Food Diary / hitting protein goal - without protein shake
LastMinuteMama
Posts: 590 Member
Hey there,
I only just started back with logging, but I thought instead of logging for weeks without hitting my protein goal that I would see if anyone has any suggestions based off of yesterday's diary (Aug 24th).
Ideally, I would like to tweak things to add protein without using protein powder, I will add powder if I have too, but I really don't enjoy drinking my calories...
(dinner was supposed to be a burger, no bun and a heaping side of roasted broccoli....but life got in the way!)
EDIT to ADD: 1600cal, 20% Carbs, 40% Protein, 40% Fat....maybe my macros are not set right?
Thank you,
Chrissy
I only just started back with logging, but I thought instead of logging for weeks without hitting my protein goal that I would see if anyone has any suggestions based off of yesterday's diary (Aug 24th).
Ideally, I would like to tweak things to add protein without using protein powder, I will add powder if I have too, but I really don't enjoy drinking my calories...
(dinner was supposed to be a burger, no bun and a heaping side of roasted broccoli....but life got in the way!)
EDIT to ADD: 1600cal, 20% Carbs, 40% Protein, 40% Fat....maybe my macros are not set right?
Thank you,
Chrissy
0
Replies
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Your food diary link only takes us to our own diaries. But to address your question, meat is going to be your primary protein contributor. Beans can be high in protein, as well as nuts. A few veggies (asparagus, for example) are good sources. Protein bars help. FWIW you can use protein powder to make high protein foods, such as pancakes, breakfast bars, etc. or add it to current recipes. Some people are for whatever reason opposed to powder as they don't think it's real food (it is), but stating you don't like to drink calories makes me believe you may not find it filling, otherwise I certainly wouldn't shy away from it. Protein is very important, particularly in a caloric deficit, so if you are struggling you should look to increase it, and the most efficient way is protein powder.1
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Meat, seafoods, fish, dairy (greek yoghurt and skyr particularly) and eggs are high protein. Aside from that, there are other sources of protein you might not have thought of, such as legumes and pulses (in their natural state as well as, for example, pasta made using these)...
You can take a look here for inspiration:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also#latest1 -
@Justin_7272 Thank you! I copied the link from my diary...who knew it wouldn't work?
I've got meat/protein in my lunch and dinner. Breakfast is a struggle. I don't love eggs, figured greek yogurt would help, but it's not enough.
I'll look into making breakfast bars with protein powder. And yeah, I'm not opposed to the powder, just don't find them satiating.0 -
Justin_7272 wrote: »Your food diary link only takes us to our own diaries. But to address your question, meat is going to be your primary protein contributor. Beans can be high in protein, as well as nuts. A few veggies (asparagus, for example) are good sources. Protein bars help. FWIW you can use protein powder to make high protein foods, such as pancakes, breakfast bars, etc. or add it to current recipes. Some people are for whatever reason opposed to powder as they don't think it's real food (it is), but stating you don't like to drink calories makes me believe you may not find it filling, otherwise I certainly wouldn't shy away from it. Protein is very important, particularly in a caloric deficit, so if you are struggling you should look to increase it, and the most efficient way is protein powder.
Nuts are a source of fat not so much protein.....same with beans more carbs really.
Proteins best source is meat and cheese or other dairy products.
For OP not sure why your protein goal is sooooo high tho....but with it being that high you will really need to concentrate on getting in lots of lean meats/fish (PS we usually go for 1/2 to .75 grams for each lb) might be more attainable.
for me I eat eggs/ham for breakfast. filler is veggies in eggs. No toast or butter.
lunch is lean sliced chicken and cheese between lettuce leaves.
Dinners are usually chicken or seafood/fish.
Snacks are a full serving of greek yogurt or cottage cheese
best sources of protein that are lower calories seem to be
chicken breast, fish (tuna, salmon, cod), seafood (crab, shrimp) then lean pork...beef is higher in calorie so it can be hard to fit in sometimes.
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Meat, seafoods, fish, dairy (greek yoghurt and skyr particularly) and eggs are high protein. Aside from that, there are other sources of protein you might not have thought of, such as legumes and pulses (in their natural state as well as, for example, pasta made using these)...
