Protein recommendations?
 

Hi, I'm looking for suggestions for high-protein foods that don't have a lot of fat or carbs. I eat a lot of cottage cheese, skim milk, and meat, but is that all there is? Yes beans have protein, but a lot of carbs...and eggs have protein, but a lot of fat. Any suggestions? I have a whey protein powder that has about 150 calories and 16g of protein per serving I think, any recommendations for higher protein powders?

Egg whites are high protein and low carbs/fat. I also like edamame and soy nuts to snack on - they're a little higher in carbs but are also full of fiber so the "net carbs" are pretty low.

High Protein
 

skinless chicken breasts are perfect, no carbs very high in protein and no fats, Fish like tuna is another great source. It is very high in protein and fats but the fats are what you need like omega 3. lean red meat is another good choice.
The chicken is a must, probably the best source of protein you can possibly get.

my suggestions
 

fish, shrimp, clams, scallops and lobster are all excellent low-fat sources of protein - but as with all animal-protein sources, the trade off is higher levels of cholesterol.

a 4 oz salmon filet delivers 19 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat. This is about the size of a deck of cards.

a 6 oz chicken breast will get you 51 grams of protein and a bit more fat than the fish... but that depends on the method of cooking for anything you eat.

How many grams per day are you shooting for?

The daily recommendation for protein intake is .63 to .77 grams per pound of body weight (daily) for someone engaged in Body building training. Source: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=7086&terms=recommended+protein+int ake

Powders
 

Most of the supplemental powders on the market will have about 20g-22g of protein. Personally, I prefer Syntha 6 by BSN. One, it has around 22g of protein per serving; second, it is aspartame free; and third, it has some really great flavors :D. Try looking at DPSNutrition.com, it is one of the cheapest sites I've found.

Looks like the other members have some excellent suggestions (I'm a chicken & fish fan myself). However, I can't tell if you're a vegetarian. As someone who doesn't eat red meat and pork products, I also eat a lot of soy items...edamame is good, as is tofu (not as protein rich, tho) and Greek yogurt. Depending on the brand you purchase, Greek yogurt usually boasts between 19 and 23 grams of protein per serving. It tastes a little like sour cream, so it's an acquired taste. :-)

egg whites, fish is excellent & chicken breasts.

I use the liquid egg whites in the carton and make an omelette stuffed with low-sugar salsa (refrigerator section next to eggs), pink salmon in the foil packette that I top on salad (2.5 oz and 80 calories), tuna in foil packette, chx. breast, extra lean ground turkey, low fat cottage cheese (like you), and protein shakes (usually myoplex lite that has carbs as well to make a complete meal-not very someone on a lminimal-carb plan). As someone already mentioned, fat-free greek yogurt is a high protein, low carb source, too.

Just pop a Butterball turkey breast into the oven, cook according to directions. Voilla! Low fat, low calorie, low carb, high protein snack!

Protein Snack Recommendation
 

Roasted soy nuts is a brilliant way to up your protein and keep hunger pangs at bay. I'm following a high protein/low carb program at the moment and they have been my lifesaver!

Soy Recipes - Snacks - Roasted Soy Nuts

I've been using nuts to boost my protein levels. They aren't quite as high as Greek yogurt and they do have some fat, but it's the good fats you need in your diet. They also provide certain nutrients that are found in other foods, but in much lower percentages. My faves are almonds, cashews and Brazil nuts. It's very hard to stop at a 1 oz serving, so generally I use them in other dishes like salad and stir fry.

How can I increase my protein intake?
 

Hi everyone!

I've started using Fitday about a week ago and have since logged in every food I've eaten. I started restricting my calorie intake to 1200 - 1300 cals a day (though I sometimes eat a bit more, sometimes a bit less), but seem to have huge problems getting enough protein. My daily protein intake is usually below 12% which seems way too low. I like eggs, but I could never imagine eating them on a daily basis, same applies to meat. Any advices as to what I should eat to increase my protein intake?

Thanks for your help!!

Best Wishes,
Molly

hi,
non fat cottage cheese is almost totally protein.

Welcome to FitDay and congrats on logging everything for a week! Keep up the good work!

I don't eat meat so I struggled with getting enough protein at first as well, but now I consistently get 30% or more of my calories from protein, and the weight is practically falling off!

Here are some ways I get protein:
- Hard-boiled egg whites
- Morningstar or Boca veggie products
- Low fat string cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Edamame (cooked from frozen or dry roasted)
- Cottage cheese
- Almonds
- PB2 (powdered peanut butter that you mix with water...way less sugar and fat than regular peanut butter!)
- Fish
- Milk and/or soy milk
- Tofu
- Beans (garbanzo beans are great in salads)

I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I try to keep my carbs below 50% and the rest is healthy fats (from almonds, salmon, olive oil, etc.).

