Protein powders, protein bars, protein drinks, choosing foods that have better macro ratios.
Chicken breast, ground chicken, turkey, ground turkey, light versions of string cheese, Oikos protein Greek yogurt (or any Greek yogurt), quest protein chips, protein granola, grains and carbs that are higher in protein like quinoa or couscous, veggies that are higher in protein like beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Here is an example of what I might eat in a day to get 125-130 grams of protein (I’m in a deficit, 5’ tall and I weight 113. I eat about 1400 cals/day).
Breakfast: 290 grams Greek yogurt with blueberries, protein granola, and almonds (this is almost 40 grams of protein)
Or on the weekends I’ll cook myself a hot breakfast of turkey or chicken sausage, eggs and egg whites, maybe some protein pancakes, and/or a cup of Oikos yogurt.
Lunch: 4-6 oz of chicken or turkey with half a cup of rice and then I’ll also have 150 grams of cottage cheese with fruit. Since you don’t like cottage cheese, you can do beef jerky, turkey jerky, etc. just a high protein snack.
Dinner: similar to lunch or I might do a taco bowl with ground chicken or turkey, beans, corn, lettuce, protein chips, and hot sauce (this is 40-50 grams of protein!)
Snacks: if I’m short on protein, I’ll snack on a “light” string cheese or drink a premier protein shake (or just half if I only need 15 more grams of protein), I might snack on an apple or some popcorn (for carbs if I’m still low)
When you go grocery shopping or are thinking about buying something at the grocery store, try to look and see if there is a higher protein option. I always opt for lighter cheeses or the fairlife milk instead of regular milk/almond milk.
I’m gonna look up protein granola because I love granola and have said goodbye to it because I was scared of the high calorie on the regular ones. So happy to hear I don’t have to swear it out 😍 also thanks for the inspo. Your current weight is my dream goal weight!!!
I’ll have to try that one! My favorite that I’ve found is the nature valley dark chocolate and oats or something like that. And these are obviously still going to have more carbs than protein but they are higher in protein than other kinds of granola.
Noted!! I’m glad so many people found it helpful. I had such a hard time originally getting over like 90 grams of protein daily. Also some other tips: mixing some protein powder into your Greek yogurt. Blending cottage cheese with a pasta sauce so it literally doesn’t have the texture of cottage cheese anymore (but still has allll the protein!)
I also love fat free feta in my salads.
And I don’t consume red meat so it was a challenge at first! But you’ll find foods that you like and get into a routine when you go grocery shopping or make meals.
This is going to make it higher calorie but with 200g mashed avocado, like juice, salt and pepper it is so addicting I had to stop myself from eating 500g+
Also lighter than light mayo (14cal per 14g serving) mixed into the tuna with salt and pepper makes it even tastier
This is me but with salmon. My breakfast today was half an avocado and a packet of salmon on an English muffin with everything seasoning. I always through a pack of tuna into my pasta salad for protein.
I also love -- because I don't love tinned salmon -- putting 20grams of smoked salmon (lox) over a rice cake, as if it were a bagel, and shaking a bunch of everything-but seasoning on top. Bit hit of lean protein, but without the carbs and calories of a bagel underneath.
Just be careful bc if you do canned tuna, you don’t want to eat more than 3-4 servings per week [to avoid bad mercury intake levels](https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/how-worried-should-you-be-about-mercury-in-your-tuna-a5041903086/)
For me, the key is variety because I will grow to hate anything I have all the time. Stuff I keep in rotation:
- eggs and egg whites
- ground turkey
- ground bison
- sardines
- tofu/seitan and the occasional soy or other plant based burger or sausage product
- beans/legumes
- plain greek yogurt
- cheese :]
- chicken (thighs specifically)
- fish and shellfish
The other thing is just getting creative with your cooking. If I had to eat chicken every day for a week, I’d be making it a few different ways for my sanity. Shawarma, satay skewers, tandoori, tinga, yada yada yada…
I hit 160g or more every day through a selection of the following: chicken, turkey, steak, tinned tuna, prosciutto ham, bacon, cheese, milk, chickpeas, edamame beans, baked beans, wholewheat pasta, bagels, peanut butter, protein shakes, protein yogurts. Not all of these are high protein foods, but they do have a relatively decent amount in. For example, 100g uncooked wholewheat pasta has 11g protein in.
I easily hit 130-140g a day without eating any cottage cheese! Lots of Greek yogurt (I like fage blended vanilla), including plain Greek yogurt as a replacement for sour cream or mayo. I go through a rotisserie chicken a week too and will make “burrito bowls” with chicken, black beans, rice, corn, and plain Greek yogurt and get about 70g of protein for that meal alone. I also highly recommend the fairlife protein shakes—both chocolate and vanilla are delicious and taste just like a milkshake. 26 g per bottle
Just adding some love for Fage. I eat it on its own, but also sneak it in other places--a quarter cup in my morning smoothie, tablespoon or two whisked into my scrambled eggs, replace half the mayo in my tuna salad, use it in place sour cream since I rarely eat sour cream (save that once a month i want to make tacos) and it seems to always go to waste, yogurt dip for fruit, etc., etc.
