Just how important is protein now?

Like you, I'm an ovo-lacto vegetarian (49+ years so far). I'm about your size, 5'5" and lately cycling from upper 120s to low 130s pounds. (On a guess, I'm much older, at 68.)

In my view, we vegetarians will be best off eating slightly more grams of protein than someone with similar goals who eats meat/fish. That's because more of our protein sources are unbalanced in essential amino acids (EAAs), and some are less bioavailable. Getting a bit extra helps fill in the gaps, and varying the sources (the EAA incomplete ones) helps with that, too.

I do believe that personal goals matter. Someone who is trying to build muscle needs more, someone cutting calories need more, probably aging (60+) people need a bit more, etc.

If you're getting 40-60 grams routinely, you're currently within the USDA guidelines for sedentary women our size, which is 46 grams. (I'm assuming you're female from your size and profile avatar.) You can see personalized guidelines from them here:

https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dri-calculator/

I think this number is best interpreted as the minimum to avoid under-nutrition, rather than an optimum level for ideal health and functioning. (Where to be on that continuum is an individual choice.)

There is a reputable protein calculator and guide here that is from a neutral source, and based on more recent research:

https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/

That one includes some (limited) goals information in its input. Based on my limited knowledge of you (best guess at what to put in the calculator), that one says:

Your protein optimal intake:
at least 70
grams/day.

Intakes of up to 105 grams/day may provide additional benefit, based on limited evidence.

On that scale, you're close.

I understand that you're working toward maintenance, not quite there yet. I've been maintaining for 7+ years so far (up and down a bit, but all in the healthy range and same jeans size, after around 30 years of being overweight/obese). We also have different goals. While I'm not a bodybuilder, I am athletically active so I need more protein for that, plus aging, plus vegetarian.

Honestly, if food preferences were not part of the picture (they always are), I don't think it's vegetarianism that's making it really hard for you to reach higher protein intake. I think it's the low calorie goal of 1450. (I'm not saying that goal is wrong! I'm also not saying that makes it impossible.)

My personal goal while losing weight was 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per pound of healthy goal weight. Now, with more calories in play, I shoot for a round number just above my estimated lean mass in pounds. My daily protein minimum is 100 grams. Most of the time, I average around 120 grams; getting less than 100 is very rare.

I don't use protein powder, protein bars, or other regular protein supplements. I don't think there's anything wrong with those, I just don't personally find them tasty or satisfying.

I don't eat lots of eggs. (Maybe less than a dozen in a typical month?) I do eat lots of dairy, because I love it a lot, and my Northern European genes are totally fine with helping me digest it smoothly. I think I could get to a 100g minimum fully plant based, but it wouldn't be as pleasant to me.

I think you're not in a terrible spot protein-wise, but suspect it might be better if you could bump it up a little.

In my mind, the key thing is to figure out how to do this via routine habits (eating patterns) that are easy to put on repeat, so you're not stressfully white-knuckling your logging every day to get enough. That's unpleasant.

What I try to go is get at least one major protein source in each meal. (I'm usually a 3-meals person, but not always.) Some things that I rely on for that, or a good chunk, are:

* Plain nonfat Greek yogurt. I eat this with berries or in my oatmeal, but also use it in cases where others might use sour cream: Blop on top of tostada, enchilada or hearty soup; make dips or salad dressings with herbs and such (thinned with some skim milk if needed); making deviled eggs or that sort of thing instead of mayo.
* Lowfat cottage cheese or other calorie-efficient cheese.
* Traditional soy foods: Tofu, tempeh, soy noodles, etc.
* High(-ish) protein pasta: Red lentil is my main go-to, similar taste/texture to wheat pasta. Chickpea "rice" is also available (really chickpea orzo). There are soy and black bean pastas with a bit more protein, but the soy ones tend to be chewy. I like those as a stir-fry add-in or similar Asian-esque preps, but don't enjoy them in Italian-ish tomato-y or cheesy sauces. The black bean ones can have a chewy texture (usually in the thin forms), or kind of a mushy one (bigger forms). I like the former in similar things to the soy pastas, but the latter not so much . . . maybe in soup

Seitan is another possible source, not EAA-complete like soy, but useful. I don't eat it often, but not for any good reason. I like it OK - it's pretty neutral.

On top of that, I try to get little bits of protein from most of the foods I eat, especially the foods that are relatively higher in calories. There are breads with more protein than others, vegetables with more protein, grains with more protein, etc. There are even fruits with a little protein. Those small amounts spread through the day will add up, sometimes to a surprising amount.

This thread helped me find some of those:

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

You'd need to scroll past the mostly meaty/fishy things near the top of the linked spreadsheet, but vegetarian sources are in there, including plant sources, further down the list.

Let me be clear: I don't eat things I don't enjoy. Life is too short for that. I do (did) experiment for a time when first reducing calories, and tried some things I didn't love, but I only kept eating the ones that tasted good and felt satisfying to me. It's a process.

There are also flavoring ingredients that I like that add a few grams of protein. Some examples are miso, nutritional yeast, and peanut butter powder. (I don't like the powder as a spread; I like using it in yogurt or to make Asian-esque peanut sauce for noodles or veggies.)

Maybe that kind of approach won't work for you, but it did help me. Usually I hit my protein goal just eating one of my normal in-rotation meals.

I don't log every day any more, but do most days. If you want to see specifically what I do eat, my diary is open to MFP friends, and you're welcome to send me a friend request, look at what I eat. I mostly cook from scratch, so my log can look like a list of ingredients, but I do myselfanswer DMs or questions on my profile/timeline about how I combine or use things.

TL;DR: You're at least close to a deficiency-avoiding protein level for a woman of your size, but it would probably be optimal to bump it up if you can. There are a bunch of ways to work at doing that gradually, by changing routine eating patterns.

Best wishes for successful maintenance!