High protein but low fat?
 

I'm getting close to the point in my progress where I want to move from losing weight to gaining muscle. From what I understand, muscle is built from protein, so I'm looking into finding good foods that are high in protein.

I guess my first question is whether increasing my protein intake be necessary, and if so, is there a specific range I should look for? I should probably check weight training websites for that info...

But I want to try to avoid the calories from fat that go with it. This leads to problems. Dairy products end up with some good protein, but are high in fat. Same with nuts.

Besides beef jerky, does anyone know any good foods that give me a protein boost without too much fat? Should I bite the bullet and buy protein powder (it seems awfully expensive, and if I don't like the taste, that will be a BIG waste of money)?

How do the Atkins people do it? Or don't they end up caring about the fat grams?

OK, after some research I've come up fish, poultry, and legumes. I think I can work with those :)

Protein requirements depend on whether you work out or not and how strenuous your workouts actually are. Your average desk-bound male requires just 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. But exercise can nearly double those requirements. General guidelines are between 0.5 and 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight to build muscle mass. Protein shakes are a very good way to add protein without a lot of fat. Muscle Milk (Cookie and Cream) made with water and ice tastes like a vanilla milk shake. As you gain more muscle, your body will burn more calories even while sedentary.

:)

Egg whites rule when it comes to low fat and high protein! They are almost 100 % protein. I make egg white omellettes in the microwave : Spray a bowl with Pam. Add chopped veggies to taste, about 1/2 cup (I like mishroom red onion and chopped red peppers). Add 3-4 egg whites. Microwave until firm, about 1-2 minutes. Very low fat and calories, high in protein and nutrition!

a good way to increase protein intake is to have a whey protein shake after exercise. The protein will be available when most needed to rebilud muscle and whey has very little fat.

I had the same question in the Nutrition forum, this is very helpful, thanks! I also eat a lot of lowfat/nonfat cottage cheese with sliced cherry tomatoes, that has a lot of protein and is pretty satisfying.

Alot of it comes from your lean meats, where the fat there (while still there) isnt giong to kill you and benefit you in some other ways as well, so dont cut it out all together.

i would go for, as said before, a protein shake a few times/day. if you're looking to gain muscle, you need to eat more so your body kicks into the, "ok i have enough cal to gain muscle" mode. dont worry about the taste of it, you get used to them after a while. you can put fruit and ice and make them smoothies, but i just gulped them down with water after that got tedious. also nuts help alot too.

the extra calories will eventually be burned from the gained muscle. also do you have a working weight plan, because that will help far more than winging it?

Personally, I really enjoy eating foods that I feel fill me up quick and lasts. One power food that me and my weight lifting fiance really enjoy is lentils. We make a very hearty soup that is full of protein and fiber without any fat! I also do split pea soup with the same recipe. If you are interested let me know and I can put my full recipe up for anyone who has never made lentils before!

Also- fat free cottage cheese and greek yogurt are great options!

I usually throw a half a can of Tuna (light in water), about 3oz, into my salad each day. Besides adding taste to the salad, it's low fat, low in calories, and is high in protein. half a can of tuna has about 60 cal., 1 fat, and 13 protein

I second Greek yogurt! I was shocked when I first bought it...it has 14-15 g of protein per 6 oz. cup! Plus I like that it doesn't have the artificial sweeteners and is thicker and more satisfying than the dessert-flavored yogurts that are all over the place now. I usually eat the vanilla (110 cals); the fruit flavored ones are about 140 cals.

I also like Cabot's reduced fat cheese (you can get 50% reduced fat or 75% reduced fat). 60 cals per ounce.

I eat Special K Protein cereal as well (10 grams per serving), but it really jerks my chain that they put high fructose corn syrup in a cereal that touts itself as being great for dieters.

*Sorry, I put the angry guy in the wrong place and I can't figure out how to move him! He is supposed to be after the Special K soapbox...

HI Klj12;
I Would love to have your recipe for lentils; never tried split pea soup but high protein low fat is worth a try.
Thanks

There's no need to add protein supplements
 

Save your money.

