More protein

I'm not eating enough protein. I need ideas!! I need to lower my carb intake. Thanks
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Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,033 Member
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    edited February 2022
    If you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public we can tailor suggestions to what you are eating now: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    What I have seen in the diaries of others with the same question is large portions of bread and small portions of meat. Once reversed, problem solved.

    Pescatarians, see https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10853563/daily-protein-goal-unreachable-plus-protein-per-calorie-chart
  • perryc05
    perryc05 Posts: 206 Member
    edited February 2022
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    What's your protein goal, and what's your height & goal weight? (Rhetorical questions.)

    0.6-0.8g protein per pound of healthy goal weight is a reasonable daily minimum (and it's likely to be close to 0.8-1g per pound of lean body mass for quite a range of people).

    I admit, this is a lower probability of being what's going on with you, but we do see some folks here trying to get amounts like 1g per pound of current bodyweight, when still substantially overweight, and trying to fit that into a low calorie goal. At extremes, that math just doesn't work out well.
  • Bridgie3
    Bridgie3 Posts: 139 Member
    sardines, sausages, fatty steaks, lamb chops (eat the fat), chicken thigh (eat the skin), cheese. OMG cheese.

    cheese slices, little vache qui rit cream cheese segments, double cream brie. sour cream, full fat sugar free yoghurt with blueberries...

    The insane thing is we've been told to avoid fat for so many years, but it's only 5 calories more dense per gram than carb or protein. and so much more enjoyable. And sooo much more satisfying. and it's inert. Fat won't muck with your kidneys when you try to metabolise it. Protein can make you sick if you don't drink enough water to help your kidneys flush it - any protein your body doesn't need has to be turned into carbs, which is not very good for you. Carbs? well, I'm diabetic so they are not my friend.

    I am even eating cheerios with low sugar tomato sauce. (the tiny sausage not the breakfast cereal) Can you believe nasty rubbish luncheon sausage fits the macros? so do frankfurter sausages.

    I started eating whatever fit the macros. as I get better at this (slowly) I can find more things I can eat, which means I don't have to resort to luncheon sausage. :D
  • JarheadSFMF
    JarheadSFMF Posts: 54 Member
    Didn't see this mentioned but I drink Bone Broth. Good way to get some protein in.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    Because of the negative health issues for me with red meat, cured meats (sausage, bacon, lunch meat, jerky, etc.), and cheese (trying to lower my intake of saturated fat), I rely on tofu, lean chicken, tuna, fish, Greek yogurt (fat free), nuts, protein powder and protein bars (either/or and only once a day at most). Also eggs, but only once or twice a week (since the science is still not definitive re: eggs and cholesterol). Same with shrimp. I'm trying to reduce carbs while dropping a few pounds, so am currently limiting beans, quinoa, and brown rice, though they're all staples in my diet when I'm eating at maintenance.
  • ChickenKillerPuppy
    ChickenKillerPuppy Posts: 297 Member
    I have to manage high cholesterol so for me I look for low saturated fat, protein, and in a perfect world high fiber. My go-to foods are: lentils and beans which have both protein and fiber, turkey, roasted edamame (store-bought) makes a great snack and has a ton of protein vegan sausage, turkey sausage, steamed edamame, tofu, salmon, tuna, greek yogurt. egg beaters, hard boiled eggs (yolk removed).
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    I love it when I answer a question by sharing what works for me because of my personal health indicators and people “disagree.” I’m so over these forums.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    @AnnPT77, just curious where you gained all your knowledge because you are one smart cookie!!(sugar-free, lo-cal and healthy cookie of course :))
  • grob49
    grob49 Posts: 125 Member
    I've found that the easiest for me is to include a protein shack with each meal. That's in addition to the protein that I have with the meal.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    @AnnPT77, just curious where you gained all your knowledge because you are one smart cookie!!(sugar-free, lo-cal and healthy cookie of course :))

    Thank you, but I wouldn't describe myself anything like that way. 🤣 I'm unnaturally curious generally, like researching things that happen to interest me, have more free time in retirement (especially in pandemic times!), can touch-type dangerously fast.

