Struggling to get enough protein
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nbuuifx
Posts: 23 Member
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
3
Replies
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You'll find a good source of info here on good that are high in protein:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also#latest
140g does not sound unrealistic as a goal even without protein shakes.3 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.1 -
You'll find a good source of info here on good that are high in protein:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also#latest
140g does not sound unrealistic as a goal even without protein shakes.
That spreadsheet is a real job of work, thanks for the link. I don't read the OP as having hard dietary restrictions (medical, moral, etc.) that drastically limit sources of protein. It might be a matter of trying some new foods and/or ways of shopping, storing and preparing them that take less time and effort.
I'm also pretty new to MFP tracking and started mainly to target protein intake for more exercise, currently 170g. Sources for main meals are eggs, canned fish, a wide variety of meats, cheese, nuts and tofu. Spices and sauces can simplify variety on the fly without elaborate recipes.
Still I would generally fall short of target without whey protein. Protein "shakes" especially from whey dairy are as good as any other source, and I have two or three 24g scoops plus yogurt or cow's milk, but of course one can't live on whey alone. For both price and health I generally avoid the (fat and sugared) premixed drinks in favor of a decently flavored and mixable whey powder (sucralose or stevia): typically a scoop in morning oatmeal, mixed into plain low-fat yogurt, or blended or shaken with 1 percent milk. Lots of berries, fruit and nuts add interest. (Even without the pre-bottled whatnot, the basic protein powder industry is a chaos of marketing malarkey, ingredient concentrations, jar and scoop sizes and "sale" pricing, plastering over the basic math of grams of protein per dollar. Many whey supplement users are spending two or three times what's necessary to meet goals.)1 -
For some reason these discussions often seem reluctant to mention the most obvious source of protein, meat. Not just chicken breast but other lean meats such as pork loin and even sirloin are great sources of protein. Fish is another great source of protein. You can get a few extra grams of protein by eating things like quinoa instead of rice, but meat is easy.
If you happen to like it, low fat cottage cheese is an easy to prepare, real food source of whey protein.3 -
75% of my protein comes from cottage cheese or greek yogurt, most days. They're something like 20 grams/200 calories a cup and that's for the full fat version.2
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Slip lean meats into everything.
Grill extra steak or chicken and put slices in your salad
Cook extra pork tenderloin, chop it and roll it in a low carb tortilla with some lettuce, tomatoes and BBQ, Thai, or chutney sauce.
Throw some chicken breast in a crockpot with the seasoning and salsa from a taco kit. Enjoy easy yummy tacos, and use the leftovers over some salad greens.
Gorge on a pound of boiled shrimp for very few calories. (My dinner plan tonight. 👍🏻)
Slip plain whey powder into pancakes or other baked goods.
Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in smoothies is terrific.
Sugar free pudding mix whipped with Greek yogurt and a little ice water. Lemon tastes like a lemon pie.
I’m going to try a sugar free jello/cottage cheese recipe I’ve found.
Google chaffle recipes. It’s basically eggs and shredded cheese cooked in a waffle iron. Very tasty.
1 -
wunderkindking wrote: »75% of my protein comes from cottage cheese or greek yogurt, most days. They're something like 20 grams/200 calories a cup and that's for the full fat version.
While i am not that extreme, a significant portion of my protein comes from greek yogurt. I find that outside of red meat, dairy has the biggest impact on my hunger. And it's so easy just to add berries, granola, dab of peanut butter, chia seeds or whatever else you want to make it a meal.2 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.
I'm 6'3" and currently 14 stone 4lbs. I set the goal to lose 1lb per week over 10 weeks.
Protein interested me as my smart scales also tell me that I need more protein in my body. I don't know how accurate they are and how it can be so precise from just sending a current through my body, but the measurement is consistent if nothing else!
0 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.
I'm 6'3" and currently 14 stone 4lbs. I set the goal to lose 1lb per week over 10 weeks.
Protein interested me as my smart scales also tell me that I need more protein in my body. I don't know how accurate they are and how it can be so precise from just sending a current through my body, but the measurement is consistent if nothing else!
Yea, 140-160g would be a good goals to aim for. Essentially, prelog calories, eat a combination of meat, eggs/egg whites, seafood, greek yogurt/cottage cheese, and if needed a protein shake. You can look at my diary. I eat 140-200g a day @ 168lbs current. Generally all but 22-25g of that is food.1 -
It would help, maybe, if you opened your diary, so we could take a look at what you're eating now.
Can I be frank? You say you're at 69g for the day, which I assume implies fairly well on into the day. I'm usually close to that after lunch, and I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat protein powder, protein bars, or faux meat.
I'm wondering what you're eating, what your calorie goal is, if you eat meat/fish/dairy. Meat/fish ought to make it pretty easy. That protein thread linked above ought to make it super easy: Look for foods in your diary that "cost" relatively many calories, aren't so vitally important to your nutrition, satiation, or taste-satisfaction; cut down on those; eat some things you like from the protein thread instead.
