How to get protein in with a lo-cal daily goal. suggetions?
muscravageur
Posts: 73
:glasses:
Wow, my subject is pretty self-explanatory. I hardly eat meat or poultry, but much less meat. Anyone who is able to manage to get in small portions of protein in each meal, preferably from a plant-based diet, I am happy to hear suggestions. I'm coming up a little short and I recognize I need it for the energy. I have 2 rather sedentary jobs but I otherwise move around a lot. I need to lose 24 pounds and my calorie intake is rather small. Feedback is welcome. Thank you.
My daily calorie goal is 1300 (add to that the "exercise credits")
My daily goal for protein is 60 grams
Wow, my subject is pretty self-explanatory. I hardly eat meat or poultry, but much less meat. Anyone who is able to manage to get in small portions of protein in each meal, preferably from a plant-based diet, I am happy to hear suggestions. I'm coming up a little short and I recognize I need it for the energy. I have 2 rather sedentary jobs but I otherwise move around a lot. I need to lose 24 pounds and my calorie intake is rather small. Feedback is welcome. Thank you.
My daily calorie goal is 1300 (add to that the "exercise credits")
My daily goal for protein is 60 grams
0
Replies
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soy protein powder is good and if your super adventurous the Vega whole food protein powder. I recently bought the genuine health vanilla beans protein bars, 7g of fat, 14g of protein and only 190cal. they actually fill me up!0
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Protein powder! That and cheese and sour cream everyday.
I was having the same problem. Now I can get more protein in throughout the day to help build muscle (since I weight train now). I am not veggie, but I try to limit my meat consumption and I often have veggie days.0 -
Meal Replacement bars, Atkins has some that are around 200 cals and range from 15 to 20 grams per bar, I usually eat about 2000 to 2500 cals a day and can manage to get in about 150 to 200 grams of protein. Also Greek yogurt has a good amount of protein in it they can range in calories from 120 cals (vanilla chobani) to 160 cals (pineapple chobani) and usually 14 to 17 grams of protein.0
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throw in a protein shake once or twice a day..0
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Reduce carb intake increase protein intake. Not sure of your weight or goals but with only 60, if you are active and perhaps are starting strength training, you can go to .7 to 1 g of protein for each pound of lean body mass. good luck. 0
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If you're going for protein, I can't think of anything better than skinless chicken breasts or protein powder. If you do the latter, go for Whey Protein Powder Plus+. It's extremely healthy in regards to the losing fat and keeping/building LEAN muscle, and it's 30 g protein PER scoop with about 170 cals. Also, only buy the chocolate flavored one and not the regular whey protein powder. The non "Plus+" is like..3-4 bucks more expensive, but will not make you gag every time you make a shake!0
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2 words: Egg whites. Do that with some reduced/non-fat cheese in an omlete for a meal. I do 1.25 cups of egg whites (in the carton right in the dairy case) and Kraft Fat Free Cheese in an omlete with some veggies 2-3x a week. Low call and you pick up 40-50g of protein in one shot.0
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Vegetable protein mix? One serving is about 70 calories. Sometimes I add it to my soup.0
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60g of protein is not enough. You need to have 1g for each pound you weigh, unless you are obese. Then you want to have 1g per pound of your GOAL weight.
I'm at 154 and I barely make it to 140g per day eating egg whites for breakfast, turkey sausages for lunch, chicken salad at afternoon snack, pulled turkey wrap at dinner, and 2 shakes a day.
It's tough to meet that protein goal, but once you get there, you feel like you're eating all day and you feel stuffed at the end of the day.0 -
where does one get those?0
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2 words: Egg whites. Do that with some reduced/non-fat cheese in an omlete for a meal. I do 1.25 cups of egg whites (in the carton right in the dairy case) and Kraft Fat Free Cheese in an omlete with some veggies 2-3x a week. Low call and you pick up 40-50g of protein in one shot.
I second the egg-white suggestion. They're pure protein, and only 60 calories for half a cup.
If you don't like to waste egg yolks, then you can get egg substitute. They're the same thing as egg whites, except they have been pasteurized and have added color to them. To me, they seem to cook up more like regular eggs than just plain egg whites do, but it could also be my imagination and their whole egg color.0 -
I second the protein powder statements
Edit - I dont eat a lot of meat either, so plant-based protein is my BFF. After my workouts, I consume between 1700-2000 cals a day (my base is 1200, plus eating back my workout calories). I get my protein from protein shakes, lots of nuts, and beans.0 -
I am like Allisongrl, I am not technically veggie but i limit my consumption of meat and animal products whenever possible.and choose vegetarian the majority of the time0
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I'm a vegetarian, and I get ~120-130g protein a day- though I eat more in the 1700 cal region. I use quite a bit of whey, but you could substitute any other type of protein powder. Feel free to check out my diary.0
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I third (or whatever) the egg white suggestion, I eat whole eggs because I want the fat and the nutrients that the yolk contain. Fish is a great source as well as good for you in other ways. Eggs and fish are my biggest sources of protein.0
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If you are not vegan then plain fat free Greek yogurt is packed with protein, you can add frozen or puréed fresh fruit with stevia or artificial sweetener for a flavor boost.0
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All are excellent replies ! Greek yogurt is high in protein too and I add just a little protein powder to it and stir it well.0
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egg whites!!! i use liquid egg whites which are pasteurized so you can add them to fruit shakes. I have 4 servings in a wrap post workouts - 100 cals and 20 grams of protein!!0
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I found something at Walmart called "New Whey Liquid Protein" It has 42g of protein in it! It tastes like a liquid gummy bear and is kind of thick, so I mixed it with a few oz of 5cal juice just to get it down!0
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Try to get your protein from REAL food, not protein powder.
