Adding protein without adding a ton of calories

Options
JessiCrossland
JessiCrossland Posts: 1 Member
in Motivation and Support
I just started using MyFitnessPal again after using up on and off for years previous. I am struggling to get enough protein without going crazy on items that are heavy. I noticed everyday this week I haven't met my protein goals even though I think I'm eating foods that are heavy on protein. Like yesterday I had two English muffins with about a serving and a half of peanut butter for breakfast, leftover macaroni and cheese (not my favorite choice for food but it's all I have left at home for lunch) for lunch, and a burrito with about 2 oz of chicken, 1.5 oz of chorizo, about 2 oz of cheese, about half a cup of refried beans, and veggies for dinner. With all of that I had only about 80% of my protein intake. I've been super hungry in between meals and thinking that I'm not getting enough protein. Does anybody have any suggestions that make it easier for me to get more protein and not be a hungry?

Answers

  • TracyL963
    TracyL963 Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Protein, fat and fiber are all filling. The exact combination that is filling for you is something that you may need to experiment with.

    That said, I try to get all 3 (protein, fat and fiber) with each meal.

    What is your protein goal? Different numbers get thrown around. https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/essential-guide-to-protein/

    Chicken, fish, and non-fat dairy are some lower calorie options.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,128 Member
    Options
    I'm a big fan of skyr yogurt (or non fat greek yogurt) for a protein hit in the morning.

    Other ideas: eggs, lean meat, fish, seafood...
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,195 Member
    Options
    I'm thinking 2 English muffins and 1.5 servings of peanut butter is fairly high calorie, not much protein? Everyone's different, but personally I found I needed a solid breakfast with plenty of protein, a solid main protein at each meal, and generally protein spread through the day. Adding sides and snacks with a little bit of protein can add up, and bump the all-day total upward.

    My quick-rush breakfast is 1 serving of peanut butter on an Ezekiel pita, glass of kefir, coffee with hot skim milk. Depending on amounts of kefir/milk, that's 350-400 calories, 21-25g or so of protein.

    Cottage cheese or other calorie-efficient cheese could sub for peanut butter. Hard boiled eggs are convenient, and a quick egg scramble doesn't take long. I make egg salad or deviled eggs with plain nonfat Greek yogurt rather than mayo, for a bit more protein at lower calories. There are also lots of make-ahead/freeze/microwave options. (If you do a web search or Pinterest search for "egg muffins", "high protein muffins", "breakfast burritos", etc., you can find a lot of recipes.)

    In case you haven't seen it yet, this thread might help you identify good, calorie-efficient protein sources you enjoy eating, to include in your routine eating through the day:

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

    Best wishes!

    Some make-ahead breakfasts options are egg muffins (make, freeze, microwave for breakfast - find lots of recipes via web search), breakfast burritos, baked protein oatmeal.

Categories