Increasing Protein - How?

twiztc
twiztc Posts: 135
in Health and Weight Loss
How can I up My protein and still keep within my caloric allowance?

I finding it hard enough to keep to my 1200 and I am not losing weight- I did for a couple of weigh-ins but it all came back on again after listening to advice and changing my diet for loads of lettuce and fruit veg etc etc.

then someone said it might be because im not eating enough protein.

ARRGGGG!!!!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/662057-now-i-m-really-piggin-upset

My diary is open so please someone try and set me straight. im getting so very frustrated

Please ignore yesterday as i was very fed up and fell totally off the wagon and ate burger and chicken and stuff and just quick added cals

thanks in advance

Replies

  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    you don't eat much meat, which is the best source of protein

    steak
    chicken
    fish
    turkey
    eggs
    Beans
    dairy + nuts providing this fits into your fat macros

    And I mean lean un-processed meats, not out of a packet.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    There are many items that are good protein sources, but have a lot of calories due to either high carbs or high fat. The high carb proteins are usually plant based like beans. The high fat proteins are usually red meats or nuts. My suggestion for good protein sources that are lower cal are white fish (tilapia, mahi mahi, etc), chicken breast, and egg whites (the yolk is almost all fat).

    The others are still good sources, but you have to limit them or else you get too many calories.
  • twiztc
    twiztc Posts: 135
    being treated to Steak tonight but i cut all the visible fat off.

    will eat more chicken

    Got some Basa fish- never tried it so i hope i like it

    So the menu for tonight

    T-bone steak

    A large amounts of bbq roasted garlic veg (most fresh from my own garden)

    a small portion of brown rice.

    Im more crazy on cutting carbs than fat
    some fresh on the meat fat i dont think does as much harm as saturated processed meat fats as long as its not a lot.

    Thanks guys for taking the time to have a look
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    IsoPure makes a fantastic protein shake; low carb, low cal, high protein. Alternatively, a grilled chicken breast works great.
  • ShanaGore
    ShanaGore Posts: 58 Member
    Beans and edamame are high in protein but fairly low calorie, try adding those to your diet. Also Kashi makes several cereals, bars and oatmeal that have higher protein amounts.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I found this suggestion awhile back, and it's about 1200 with over 100 grams of protein:
    breakfast: egg white scramble on whole wheat toast,
    snack: protein shake with fruit
    lunch: turkey sandwich and lentil soup
    snack: protein bar
    dinner: chicken breast and veggies

    more ideas:
    http://www.ehow.com/way_5158362_highprotein-lowcalorie-diet-plan.html
  • slim104
    slim104 Posts: 160
    Some of your food in your diary doesn't seem to have the correct info. How do you get 2 slices of white bread with no carbs for example?
  • Rachael235
    Rachael235 Posts: 35 Member
    I have found fish brilliant I had a piece few days ago 24g protein and only 108 calories and it was sizeable!! but also love omelettes and chicken breast. I also have proyein bars in if Im having a bad day can top up with those, but be careful some can be high in calories i have herbalife ones 136 calories and 10g of protein.

    I have found upping the protein and lowering my carbs definitely works helps lose weight, I think (correct if im wrong!) that your body gets its energy from carbs and if you eat low carbs your body has to turn to stored fat to burn for energy hence losing weight and eating high protein ensures you build/keep lean muscle.
  • twiztc
    twiztc Posts: 135
    Some of your food in your diary doesn't seem to have the correct info. How do you get 2 slices of white bread with no carbs for example?

    That because my bakery had no nutritional info and i just best guessed the calories by the weight of the slices maybe i should for the other stuff too but im too busy/lazy
  • ms_cataclysm
    ms_cataclysm Posts: 26 Member
    OP, you've mentioned that you've got a mobility disorder. How easy is it for you to shop for food and prepare meals ?