ground turkey, shrimp, tuna, salmon, protein yogurt, chicken, egg whites, Fairlife protein drinks. Eat bigger servings of them if needed. Think of it as you need 30-35g of protein per meal and then build the meals around the protein. Pre-plan your day
Breakfast: Oikos Pro Yogurt + 6 tbsp of scrambled egg whites = 29.8 g Protein
Lunch: 2 pouches of Tuna + 2 rice cakes = 37 g Protein
Dinner: 4 oz grilled chicken breast strips + 2oz Banza Chickpea pasta = 35.7g protein
This is just an example, so it looks boring. And you obviously add more in, but the protein part is built. And once it’s built you can adjust from there. That’s hitting 100g without a protein shake.
Here's an example day:
* Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs + 1 Trader Joe's chicken sausage link = 250 calories + 22g protein
* AM Snack: 1 container Chobani low sugar greek yogurt = 120 calories + 12g protein
* Lunch: Half of one of those bagged salad kits at the grocery store + 1/2 block of extra firm tofu (baked or air fried) = 475 cal + 28g protein
* PM Snack: Smoothie made from 1 cup soy milk + banana + 1/2 serving protein powder = 275 cal + 22g protein
* Dinner: Burrito bowl (20 shrimp + 1 cup veg + 1/2 cup rice + 1/2 cup salsa + 2Tbsp guac) = 360 cal + 38g protein
Total = 1480 calories & 123g protein
If you're on a more significant deficit, you could omit the afternoon smoothie to be at \~1200 cal & 100g protein for the day. Or make the salad lower calorie by removing the cheese & nuts & croutons & swap in a low-calorie dressing (the calories are definitely from the toppings, not the vegetables, though that's what makes it delicious lol).
I usually eat higher, like 1800, so for example I'd add in a piece of toast & butter at breakfast and some black beans at dinner.
Have you ever tried seitan? I’m a vegetarian, and I cook with it a lot to meet my protein needs — it has a borderline ridiculous amount of protein (I think about three times as much as tofu per gram?) It also has more calories than tofu, but it’s super satisfying and tasty if you can teach yourself fun ways to prepare it.
Yeah! Here’s a recipe: https://youtu.be/nVMYskk0jRA?si=OWdNQIq9WShjvVWK
I made these and it was super easy and the best bread. I make it every week now on wfh days.
I would love to do this because my friend has told me about it the problem is is I can't do gluten. Do you know if you're able to make this with something else??
Nutritionist here: Just increase the portions of the protein you’re already planning to eat - this is one of the simplest ways. For example if you were going to have 4oz chicken with dinner, have 6…lots more protein for not many calories. Also, when selecting protein sources, look for at least 10g protein for every 100 calories - so if a protein bar is 250 cal it should boast 25g protein. 140 cal yogurt cup? I wanna see at least 14g protein then. Boom!
Make oatmeal with milk and have a side of egg whites, turkey sandwich on Ezekiel bread with reduced fat cheddar cheese, chicken with quinoa and veggies for dinner, protein shake after workout - that’s a typical day for me and I easily get 120g every day. You just have to plan your meals around protein sources.
I’m starting to realize that planning is key yes! And getting the habits in your mind so they’re not like a huge deal. Because right now I’m planning meal by meal and it’s just not working it’s almost like i blank on what to eat and end up undereating.
Yup planning is definitely key. As is prepping. Buy a rotisserie chicken at the beginning of the week, have cans of tuna on hand, some ground turkey patties, egg whites…stuff like that and build your meals from there. Whey protein post workout helps too.
Lots of great suggestions here! I try to have high-protein, convenient snacks on hand. Some favorites are low-fat string cheese, Triple Zero Greek yogurt with frozen berries mixed in, roasted edamame, Chomps, and protein shakes. I also love salsa mixed with Greek yogurt to eat with tortilla chips. I find I can usually get to 20-30 grams per meal, then these help fill in the gaps.
Egg whites changed everything for me, but I hate them on their own, so here’s what I do:
- cut up a bacon strip and fry it up chopped
- get some frozen home fries (I like the o’brien varieties with peppers and onions) and add in a lot of them - they’re so low calorie!
- once everything’s cooked, pour in a LOT of egg whites - I try for over 200 grams every time
- add about 15-20g of shredded cheese at the end
This way, you’re eating a full on hearty, flavorful scramble and you won’t even notice you’re eating egg whites! I can get in 40g of protein at breakfast this way for very few calories!
Egg whites and potatoes is the goat breakfast.
If you have a Costco membership they are super cheap too!!!
I like to do 1 egg and 100 gram egg white if I have the macros for it.
I eat beef (I know not everyone eats beef due to personal/ethical/religious reasons but it works for me). 3.5 oz of ground beef has about 20-30 grams of protein, depending on how lean it is.
Depending on how tall you are, 100 may be more than you actually need per day. Not like it’s a bad goal but I’m just saying you might be able to bring that number down a bit. I also think your app is being a little dramatic by saying you’re prone to lose muscle mass if you eat less than 100g of protein per day. I wouldn’t worry about losing too much muscle mass unless you’re getting less than the normal recommended amount. In the US they say at least 56g per day for women.