Do what us veg folks do, too: After you dial in that "one big protein" at the center of each meal, prefer sides that bring a little protein. Unless you're a very selective eater, there should be many such choices - veggies, snacks, grains, sauces/dressings/toppings, etc. Again, that linked thread should help identify them. The little bits add up, over the course of a day.
Review your food log regularly, keep tweaking it in a "more protein" direction using data from that linked thread, seems like you should gradually be able to work your way up to 140 pretty easily as an omnivore, as long as your calorie goal isn't punitively, unnecessarily low.
Best wishes!5 -
I currently have 158g of protein pre-logged for today.
That does include one protein shake (24g protein), but omitting that would still leave me at 134g protein (flip side, I also have over ~600 cal to play with right now as I haven't pre-logged my lunch since what I'll eat for that is TBD, so no doubt my final protein tally will be a bit higher when it's all said & done)1 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.
I'm 6'3" and currently 14 stone 4lbs. I set the goal to lose 1lb per week over 10 weeks.
Protein interested me as my smart scales also tell me that I need more protein in my body. I don't know how accurate they are and how it can be so precise from just sending a current through my body, but the measurement is consistent if nothing else!
Do you mean your scales tell you you have low lean body mass?
Eating more protein alone probably won't be enough, you'll need to do some progressive resistance training too to build muscle.3 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.
I'm 6'3" and currently 14 stone 4lbs. I set the goal to lose 1lb per week over 10 weeks.
Protein interested me as my smart scales also tell me that I need more protein in my body. I don't know how accurate they are and how it can be so precise from just sending a current through my body, but the measurement is consistent if nothing else!
Do you mean your scales tell you you have low lean body mass?
Eating more protein alone probably won't be enough, you'll need to do some progressive resistance training too to build muscle.
The scales say I have low lean body mass, high body fat mass, high muscle mass, low protein.
I weigh approx 200lbs
Lean body mass: 154.9lbs (low)
Body fat mass: 45.8lbs (high)
Muscle mass: 143lbs (high)
Bone mass: 7.7lbs (high)
Visceral fat: 12.0 (high)
Protein: 15.6% (low)
Water: 51.5% (low)
BMR: 1756kcal (low)0 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.
I'm 6'3" and currently 14 stone 4lbs. I set the goal to lose 1lb per week over 10 weeks.
Protein interested me as my smart scales also tell me that I need more protein in my body. I don't know how accurate they are and how it can be so precise from just sending a current through my body, but the measurement is consistent if nothing else!
Do you mean your scales tell you you have low lean body mass?
Eating more protein alone probably won't be enough, you'll need to do some progressive resistance training too to build muscle.
The scales say I have low lean body mass, high body fat mass, high muscle mass, low protein.
I weigh approx 200lbs
Lean body mass: 154.9lbs (low)
Body fat mass: 45.8lbs (high)
Muscle mass: 143lbs (high)
Bone mass: 7.7lbs (high)
Visceral fat: 12.0 (high)
Protein: 15.6% (low)
Water: 51.5% (low)
BMR: 1756kcal (low)
Okay, well never mind then, your muscle mass is high according to the scale, so the protein measurement is something else, I guess. I'm not sure those numbers are accurate, but in any case increasing protein to 140gr sounds like a good idea.0 -
It would help, maybe, if you opened your diary, so we could take a look at what you're eating now.
Can I be frank? You say you're at 69g for the day, which I assume implies fairly well on into the day. I'm usually close to that after lunch, and I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat protein powder, protein bars, or faux meat.
I'm wondering what you're eating, what your calorie goal is, if you eat meat/fish/dairy. Meat/fish ought to make it pretty easy. That protein thread linked above ought to make it super easy: Look for foods in your diary that "cost" relatively many calories, aren't so vitally important to your nutrition, satiation, or taste-satisfaction; cut down on those; eat some things you like from the protein thread instead.
Do what us veg folks do, too: After you dial in that "one big protein" at the center of each meal, prefer sides that bring a little protein. Unless you're a very selective eater, there should be many such choices - veggies, snacks, grains, sauces/dressings/toppings, etc. Again, that linked thread should help identify them. The little bits add up, over the course of a day.
Review your food log regularly, keep tweaking it in a "more protein" direction using data from that linked thread, seems like you should gradually be able to work your way up to 140 pretty easily as an omnivore, as long as your calorie goal isn't punitively, unnecessarily low.
Best wishes!
I think I've made my diary public now, feel free to have a look. I'm only on day 4 so far though.
69g was after lunch. I made it there by the end of the day by eating chicken.3 -
I'm new to this and not really paid enough attention to diet before. I'm active with a BMI of 25. Got a few lbs of fat that I want to shift. However I'm struggling to get protein anywhere near the target.