Eggs, fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), greek yogurt-plain, lean protein like grass fed beef and chicken.0 -
greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I also drink a glass of milk a couple times a day. Adds 8 grams of protein to my meals. I drink a protein shake... usually just on the days that I lift, but I also drink it on other days if I'm not getting enough protein. Cheese in another one. Wow I'm just naming all dairy products.... I eat beans a lot but those aren't really that high in protein. I bought tortillas that are called "ole extreme wellness" or some **** like that and they have 7g of protein in them. Every morning almost (unless I'm short on time) I have 2 scrambled eggs with 1/4 cup of cheese, 2 slices of bacon, and a glass of milk and it's usually around 25-30 grams of protein. Nice way to start off my day. I aim for 112 grams of protein a day. You could hard boil some eggs to keep in the refrigerator to have for snacks or to put on salads or something.0
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Have you checked out beans and legumes? A half cup of Kidney beans is 8 grams of protein, 7 grams of fibre and only 100 calories. Refried beans are similar.They work to fill you up so you're not battling cravings, too!0
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I'm vegan and i have no problems eating a low cal - high protein diet. Feel free to add me if you like (especially for anyone interested in how plant based foods can meet and exceed your nutritional requirements).0
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HI! I'm vegetarian and my goal is 1450 with 90+ grams of protein.
DO you eat egg whites? I eat egg whites but I'm also trying to get 30+ grams of protein out of 150 more calories so even if you don't this should work for you.
I don;t like to use whey so I use plant protein when needed. Plant based protein powders are good when you're in a pinch but I would rather eat "real food." Vega brand is expensive so I use the Jarrow Formula's Plant Protein which is also a complete plant protein powder. Mix that with anything you please - vanilla/chocolate almond milk, carrot juice, berries - what ever you feel like for a quick 21grams of protein.
Like I said though - I'd rather eat real food. I turn to greek yogurt (fat free) for the best source of protein. 140 calories, 24 g protein, plus calcium and it tastes WAY better than plant protein powder.
Sprouted whole wheat bread with beans and rice is also a good source of protein. Trader joe's Indian fare - madras lentils are delicious and an easy way to get legume protein.
Things to have everyday:
Greek yogurt - 1 or 2 servings (24-48 grams protein)
FF Milk - 1-3 servings (8-24 grams protein)
Sprouted WW Bread 1-2 slices (5-10 grams protein)
Almonds 1 serving= 22 almonds (7 grams protein)
Total is you have just one serving of each of these things:
44 grams of protein, 480 calories.
Still leave you plenty of cals for other foods.0 -
Oh! And I forgot to mention fat free feta cheese!!!0
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I am like Allisongrl, I am not technically veggie but i limit my consumption of meat and animal products whenever possible.and choose vegetarian the majority of the time
Why limit them? If you choose good, lean sources what is the issue?0 -
Have you checked out beans and legumes? A half cup of Kidney beans is 8 grams of protein, 7 grams of fibre and only 100 calories. Refried beans are similar.They work to fill you up so you're not battling cravings, too!
^^^ Beans are the bomb!0 -
HI! I'm vegetarian and my goal is 1450 with 90+ grams of protein.
DO you eat egg whites? I eat egg whites but I'm also trying to get 30+ grams of protein out of 150 more calories so even if you don't this should work for you.
I don;t like to use whey so I use plant protein when needed. Plant based protein powders are good when you're in a pinch but I would rather eat "real food." Vega brand is expensive so I use the Jarrow Formula's Plant Protein which is also a complete plant protein powder. Mix that with anything you please - vanilla/chocolate almond milk, carrot juice, berries - what ever you feel like for a quick 21grams of protein.
Like I said though - I'd rather eat real food. I turn to greek yogurt (fat free) for the best source of protein. 140 calories, 24 g protein, plus calcium and it tastes WAY better than plant protein powder.
Sprouted whole wheat bread with beans and rice is also a good source of protein. Trader joe's Indian fare - madras lentils are delicious and an easy way to get legume protein.
Things to have everyday:
Greek yogurt - 1 or 2 servings (24-48 grams protein)
FF Milk - 1-3 servings (8-24 grams protein)
Sprouted WW Bread 1-2 slices (5-10 grams protein)
Almonds 1 serving= 22 almonds (7 grams protein)
Total is you have just one serving of each of these things:
44 grams of protein, 480 calories.
Still leave you plenty of cals for other foods.
What sort of greek yoghurt is that - I haven't seen one with that many grams of protein? What is your serving size?0 -
Try adding chia seeds to your meals - they're packed with great nutrition and have no taste on their own. 1/2 tablespoon of chia seeds has 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of healthy plant-based fats, and only 30 well-spent calories. Since they're tasteless, you can put them in nearly everything!
I will warn you that they behave very strangely in liquid though; they form a sort of gel around the shell that gives them a texture that reminds me of tiny little bubble tea bubbles. This makes them ideal for thickening things like smoothies IMO, but it can take you by surprise the first couple of times.0 -
Kefir (it's like liquid yogurt) is very high in protein. If you get the plain, it's also lo-carb. If you want to sweeten it use stevia extract powder, maybe some vanilla.
Whey protein powder. Lots to choose from out there! Currently I have Designer Whey, vanilla. It was convenient, and I picked it up 'cause like you I just had to get some more protein. It's nice! I use some stevia and just cold water. You might want to consider 2 servings per day, at least!
Personally I really don't like soy protein. There's some controversy, but I hold the postition that, unless it is cultured soy (soy sauce, natto, etc) it is not good to eat it.
Other things mentioned are beans, but they have plenty of carbs, so go easy.
Nuts are great, but high in calories....currently I stay away, 'cause I am plenty hungry and nuts just don't do it for me.0
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