Never enough protein

lauragreenbaum
lauragreenbaum Posts: 1,017 Member
edited December 21 in Food and Nutrition
I've looked back at my diary and I do well on fats, always go a little over on carbs and am always short on my protein goals. How can I increase that? Problem is, I don't eat or like a lot of high protein foods, such as:

eggs (I'll eat the whites but not the yolks)
red meat
fish (exceptions are tuna from a can or white fishes like grouper or halibut, but I don't love them)
most nuts except cashews
protein bars (I haven't found any that don't taste like sawdust covered cardboard)

How can I add protein without a lot of calories? Example- I love peanut butter, but it is high on both fat and calories.

Ideas?
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Replies

  • shaf238
    shaf238 Posts: 4,022 Member
    What @sardelsa said. Also, how about protein shakes?
  • lauragreenbaum
    lauragreenbaum Posts: 1,017 Member
    I do love cottage cheese, but yogurt not so much. I'll look into protein shakes- don't they have a lot of calories? Maybe add some protein powder to other foods?
  • sheloves89
    sheloves89 Posts: 88 Member
    I'm in the same boat - I'm pescatarian so it's a struggle for me to get enough protein into my diet!

    I drink this protein shake for breakfast every morning with a cup of almond milk; it's 170 calories (+30 calories for the almond milk) with 30g of protein, it's easy for busy mornings (I can never get up the FIRST time my alarm goes off...), and it keeps me full for a while.

    What about PB2 powder? I don't know enough about it to say for sure, maybe someone more familiar with the product can answer this - does it have a good amount of protein in it?

    Legumes and products derived from legumes also have protein! Tofu, tempeh, chickpeas...

    If you like eating tortillas (for tacos, wraps, etc), here is a really simple recipe for besan tortillas. Besan is a type of flour made from chickpeas; 1 cup of besan has 21g of protein in it. It is a little more calorie dense (the same cup has 356 calories), but 1 cup will get you about 5 tortillas, so you can spread them out over a couple of meals during the day. =] Bonus - that same website uses the besan tortillas for tacos; I know you don't love white fish but you mentioned you will eat them, so what if you did fish tacos with besan tortillas? You could hide the fish taste in the other flavors of the taco, and you get extra protein from your tortillas... that might be a good recipe to keep in your menu!
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited May 2019
    I make my own protein bars - I like them. but i may be hte only one. I found for purchased ones, the simply ones tasted good
    https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/05/31/mocha-brownie-protein-bars/
    https://simplyprotein.ca/en/

    Cottage cheese, yogurt, frozen yogurt (low cal ice cream).
    chicken. lots of vegetarian options have decent protein.
    jerky (chicken, beef - i am pretty picky so only one i really like)
    milk
    i get some from my steel cut oats
    protein cereal
    have you tried greek yogurt or Skyr?
    lentils
    beans

    here is a post on proteins
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also/p1

  • YourAverageJake
    YourAverageJake Posts: 2 Member
    I’m in no way veg/vegan, but I’ve recently taken a liking to a few of Morningstar Farms products - the buffalo chik’n and meat lovers burgers are pretty good, not terrible on calories, and give a decent amount of veggie-based protein.

    I also am a sucker for frozen coffee, and often make it with a bit of protein powder. Just try to avoid adding high-sugar flavorings and/or high-fat dairy.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    how much are you getting?
    what is your protein goal on this site?
  • chrisacardinal
    chrisacardinal Posts: 1 Member
    I'm a big fan of the Premier Protein 'shakes'. They are 160 calories and provide 30g of protein. Plus, it contains 50% of your daily calcium intake if you're watching that as well. I'm not a fan of the "replace a meal with a shake" strategy, but I've found these keep me much more full than I expected and I'll often unintentionally have one as my breakfast on workout days because I don't get hungry again until lunch.
  • kelfran1
    kelfran1 Posts: 1,213 Member
    eggs (I'll eat the whites but not the yolks)
    red meat
    fish (exceptions are tuna from a can or white fishes like grouper or halibut, but I don't love them)
    most nuts except cashews
    protein bars (I haven't found any that don't taste like sawdust covered cardboard)

    I must say that if you and I were friends, we would not waste any food between us (except protein bars, :s ).