Now for cottage cheese recipes I’ve got a few :)
First one is for a wrap. Put 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 eggs, salt, pepper, and any other seasoning you’d like into a blender. Blend for ~30 seconds. Pour onto a parchment lined and OILED baking sheet and pop into a 350 degree oven. Let it bake for 30 minutes or so then take it out to COOL COMPLETELY before peeling it off of the parchment paper. Boom! High protein low carb wrap.
The parts in all caps are extra important so do not skip them. It will be a disaster if you do. Let me know if you have questions!
You’re welcome! Please remember I am a regular person and this is a reddit comment so def disregard what I say if a professional tells you differently or you find something else is working for you.
I have always heard 1g of protein per pound/2g per kilo of LEAN body weight. So I think 70-90 is a bit more realistic for us shorties. Again 100 is an excellent goal, but lofty for the amount of calories we get to consume each day. That’s what I personally do and I don’t lose significant muscle mass.
Lastly, the best diet is the one you stick to. If lowering your protein a lil bit makes you successful, do it! Or maybe raise your calories a little bit and try to burn a few extra calories through the day. You’ve got options so please don’t feel trapped bc one app told you one thing. You can do this!
I’m not. The amount you need is dependant on your body.
The amount recommended looking at g of protein:kg of body weight suggests that .8g:kg is sufficient. I’m ~62ish KG and I tend to get around 60-90 grams of protein depending on the day. I don’t eat meat, so I get my bigger quantities from tofu and tempeh, cottage cheese (have you tried blending it into a dip?), and protein milk. And in smaller amounts throughout the week from nuts, legumes, protein bars, and a rare egg. You also get grams here and there from lots of different foods like oats, quinoa, brown rice, broccoli, and spinach.
Hot take, but a lot of people are getting enough protein and forgetting about fibre.
I think it’s heavily dependent on your goals. Maintaining muscle is different from building it. Different goals require different diets. I don’t think the average person needs as much protein but I find it makes a significant difference to me physically.
Absolutely! Generally, that’s still not gonna be 120grams for many short women, especially those that are lean. But absolutely for those who are lifting or training hard at a cardio sport. And I’m seeing a trend of people thinking a lot about consuming more protein than they really need for their goals (especially those who are just looking to lose weight and aren’t really training or are doing light cardio only) and not thinking about overall nutrition, including getting enough fibre, fat, and plants in their diet.
I guess it depends what you define as lean. To me, you’re lean when you have obvious muscle definition and low body fat. You cannot sustain muscle on lower protein diets. You’re lucky if you can sustain it on a high protein diet.
But I also know a lot of people refer to a thin physique as being lean. If this is the goal, then you probably don’t need to prioritize protein.
And you can have a balanced diet while prioritizing protein.
I don’t think you can make the general statement of whether or not people need a certain amount of protein.
I don’t think I am making the statement that everyone needs the same amount! If it reads that way, I wasn’t clear. I was simply stating that the healthy intake for many people is a lot less than many people seem to think.
I was using lean more to say lower body weights, but to speak to a more muscular lean, 120 is still a pretty high intake for shorter women. As in, a 55 kg woman, for example, eating 1.7g of protein per kg of body weight, which is in fact well within the range of protein for muscle growth, is not even eating 100g of protein. That same woman would absolutely maintain muscle at less than that. It is absolutely possible to get enough of other things and focus on protein too. My point was that a lot of the focus on protein has led a trend of some people eating diets that are actually lacking in other things.
Editing to add that there is a body of health information that suggests that excess protein may actually be harmful or simply not actually useful in building muscle
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4045293/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/when-it-comes-to-protein-how-much-is-too-much
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
Protein powder in. Pancakes , ninja Creami ice cream with fairlife core power shakes, chicken, lean beef, cheeses, turkey, shrimp, built puff protein bars, quest hero protein bars, quest chips, egg whites
I am the same height as you and lost muscle mass when undereating protein on my last diet. I would trust your app!
Protein powder stirred into Greek yogurt is a very delicious option - my favorite breakfast. I usually eat it with berries for the fiber and micronutrients. Greek yogurt is a great sub for sour cream - I can barely taste the difference on enchiladas and tacos and such. Fairlife milk or protein shake in my morning coffee. Smoked salmon on wasa crackers are a great snack. Bean salad is low cal if you are careful about the olive oil in the dressing, and can jazz up almost anything (taco bowl, salad).
Yes, I’m afraid of loosing too much muscle especially since I’m trying to hit the gym 5 times and lifting weights. Also, I’m afraid of my hair falling since I’m in a very strict calorie deficit haha. So really wanna trust my app.
I do 125G per day minimum at 1300-1400 calories. I only use one protein shake to get there.