You can take a look here for inspiration:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also#latest
Pasta made from legumes might be a good idea for me. I've got the greek yogurt in there. I wish I enjoyed eggs...just not my thing.
I'll check out that link.0 -
I was able to get to your diary through your profile - what about an egg or something with breakfast? Hardboiled can be prepped ahead, or you can quickly fry or scramble one. I usually eat baked oatmeal for breakfast, so that's rather carb heavy, but I have used yogurt and nutritional yeast when baking it to increase the protein, and I eat it with 16g of peanut butter. That might not be the most protein-heavy topping, but it adds a little and is VERY satisfying.
I know you aren't reaching it, but I am curious about how you calculated your protein goal. 168g for a calorie goal of 1600ish seems like an awful lot. Would it be easier to start with a lower goal and work up to that, then increase if you still feel the need?
I had to work up to a higher protein goal too (I do 1g per goal weight in pounds) - I eat lowfat cottage cheese almost every day for a snack, usually with a vegetable or sometimes fruit on top. I also like Greek yogurt a lot and use it to sub for mayonnaise or sour cream, and to make my own creamy salad dressings. I usually drink one glass of milk per day. So dairy is a big part of the equation for me to top off - I also need a good amount of calcium so that helps with that too. I also eat a higher proportion of meat and beans than I used to, and have cut back on some carbs that are high calorie such as rice, pasta, and bread. I still like those things and eat them, but in smaller quantities to make room for the other stuff.
I do have protein bars I will eat for meals on the go and they're fine, but I don't generally love the supplements either. Nothing wrong with them IMO, I just haven't ever found that I like them much.2 -
Justin_7272 wrote: »Your food diary link only takes us to our own diaries. But to address your question, meat is going to be your primary protein contributor. Beans can be high in protein, as well as nuts. A few veggies (asparagus, for example) are good sources. Protein bars help. FWIW you can use protein powder to make high protein foods, such as pancakes, breakfast bars, etc. or add it to current recipes. Some people are for whatever reason opposed to powder as they don't think it's real food (it is), but stating you don't like to drink calories makes me believe you may not find it filling, otherwise I certainly wouldn't shy away from it. Protein is very important, particularly in a caloric deficit, so if you are struggling you should look to increase it, and the most efficient way is protein powder.
Nuts are a source of fat not so much protein.....same with beans more carbs really.
Proteins best source is meat and cheese or other dairy products.
For OP not sure why your protein goal is sooooo high tho....but with it being that high you will really need to concentrate on getting in lots of lean meats/fish (PS we usually go for 1/2 to .75 grams for each lb) might be more attainable.
for me I eat eggs/ham for breakfast. filler is veggies in eggs. No toast or butter.
lunch is lean sliced chicken and cheese between lettuce leaves.
Dinners are usually chicken or seafood/fish.
Snacks are a full serving of greek yogurt or cottage cheese
best sources of protein that are lower calories seem to be
chicken breast, fish (tuna, salmon, cod), seafood (crab, shrimp) then lean pork...beef is higher in calorie so it can be hard to fit in sometimes.
Thank you! Great suggestions!
I used a TDEE calculator and that's what I got based on weight, height and age.0 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »Meat, seafoods, fish, dairy (greek yoghurt and skyr particularly) and eggs are high protein. Aside from that, there are other sources of protein you might not have thought of, such as legumes and pulses (in their natural state as well as, for example, pasta made using these)...
You can take a look here for inspiration:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also#latest
Pasta made from legumes might be a good idea for me. I've got the greek yogurt in there. I wish I enjoyed eggs...just not my thing.
I'll check out that link.
PS: you can put protein powder in greek yoghurt too, not just in liquids
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penguinmama87 wrote: »I was able to get to your diary through your profile - what about an egg or something with breakfast? Hardboiled can be prepped ahead, or you can quickly fry or scramble one. I usually eat baked oatmeal for breakfast, so that's rather carb heavy, but I have used yogurt and nutritional yeast when baking it to increase the protein, and I eat it with 16g of peanut butter. That might not be the most protein-heavy topping, but it adds a little and is VERY satisfying.