    Have you looked at something like whey protein powder? (I use Jarrow brand.) You can mix it into your breakfast and get 18g of protein for less than 100 calories. I combine it with greek yogurt and a serving of fruit at breakfast and it keeps me full and helps me attain my protein goals.

    I second the idea of adding beans to your diet. Another trick my dietician suggested was to buy those little single serving pouches of tuna for snack time. This is obviously not for everyone (including me most of the time).
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    I drink Sparta Nutrition protein. I have two scoops in the morning to start my day and its 220 cals, 4 carbs, 50 g protein. I get 34g at lunch with 2 tuna packs, I buy chunk light in water packets. A few other things I eat have a few grams here and there, and then I finish my day with scrambled eggs and bacon. I almost always exceed my protein goal.

    Egg whites have about half the protein of an egg and very few calories, so you could definitely still incorporate those. I used to put them in my oatmeal, it makes the it super fluffy.
  • gvizzle74
    gvizzle74 Posts: 123 Member
    I love protein powder - i bake with it, add it to my overnight oats, use it in shakes. there are so many flavour options. i like myprotein.com's whey protein. great flavours - 100 calories for 19 grams of protein.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    I second the question about how much you weigh, how much you want to weigh eventually if that's different, and how much protein you're trying to get. Sometimes people think they need to get 1g or more per pound of current bodyweight, and that's usually overkill for someone with weight to lose. Even in different circumstances than that, getting the right goal is part of the picture.

    Beyond that, surprisingly many things contain at least some protein, and there may be protein-rich foods that haven't been part of your routine that you could try, and might enjoy.

    As a strategy, it can help to review your food diary, note cases where you're getting quite a few calories from a particular food(s) with little/no protein, and think about whether you could happily reduce or eliminate that to free up some calories for protein-rich foods, or substitute similar foods that would be equally satisfying for you, but contribute more protein to your total. For example, some breads or wraps have more protein than others, there are chickpea/bean pastas with more protein than wheat pasta, quinoa has more protein than rice, etc.

    As far as identifying new foods to try or adopt, there's a great thread that links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods in order by protein efficiency: Most protein for fewest calories. Scroll through that spreadsheet, find foods you like or are willing to try, and substitute them for something else that isn't helping you meet your goals.

    It's here:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also


  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Grilled fish - any kind.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    I’m pescetarian also and always meet my protein goals. I drink one protein shake a day, usually have a veggie burger or some other tofu, eggs twice a week, fish once a week, beans and rice, quinoa.
  • robinhager3998
    robinhager3998 Posts: 44 Member
    I have the same delimma! I have a lot to lose (100 pounds) and right now I’ve been starving by the end of the day! I shouldn’t be on my caloric allotment. I’m sure it’s because I’m a carboholic and don’t like protein based foods. I don’t like cottage cheese but yogurt is ok. I like eggs and most meats, but I don’t eat much meat. I also come up short on potassium. This is a total learning experience for all of us, I’m sure!
  • sarasmiles124
    sarasmiles124 Posts: 138 Member
    I've looked back at my diary and I do well on fats, always go a little over on carbs and am always short on my protein goals. How can I increase that? Problem is, I don't eat or like a lot of high protein foods, such as:

    eggs (I'll eat the whites but not the yolks)
    red meat
    fish (exceptions are tuna from a can or white fishes like grouper or halibut, but I don't love them)
    most nuts except cashews
    protein bars (I haven't found any that don't taste like sawdust covered cardboard)

    How can I add protein without a lot of calories? Example- I love peanut butter, but it is high on both fat and calories.

    Ideas?

    I follow the Skinnytaste website and group on Facebook and she has a breakfast prep that includes taco spiced meat, scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes. You could always change that to sweet potato or maybe a squash or any other veggie. She also has a chicken quiche that can be made crustless and lots of frittata recipes.
  • unyquescorpion
    unyquescorpion Posts: 15 Member
    Good morning, I am begin a lifestyle change as a Pescetarian. Any advice would be great. I no longer eat meat.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    No non fish meat? Eggs and dairy still?