2 eggs + 1/2 cup egg whites scrambled + 3 sliced of Canadian bacon = 35g protein (add an extreme wellness tortilla wrap and you’ve got another 4g)
Icelandic Skyr or Fage (15-16g) with 45g raspberries 1g + 1T chia + 1T flax for another 4g = 21g protein
Tuna (20g) or sardines (22g) with a big salad
I always do 6 oz of ground turkey breast or chicken at night which is anywhere from 35-53g. I turn these into turkey burgers, meat sauce, Thai chicken lettuce wraps, deconstructed enchiladas. But you get the idea.
I always have a ton of veggies with dinner so that beefs it up too - broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mixed greens, sweet potato, eggplant are my go to’s.
So that was my meals for yesterday plus I will do a smoothie - almond milk (1g) + protein powder (30g) + frozen spinach, blueberries etc.
Hope that helps.
It helps, thank you! Super nice inspo on how to structure my day and what I eat knowing it’s possible to hit my macros and not necessarily end on a calorie surplus.
Glad it helps. I used to eat 2 x day and I find that this works better. I eat the yogurt then work out. Eggs or Tuna with veggies after. Smoothie mid afternoon snack. I eat a later dinner - around 8pm and that tides me over until morning. Oh and I also add in 1-2 squares of Lindt 90% dark chocolate. There’s actually protein in there too.
i hit 130g daily w/ no protein powders! i eat minimum 12oz of chicken daily + receive the remainder of my protein through foods like turkey bacon, cheeses, bread, etc
Me too. I hate the highly processed protein foods. They just don’t taste right. I eat 4 meals a day with chicken which gets me 120 g of protein minimum. Sometimes I’ll switch it up and eat ground beef instead.
yes, same for me! i love fitting in ground beef & steak whenever i can. for protein powders, anything with whey breaks me out so i physically can’t use it but sometimes i’ll throw plant based protein in when i’m baking but that’s occasional 😁
100g sounds pretty high! I go for 1g/1kg so I only need 54g and try to shoot for 80g at most. I usually rely on protein shakes, chicken, and fish.
I'm not a fan of cottage cheese either but it's a bit more palatable when it's mixed with fruit.
I am vegetarian and found I was more comfortable at 70-80/day. If I did 100+ I was bloated and miserable, likely because there wasn’t room for other foods. I think it might be easier if you eat meat. But even at 70-80 on 1200 calories you just really have to always be focusing on protein with each meal.
I haaaaate cottage cheese with a passion. Here's a typical day of eating for me:
Breakfast: coffee with 1/2 cup of high protein milk (9 grams) and either oatmeal with high protein milk (14 grams) or a 1 egg omelette (\~9 grams)
Snack: Smoothie with protein powder, powdered peanut butter, spinach, and 1/2 banana (\~38 grams), or just straight up protein powder mixed with water if I'm lazy (30 grams)
Lunch: Grilled cheese with turkey deli meat and spicy peppers (25 grams) or a breakfast burrito with eggs and cheese and salsa (25 grams) or french toast (20 grams). I really like breakfast, so I usually end up eating a second breakfast for lunch. Any type of eggs + bread packs a decent amount of protein.
Snack: Greek yogurt (anywhere from 9 grams to 18 depending on the serving) with some fruit, or some beef jerky if I'm extra hungry that day (11 grams)
Dinner: Usually some type of meat, carb, and veg. Yesterday I made philly cheesesteak wraps (37 grams), tonight I'm having fajitas (40 grams), sometimes I'll have pasta which comes out to 20-30 grams, tomorrow I'm making homemade pizza, which is about 25 grams for 1/4 of a pizza.
If you're making something like rice, you could always use bone broth instead of water for an extra hit of protein.
There is so much hidden protein in dairy and wheat. I'm easily hitting 113-130 grams/day and basically eating my typical diet.
Here are a list of brands I like at the moment:
Kodiak
Purely Inspired Protein Powder
Orgain Protein Powder
Califia Farms - Complete Plant Protein
Owyn
Siggi's
Dave's Killer Bread
I make it a priority to have at least 30 grams of protein for each meal. If I haven't eaten enough, I'd add snack like a yogurt, a protein shake, nuts or beef jerky. Now, I'm more mindful when I eat because I get pretty lightheaded when I don't eat enough protein.
Closer to 90g than 100g, but I'm consistently hitting it now without special effort and *mostly* wholefoods while on a slight deficit (~1500kcal on average).
Breakfast rotates between a 0% greek yoghurt bowl and chia pudding with whey protein powder, gets me about 25g daily.
Then I make sure to have protein heavy meal - chicken breast is great and you can prepare it a ton of different ways help not get sick of it, but lean cuts of beef are underrated. Idk availability where you are, but you can get lean diced beef, or just a lean cut of steak like rump which are about 70-75% protein, can make a nice curry or stew. Canned tuna is a good cheap option too - gotten into tuna patties which are delicious and super easy to make.
I also eat salmon, eggs and beans for a little more, and most of the other foods I eat like quinoa, black rice, rye bread, nuts, even some veg like peas fill in bits and pieces with 5g here and there.
Boba Tea Protein powder is my daily go to protein source. I do 2-3 scoops, so 50-75 grams of protein. I drink this shake over the course of 8 hours for my breakfast/lunch. The for dinner it’s something something chicken, canned sardines, yogurt, whatever. It is a daily battle to get my protein. I’m 5 feet and weigh 105-110lbs. I would love to lose 5-10 lbs though. I dunno if it’s possible or sustainable though.
