How the heck do I eat enough protein!!???
IveLanded
Posts: 797 Member
In another thread, many folks were talking about eating 1g of protein per lb of body weight. Which would put me at eating about 150 grams of protein per day. I changed my MFP goals to adjust for that and MAN I did not even come close!!! I had egg whites with breakfast, a chicken breast with lunch, a protein shake for a snack, and a sprouted grain tortilla with hummus at dinner and I was still at less than HALF of what I "should" be eating for protein!
How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
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Replies
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what I've read is it's 1 g of protein for each lb of LEAN body mass.. for example I weigh 220 lbs and my "lean body mass" (calculated/estimated from fat2fitradio website) said 119 lbs ... I seem to consistently go over my protein goals.. tuna, chicken, protein shakes, eggs...
ETA: http://www.livestrong.com/article/243833-a-list-of-low-calorie-high-protein-foods/0 -
I'm able to fit my protein needs (190g) by having 2 protein shakes a day, each shake as 2 scoops of Whey protein in it. Those 2 shakes are around 100g of protein alone; so for you I would suggest 3 meals a day with 25+ grams of protein in each meal, with a protein shake in between meals.0
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Milk. Lots and lots of milk.
However I eat WAAAAAAY more calories than that.
I was still losing @ 2800 cal/day NET.0 -
i have my MFP set for 160g of protein. I dont always hit it but i do get close for the most part. I eat egg whites, cheese, meats including tuna, and I intake 3 protein shakes daily.0
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I get well over my protein everyday even when I was eating low calorie. I really don't know how to eat less protein... Maybe you need to add in more snacks... Most of what I eat consists of oats, egg/egg whites, chicken, salmon, protein powders, cottage cheese and greek yogurt. You could try lowering your carbs to reduce calories that you could spend towards more stuff higher in protein but really...with 1500 calories, I would think you'd have plenty of room to work in several high protein meals and snacks.0
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Eggs, protein powder, cottage cheese, regular cheese, greek yogurt, edamame, chicken, beef, fish, tuna, nuts, peanut butter... The key is to get about 25 grams each meal. 1 lb per LBM.0
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I'm kind of thinking I need to have ONLY protein for every meal????I was right at my calories today, and I had protein in ever meal, but only had two snacks, 1 of which was a shake. I really just focused on protein today, but I am thinking I need to find more protein dense things to add into my diet.........0
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and on this note.........is LBM the calculation of what you'd weight with 0% body fat? I just played with a few online calculators and most have my LMB under 120lbs, which I cannot imagine actually weighing......I'd look terrible!0
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You should be having protein in every meal; just minimize foods with high levels of fat. 9 calories in 1 gram of fat whereas only 4 calories in 1 gram of protein or carbohydrates.0
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and on this note.........is LBM the calculation of what you'd weight with 0% body fat? I just played with a few online calculators and most have my LMB under 120lbs, which I cannot imagine actually weighing......I'd look terrible!
yep that's it
and I agree .. my lowest weight was 142 (before kids) and the calc told me my LBM is 119 right now.. I thought 142 was way too low for my frame back then.. my ribs were clearly visible at that point.. I'm shooting to get back down to 165 0 -
You don't have to go low carb, but if you're at your calorie limit with half the protein you want, you probably do need to exchange some carbs for protein. If your diary was open it would be easier to make suggestions.0
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I try to get around 120 g of proteins a day. My diary is open if you want to look at what I eat. I try to net around 1380 calories a day.0
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and on this note.........is LBM the calculation of what you'd weight with 0% body fat? I just played with a few online calculators and most have my LMB under 120lbs, which I cannot imagine actually weighing......I'd look terrible!
You wouldn't ever. Women that are fit are generally around 20% give or take body fat. With 120 LBM you would weigh 144 at 20%. If your diary was open I would be glad to help0 -
my body builder buddies called fat free cottage cheese and egg whites....white gold for the low calorie high protein content. kudos to you for being aware of the macronutrients you are taking in, and not just the calories. 1200 calories of lean protien, veggies, fruits and whole grains fuels much better than 1200 calories of twinkies and cheetos. lol...I know i stated the obvious...but sometimes, i get focused on calories over QUALITY of calories! Best to you on your journey.0
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Maybe add some peanut butter to snacks? PB with celery, apples is really good, though I usually put mine on rice cakes 0
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I found protein bars do the trick for me. keeps my calories low, but protein where i need it0
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my body builder buddies called fat free cottage cheese and egg whites....white gold for the low calorie high protein content. kudos to you for being aware of the macronutrients you are taking in, and not just the calories. 1200 calories of lean protien, veggies, fruits and whole grains fuels much better than 1200 calories of twinkies and cheetos. lol...I know i stated the obvious...but sometimes, i get focused on calories over QUALITY of calories! Best to you on your journey.
gonna go get some cottage cheese..........I already eat egg whites for most every breakfast. 0 -
In another thread, many folks were talking about eating 1g of protein per lb of body weight. Which would put me at eating about 150 grams of protein per day. I changed my MFP goals to adjust for that and MAN I did not even come close!!! I had egg whites with breakfast, a chicken breast with lunch, a protein shake for a snack, and a sprouted grain tortilla with hummus at dinner and I was still at less than HALF of what I "should" be eating for protein!