I know you aren't reaching it, but I am curious about how you calculated your protein goal. 168g for a calorie goal of 1600ish seems like an awful lot. Would it be easier to start with a lower goal and work up to that, then increase if you still feel the need?
I had to work up to a higher protein goal too (I do 1g per goal weight in pounds) - I eat lowfat cottage cheese almost every day for a snack, usually with a vegetable or sometimes fruit on top. I also like Greek yogurt a lot and use it to sub for mayonnaise or sour cream, and to make my own creamy salad dressings. I usually drink one glass of milk per day. So dairy is a big part of the equation for me to top off - I also need a good amount of calcium so that helps with that too. I also eat a higher proportion of meat and beans than I used to, and have cut back on some carbs that are high calorie such as rice, pasta, and bread. I still like those things and eat them, but in smaller quantities to make room for the other stuff.
I do have protein bars I will eat for meals on the go and they're fine, but I don't generally love the supplements either. Nothing wrong with them IMO, I just haven't ever found that I like them much.
Thanks for your response!
I used an online TDEE calculator. Just did it again. It's 152, which is lower than I have it set for, but I'm still not reaching that.
Slowing increasing is a great idea! I love the oatmeal/peanut butter idea. I wish I liked eggs, but I don't...only when they're in cake recipe!
I do use greek yogurt as a substitute for mayo and sour cream.
I could add a glass of milk with dinner. That would probably help.0 -
That is really high protein, and not necessary unless you have some unusual reason for that setting.
I think there's a lot to be said for pre-logging. I manipulate my macros quite a bit depending on what I feel like eating or what needs to be used in the pantry.
After a long time of logging I can pretty much hit my macros by intuition, but I watch salt and sugar too - that isn't as intuitive - yet! Pre-logging helps me with that.
I would have a hard time reaching that protein level, and I am eating over 2000 calories a day.2 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »Justin_7272 wrote: »Your food diary link only takes us to our own diaries. But to address your question, meat is going to be your primary protein contributor. Beans can be high in protein, as well as nuts. A few veggies (asparagus, for example) are good sources. Protein bars help. FWIW you can use protein powder to make high protein foods, such as pancakes, breakfast bars, etc. or add it to current recipes. Some people are for whatever reason opposed to powder as they don't think it's real food (it is), but stating you don't like to drink calories makes me believe you may not find it filling, otherwise I certainly wouldn't shy away from it. Protein is very important, particularly in a caloric deficit, so if you are struggling you should look to increase it, and the most efficient way is protein powder.
Nuts are a source of fat not so much protein.....same with beans more carbs really.
Proteins best source is meat and cheese or other dairy products.
For OP not sure why your protein goal is sooooo high tho....but with it being that high you will really need to concentrate on getting in lots of lean meats/fish (PS we usually go for 1/2 to .75 grams for each lb) might be more attainable.
for me I eat eggs/ham for breakfast. filler is veggies in eggs. No toast or butter.
lunch is lean sliced chicken and cheese between lettuce leaves.
Dinners are usually chicken or seafood/fish.
Snacks are a full serving of greek yogurt or cottage cheese
best sources of protein that are lower calories seem to be
chicken breast, fish (tuna, salmon, cod), seafood (crab, shrimp) then lean pork...beef is higher in calorie so it can be hard to fit in sometimes.
Thank you! Great suggestions!
I used a TDEE calculator and that's what I got based on weight, height and age.
160g does sound pretty high. (With caveat I don't know enough about you so just a generic sense of surprise.)
Beware different calculators calculate it differently. Some will go off total bodyweight, some may go off estimated lean mass, some might make allowances for a person doing a lot of exercise, plus other factors....
Although going high isn't problematic in itself it can make food choice unecessarily difficult and crowd out other aspects of your diet.