I drink protein shakes with milk after intense exercise but even that isn't really getting me close and adds calories and fat.
MFP says my target is 140g. Is it realistic to get 140g of protein in each day without protein shakes and if so how?
I'm currently at 69g for today which came from a purposeful effort to get protein (omelette - so cheese and egg).
I feel like I can do it as a one off but to constantly get 140g without adding extra through protein shakes is nearly impossible 🤣
Any tips would be appreciated!
What are your stats (height, weight) and what are are your goals. In general, 1.5-2.2g/kg of lbm is ideal.
And yes 140g is possible pretty easily without protein shakes. Also recognize that protein is a range, not a specific number that must be hit.
I'm 6'3" and currently 14 stone 4lbs. I set the goal to lose 1lb per week over 10 weeks.
Protein interested me as my smart scales also tell me that I need more protein in my body. I don't know how accurate they are and how it can be so precise from just sending a current through my body, but the measurement is consistent if nothing else!
Do you mean your scales tell you you have low lean body mass?
Eating more protein alone probably won't be enough, you'll need to do some progressive resistance training too to build muscle.
The scales say I have low lean body mass, high body fat mass, high muscle mass, low protein.
I weigh approx 200lbs
Lean body mass: 154.9lbs (low)
Body fat mass: 45.8lbs (high)
Muscle mass: 143lbs (high)
Bone mass: 7.7lbs (high)
Visceral fat: 12.0 (high)
Protein: 15.6% (low)
Water: 51.5% (low)
BMR: 1756kcal (low)
What are your goals? If 154 is close to accurate, and your goal is to gain or sustain your muscle, than my estimates are on point and we should talk your training protocols too0 -
So, having glanced through your diary I see a pattern than I used to fall into. Obviously this is only me speaking for me and it may not work for you.
I had to stop trying to force protein to fit into my calories around the other stuff. By which I mean I had to do things like look at my meal (let's say it's tuna salad sandwiches, or, I don't know, eggs with cheese) and eat the tuna sandwiches open faced (2 slices of bread instead of 4) or cut the cheese WAY down. Then take the calories saved by that and add more of the tuna or eggs. Skipthe dinner roll and have fewer mashed potatoes but TWO pieces of chicken. Have a whole cup of cottage cheese but with blackberries instead of banana. Or half a banana and more cottage cheese. That kind of thing.7 -
wunderkindking wrote: »So, having glanced through your diary I see a pattern than I used to fall into. Obviously this is only me speaking for me and it may not work for you.
I had to stop trying to force protein to fit into my calories around the other stuff. By which I mean I had to do things like look at my meal (let's say it's tuna salad sandwiches, or, I don't know, eggs with cheese) and eat the tuna sandwiches open faced (2 slices of bread instead of 4) or cut the cheese WAY down. then take the calories saved by that and add more of my protein source. Cut the dinner roll and have fewer mashed potatoes but TWO pieces of chicken. Have a whole cup of cottage cheese but with blackberries instead of banana. Or half a banana and more cottage cheese. That kind of thing.
Yes, this is familiar to me too. I ate meat, but not a lot (I had really taken to heart the "meat as a condiment" low budget grocery advice) and my calories were getting filled up with...well, carb filler (rice, pasta, etc.) Those things have their place, but one thing I've done to turn my protein around is change the proportions. I can easily hit 100g now even on days when I don't eat meat (I abstain for religious reasons at least once per week), and get 120-130g the other days on average, which is about where I want to be.0 -
wunderkindking wrote: »So, having glanced through your diary I see a pattern than I used to fall into. Obviously this is only me speaking for me and it may not work for you.
I had to stop trying to force protein to fit into my calories around the other stuff. By which I mean I had to do things like look at my meal (let's say it's tuna salad sandwiches, or, I don't know, eggs with cheese) and eat the tuna sandwiches open faced (2 slices of bread instead of 4) or cut the cheese WAY down. then take the calories saved by that and add more of my protein source. Cut the dinner roll and have fewer mashed potatoes but TWO pieces of chicken. Have a whole cup of cottage cheese but with blackberries instead of banana. Or half a banana and more cottage cheese. That kind of thing.penguinmama87 wrote: »Yes, this is familiar to me too. I ate meat, but not a lot (I had really taken to heart the "meat as a condiment" low budget grocery advice) and my calories were getting filled up with...well, carb filler (rice, pasta, etc.) Those things have their place, but one thing I've done to turn my protein around is change the proportions. I can easily hit 100g now even on days when I don't eat meat (I abstain for religious reasons at least once per week), and get 120-130g the other days on average, which is about where I want to be.
Yes, I bet the "Village Bakery - Multiseed Deli Rolls" are really yummy, but perhaps instead of having two for 400 calories, just have one, and rethink the 254 calorie bagel.
I LOVE bread, etc., but don't find foods made from flour especially filling, so it behooves me to limit the calories I spend on them.1
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