How do people reach their protein goals? I've been keeping track of my protein intake for the last month and can't manage to get to my target. I weigh just under 120 and would like to get under 115. I have been drinking a protein shake every day, and yet only make it to 97g or maybe just over 100g on a good day. I can't find sources of protein that I can manage to eat a lot of. A serving of meat for me gets me only about 25g of protein, so for lunch, dinner and the protein shake, I'm at about 83g. Breakfast is never more than about 10g unless I drink the protein shake for breakfast so that leaves about 22g of protein for my snack (the protein shake is my one snack most days). The best I can do is 14g of protein.
meats, dairy, nuts, whey powder, even veggies have a tiny amount. I eat every couple hours to make it easier for me. It's too hard for me to eat a huge amount of protein in one sitting.
Eat a bigger portion. Cut back on something else to make room in your calories if you need to be at a deficit. Eat something different for breakfast so that you get more protein in that meal.
I have a cup of egg whites and a chicken sausage with cheese for breakfast.
egg whites : 24g protein - 0g fat - 0g carb - 120 cal
sausage: 16g protein - 6g fat - 3g carb - 160 cal
cheese: 8g protein - 4g fat - 0g carb - 70 cal
So my breakfast is 48g protein - 10g fat - 3g carb and only 350 calories. This is almost half of the protien you need without feeling like you've just eaten an entire cow.
Egg whites, definitely. I usually use one whole egg to 4 or 5 whites, that gives the "eggy" yellow look but cuts the fat.
I also use a lot of protein powder. I put in on my oatmeal every morning and usually have at least one more serving in water or yogurt sometime during the day. Days I'm really short on calories and protein, I'll eat three servings of PP.
Maybe you could switch up your breakfasts to include more protein. Some examples are protein powder mixed into oatmeal, or eggs (I use eggbeaters actually) and chicken sausage.
For snacks, try things like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, almonds, and string cheese.
How far from your target are you? 15g or so? That's abut 3/4 scoop of my protein powder. Wash down breakfast with protein powder and water on the side, or stir it into your oatmeal...
or, eat 5g extra meat for each meal. That's not really a lot more food.
Those of you who eat egg whites, not egg beaters, do you just buy TONS of eggs? Feels like a waste :/ As for egg beaters, I'm not against them, but they sure are expensive! I'm on a college student's budget.
And I'm very close to giving into buying protein powder, as I never get over 100 g of protein. Anyone use a cheap protein powder that doesn't taste nasty? I'd prefer chocolate or non-flavored. I'll probably mix it in milk, oatmeal, or blended fruit and water. PS- I am on a deficit!
It's cheaper to buy egg whites, but even cheaper to eat the whole eggs (only as much as you can) and supplement with protein powder. Even if it's just 5g extra per meal. Some people make "mochas' with choc powder and coffee. Vanilla can be good in chai tea.
Just a little big of powder throughout the day gets it done.
I buy protein powder at target. It is less than $20 for a BIG tub of it. The chocolate is pretty good but the cookies and cream is my favorite. I make coffee lattes with it, yum. You can get egg beaters at Trader Joe's for $3.99, that lasts me all week long.
A 25g serving of meat is pretty much all I eat at one time - very little else except a salad and a drink. I just can't make it through much meat at a time. I might be able to make it up to 30g, but I don't have much time to slog my way through food (I'm a very slow eater).
As for breakfast, those that eat eggs, how many do you eat!!! The eggs I buy only have 6g of protein per egg. I can't eat more than 2 so that leaves me with 12g, about what I get with my regular breakfast. (Unfortunately I can't even do that since eggs in the morning make me feel sick.) Also, my cheese sticks only have 8g of protein and I will eat 2 of those or a Greek yogurt (14g of protein) for a snack. I just find they don't have enough protein to get me to my goal.
Mixing protein powder into random other things is probably the best solution for me. I'm not willing to get up earlier in the morning and I currently eat my breakfast in the car (i.e. drink the protein shake or eat my PB sandwich while driving my kid to school on my way to work), so making something like sausage is out, unfortunately, except on weekends.
I do really appreciate the ideas and it is very interesting to see how other people reach their goals. I will keep at it!
Cottage Cheese
Greek Yogurt
Feta Cheese
Eggs (I get a crate from Costco & hardboil half of them.... my dog & the compost heap get a good deal of egg yolks)
I have a terribly hard time getting enough protein myself. I love eggs, but I just can't seem to eat *that* many of them per day, and since I'm trying to stay below maintenance with my calorie range, there is only so much meat, beans, nuts, cheese, etc. that I can eat and still get in enough servings of vegetables and fruit.
I'd really like to get all my needs met just through eating healthy foods, but I feel I'm going to have to go the protein powder route myself. While my macro nutrient level is pretty balanced, I am definitely not getting anywhere close to 147g of protein each day (based on bodyweight).
Does the "flavorless" powder have a lot of calories, and can you taste it when you mix it into food? I've cut out eating sugar for the most part (except on rare cheat occasions) so I don't really want to use the chocolate, vanilla, etc.
I add my protein powder to yogurt, banana, strawberries, fish oil, and ice and blend it every morning. I take my supplements with it and drink the rest on the long commute to work. You can mix up the fruit for what's in season. For me, fruit makes any protein powder taste yummy.
I'm lucky my gym also makes protein shakes that I have on workout days.