    Also, not sugar free: Over my MFP default sugar goal pretty much every day, and don't even care (small fraction is added sugar, most inherent - I'm usually well within WHO/USDA guidelines). 😉
  • fimbrethil333
    fimbrethil333 Posts: 1 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    0.6-0.8g protein per pound of healthy goal weight is a reasonable daily minimum (and it's likely to be close to 0.8-1g per pound of lean body mass for quite a range of people)...At extremes, that math just doesn't work out well.

    thank you so much for sharing this. no one explains it anywhere in any of the protein needs calculators I've seen, and I was really feeling like 140 g of protein daily seemed unattainable when I'm not restricting carbs. 78 g is a much more reasonable number.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    My go-tos are greek yogurt, protein powder and bars for snacks, chicken/pork/lean beef for meat, eggs/egg whites. Sometimes string cheese.
  • Some easy ways to get high protein in are: greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder, bone broth, chicken and fish are high in protein.
  • michellewale1977
    michellewale1977 Posts: 20 Member
    Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.
  • rodneybrookshire
    rodneybrookshire Posts: 17 Member
    Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.

    Thank you. I live here in the USA
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    Not sure where you are but I live in the UK and buy Skyr yoghurt, it has the highest protein/lowest sugar/no fat of all the yoghurts I’ve looked at. I love it and eat it every day to hit my protein goal. Also veggie sausages and meat-free slices are full of protein.

    Thank you. I live here in the USA

    Skyr is available in the US, though specifics may differ by locale. If you don't find it in your mainstream grocery store, look in stores that have a bit of a health food slant, if you have those.

    Looking at labels here, I've found that things labeled as Skyr don't always have more protein, less sugar, etc., than (say) some things labeled as Greek yogurt (which also vary brand to brand), and there are a few other yogurt-like categories that I can't think of names of right now, that are also in the running.

    Reading labels and comparing is a good plan, as you have time. There can be surprising differences among different brands in the same category.

    That's IME super-duper true here for vegan/vegetarian faux meat products. Some things in that category have a pretty terrible calorie-to-protein ratio, others are quite good. Check those labels!

    It's not clear to me whether you (person quoted) or the OP are vegetarian, though. (I am.)

    Regardless of overall eating style, it's possible that anyone trying to get more protein may benefit from a strategy that IMO is essential for vegetarians on limited calories: Go beyond thinking in terms of "one big protein per meal" orientation that's common IME among omnivores. ("What's for dinner?" "Chicken."😉).

    A major protein source in every meal can be important, maybe essential (depending on calorie budget). But in addition to that, if short on protein, think about whether you can get little bits of protein from nearly anything you eat, while still eating in a way you can enjoy.

    If you eat bread or pasta or grains, seek out types you like that have relatively more protein. Choose snacks with protein. There are flavoring ingredients that many of us find useful/tasty that have a bit of protein (things such as defatted peanut butter powder or almond butter powder, nutritional yeast, miso, etc.). Some veggies have more protein than others. There are even fruits with a little protein! (The more plant sources of protein in one's diet, the more important it becomes to keep essential amino acid balance in mind, and adequate intake of B-12, iron, and some other nutrients that meat-centric omnivores get from animal-source foods).

    The thread linked above, which I'll repeat again, is a great source for ideas to plug into one's eating. Scrolling past the mostly meaty/fishy/main-dishy things at the top of its spreadsheet, you'll find plant sources further down.

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

    As a process, look at your food diary, notice foods that bring quite a few calories, but that aren't essential to your nutrition, satiation, or taste-preference happiness. Those are things to reduce or eliminate, replace with other foods you like eating (maybe found via that spreadsheet) that add some protein to your day.

    Little bits through the day can add up to a surprisingly good contribution to total protein, by the end of the day. At first, it takes some attention/effort; after a while, it becomes a nearly automatic part of one's habitual eating patterns.