The majority of Americans get more protein than they need already. Getting it from quality sources is a good dietary goal to pursue, but think about all the herbivores in the animal world. Their bodies build muscle without protein shakes. Your body can, too.

Lift heavy, increase the weight progressively and get plenty of rest. Keep your cardio to 30 minute sessions. I'll bet you see muscular results without changing your diet much.

I sympathize with your problem of needing protein w/o additional fat. I'm on a 33% carb, 20% fat, 47% protein diet imposed by my internest. Most of my good suggestions have already been mentioned: fat free cottage cheese, light poultry baked or broiled w/o skin, fish, egg whites, fat free skim milk, protein shakes.

I have found American Whey protein shake mix to be the most palatable to me. I have protein shakes 2-3 times a day and still enjoy them. The downside is that you are getting lots of protein and amino acids but none of the necessary vitamins and minerals. I would not recommend 2-3 shakes a day for a normal person. My daughter and her DH work out regularly and have a protein shake after they work out. I have also read that potassium is good for helping build muscles so you might consider adding banana (high in carbs but good for potassium) or kiwi.

I am looking for any kind of a low fat, low carb protein drink that can be heated to make a hot broth or hot chocolate substitute. I have been searching for this for 2 years w/o success so I doubt it exists, but I am hoping somebody on here has some ideas.

I've also found a Greek Yogurt, Fage, that is very low in carbs, fat free and high in protein which makes an acceptable substitute for sour cream or even regular yogurt.

I would appreciate your recipe for lentiles. Thank you.

For my "Lentil Soup" or Split pea soup (same basic recipe) I use a one pound bag of lentils or split green peas.

1lb lentils/peas
1 medium onion
4-5 slices bacon
10-12 baby carrots
mushrooms
fresh garlic
basil
oregano
mustard seed
honey
red pepper flakes

I dice up a medium onion and start sauteing it in a large pot with a little olive oil on medium high, add basil and oregano. I slice about 4-5 slices of bacon into about 1/2 inch pieces and add it to the cooking onion. Then I thinly slice either one large carrot or 10-12 baby carrots and add it to the mix. I dice 2 or 3 cloves of garlic (whatever you prefer) and add. Once bacon and onion look almost done I add slices of mushrooms (again how much ever you prefer). Once these look tender you can add your lentils/peas (be sure to rinse them first) to the pot and add 6 cups of water at first. Now, add some mustard seed if you have them (not super important). Bring this to a strong boil and add more of whatever seasonings you want to taste- I use red pepper flakes because we like things a little spicy. I add a large "squirt" of honey at this point and put the lid on the pot but leave it a little tilted and turn down to medium heat just as long as it is still boiling. Stir occasionally. I usually add more seasoning (esp salt and pepper) and honey throughout cooking to taste- again this is up to you and your preference. As this thickens up you will add more water to make it the consistency you want- I usually end up putting 7-8 total cups of water (the more water you add the more of a soup it will be, the less water the more of a thick stew like consistency). As it gets thick be sure to stir well because it can stick on the bottom. This whole process usually takes about 1 hour or a little more.

My fiance likes to put chow chow on his lentils, but I just like to use salt and pepper.

If anyone tries this let me know how you like it- I have never shared this with anyone and I came up with it myself so I would love some feedback from others on how you like it!!

**Caution- lentils are very high in FIBER so be prepared for things to "move" the next day, but not in a bad way or anything!

I buy ground turkey breast and use it in spagetti sauce and for taco salads. I'm trying to watch my fat intake, keeping it to 10-14 grams of fat per meal and this is a great option. I also keep some of the egg beaters around for quick breakfasts. I've used greek yogurt but have only found one non-fat brand. What are some of the kinds you all have used?

The Greek Yogurt...
 

...We have Chobani and Oikos here. Both come in three or four flavors. All I have tried so far are very good.

I second the whey protein shakes. I have one every morning for breakfast... 2 scoops of whey and 2 cups of skim milk, blend for 30 seconds. I bought some from GNC at first, and it tasted awful. Found a canister of it at Wal-Mart, it was half the price and tasted much better. (I use Body Fortress chocolate peanut butter flavor).