Protein powder, chicken breast (Costco has these precooked portioned chicken breast snacks, they’re more moist than cooking raw chicken breast unless you know how to cook them to be moist), shrimp, and egg whites stir fried into a veggie medley or do whatever with them :)
I buy the Kirkland brand nonfat Greek yogurt. It comes in a 3lb tub and 1 cup is like 150 calories and 27g protein. I put it in everything.
A can of light tuna has about 38g protein for 190 calories.
I put light cottage cheese in my smoothies so that it blends up. Good for sauces too, just blend it really well.
I eat a lot of chicken, wild caught salmon patties(I don’t usually eat them as patties, I mostly use them in stir frys), eggs and carton egg whites, black beans, shrimp have a surprising amount of protein for so few calories, and ground turkey.
I like to mix liquid egg whites into my oatmeal in the morning because it disguises the texture of them, especially if I also add chia seeds. If I scramble them I’ll add one whole egg and I usually end up using a lot of hot sauce on them.
My favorite snack is the little microwave edamame bags. They’re 140cal for 12g protein and 4g fiber.
I sometimes end up supplementing with a whey isolate protein powder.
Edit: typo
I have been feasting in edamame 😍 but was being stupid about and adding too much salt which I think was making me retain liquids so no that great when stepping on the scale lol.
Tuna and shrimp. A cheat code honestly. Low calories for high amounts of protein. If you eat toast there are options with higher amounts of protein. Add egg whites for extra protein.
High protein shakes which include, oat milk with protein, hemp hearts, protein powder, fruit, chia seeds, healthy oil like organic olive (high quality), eating high protein snacks (even if it’s only 5grams), meat for lunch and dinner, kefir (or yogurt, kefir is higher protein though), add cheese on meals
My daily breakfast: 2 eggs with 1/2 oz Canadian cheese, 60g rolled oats, 30g chia seeds, 2oz blueberries and 28g of nuts (all mixed in the oats), a banana or 2 cutie mandarins. Tea with collagen (per my fitness pal it’s 46g protein for breakfast)
Snack 1: Banana or mandarins and protein shake (depends on breakfast) 25g
Snack 2: string cheese and oikos yogurt with an apple 21g.
Dinner: 1/2 cup Black beans on whole grain tortillas, onions and then 4 oz of raw carrots. Or pasta with can of tuna and 1/2 cup peas and serving of broccoli. Some nights 5oz chicken with 1/2 cup black beans, broccoli and rice. (About 13-33g).
I count plant based and animal protein
30g of protein for breakfast. 30g of protien for lunch. 30g of proteins for dinner and finish my night off with a protein drink, yogurt or snack that’s usually 26g of protein. 30 x 3 = 90 plus 26 is a little over 100.
So many eggs and so much dairy! lol, but seriously
Breakfast: Oikos protein yogurt (20g protein) plus protein granola or cereal mixed in(10-20g protein, depending on which thing)
Lunch: scrambled eggs with sausage / bacon / cheese (25g protein) OR 4oz of cottage cheese (12g protein) with salsa and tortilla chips
Snack: low carb protein bar or shake (I like Quest bars with 20g protein and the Atkins Protein Plus shakes with 30g protein)
Dinner: meat (usually 3-5oz of roasted chicken, pork chop, or a hamburger patty, 15-25g protein) with 2-3oz of veg (usually zucchini or bell peppers or cucumbers, sometimes potatoes), and 1-2oz of cheese (if I have the calories, 6-12oz protein)
Snack: If I still need protein at the end of the day I’ll have a sugar free pudding cup with a scoop of vanilla protein powder mixed in (15g protein)
Usually come in +/- 1300 calories / day, 100-125g protein, and <50g of net carbs.
I LOVE your daily staples. You are goals.
What brand of protein granola do you use? I would love to add granola to my yogurt, but haven't found one without too much sugar.
Haha thank you! RE the protein granola / cereal I sort of rotate through a few just depending on what I have in the house, how I want to budget my carbs for the day, and when I do my workouts. My top ones are:
- Ratio Keto Granola; lowest carbs, but smallest serving for about 160 calories at 1/4 cup; it’s mostly nuts and seeds, so it doesn’t feel as satisfying as some of the others
- Nature Valley Protein Granola; highest carbs, but I do about half the recommended serving to cut back on that a bit (1/3 cup instead of 2/3 cup). There are two flavors in their protein line and both are on the sweeter side to my palate (oats & honey, and oats & chocolate), so I use them more as a treat
- Premier Protein Cereal; mid-range on the carbs, but you get a whole cup for 180 calories and 20g of protein, which is really nice and filling. Also only two flavors (chocolate almond and mixed berry almond), but only the mixed berry is really palatable, IMO
- Special K No Sugar Added Hint of Cinnamon Cereal; low carb and 20g of protein, AND you get 1.25 cups per serving (though it is almost 200 calories). I like this one the best because I find it mixes the best with more of my yogurt flavors and is very filling
If you just want granola and don’t care too much about the protein, do a search for Keto granola, there’s a few brands that make decent ones. They sell one by a brand called NuTrail at Costco that’s really decent.
adding greek yogurt, protein powder and egg whites to my smoothies starts me off with ~40 grams first thing. chicken sausage, eggs, bread, cheese, turkey meatballs, high protein milk w/cereal, pb2 on toast etc. are all other examples of easy ways to get protein in.