My personal choice when dieting was 1g per pound of estimated lean mass.1 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »Justin_7272 wrote: »Your food diary link only takes us to our own diaries. But to address your question, meat is going to be your primary protein contributor. Beans can be high in protein, as well as nuts. A few veggies (asparagus, for example) are good sources. Protein bars help. FWIW you can use protein powder to make high protein foods, such as pancakes, breakfast bars, etc. or add it to current recipes. Some people are for whatever reason opposed to powder as they don't think it's real food (it is), but stating you don't like to drink calories makes me believe you may not find it filling, otherwise I certainly wouldn't shy away from it. Protein is very important, particularly in a caloric deficit, so if you are struggling you should look to increase it, and the most efficient way is protein powder.
Nuts are a source of fat not so much protein.....same with beans more carbs really.
Proteins best source is meat and cheese or other dairy products.
For OP not sure why your protein goal is sooooo high tho....but with it being that high you will really need to concentrate on getting in lots of lean meats/fish (PS we usually go for 1/2 to .75 grams for each lb) might be more attainable.
for me I eat eggs/ham for breakfast. filler is veggies in eggs. No toast or butter.
lunch is lean sliced chicken and cheese between lettuce leaves.
Dinners are usually chicken or seafood/fish.
Snacks are a full serving of greek yogurt or cottage cheese
best sources of protein that are lower calories seem to be
chicken breast, fish (tuna, salmon, cod), seafood (crab, shrimp) then lean pork...beef is higher in calorie so it can be hard to fit in sometimes.
Thank you! Great suggestions!
I used a TDEE calculator and that's what I got based on weight, height and age.
160g does sound pretty high. (With caveat I don't know enough about you so just a generic sense of surprise.)
Beware different calculators calculate it differently. Some will go off total bodyweight, some may go off estimated lean mass, some might make allowances for a person doing a lot of exercise, plus other factors....
Although going high isn't problematic in itself it can make food choice unecessarily difficult and crowd out other aspects of your diet.
My personal choice when dieting was 1g per pound of estimated lean mass.
I'll calculate lean mass and compare. Thanks for the tip.0 -
cmriverside wrote: »I think there's a lot to be said for pre-logging. I manipulate my macros quite a bit depending on what I feel like eating or what needs to be used in the pantry.
After a long time of logging I can pretty much hit my macros by intuition, but I have to watch salt and sugar too - that isn't as intuitive - yet! Pre-logging helps me with that.
Yes! I love pre-logging, especially if I want to make room for a treat at the end of the day!1 -
Since the protein goal is the big question...
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&age=46&g=female&lbs=150&in=63&act=1.2&bf=25&f=1
I'm short, chubby, and middle aged.
At maintenance, it had me at 1767. I tracked a few days here and there a few weeks ago to learn that I was eating about 1600 calories.
My plan....I clicked cutting and picked low carb which sets the macros to 40, 40, 20. I did not want to do a shock to the system and plunge down to 1267cal, so I have it set to 1600 for a week or two to work on food choices first and then slowing cut my calories.
The plan is slow and steady change while building good habits.
So MFP 1600cal 40P,40F,20C = 160P, 71F, 80C0 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »Meat, seafoods, fish, dairy (greek yoghurt and skyr particularly) and eggs are high protein. Aside from that, there are other sources of protein you might not have thought of, such as legumes and pulses (in their natural state as well as, for example, pasta made using these)...
You can take a look here for inspiration:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also#latest
Pasta made from legumes might be a good idea for me. I've got the greek yogurt in there. I wish I enjoyed eggs...just not my thing.
I'll check out that link.
PS: you can put protein powder in greek yoghurt too, not just in liquids
Well, there's a brillant idea!! 0 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I think there's a lot to be said for pre-logging. I manipulate my macros quite a bit depending on what I feel like eating or what needs to be used in the pantry.
After a long time of logging I can pretty much hit my macros by intuition, but I have to watch salt and sugar too - that isn't as intuitive - yet! Pre-logging helps me with that.
Yes! I love pre-logging, especially if I want to make room for a treat at the end of the day!
I do that always...my secret is to log my treat first.
When I was here initially I ate a serving of chocolate every night and still managed to hit my deficit goals and macros.
so it can be done if you think it out.
I remember hitting my calorie and macro goals even using Macdonalds food items...