Other proteins
 

I use whey protein powers but I add it to lets say my whole wheat waffles ( I use chocolate) no need for syrup or jelly I love them.

I have also have tried beans (which I hate) but so far black beans have no flavor. The rule anything from the ground, earth , trees, in its natural state. Also check out the local health food stores you might find something you like.

Best non-fat yogurt I have found is Stoneyfield. I even like their plain - I add my own fruit. Pineapple often, last night I bought strawberries and cut up a few in the bowl. Also mash up a banana and crumble up a couple of walnut halves. Really satisfies the sweet tooth for me.

I'd have to say go for whole eggs. Don't be scared of the cholesterol (unless you're prone to high c) because your body needs it to make more testosterone, which is the hormone that promotes muscle growth. I've been going through a dozen eggs a week for the last six months or so and although my weight has stayed about the same, I've packed on a lot more muscle while dropping half a pant size.

Fish and goat are also really lean protein sources. Goat is even leaner than chicken and IMO has a better texture than chicken or beef and soaks up marinade really well, so it ends up being a really tasty high protein dish as well.

For those of you using protein shakes, I'd recommend Trader Joes vanilla whey. It's got pretty significant amounts of vitamins and minerals so you can safely sub them for meals every now and then.

Good luck to everyone on your own journeys.

Also, this may seem counter-intuitive but I've taken to drinking a pint of whole milk (that's right, full fat) immediately after my workout. I do high-intensity cardio and heavy weights so I try to pack in a lot of clean calories as long as my muscles are starving for some... If you don't your body tries to cannibalize calories from within. Usually this means breaking down other muscles that you haven't used in a while, rather than body fat. The vitamin D in milk helps too, because it directly promotes protein synthesis in muscle.

So what's all that fat doing? Basically acting as a fuse to help light up the fat that's sitting around in your body. The only complaint I have with milk is the relatively high carbs, which could lead to water retention. Still, it's way less disgusting than that Muscle Milk stuff.

AWESOME! Congratulations! I'm with you on the eggs. They're very healthy although I give most of the yolks to my dogs to keep my fat grams down. They love 'em.
When I was doing P90 I made my own recovery drinks with dairy products, too. I found that I could make them with fewer calories, less processed food stuff, better tasting and with the same macronutrient content as the expensive brands. I found soy protein and whey very cheap in the bulk bins at the health food store and would add a scoop when I used fruit juice for the base.

I've checked this thread several times to see what else I can use, too. Very good topic/thread.
I wanted to let you know that I've tried a couple of different brands of the Greek yogurt since posting about it and the only one that I like is the organic Stonyfield brand that I buy at WalMart. None of the other brands have the same flavor (they're too tangy and tart) and none have as much of the smooth creamy texture that makes it so rich.

My lastest find is home cooked beans. Compared to canned they're completely different tasting. I'm posting the recipe and macronutrients for great northern beans but I've use the same recipe for lima, pinto & red beans, too.

4 ounces chopped turkey bacon= 178.5 calories; 15.3 grams fat; 5.1 grams carb; 15.3 grams protein.

1 cup chopped onion=64 calories; 0.16 grams fat’ 14.9 grams carbs; 1.8 grams protein

5 cloves garlic=22.4 calories, 5 grams carbs; .95 grams protein

2 beef Knorr bullion cubes 20 calories

1 pound bag of Northern beans=910 calories; 286 carbs; 208 grams fiber; 104 grams protein

1 TBS canola oil = (14 grams) 124 calories; 14 grams fat
A couple of shakes of salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme & oregano. I like the flavor of using more sage and rosemary than the others.

Clean and rinse 1-pound bag of Great Northern Beans. Soak beans over night. In the morning, drain the beans and set aside. Brown the bacon, onions and garlic in the oil. Add 2 quarts of water and de-glaze the bottom of the pan before adding the beans and herbs. Then cover and pressure-cook for 1 hour. Depressurize and simmer uncovered until the most of beans are falling apart (makes a thick consistency) and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 hours in high altitude (it may be ready to go as is if you live near sea-level). Makes 11.5 cups.