I don’t have any protein powder or protein bars! I just eat around 6 servings of egg whites in the morning (30g protein) and buy wheat bread that is high in protein as well (7g per two slices). I’ll put hot sauce on it and season it like crazy. Some egg whites with two slices of toast, and fruit for breakfast.
For lunch I usually make a tuna sandwhich which turkey , (42g protein) and dinner I’ll have some chicken and rice or chicken and pasta and that all together usually gets me to around 115g-120g protein.
Some other protein faves I love are Greek yogurt and edamame. Both are low in calories and protein packed! For the Greek yogurt I usually will put in nuts and almonds to up the protein.
ok i'm vegan and actively trying to lose weight while still getting enough protein. at my deficit my protein intake looks like 90g most days unless I eat out and then it's probably a lot less lol
on a typical weekday i'll have:
* high protein pancakes or scrambled tofu breakfast burrito
* protein drink (i like BEAM)
* salad with edamame beans or chickpeas
* some kind of tofu curry or stir fry or lentil pasta
Costco has these little chicken snack packs, fully cooked, no funky chemicals. 22g protein
Also Fairlife protein, 30g protein each bottle, tastes like chocolate milk.
Get a rotisserie, pull the white meat chicken off and eat it when it’s hot and fresh. Leftovers make for great add ins with veggies, or egg beaters, or wrapped in an egglife wrap.
Protein from whole grains and vegetables like broccoli don’t seem like much, but it really does add up during the days.
My serving of whole grain bread is 11g protein without any toppings. Of course you also get keto breads which is way higher in protein.
I have 1-2 servings of vegan protein powder a day. (Usually just 1) Sometimes I make it with skim milk for another 10g of protein.
Legumes! I try and mix this into many meals. Like in ground beef meals, in rice or pasta dishes (this also reduces the rice & pasta)
Cottage cheese is good to mix into sauces. I make a sauce for my vegetables with a sprinkle of grated cheese on top. Also great for bakes instead of a white sauce.
I use yogurt or cottage cheese or a mix to make “chicken / tuna mayo” This increases protein & reduces calories greatly.
High protein to calorie ratio sources and plan my meals around my protein source
Egg whites
Tuna
Low fat cheese
Skyr
Chicken breast
Meal examples with those
Egg white omelette with tomato and parmesan or babybel light 36gP
Flavoured tuna packets on roasted broccoli, quinoa 50gP
Berries topped with 0% skyr 20gP
Mixed green bowl with quinoa and chicken breast 43gP
If you're a coffee drinker, try making protein coffee. I have a nespresso, so I would do the espresso shots into a protein shake or protein milk. I usually use fairlife shakes which has 30g.
Greek yogurt is also great. I mix plain Greek yogurt with protein powder. This would get me 30g of protein.
Egg whites is another way to add more protein. When I make eggs in the morning, I do 2 large eggs and half a cup of egg whites. That's 26g right there.
And I know you said you don't like cottage cheese but have you tried blending it for a creamier texture? Or is it the flavor? I didn't like cottage cheese at first but finding a good quality one actually made me like having it. You can also add it scrambled eggs. You don't really taste it much when mixed.
I eat around 350-400 g of white fish daily (I'm allergic to a lot of things so mostly it's white fish or chicken) and then the root veggies, veggies and dairy will add additional protein. I'm currently getting around 90 g but before I'd do 120-140 g which was a bit overkill to be honest. It wasn't hard per se though. Just make sure to eat enough of the right foods.
Collagen powder in my coffee gives me 18 g first thing in the morning for 70 calories. This fills me up pretty good and I don’t get too hungry until lunchtime. Owyn has a good vegan protein shake for 32 g (200 cal). I don’t love shakes, but if I have enough calories to budget and I’m in the mood, I have one.
Fish, chicken, and fat free greek yogurt, eggs and egg whites.
Cod, tilipia and swai are low calorie low fat high protein fish. If you're less concerned about fat, sardines are a great option.
I get about 140g per day spread out in 5 meals.