How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
No, 1g per LBM(Lean body mass) not per total weight. 100g of protein is 400 calories. You know how to get more protein in to your diet? You eat more protein
Sure. Unless you have a dairy allergy...like me. I'm having the same problem...I upped my fats and lowered my carb ratios too. And the idea of 2 shakes a day is REALLY unappealing...0 -
my body builder buddies called fat free cottage cheese and egg whites....white gold for the low calorie high protein content. kudos to you for being aware of the macronutrients you are taking in, and not just the calories. 1200 calories of lean protien, veggies, fruits and whole grains fuels much better than 1200 calories of twinkies and cheetos. lol...I know i stated the obvious...but sometimes, i get focused on calories over QUALITY of calories! Best to you on your journey.
gonna go get some cottage cheese..........I already eat egg whites for most every breakfast.
The yolks is where most of the nutrition is
yeah but then that goes back to my original post..........I'm eating at 1500 calories a day, which means each meal or snack is about 300 calories or under......eating two eggs at breakfast puts my fat really high for the day and puts my breakfast calories high already without anything else.
I get that I may have to start making my meals primarily protein but even if I do that.........300 calories, ish, per meal isn't a ton of food. One reason I was asking was for suggestions as to what I could add to my diet. My protein right now comes from egg whites, nuts, chicken, fish, and protein powder shakes. I'm looking for more protein dense foods that still keep me in my calorie range per meal.0 -
Lean sources of protien:
Chicken Breasts
Turkey
Fish
Nuts
Beans
Protien Supplements (many choices out there...whey, soy, and vegetable protien options. I use a pea protien supplement...dairy and soy free)
Eggs
Greek Yogurt
Red Meat (if you eat it)
Quinoa
there are many ways to get plenty of protien without breaking the calorie bank...the key is to get good protien sources that are not high in FAT.0 -
In another thread, many folks were talking about eating 1g of protein per lb of body weight. Which would put me at eating about 150 grams of protein per day. I changed my MFP goals to adjust for that and MAN I did not even come close!!! I had egg whites with breakfast, a chicken breast with lunch, a protein shake for a snack, and a sprouted grain tortilla with hummus at dinner and I was still at less than HALF of what I "should" be eating for protein!
How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
No, 1g per LBM(Lean body mass) not per total weight. 100g of protein is 400 calories. You know how to get more protein in to your diet? You eat more protein
Sure. Unless you have a dairy allergy...like me. I'm having the same problem...I upped my fats and lowered my carb ratios too. And the idea of 2 shakes a day is REALLY unappealing...
Are you a vegan? Meat is protein.
I eat meat, quite a bit, in fact...I also eat a LOT of veggies, some fruit, seeds, nuts...plant foods are more important to me. My goal is set at 141g protein tho...I'm probably cool with a little less anyway, perhaps I'm only trying to live up to my ratios (50/30/30 %, fat/carbs/protein) and i should adjust them.0 -
my body builder buddies called fat free cottage cheese and egg whites....white gold for the low calorie high protein content. kudos to you for being aware of the macronutrients you are taking in, and not just the calories. 1200 calories of lean protien, veggies, fruits and whole grains fuels much better than 1200 calories of twinkies and cheetos. lol...I know i stated the obvious...but sometimes, i get focused on calories over QUALITY of calories! Best to you on your journey.
gonna go get some cottage cheese..........I already eat egg whites for most every breakfast.
The yolks is where most of the nutrition is
yeah but then that goes back to my original post..........I'm eating at 1500 calories a day, which means each meal or snack is about 300 calories or under......eating two eggs at breakfast puts my fat really high for the day and puts my breakfast calories high already without anything else.
I get that I may have to start making my meals primarily protein but even if I do that.........300 calories, ish, per meal isn't a ton of food. One reason I was asking was for suggestions as to what I could add to my diet. My protein right now comes from egg whites, nuts, chicken, fish, and protein powder shakes. I'm looking for more protein dense foods that still keep me in my calorie range per meal.
This is one of the best arguments against having so many meals. Its easier to balance bigger meals to get proper macros.0 -
just eat TONS of LEAN protein. You'll definitely go over if you try to eat your protein in steaks and nuts and other calorically dense foods. But, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, egg whites, whey protein, quality protein bars (not full of sugar...best are homemade), shellfish, jerky...0
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As mentioned, 100g of protein is only 400 calories. It should be very easy to fit that into any diet. If you eat meat, eggs, dairy, etc, just eat more of them. Increase your quantity. Double your portion of pork/chicken/turkey/beef at dinner and at lunch. Double your eggs for breakfast.