Hope that helps. Best of luck to you!

Here's a link to the thread with the same topic that was active a while back:

http://www.fitday.com/fitness/forums...endations.html

Thanks!
 

Thanks guys,

your advice is greatly appreciated!

Molly

My fave "go-to" proteins are:

tuna
deviled eggs
cottage cheese (either fat-free or low fat)
Greek yogurt (especially love the brand called Fage 0%)
low-fat, low-cal yogurt
nuts (especially almonds)
low-fat cheese
Spiru-Tein chocolate protein powder (I stir it into my coffee and make a "muscle mocha")
chicken
light turkey/chicken/ham cold cuts
skim milk, soy milk, almond milk
New England clam chowder
tilapia
finger jello

When I'm really low on protein, I'll "double-up" on them, like I'll put both cottage cheese and tuna on my salad, or 2 cans of tuna, or I'll make a taco salad with Greek yogurt and chicken (and maybe even a little rf cheese on top). Upping your protein is a little tricky, I'm finding that in order to get the right amount I'm at 4-7 servings/day.

In addition to the info that has been posted, on the days that I am falling behind on my protien intake, I will grab a protien bar as well. There are some good ones out there that will give you 20g of protien for around 180-200 calories.

I had the same problem myself. Here are some of the foods that I make a daily part of my meal plans:

- protein shake (18 grams)
- Think Thin protein bar (20 grams - these are GREAT - no sugar! most protein bars are loaded w/ sugar so they're as bad as eating candy bars)
- tuna
- chicken breast
- Greek yogurt (approx. 15-18 grams - I buy Voskos Greek Yogurt)
- Egg Beaters

Wow, as someone else facing the same issue - thanks for all the great information guys!

When I started exercising more I realized that I'd need to eat more protein if I didn't want to be sore and tired all the time. Here's the type of stuff I eat now regularly:

-peanut butter by the spoonful (with honey... mmmm)
-eggs (boiled, omelette, scrambled, deviled, fried, etc.)
-milk (by the pint)
-quinoa (a high-protein grain, eaten instead of rice)
-tuna, salmon, and other fish
-chicken
-bison jerky

If you're having trouble eating meat just because of the monotony check out Free The Animal, he's got a bajillion different ways to dress up your meat in all kinds of fancy sauces.

Good luck!

-Nik

Sick of chicken!
 

Hey all. I have been 'living a healthier lifestyle' for 7 weeks now and love the results! As of today I am officially down 43 pounds (Wooohooo!). I am finding lately, though, that I am VERY sick of chicken and turkey. So, I am wondering, what sources of protein do you eat? Do you eat hamburger? If so, what kind? I need to switch things up a bit or I know I am going to fail. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. :)

I am a meat eater, and I will not give up red meat. And let's face it: there's only so many ways to dress up a boneless skinless chicken breast. You can make it part of a healthy lifestyle if you buy the leanest cuts you can, and are mindful of portion sizes. I use ground sirloin because it's at least 90% lean, and because it's so lean, you don't get the puddle of grease and you don't have to drain it, it doesn't really cook down, so you can use 3/4 lb where you would normally use a full pound of hamburger. That helps to offset the higher price. Some people will mix ground beef with ground turkey to get the flavor of beef with less fat/calories. I also make stew and pot roast, again using the leanest cuts I can find and trimming all visible fat off. Top round roast sliced very thin makes a mean stir fry, I use garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, some water chestnuts and bamboo, and some beef broth and cornstarch to make a sauce.

I also like fish, though I can't get the rest of the family on board with that. The hubs does like shrimp, so I'm looking for more shrimp recipes. I've also been thinking about getting a grilling basket, so I can make myself fish when I'm grilling him chicken.

I also make scrambled eggs with one whole egg and 2 whites. I often will throw in spinach, mushroom, tomatoes, or whatever other veggies are on hand. Greek yogurt is awesome, I have this forum to thank for that find. Those individual packets of tuna fish are perfect for one sandwich or on a salad. Hard boiled eggs and string cheese sticks come in handy too.

lazycritter hit most of the high points there so hopefully you can get a few ideas.

In addition to those, I also buy some of that imitation crab and make salads (like chicken or tuna, but sub in the fake crab stuff). I also buy turkey or chicken 'bratwursts'/sausages when they're on sale because they're kind of expensive otherwise. It's still chicken and turkey, but it tastes way different.