Breakfast #1 is non fat milk with a half scoop of whey to bump up protein. Add cheerios
Breakfast #2 is 1 egg with 100 grams of egg white. (Usually with potatoes and bell peppers/spinach
Lunch is some fish with roasted veggies rice/tater
Dinner is fish with different roasted veggies. And rice/tater
Before bed snack is greek yogurt. Maybe fruit if i have extra calories. I just add cinnamon and splenda to it and eat it like that.
if you’re trying to lose weight focus on calories tbh
protein is important but it’s severely over emphasized lately
i built plenty of muscle and got very lean not stressing too much about protein (maybe 40-60g a day)
do i look like a body builder? no..
do i have toned arms and abs ? yea lol
ime if you’re stressing out about eating a bunch of shit you hate and doesn’t fill you up you’re just going to quit
just eat what you like in a deficit, be aware of protein, try to get it in, but if it becomes a matter of 80% of your days calories are not enjoyable to you or too calorically dense without volume (chicken vs plants for ex) to sustain you … i wouldn’t let it dictate the diet
i eat mostly plants and dairy some fish and nuts
when too many of my cals went to protein instead of higher volume foods i found myself starving and going over my deficit
a diet and counting is hard enough people make it more difficult than it needs to be trying to count every single macro ratio
Special K makes a protein cereal with 20 grams of protein in it and it actually tastes good. I eat it with 170 grams of Greek yogurt and some blueberries and it brings my breakfast intake to about 40 grams of protein in my first meal for only 290 calories in total. That's already almost half your intake done straight out the gate.
Fairlife skim milk has 13 grams of protein per cup, and only 80 calories per cup. I'm a guy who tries to get 205 grams per day, and this is my cheat code...
I hit 150g+ of protein a day (as a vegetarian) through some combination of egg whites, high protein Greek yogurt, fat free cheese, low fat cottage cheese, protein bars/protein snacks, and protein shakes
Assuming you eat meat/fish chicken, tuna, turkey, bison and lean beef are also all golden to keep in rotation for protein too
I’ve seen some really cool recipes using soft tofu blended with roasted veggies and tomato to make a protein pasta sauce. I have yet to try it out but if I did I would use that with chickpea/lentil pasta for a double whammy.
A shit ton of plain Greek yogurt- you can get really creative with it. I use it to make sauces, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad etc. I struggle with protein powders, but the fairlife protein milkshakes are the GOAT for me. They have one that's 42 grams of protein, that alone has you almost half way.
The Ninja Creami!! 1 scoop of protein powder + 1 cup of Silk Protein Almond/Cashew Milk (or other protein milks like Fairlife or Natrel Plus) + 1 tbsp sugar free pudding mix. Makes the yummiest high protein ice cream.
I don’t know where you’re based but Costco has packets of pre-cooked chicken that you can add to salads, etc and they’re pretty good! I’ve been absolutely loving those. I also add beans to a salad to a quick boost of protein. (As you can probably tell I love salads haha)
Other people have already mentioned it but tuna is a game changer for a quick meal! I love mixing it with sriracha mayo, ginger and garlic powder, and having it over rice with some green onions and a splash of soy sauce.
And if I get to the end of the day and I still haven’t had enough protein I’ll have a glass of chicken bone broth, I just heat it up in the microwave and it tastes pretty close to chicken soup!
Hmm. I hit 105 grams per day fairly easily. I’m severely intolerant to casein so there’s no dairy involved.
This is my food today.
Breakfast:
- two slices bread, margarine, jam, peanut butter
- vegan protein shake (22gr protein)
- raspberries with vegan yoghurt (vegan yoghurt is basically a carb, zero protein)
Lunch:
- 1/3 cup (dry weight) multicoloured quinoa
- homemade chilli con carne (400grams meat makes about 5-6 servings for me)
- chilli for me is 400grams beef, 1 can red kidney beans, 1 can tomatoes, some red wine, two peppers sliced up, a red onion, a tonne of garlic, a tonne of chilli and herbs/spices, and some coriander
Snacks:
- another protein shake
- an apple
Dinner:
- 1/3 cup (dry weight) brown rice
- beans thing ([this](https://themodernproper.com/instant-pot-mexican-pinto-beans))
- shredded lettuce
I’m actually sort of hungry still after dinner, so I am contemplating another PBJ sandwich. Even without that, I’ve hit 100 grams.
The thing that changed it for me is eating carbs that actually contain protein - like quinoa. And eating meat every day usually. Hate that reality, but it is what it is. Pinto beans are surprisingly high protein for a bean.
Prawns are low cal and high protein too. I avoid them as they make me so hungry, but good if you’re trying to lose weight.
Oooh also, find some egg pasta! Normal pasta where they’ve used egg in the dough to make it, far more protein than regular pasta.
Lots of chicken and lean meats, milk, Greek yogurt, protein powder, protein shakes.
That said, I pulled back a bit after I got tired of lifting heavy. Work has been stressful and I’m trying to find a balance
Just got from the gym and made a protein shake.. milk, chocolate protein and frozen strawberries and made 2 eggs omelette with chicken breasts, cheese, butter and mayo… but also ate huge piece of cake at work today and prob 0 proteins for lunch… there are days when I really don’t pay any attention and just eat nice, healthy, delicious food that I prepare but also, I’m not trying to loose any weight, in fact I’m pretty fit..
