protein consumption right with that break down. My breakdown ends up being skewed high on fat with a deficit in protein (carbs still coming in around that 50% mark either way). How do I get more protein in without adding much fat or carbs along with it aside from just randomly munching on chicken breast? I'm struggling with finding this balance.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Did you get a reason for the switching around of fat and protein? If weightloss is your goal, then calories is your main concern, and if MFP's default makes it easier, I would be very careful with raising the bar.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Lots of foods travel together as you know: when you eat protein, you will often eat carbs and or fats as well.

    Egg whites have protein. So does shrimp.

  • charpat58
    charpat58 Posts: 13 Member
    Let shrimp be your friend.
  • LetsDoulaThis2018
    LetsDoulaThis2018 Posts: 14 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Did you get a reason for the switching around of fat and protein? If weightloss is your goal, then calories is your main concern, and if MFP's default makes it easier, I would be very careful with raising the bar.

    Weight loss is the goal. I don't have a gallbladder and am missing a foot of my large intestine due to another surgery I had when I was younger. Sometimes my GI tract will spazz out and result in a dumping syndrome of sorts if I eat too much fat in one sitting so I think that dietitian was thinking that decreasing overall fat intake might prevent the dumping syndrome? I'm really obese so at MFPs recommendation for macros and calories aiming to lose 1lb a week there is so much protein required...I'm seriously contemplating adding a protein shake in...I have yet to actually meet protein requirements.

    I want to lose weight, but I don't want that weight to come from muscle. I know losing muscle mass will ultimately slow metabolism and make keeping weight off harder, hence why I want to actually get the macros right. (Planning to add in weight training too.)

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    What are your numbers? How many grams of protein?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2018
    Grams is a better approach for protein than percentages -- it sounds like your issue is that you aren't at a very low calorie level, so 30% is a lot -- and you might do better with a little more fat, fewer carbs, if it's tough to hit that number.

    That said, if you really want to hit those numbers, leaner protein options is probably the best bet, or cut a bit of fat elsewhere.

    For muscle maintenance while losing weight, a good goal is around .8 g (really .65-.85 g) of a healthy goal weight in lbs. So if my goal weight is 125 lb, the protein goal would be 100, whatever the percentage of calories that is.
  • brendanwhite84
    brendanwhite84 Posts: 219 Member
    I'm a broken record for this in these threads, but plain 0% skyr (Icelandic yogurt) is 25% carbs and 75% protein. It's one of my go-tos and I'd recommend it if you can wolf down 175 or so grams of something bland (22g protein there).

    Egg whites are majority protein, I don't remember the exact ratio. I just scramble them up and add them to less protein-rich dinner foods.
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 347 Member
    I get at least 120g of protein per day off of 2250 calories. Here are some ideas for making that happen:
    -include a protein source at every meal and snack.
    -pre plan your meals so that you know what you need to do with your snacks to hit your protein macro.
    -there is nothing wrong with adding a shake:-)
    Here are some of my favorite lean protein sources:
    Reduced fat string cheese
    Egg Whites
    Extra lean ground meats
    Chicken breast
    Beans
    Fat free Greek yogurt
    Fat free cottage cheese
    Tuna packets
  • YogiJear
    YogiJear Posts: 118 Member
    I second the idea that you should use grams to base protein macros off of rather than %. lemurcat's formula above works well or 1g per lean body mass if you have the means of finding out you body fat %.
  • busdriver400
    busdriver400 Posts: 1 Member
    If you are thinking protein shakes, look into plant protein. Leafy greens contain good amounts of protein, sometimes more than chicken.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    busdriver400 wrote: »
    If you are thinking protein shakes, look into plant protein. Leafy greens contain good amounts of protein, sometimes more than chicken.

    Which greens are you referring to? A cup of kale (around 61 grams) has almost 3 grams of protein. A cup of chicken breast (about 140 grams) has 43. Kale is rich in many other nutrients but I'd never use it as a primary source of protein.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2018
    I see people claiming that spinach is better than chicken, because 115 cal of spinach (500 g!) has more protein (14.3 g) than the same calories of chicken or whatever (which is not true if you compare it with boneless chicken breast, which has 21.4 g for the same number of calories). Even if that were true, it's a silly comparison, because I really like spinach and all, but can't imagine eating 500 g of it, let alone the 666 g to get to the amount in 115 cal of chicken breast.
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