    Re advice, it depends on how big a change this is for you. How often are you eating fish, and how many of your meals will have to change. Do you have a general plan for what you will be eating and how to get your protein?
  • Pamela_Sue
    Pamela_Sue Posts: 563 Member
    A scoop of cottage cheese over a pear half is delicious, with perhaps a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top. I am also not a huge fan of yogurt, but experimented with flavors. I found that once I became accustomed to blueberry yogurt I actually liked it. Sometimes trying different styles and flavors helps.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    what about other white meats? chicken, turkey, pork tenderloin? what about non-fish seafood (shrimp, scallops)
  • lauragreenbaum
    lauragreenbaum Posts: 1,017 Member
    what about other white meats? chicken, turkey, pork tenderloin? what about non-fish seafood (shrimp, scallops)

    I do eat a lot of chicken and turkey. I do not eat pork. I don't love fish or seafood- the only way I like shrimp is if it's battered and fried :-)
  • Roza42
    Roza42 Posts: 246 Member
    I put collagen in my coffee. I have both single serve packages and canisters. It dissolves completely in liquids and has 43 calories and 11 g protein per serving. https://greatlakesgelatin.com/products/hydrolysate-single-can
  • lauragreenbaum
    lauragreenbaum Posts: 1,017 Member
    Question: Is protein powder bad for you? I have a friend who is really into natural and holistic foods and medicines, and she's telling me it's not good for you. Is it?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    Question: Is protein powder bad for you? I have a friend who is really into natural and holistic foods and medicines, and she's telling me it's not good for you. Is it?

    There are many different types of protein powder (whey, casein, egg, pea, soy, and many more), produced in very different ways. How likely is it that all of them are bad for you?

    Protein powder is typically a highly processed food. That doesn't make it inherently a bad thing, but it makes some people think it is.

    I'm not going to vouch for every protein powder on the market, but many/most of them are fine for you, and (for some people) can be a useful way to achieve their nutritional goals. I don't use them, but only because I don't mostly find them tasty or satisfying. While I feel like it's a good thing to get as much of one's nutrition from regular food as practical - just because it's evolution-tested ;) - using a good protein powder to top up one's protein goal should be fine.

    Just my opinon, though.
  • mom2kpr
    mom2kpr Posts: 348 Member
    Quinoa, legumes/beans (black, pinto, etc). Vegetables and grains have some protein in them. That mixed with the other suggestions you gotten, could help you increase your protein. I struggle to get protein in also - I do protein powder most days.
  • dmroberts3311
    dmroberts3311 Posts: 4 Member
    Same struggle here, trying to eat more protein. Searching for ideas...have heard about Korn?? After reading what it was and how it was made I will stick with chicken. Hummus is good too!
  • annspal4
    annspal4 Posts: 8 Member
    Before I got serious about making better decisions about my food choices, I “hated” cottage cheese AND yogurt. I taught myself to not only tolerate them but to look forward to both. I remember making tuna salad and egg salad to enjoy with toast, lettuce, etc. using just a little cottage cheese and upping the percentage each time. Now I am happy to have a small serving of fat free cottage cheese and consider it a treat!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Question: Is protein powder bad for you? I have a friend who is really into natural and holistic foods and medicines, and she's telling me it's not good for you. Is it?

    Here. Grass-fed cows, minimal ingredients. 90 cal for 20 g of protein. (I never drink it straight - I add fruit, veggies, and fat & additional fiber sources, so that bumps up the calories. And satiety.)

    https://smile.amazon.com/Biochem-Ultimate-protein-Natural-24-6-Ounce/dp/B0015QSU9Q/
  • bosque1234
    bosque1234 Posts: 60 Member
    Try Greek yogurt, a whey supplement powder, and try Googling, high protein, low fat foods. :-)
This discussion has been closed.