If you don't live in a mountainous area you don't need the pressure cooker-just simmer uncovered or partially covered for a couple of hours. You only have to use oil if you're using a pressure cooker so if not, just use a couple of TBS of water to keep the turkey bacon from sticking to reduce the total fat grams even more. Although the bacon and onions won't brown as much with water as with oil, they taste the same when used in recipes.

MACRONUTRIENTS PER CUP (with 11.5 cups per batch):
CALORIES 115
FAT 3g
CARBS 27g
PROTEIN 9.7g

This is super filling, a stick-to-your-ribs meal. These beans are smokey tasting from the bacon and rich and hearty from the bullion cubes. They're excellent to make chili with and if you cook them until they're at that mushy stage they make very tasty refried beans to use in Mexican and southwest dishes.

The veterinary nerd in me has to point out, herbivores get their protein (and most of their calories) from the bacteria in their guts feasting on the cellulose in the plant material they eat, not from the plant material itself. That's why they have 4 chambered stomachs. :)

That being said, I do agree protein shakes are unnecessary and most are full of sweeteners we really don't need. But I do also use them as a matter of convenience, the Special K prepackaged ones. More sugar than I want, but I don't always have time at work to eat properly or on time, so they keep me from starving until I get home.

I hardly ever do protein shakes for the same reasons listed above: too much unnecessary fillers and junk, sweetners, gums, weird binding agents, etc. If I do I blend my own, and I almost never do that because I hate cleaning out the blender.

Mostly I get a lot of protein from the way I eat: lots of dairy, eggs, and meat, LOTS of veggies (I try to cook with a different one every couple days), a few fruits here and there, and keep grains to a minimum, except for oatmeal in the morning for energy. I get all the protein I need, all of my vitamins and minerals, lots of plant nutrients, and next to no starch, which causes water retention and makes me look "fuller" rather than "leaner."

I'm noticing that a lot of people are mentioning protein shakes. My only experience with such a thing is from when I was in my early 20's and trying to get strong for a certain career move in the Air Force (I'm female, small, and have always been weak for my size.) I started strength training and reading muscle magazines. I got this stuff called Joe Weider protein powder, which you were supposed to mix with orange juice. I remember that it smelled like a mountain of moldy toenail filings, and it gave the juice a thick, slimy texture. It was so revolting, I just couldn't bear it. The people in the ads were always smiling as they drank it, as if wasn't horrible, but I can't imagine that they truly liked it.

But nowadays, regular people talk about drinking protein shakes as if they are palatable. Is a modern-day protein shake something significantly different from the old Joe Weider powdered toenail filings?

I use the Special K prepackaged protein shakes, and to me they taste quite good. I'm not trying to body build or anything, and I don't use them every day. They're a convenience thing for when I can't manage to eat on time.

High Protein Search
 

Check out this web site for protein levels in food.

High Protein Foods

Here's to a long lasting healthy lifestyle change!

At the larger health food stores they sell 1 serving sized packets so you can try them before you invest in the big canisters. Only a couple of brands didn't use sugar of one type or another & apparently the Stevia sweetner costs more or something b/c they were pretty pricey. Some of them actually tasted very sweet like strawberry, vanilla & chocolate milk shakes, so yeah, they must be very different than the old kind....moldy toenail filings LOL...

Try some lean cut steaks with egg whites and a tall glass of fat-free milk for breakfast. After a day of working out, a bit of non-fat/lowfat cottage cheese has slow digesting proteins that will help you build muscle while you rest.

I weigh 200lb, so each day;
50-70gms protein in shakes
150gms from eggs (whole), tuna, chicken, cheese and red meat - they are all good sources.

I think whole eggs and other fats are ok just as long as you dont put in bad fats. I go for a 40%carb 40%protein 20%fat ratio as I am doing weights all the time, this also allows me to take minimise impact from staturated fats, because training and fish oils helps reduce overall cholestrol and balance the LDL HDL ratio.

Just remember to eat clean, establish a good ratio, eat at appropriate times, and watch the calories you take in and burn.

i would like ur recipe for the lentils...i have the lapband done and i need more proten any more ideas? thanks sara