    Would you be able to get to the shops often enough to have fresh fruit snacks instead of sweets ? This would give you more calories to spend on fresh fish and chicken to get your protein up.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    I would work on your breakfasts. Ditch the carb heavy cereals and have some eggs and fruit. Try for leaner meats instead of steak or sausages that I see in your diary.

    You eat a lot of high glycemic index foods. I know not everyone subscribes to that, but for me, it made a huge difference. I can easily start dropping weight as soon as I cut out white bread, cereal, pasta, and all those sweets I see you having. I have never had luck with just trying to moderate portion size with these empty calories. If you substitute more fresh vegetables and fruits in place of some of these, you'll have more calories to put toward lean protein-rich foods.
  • shuman316
    shuman316 Posts: 3
    Try a protein shake. That's what what my doctor told to do when I was having issues.
  • 916lude
    916lude Posts: 305
    Switch your breakfast cereal/bars with eggs. That's a start. Eat chicken and turkey! Whey protein shakes can also help you reach your protein goals if needed.
  • twiztc
    twiztc Posts: 135
    and all those sweets I see you having.

    hmm

    just looked over my diary for the passed week and really dont see a lot of sweets

    a very small portion of icecream a few time and i bought some supposidly better for you biscuits that are lower in fat , sugar and with extra fiber.
    my diary is now packed with veg and fruits...100 times more than i've ever eaten in my life.

    Now only a month ago I would have agreed, i was a sucker for all that stuff, mars bars , coke, cake and suchlike.

    But christ You cant deprive yourself of EVERYTHING.

    I have looked at loads of peoples diaries that are losing weight and i see all kinds of stuff that i am being told (and doing it) to avoid

    You for instance,

    Mc donalds,, biscuits , sausages, chocolate, cheesecake... My goodness... I cant even LOOK at that stuff anymore, and even though i've ditched it I'm still not losing any weight.
  • kajpen
    kajpen Posts: 120 Member
    I would work on your breakfasts. Ditch the carb heavy cereals and have some eggs and fruit. Try for leaner meats instead of steak or sausages that I see in your diary.

    You eat a lot of high glycemic index foods. I know not everyone subscribes to that, but for me, it made a huge difference. I can easily start dropping weight as soon as I cut out white bread, cereal, pasta, and all those sweets I see you having. I have never had luck with just trying to moderate portion size with these empty calories. If you substitute more fresh vegetables and fruits in place of some of these, you'll have more calories to put toward lean protein-rich foods.

    ^^^^^^^^ Totally agree with this. You can get a lot of good carbs from fresh fruits and vegetables... plus they contain fiber and vitamins. Basically everything you get from the white processed stuff, but much healthier, lower glycemic load, and more volume. :-)
  • Plentiful_Tentacles
    Plentiful_Tentacles Posts: 115
    Protein supplements can help a lot increasing your daily protein intake with a lot of supplements containing little to zero carbs. If you were to choose a protein supplement, casein would probably be a better choice for just a meal replacement, whereas whey protein would be good to take after a cardio or strength training session. Many fish and other lean meat have high counts of protein as well. (Tilapia is my favorite!) In order to increase your overall protein intake, you should change your carb sources as well. For example, to get healthy carbs in, swap out snacks like cookies with some nuts. Nuts have plenty of healthy fats, are a complex carb, and have some protein in them as well.

    One thing I was wondering though, is what made you choose to eat 1200 calories? Seems a bit too low to me.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    and all those sweets I see you having.

    hmm

    just looked over my diary for the passed week and really dont see a lot of sweets

    a very small portion of icecream a few time and i bought some supposidly better for you biscuits that are lower in fat , sugar and with extra fiber.
    my diary is now packed with veg and fruits...100 times more than i've ever eaten in my life.

    Now only a month ago I would have agreed, i was a sucker for all that stuff, mars bars , coke, cake and suchlike.

    But christ You cant deprive yourself of EVERYTHING.

