Always short on protein!

cgcrutch
cgcrutch Posts: 223 Member
edited December 22 in Social Groups
I never reach my protein target unless I go way over on calories and fat :/ today I made a conscious effort to decrease added fats when cooking, stayed away from peanut butter, and STILL came up short on protein! All I could think to eat is canned tuna.. I'm not hungry, still below 1000 calories for the day, but if I eat anything besides tuna it won't help my macros. What do y'all do when you ONLY need protein??

Replies

  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
    What are your macros? Your calories are probably too low, leaving no natural way to get the protein.
  • cgcrutch
    cgcrutch Posts: 223 Member
    10% carb, 30% protein, 60% fat
    Only at 22% protein today
  • booksnbrains
    booksnbrains Posts: 119 Member
    @cgcrutch
    I add protein powder. It's not a whole foods choice, but I have a big jug of collagen peptides that I add to my afternoon snack. I like to keep my calories around 1100-1200, to support weight loss, but want sufficient protein to help all my activities.
  • bametels
    bametels Posts: 950 Member
    edited August 2019
    What types of protein are you eating? If you are not already, choose more lean protein sources (e.g., skinless chicken breast, 93% ground beef, lean fish, low or nonfat dairy) to up your protein and lower your fat. Also, have you tried experimenting with various spices/spice blends to make your lean meat and fish more enticing? Good luck!


  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Eat leaner meat.
  • cgcrutch
    cgcrutch Posts: 223 Member
    Eggs, vegetables sauteed or roasted in oil, baked chicken wings, NY strip steak, peanut butter, tuna salad, sometimes tuna with just herbs, bacon, avocado, cheeses. Broiled salmon or tuna when it's in my budget. I stay away from chicken breast cuz it doesn't have much fat, which I thought I needed for satiety. Tho that's true, I wonder if low protein is worse in the long run. I'll look into ways to make low fat protein taste better lol
  • bametels
    bametels Posts: 950 Member
    edited August 2019
    cgcrutch wrote: »
    Eggs, vegetables sauteed or roasted in oil, baked chicken wings, NY strip steak, peanut butter, tuna salad, sometimes tuna with just herbs, bacon, avocado, cheeses. Broiled salmon or tuna when it's in my budget. I stay away from chicken breast cuz it doesn't have much fat, which I thought I needed for satiety. Tho that's true, I wonder if low protein is worse in the long run. I'll look into ways to make low fat protein taste better lol

    I initially ate a higher level of fat. I think this can be helpful for many people while they are becoming fat adapted. After time, learning from the experience of others, I cut back on my fats and ate higher protein. I found higher protein to be very satiating, too. While I had been maintaining a 50+ lb. weight loss for some time before I made this switch (bouncing around - slightly above and below a healthy bmi) the switch to higher protein, lower fat kicked me back into a weight loss mode. Now I'm easily maintaining a mid-range BMI weight. It's the lowest weight I've been in probably 25 years.

    Hang in there! Experiment with different higher protein, lower fat foods and explore different ways to prepare them. You can do this.
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