PS I am 48 (49 this year) and my protein goals are right around 115grams using a macro split of 40% protein for my deficit calories....or 1 gram for lean lbs or .8 grams for each lb I currently weight (appx 156lbs right now)0 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I think there's a lot to be said for pre-logging. I manipulate my macros quite a bit depending on what I feel like eating or what needs to be used in the pantry.
After a long time of logging I can pretty much hit my macros by intuition, but I have to watch salt and sugar too - that isn't as intuitive - yet! Pre-logging helps me with that.
Yes! I love pre-logging, especially if I want to make room for a treat at the end of the day!
I do that always...my secret is to log my treat first.
When I was here initially I ate a serving of chocolate every night and still managed to hit my deficit goals and macros.
so it can be done if you think it out.
I remember hitting my calorie and macro goals even using Macdonalds food items...
PS I am 48 (49 this year) and my protein goals are right around 115grams using a macro split of 40% protein for my deficit calories....or 1 gram for lean lbs or .8 grams for each lb I currently weight (appx 156lbs right now)
So smart to log the treat first!
Hmm...you're set at 40% but MFP only give you 115 grams protein. So, your calories must be lower? I don't know. It's definitely a work in progress/learning process...that's why I'm here!
I am going to figure out the lean mass calculation for comparison.
I think lots of the foods I like with protein also are high in fat. I could live off of nuts and cheese!0 -
40% protein is really high. You probably don’t need that much…..3
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Lentil Pasta and Edamame pasta are my secret weapons. Both are great for fiber and protein, without having high fat.
Otherwise just try to add a little extra here and there to what you are already having. Have 4 oz of chicken normally? Try for 5. Add more meat to a sandwich, etc.
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LastMinuteMama wrote: »LastMinuteMama wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I think there's a lot to be said for pre-logging. I manipulate my macros quite a bit depending on what I feel like eating or what needs to be used in the pantry.
After a long time of logging I can pretty much hit my macros by intuition, but I have to watch salt and sugar too - that isn't as intuitive - yet! Pre-logging helps me with that.
Yes! I love pre-logging, especially if I want to make room for a treat at the end of the day!
I do that always...my secret is to log my treat first.
When I was here initially I ate a serving of chocolate every night and still managed to hit my deficit goals and macros.
so it can be done if you think it out.
I remember hitting my calorie and macro goals even using Macdonalds food items...
PS I am 48 (49 this year) and my protein goals are right around 115grams using a macro split of 40% protein for my deficit calories....or 1 gram for lean lbs or .8 grams for each lb I currently weight (appx 156lbs right now)
So smart to log the treat first!
Hmm...you're set at 40% but MFP only give you 115 grams protein. So, your calories must be lower? I don't know. It's definitely a work in progress/learning process...that's why I'm here!
I am going to figure out the lean mass calculation for comparison.
I think lots of the foods I like with protein also are high in fat. I could live off of nuts and cheese!
I set it myself under goals....
That being said yes my calories are a bit lower. I am at 1500 and my macros are 45, 25(fat) 30 (Not 40 my apologies)at the moment trying to get rid of the covid 5 I have on my frame and maybe an extra 5 for cushion.
as for lean mass that's hard to get without a scan or estimating hence the 0.8 per each lb you weigh which puts me at 125....close to the 113 I have based on 30%.
Good luck and remember most people are here to help so reach out whenever you have questions.0 -
[1] Ditto on - Probably don't need 40% (especially if you have a lot of added exercise calories). Calculate recommended grams as above, and just make sure you meet that regularly. (same for fat as well; and otherwise let the macros fall where they may).
[2] possible ways to up protein based on your log yesterday:
1st breakfast: protein added milk in the coffee instead of half & half
2nd breakfast: greek yogurt with the grapes, maybe in place of the cheese stick
elevenses: more yogurt
dinner: sub 90/10 or 85/15 for 80/20 ground beef (will significantly up the protein to fat ratio of the burger)
supper: greek yogurt with the snacky things (savory for the vegetable sticks, sweeter to go with the cookie). and a meat course of some kind.1 -
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LastMinuteMama wrote: »LastMinuteMama wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I think there's a lot to be said for pre-logging. I manipulate my macros quite a bit depending on what I feel like eating or what needs to be used in the pantry.