Does the "flavorless" powder have a lot of calories, and can you taste it when you mix it into food? I've cut out eating sugar for the most part (except on rare cheat occasions) so I don't really want to use the chocolate, vanilla, etc.
bekkilyn, you can order flavored unsweetened protein powder from True Protein - it's what I use. That way you can add sugar/honey/fruit if you want it, or just mix it in with whatever. I use unsweetened chocolate and vanilla and mix it in with shakes or just with skim milk. It gives it a little flavor without adding sweetness.
We just need one egg protein everyday. You can eat a an egg one day. To much protein may change to fat. Do you need it?
Seriously? This is your contribution to the discussion - that our entire need for protein is one egg/day, otherwise it will "change to fat"??? I'd LOVE to hear this magical process that changes protein into fat... not to mention how you came to the conclusion that one egg/day meets our protein needs.
bekkilyn, you can order flavored unsweetened protein powder from True Protein - it's what I use. That way you can add sugar/honey/fruit if you want it, or just mix it in with whatever. I use unsweetened chocolate and vanilla and mix it in with shakes or just with skim milk. It gives it a little flavor without adding sweetness.
I had no idea they have *flavored* unsweetened options. I'd prefer no flavor at all for mixing in with vegetables and such, but the other would work well with anything fruit-based. Thanks!
If more than one egg a day turns to fat, then I should weigh about 500 pounds by now!
Here's how I add protein to my diet, besides eating meat:
- Have some hard-boiled eggs in the fridge ready for snacking. I slice them up and put them on crackers, and sometimes put one inside my sandwich at lunch! Yum!
- Eat sunflower seeds or almonds at snack time or with breakfast. This also helps me get some of the healthy fats that we apparently need.
- For breakfast: cottage cheese (2/3 cup or more), a scoop of my favorite yoghurt (for taste), berries (raspberries, blueberries, whatever), and a sprinkling of high-fibre cereal. Delicious!
I had no idea they have *flavored* unsweetened options. I'd prefer no flavor at all for mixing in with vegetables and such, but the other would work well with anything fruit-based. Thanks!
I tried it and did not like it. I ended up adding sweetener to it. I was very chalky and more noticeable than the regular low-carb options I've tried.
If you add protein powder to anything hot, such as oatmeal, let the hot item cool just a bit first or the protein powder turns into a grainy, chunky, gross mess.
My current protein breakfast of choice on a very low carb diet is a cup of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt with a scoop of low-carb vanilla protein powder, a little Splenda and a little vanilla extract. I think it gives me 40 grams of protein! Add a couple pieces of lean turkey bacon and you are up to 52 grams in one meal for just over 260 calories. How's that for protein punch?
- Eat sunflower seeds or almonds at snack time or with breakfast. This also helps me get some of the healthy fats that we apparently need.
Sunflower seeds are actually pretty high in 'bad' fat (Omega-6s). Nuts tend to be good, seeds tend to be bad. There are exceptions, of course, but most common seeds are not so good as far as a fat source. In moderation, they're cool, but don't add them in trying to get your good fats.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GymBunny
Special K has a high protein cereal that tastes great. Here are the nutrition facts
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: .5g
Sodium: 110mg
Potassium: 320mg
Total Carbs: 14g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 10g
When combined with 3/4 cup of skim milk the total protein is about 17g and only 167 calories.
For cereal lovers, this is a great way to "have your cake and eat it too!"
That's still a pretty tough ratio of P to C when you're trying to get more protein. For every 10 grams of P you add, you're adding 14g of carbs. It's similar to how eggs and sausage are hard choices because they add so much fat to get to enough protein.
I think you almost have me convinced to TRY Fage. So, I don't like yogurt (Dannon, etc). How does Fage taste compared to the typical yogurt?
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Thicker in texture and more tart - actually, more like a real food. That might be true of all unflavored, unsweetened but I especially find it true of Fage & TJ's Greek yogurts.
That's still a pretty tough ratio of P to C when you're trying to get more protein. For every 10 grams of P you add, you're adding 14g of carbs. It's similar to how eggs and sausage are hard choices because they add so much fat to get to enough protein.
That's why I use only one yolk and about 4 or 5 more whites.
Sunflower seeds are actually pretty high in 'bad' fat (Omega-6s). Nuts tend to be good, seeds tend to be bad. There are exceptions, of course, but most common seeds are not so good as far as a fat source. In moderation, they're cool, but don't add them in trying to get your good fats.
That's still a pretty tough ratio of P to C when you're trying to get more protein. For every 10 grams of P you add, you're adding 14g of carbs. It's similar to how eggs and sausage are hard choices because they add so much fat to get to enough protein.
Just add some protein powder to the skim milk & cereal.
Thicker in texture and more tart - actually, more like a real food. That might be true of all unflavored, unsweetened but I especially find it true of Fage & TJ's Greek yogurts.
Sort of like sour cream..... I like to add vanilla flavor & lemon juice to it
That's why I use only one yolk and about 4 or 5 more whites.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lyrica
Just add some protein powder to the skim milk & cereal.
Your reasons are reasons why people often go low carb or low fat when they go on a diet. It's a hard choice, since both suck, but it's harder for a lot of people to go moderate carb and moderate fat and keep the protein high enough. I'd prefer to to eat whole eggs and no cereals.
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