    I have looked at loads of peoples diaries that are losing weight and i see all kinds of stuff that i am being told (and doing it) to avoid

    You for instance,

    Mc donalds,, biscuits , sausages, chocolate, cheesecake... My goodness... I cant even LOOK at that stuff anymore, and even though i've ditched it I'm still not losing any weight.

    You'll see a cupcake in my diary yesterday, but it was my birthday. :wink:

    What I saw in your diary was a cookie for breakfast today, the ice cream two days ago and cookies 5 days in a row last week. Maybe that's down for you, but that's a lot more sweets than I eat. I guess it's all relative.

    *I'm not judging if that's what you want to eat.* Loads of people are able to lose weight while eating cookies. I'm not one of them and I'm just trying to make suggestions where you could add in more protein by reducing carbs. I'm not saying you have to give those up to lose.

    I would work on breakfast though and try to substitute your Muesli cereal for breakfast two days ago and limit your intake of white bread (including pizza) and keep the treats.

    It sounds like you've made a lot of really positive changes and should keep doing what you're doing for the most part though.
  • twiztc
    twiztc Posts: 135
    Protein supplements can help a lot increasing your daily protein intake with a lot of supplements containing little to zero carbs. If you were to choose a protein supplement, casein would probably be a better choice for just a meal replacement, whereas whey protein would be good to take after a cardio or strength training session. Many fish and other lean meat have high counts of protein as well. (Tilapia is my favorite!) In order to increase your overall protein intake, you should change your carb sources as well. For example, to get healthy carbs in, swap out snacks like cookies with some nuts. Nuts have plenty of healthy fats, are a complex carb, and have some protein in them as well.

    One thing I was wondering though, is what made you choose to eat 1200 calories? Seems a bit too low to me.

    yeh- trying to eat more nuts, just got some unsalted peanuts again but never thought of having them for breakfast.

    I eat breakfast at work so the eggs thing a bit difficult to cook especially as they are having the kitchen ripped out right now. thats why I went for the whole "good for you" muesli which I add nuts to ( hazelnuts and almonds)
    this morning was out and needed something small to take with my meds and knew I wouldn't get lunch hence the cookie
    (oatmeal is supposed to be good innit?)

    As for the amount of calories, that was the level MPF said to have and I found my old way of eating was often less calories but junk food.

    As for my mobility, to look at me I dont look sick but I cant walk around out without my stick and i'm somewhat slower than most. I go shopping and am buying lots more fresh produce, I started Zumba on my Wii which is fun but at the moment bloody hard work and i try to use my weights at least once a week. A lot of people tell me I'm not even overweight but at 5'2" i know im carrying too much around the middle which I think makes it harder for my legs and back.

    Dont get me wrong- I'm not after a sympathy vote, just make working things out a little trickier. I do for myself.

    Getting my head around a whole new way of thinking when it comes to food is a bit of a bugger as i tended to lean towards convenience rather than what was good for me so I didnt have to stand so long in the kitchen. I got lazy. That has to change if I have any way of getting that little bit fitter and a little bit lighter.

    Thank you all for your input and intend to get closer every day to the healthy way of life
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
    and all those sweets I see you having.

    hmm

    just looked over my diary for the passed week and really dont see a lot of sweets

    a very small portion of icecream a few time and i bought some supposidly better for you biscuits that are lower in fat , sugar and with extra fiber.
    my diary is now packed with veg and fruits...100 times more than i've ever eaten in my life.

    Now only a month ago I would have agreed, i was a sucker for all that stuff, mars bars , coke, cake and suchlike.

    But christ You cant deprive yourself of EVERYTHING.

    I have looked at loads of peoples diaries that are losing weight and i see all kinds of stuff that i am being told (and doing it) to avoid

    You for instance,

    Mc donalds,, biscuits , sausages, chocolate, cheesecake... My goodness... I cant even LOOK at that stuff anymore, and even though i've ditched it I'm still not losing any weight.
    BAZINGA!
  • twiztc
    twiztc Posts: 135
    [/quote]
    BAZINGA!
    [/quote]

    I love that word :)

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