After a long time of logging I can pretty much hit my macros by intuition, but I have to watch salt and sugar too - that isn't as intuitive - yet! Pre-logging helps me with that.
Yes! I love pre-logging, especially if I want to make room for a treat at the end of the day!
I do that always...my secret is to log my treat first.
When I was here initially I ate a serving of chocolate every night and still managed to hit my deficit goals and macros.
so it can be done if you think it out.
I remember hitting my calorie and macro goals even using Macdonalds food items...
PS I am 48 (49 this year) and my protein goals are right around 115grams using a macro split of 40% protein for my deficit calories....or 1 gram for lean lbs or .8 grams for each lb I currently weight (appx 156lbs right now)
So smart to log the treat first!
Hmm...you're set at 40% but MFP only give you 115 grams protein. So, your calories must be lower? I don't know. It's definitely a work in progress/learning process...that's why I'm here!
I am going to figure out the lean mass calculation for comparison.
I think lots of the foods I like with protein also are high in fat. I could live off of nuts and cheese!
I set it myself under goals....
That being said yes my calories are a bit lower. I am at 1500 and my macros are 45, 25(fat) 30 (Not 40 my apologies)at the moment trying to get rid of the covid 5 I have on my frame and maybe an extra 5 for cushion.
as for lean mass that's hard to get without a scan or estimating hence the 0.8 per each lb you weigh which puts me at 125....close to the 113 I have based on 30%.
Good luck and remember most people are here to help so reach out whenever you have questions.
Thank you for all your insights! The MFP people are the best!0 -
emmies_123 wrote: »Lentil Pasta and Edamame pasta are my secret weapons. Both are great for fiber and protein, without having high fat.
Otherwise just try to add a little extra here and there to what you are already having. Have 4 oz of chicken normally? Try for 5. Add more meat to a sandwich, etc.
Ooh, I'll definitely try those pastas!!! I could also bump up the amounts of protein I'm eating at each meal!
Thank you!0 -
Peanut butter powder (defatted peanut flour) or almond butter powder are options in yogurt, oatmeal, etc., too. I don't know whether that's too close to protein powder for you, or not: I'm not a protein powder fan personally (nothing wrong with it, just don't find it tasty/satiating), but do use peanut/almond powder sometimes to get the flavor with fewer calories, and it does add a bit of protein (not as much as protein powder).
Nutritional yeast is another add-in (for soups, casseroles, etc., mostly - savory things) that adds a bit of protein. I like the flavor - vaguely but not exactly cheesy. I put it in cottage cheese when I eat the cottage cheese plain, or put it the cottage cheese on salads as a dressing. Some thicker brands of cottage cheese, the consistency is better if I add a little nonfat milk with the yeast.2 -
[1] Ditto on - Probably don't need 40% (especially if you have a lot of added exercise calories). Calculate recommended grams as above, and just make sure you meet that regularly. (same for fat as well; and otherwise let the macros fall where they may).
[2] possible ways to up protein based on your log yesterday:
1st breakfast: protein added milk in the coffee instead of half & half
2nd breakfast: greek yogurt with the grapes, maybe in place of the cheese stick
elevenses: more yogurt
dinner: sub 90/10 or 85/15 for 80/20 ground beef (will significantly up the protein to fat ratio of the burger)
supper: greek yogurt with the snacky things (savory for the vegetable sticks, sweeter to go with the cookie). and a meat course of some kind.
I don't have any significant exercise calories. I will try the lean mass method for calculating protein though. Thanks.
Good ideas....I see lots more greek yogurt in my future. We have been using 80/20 ground beef, so I will change that out....so many little things I hadn't thought of!
Thanks!0 -
Peanut butter powder (defatted peanut flour) or almond butter powder are options in yogurt, oatmeal, etc., too. I don't know whether that's too close to protein powder for you, or not: I'm not a protein powder fan personally (nothing wrong with it, just don't find it tasty/satiating), but do use peanut/almond powder sometimes to get the flavor with fewer calories, and it does add a bit of protein (not as much as protein powder).