I like to sub in cottage cheese or beans with meals too, added protein and the beans have lots of fiber. So even if I'm eating chicken, I might spice it up with some fajita seasoning and add some beans, gives it a taco flavor.

Sometimes a good old protein shake gets me what I need without the hassle of an actual meal. Find one you like and go with it. I'll make a bowl of oatmeal and add protein powder to it, chocolate is especially delicious in oatmeal!

Wow!!
 

Hi amylee-flippin eck 43lbs in 7weeks that is amazing! A massive well done! How did you do that-you must have worked really hard. I love chicken and turkey but i know it can get a bit boring. I usually get some which is pre-marinated in different seasonings at the supermarket. Chilli and coriander,lemon and pepper,garlic and herb etc.
I grill and bake alot of fish which is a great source of protein and of course low in fat and really quick. Try salmon parcels-wrap a piece in baking parchment or foil (like an envelope) and add some soy,ginger,chilli,half a lemon and few sprigs of coriander and bake til cooked. Its really juicy and tastes good with some roasted veggies or egg noodles. I also have supplies of tinned tuna and mackerel thats nice and quick if aint time to cook and i have these with salad. Eggs are also a great source of protein so omelettes,frittata or poached with asparagus and black pepper. I also like making my own crabcakes with tinned variety using sweet potato and chillies. Not sure if ive helped but hope youve got some new ideas to get am idea from. Keep up the good work! Oh yeah try beanburgers or making your own mini meat ones with turkey mince or extra lean mince-just add some breadcrumbs,herbs and egg to bind,form in patties and cook in frylight to brown and put in oven 15mins til cooked through. Good luck

Lizzy crawled into my head and took my answer ;).

Seriously, what she does is exactly the advice I would give. Yes, I eat hamburger and steak, though I eat chicken more. The only additional thing I do other than what Lizzy described is if I use ground beef in something like pasta sauce or casserole or tacos, I rinse it in a colander in the sink after I cook it, in order to wash away any remaining fat. I read that somewhere about 15 years ago and have just always done it. Our grocery store has 93% lean ground beef and if you use very lean beef it's really not much different calorically from chicken.

Sometimes I use pork tenderloin, also very lean, trimming off all visible fat. I either roast it or make barbecue (I hear Weight Watchers has an excellent barbecue pork recipe..try Google and see if you can find it if interested). Fish, yes, shrimp, yes, Greek yogurt...big thumbs up. I have almonds or pistachios or walnuts for snacks and Cabot makes a 75% reduced fat cheese that is 60 calories an ounce and something like 9 grams of protein. When our deli puts the good lunchmeat on sale (no fillers), I buy it and snack on it, plain.

Looks like you have some good ideas above to work with. Congrats on your loss so far!

I used to do the fake crab too, but then I read the package and realized it's half sugar and potato flour :mad: Beans are great, I forgot about those. I can't bring myself to rinse the ground beef, though it does reduce the fat. My mom used to do that, but she didn't drain it very well or heat it back up afterward. Really, she could screw up boiling water.....I love her dearly, but she's not a cook lol :D

Beans, tofu, soy, soy milk, nuts, bread, oatmeal... that's how I get all of my protein. I also have a protein shake mix, but I find that I rarely need to use it. Granted, my diet is probably very different from others posted here. :P

Aaack...no wonder you were put off by it! No, I rinse and return to the pan and heat in the recipe. Some people will freeze it at that point and just add the beef crumbles in when they cook at a later time, but I'm not that organized.

Thanks for the tip about the imitation crab. I'll avoid that, too. One thing I forgot was the Special K Protein Plus cereal. It's 10 grams of protein, but beware, as there is high fructose corn syrup in it :mad:. For me, the trade off is worth it; for others, maybe not. It's gotta be something you can live with, after all. If I had to make my pie chart look perfect every day and avoid all the things that are supposed to be bad, I'd be bingeing for sure!

Everyone on here has given most of the tips I would have given too. I would second the greek yogurt suggestion - full of protein. 1 cup has as many grams of protein as a piece of fish! I don't know where you shop, but at Walmart I can usually find 96/4 ground beef, which is super lean. I like to fold in chopped red onions, some greek seasoning, kalamata olives (chopped), and a little feta cheese for a greek burger on the grill. The onions, olives, and cheese add some extra moisture so the burger doesn't dry out as much.

I would also say that I like to make an egg salad because it tastes like I'm eating junk food! I hard boil about 3 eggs, cut out 2 of the yolks, add celery, onion, garlic salt and a little fat free mayo or light miracle whip and some spicy brown mustard. Eat alone, with crackers, or my favorite - atop a Thomas multigrain light English muffin for even more protein and lots of fiber.