For example, I ate 244g of protein today while being under 2000 calories and I wasn't really trying. I just pile on the meat when I eat. I had tacos for dinner and used over a pound of meat (mixture of lean beef and chicken) on just 3 shells. 138g of protein on just 3 taco shells, which were 180 calories total for all 3. Just a random example.
Worst case, use protein powder or bars to supplement intake if you have to. 2 scoops of protein powder can be 50g for only 220-250calories and get you halfway to your goal for a piddling amount of calories.0 -
I think you're worrying over nothing and starting to obsess - which will only get you worked up and you'll start to not enjoy your food or your meals any more - and THAT'S what's important. If you're a top-level athlete then your coach will be able to put you straight. If you're not a top-level athlete but are simply working out hard, then just make sure you're having plenty of protein throughout the day. I find protein really tough to stomach in the morning so I don't bother with it - and I'm an endurance runner so yes, I do know about nutrition requirements (just in case you think I'm pitching in a mere 'opinion' lol). It's also much better to work out - and much easier - on a carb-based breakfast - unless you work out before breakfast, which is fine, too. Don't pack in protein before your workout, though. Save it for after. You want the protein for muscle repair AFTER your workouts, you need carbs for energy. As plenty have already said, a third of your lunch and dinner plates should be protein - but that's a normal chicken breast, a tin of tuna, a nice piece of fish .... whatever you choose. It's vital not to overdo the protein as you'll end up with kidney problems. If the rest of your plate has plenty of complex carbs then you'll be fine. If you're working out really hard, then protein shakes are great - if not, then you're overdoing it. And MFP is very unreliable when it comes to the numbers so forget about that!! Most are input by people who generally only log half of the ingredients of products so ignore everything on here. If you want a real breakdown of foods then you need to go to another site (there are plenty) - not reliant on users' input!! MFP is fab for cal-counting but you can totally ignore any indication of carb/protein/mineral quantities lol
Hope that helps. I find that I eat completely 'naturally' every day except for Fridays. Friday is my protein day - my one day a week that I do 'only protein' - mostly because this helps me maintain my weight, it's my exercise 'day off' and I can just concentrate on relaxing and eating lol
Best of luck. Is that you in the pic, by the way? You look great! x0 -
bump for later0
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Try adding tofu to everything
Great bang for the buck as it is a plant protein so you don't have the fat calories of animal protein
I put less tuna on a tuna salad & add tofu
less chicken on a chicken salad & add tofu
it"s not for everybody but its as "lean" as protein can be0 -
In another thread, many folks were talking about eating 1g of protein per lb of body weight. How are folks able to get more than 100 grams of protein in per day without busting the calorie bank? I'm at about 1500 calories right now.
Two things here......first..a normal protein intake is 1.0 grams of protein per Kilogram weight (1 kilo = 2.2 lbs). So that would be roughly half your weight. This figure should increase depending on the type of activity
Aerobic 1.2 - 1.4 grams per kilo
Resistance Training 1.4 - 1.8 grams per kilo
Some people will tell you up to 2.0 grams per kilo
All this assumes normal kidney function ..because protein can be toxic if your kidneys are not funtioning correctly. Pre-dialysis patients are put on a diet of 0.8 grams per kilo till they are on dialysis and then it's raised to 1.0 grams per kilo.
An alternative way to figure protein intake is up the normal 15 percent of calories that MFP recommends to up to 30 percent. To do this you need to know that 1 gram of protein = 4 calories. So if your calorie requirement was 1200 calories...10 percent is 120, so 20 percent is 240 calories protein, 30 percent = 360 calories from protein. Divide 360 calories by 4 cal/gram protein = 90 grams protein (which is about 2.0 grams per kilo per day)....this is a "max amount" for that calorie count.
Now, to the second part...and your question. Find foods that are high in protein. Example: Mission Tortilla wrap is 210 calories and 4 grams protein and 1 gram fiber and 1 sugar gram. Ole Extreme Wellness Wraps are 68 calories - 71calories, 12 grams fiber and 8 grams protein and zero sugar. Greek Yogurt is high in protein. Carb master yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt but low in sugar....(I don't like greek yogurt). Turkey that is 97 - 99 percent fat free is very high in protein and low in calories. Good luck..you need more ideas...hollar!0 -
Greek. Yogurt. My friend.
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tuna
chicken/turkey
tofu
eggs
soya beans (great as a snack eaten raw)
cottage cheese
lentils
peanut butter
google high protein snacks maybe?0
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