Nutritional yeast is another add-in (for soups, casseroles, etc., mostly - savory things) that adds a bit of protein. I like the flavor - vaguely but not exactly cheesy. I put it in cottage cheese when I eat the cottage cheese plain, or put it the cottage cheese on salads as a dressing. Some thicker brands of cottage cheese, the consistency is better if I add a little nonfat milk with the yeast.
Nut powders, I've never tried those. I think they'd be great in oatmeal!
So, I should have clarified the protein powder more. If I have a shake/smoothie...I'm immediately looking for something else to eat therefore I try to avoid them. I have no problem adding the powder to something though. Not sure why I didn't think of adding them to oatmeal/yogurt/etc.
I've never heard of nutritional yeast. Sounds interesting though!
Thank you, learning so much!1 -
LastMinuteMama wrote: »[1] Ditto on - Probably don't need 40% (especially if you have a lot of added exercise calories). Calculate recommended grams as above, and just make sure you meet that regularly. (same for fat as well; and otherwise let the macros fall where they may).
[2] possible ways to up protein based on your log yesterday:
1st breakfast: protein added milk in the coffee instead of half & half
2nd breakfast: greek yogurt with the grapes, maybe in place of the cheese stick
elevenses: more yogurt
dinner: sub 90/10 or 85/15 for 80/20 ground beef (will significantly up the protein to fat ratio of the burger)
supper: greek yogurt with the snacky things (savory for the vegetable sticks, sweeter to go with the cookie). and a meat course of some kind.
I don't have any significant exercise calories. I will try the lean mass method for calculating protein though. Thanks.
Good ideas....I see lots more greek yogurt in my future. We have been using 80/20 ground beef, so I will change that out....so many little things I hadn't thought of!
Thanks!
As an aside, this is one case where the (probably inaccurate) body composition estimate from a simple BIA scale is probably close enough to be useful, assuming you can look at more than one BF% estimate from the same scale over a few days under consistent conditions, so that you don't base your protein calculations on an outlier weird day.
Once you do the math to get a protein number, the 3-5% or so probable error from the BIA device isn't of very meaningful magnitude, IMO.1 -
Count me as another vote for 40% protein being unnecessarily high.
Here's another protein calculator:
https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/
I shoot for @ 500 calories of exercise per day, and when I do, using the MFP default of 20% protein aligns with the protein recommendation from examine. If I were completely sedentary, I'd need to bump it up to 30%.5 -
Lowfat cottage cheese + diced tomatoes + canned tuna + whatever you want to zhuzh up the tuna with is a good breakfast with about 30g protein. I was thinking about those single-serve pouches of tuna that come in all those flavors, and then realized hey, I have a vacuum sealer! I bet I could make those myself! And sure enough I could and did. A handful (~7) cherry tomatoes, quartered; a can of tuna; the chosen seasoning mix; all on top of a bit over half a cup of cottage cheese (136g, 1/5 of the container - I just bought a big thing of it and planned to eat this for breakfast all week) comes to ~200-250 cal depending on what you season it with.
The flavors I made were:- EBTB - you can buy premixed "everything but the bagel" seasoning, but I happened to have onion powder, garlic powder, poppyseeds, and sesame seeds so I just DIY'd it. The sesame seeds add the most calories but even so, unless you're really pouring it on, you're looking at maybe 50 additional cals.
- Vaguely-Asian Spicy - garlic powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. This was a little dry, I think I would have preferred fresh garlic/ginger and a sauce like sriracha or gochujang, but liquids don't fare well in a vacuum sealer. It wouldn't have been too onerous to mix this up "live" as it were, I'm just really into meal prepping.
- Cincinnati-style chili - 3 parts chili powder to 1 part each cinnamon, cumin, clove, and allspice, with a shake of cayenne to taste. If you like Cincinnati-style chili, you will like this.
- Dill and capers - I haven't tried this one yet but I'm excited to, it's breakfast tomorrow.
- Chile-lime - I used Tajin spice blend, but if you're not prepping vacuum-sealed packets, you could use hot sauce and lime juice. I also haven't tried this one yet, but I am excited for it as well.
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