Gee now I'm hungry, and for protein no less...

I think everybody covered most of the sources of protein I use day to day. Did anybody say soy nuts, natural peanut butter, skim milk or low-fat cream cheese? Finger jello can also be a source of snacky protein, but the protein content varies brand to brand so you have to be careful. That's about all I can add on the topic.

i like adding powdered protein to smoothies too

Another one is quinoa, if you are brave enough to try it. It is a grain-like seed that is a complete protein. Most people use it as a side dish, but you can cook it up similar to rice and add a bunch of veggies to it. It can be cooled and made into quinoa salad. It is not a personal favourite because of the texture (I am a texture person) but it is pretty tasty.

Here is a link to some other ideas for complete proteins (most of which were mentioned):

Complete protein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pork tenderloin
 

I know Lizzy mentioned it and I think CJ seconded it, but I have really been leaning on pork tenderloin a lot recently. It can be a little pricey so I keep an eye out for sales. It marinates wonderfully, for a grilled meat, it can replace chicken in most recipes and make nice sandwiches, burritos, or casseroles. And it has basically the same fat profile as chicken.

BTW outstanding weight loss amylee - you go girl!

Wow, thanks for all the ideas!! I am going grocery shopping today and am going to pick up a lot of your ideas. THANK YOU!! I am looking forward to trying new stuff. :)

another possible addition to your list is bulgar wheat with soy. it has 10 grams of protein per serving and it tastes good! i mix it with chickpeas, feta (feta makes it beta), mint, and lemon.

Adding lean protein
 

I have to give props, once again, to the Fitday food journal. I have been doing the Atkins diet, and in addition to the guidelines of 1800-2200 calories, 20g net carbs, and 90-190g of protein, I have also been trying to maintain a ratio of 65-30-5 (fat-protein-carb). That ratio was coming naturally with the calorie, carb, and protein guidelines, but the last couple of days I noticed my fat level was creeping upwards of 70% and my protein level was dipping below 30%. The numbers weren't drastic, but the 65-30-5 ratio has worked well for me so far and I want to stick with what works. Also, I have started working out (swimming and biking so far), and I don't want to come up short on protein and force my muscles to start wasting. I think the big difference this week has been that I made some bratwurst sausages as my lunch protein instead of the typical whole meat beef or pork I typically have.

So, with all that in mind, I was put in a position I never thought I would be with the Atkins diet. I needed less fat and more protein. I found whey protein powder to be a great solution. I went to GNC and found that ON brand 100% whey protein was the best option for me. One serving gives 23g protein with only 1g of fat and 2g of carbs (1g from sugar). It mixes easily and smoothly with cold water, and it tastes great! In fact, I have been thinking about trying to reduce my caffeine intake because of high blood pressure, and I just may use this whey drink as a coffee replacement in the mornings.

I would love to hear other people's thoughts on lean protein in general and whey powder in specific, as protein rationing is a new experience for me.

Dave

__________________________________________________
stats, inspired by Ron

Male, 6'0" tall, 37 y/o

Starting weight, 4/19/10 (started Atkins) = 287
6/16/10 (finished Atkins book & joined Fitday) = 261
latest weight 6/28/10 = 255
mini goal (wedding) 9/4/10 = 220
ultimate goal for lifetime maintenance by 4/19/11 (one year mark, 100 pounds loss) = 187
This will be my lightest weight since high school!

I agree that whey protein is a great way to increase protein intake with a minimum of calories. Most people don't understand the vital role protein plays in retaining muscle mass when they are eating at a caloric deficit. I personally use the Body Fortress brand from Wal-mart in both vanilla and strawberry. As with the ON brand it has a minimum of fat and carbs. Adding some fruit is a great way to turn it into a treat that still fits into my calorie and nutrition plan (and much better for me than that 1200 calorie shake at McD's).

Thanks for the recognition in your signature!!

My pleasure! Making a commitment to post those stats regularly is a great tool for both accountability and motivation.

I swapped out regular yogurt for the greek style, fat free of course. It has double the protein and makes a big difference in my protein intake. I mix it with a little fruit, or cut up an apple (so it's like having fruit dip).

I also stopped eating whole eggs. I had been eating a lot of hard-boiled eggs, but when I used fit day to calculate the difference between one hard boiled egg and a couple egg whites, switched to the egg whites. I can eat a lot more, have more protein, and less fat. Plus, when made as an omelette, I don't even notice the difference.

And like you guys said, protein powder is the best way to up your protein. If you mix with skim milk instead of water, you'll get even more protein per glass without upping your fat intake.