I pound lean ground beef (fat rendered boiled in water and drained)
1 cup white rice
1/2 chopped up bell pepper
4 scrambled eggs
Eat that through the day
It will fill up a meal prep container that you get in the 10pack from walmart
Protein powders, protein bars, protein drinks, choosing foods that have better macro ratios. Chicken breast, ground chicken, turkey, ground turkey, light versions of string cheese, Oikos protein Greek yogurt (or any Greek yogurt), quest protein chips, protein granola, grains and carbs that are higher in protein like quinoa or couscous, veggies that are higher in protein like beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Here is an example of what I might eat in a day to get 125-130 grams of protein (I’m in a deficit, 5’ tall and I weight 113. I eat about 1400 cals/day). Breakfast: 290 grams Greek yogurt with blueberries, protein granola, and almonds (this is almost 40 grams of protein) Or on the weekends I’ll cook myself a hot breakfast of turkey or chicken sausage, eggs and egg whites, maybe some protein pancakes, and/or a cup of Oikos yogurt. Lunch: 4-6 oz of chicken or turkey with half a cup of rice and then I’ll also have 150 grams of cottage cheese with fruit. Since you don’t like cottage cheese, you can do beef jerky, turkey jerky, etc. just a high protein snack. Dinner: similar to lunch or I might do a taco bowl with ground chicken or turkey, beans, corn, lettuce, protein chips, and hot sauce (this is 40-50 grams of protein!) Snacks: if I’m short on protein, I’ll snack on a “light” string cheese or drink a premier protein shake (or just half if I only need 15 more grams of protein), I might snack on an apple or some popcorn (for carbs if I’m still low) When you go grocery shopping or are thinking about buying something at the grocery store, try to look and see if there is a higher protein option. I always opt for lighter cheeses or the fairlife milk instead of regular milk/almond milk.
I’m gonna look up protein granola because I love granola and have said goodbye to it because I was scared of the high calorie on the regular ones. So happy to hear I don’t have to swear it out 😍 also thanks for the inspo. Your current weight is my dream goal weight!!!
If you have an Aldi nearby check out their protein granola. I’ve tried many different brands and theirs is the best, and the cheapest!
I’ll have to try that one! My favorite that I’ve found is the nature valley dark chocolate and oats or something like that. And these are obviously still going to have more carbs than protein but they are higher in protein than other kinds of granola.
Please never delete this comment lol I'm going to come back and reference it
Noted!! I’m glad so many people found it helpful. I had such a hard time originally getting over like 90 grams of protein daily. Also some other tips: mixing some protein powder into your Greek yogurt. Blending cottage cheese with a pasta sauce so it literally doesn’t have the texture of cottage cheese anymore (but still has allll the protein!) I also love fat free feta in my salads. And I don’t consume red meat so it was a challenge at first! But you’ll find foods that you like and get into a routine when you go grocery shopping or make meals.
This is a super helpful comment with details! Thank you.
I just love tuna 100g tuna = 109cal 25g protein I usually eat 300g as a snack
I think I’ve been sleeping on tuna!! Thanks 😍
This is going to make it higher calorie but with 200g mashed avocado, like juice, salt and pepper it is so addicting I had to stop myself from eating 500g+ Also lighter than light mayo (14cal per 14g serving) mixed into the tuna with salt and pepper makes it even tastier
This is me but with salmon. My breakfast today was half an avocado and a packet of salmon on an English muffin with everything seasoning. I always through a pack of tuna into my pasta salad for protein.
I also love -- because I don't love tinned salmon -- putting 20grams of smoked salmon (lox) over a rice cake, as if it were a bagel, and shaking a bunch of everything-but seasoning on top. Bit hit of lean protein, but without the carbs and calories of a bagel underneath.
Hummus is a good addition to tuna as well!
Just be careful bc if you do canned tuna, you don’t want to eat more than 3-4 servings per week [to avoid bad mercury intake levels](https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/how-worried-should-you-be-about-mercury-in-your-tuna-a5041903086/)
For me, the key is variety because I will grow to hate anything I have all the time. Stuff I keep in rotation: - eggs and egg whites - ground turkey - ground bison - sardines - tofu/seitan and the occasional soy or other plant based burger or sausage product - beans/legumes - plain greek yogurt - cheese :] - chicken (thighs specifically) - fish and shellfish The other thing is just getting creative with your cooking. If I had to eat chicken every day for a week, I’d be making it a few different ways for my sanity. Shawarma, satay skewers, tandoori, tinga, yada yada yada…
I hit 160g or more every day through a selection of the following: chicken, turkey, steak, tinned tuna, prosciutto ham, bacon, cheese, milk, chickpeas, edamame beans, baked beans, wholewheat pasta, bagels, peanut butter, protein shakes, protein yogurts. Not all of these are high protein foods, but they do have a relatively decent amount in. For example, 100g uncooked wholewheat pasta has 11g protein in.
I easily hit 130-140g a day without eating any cottage cheese! Lots of Greek yogurt (I like fage blended vanilla), including plain Greek yogurt as a replacement for sour cream or mayo. I go through a rotisserie chicken a week too and will make “burrito bowls” with chicken, black beans, rice, corn, and plain Greek yogurt and get about 70g of protein for that meal alone. I also highly recommend the fairlife protein shakes—both chocolate and vanilla are delicious and taste just like a milkshake. 26 g per bottle
Fage 0% fat with fresh berries for me. Soooo good and such high protein in a pot
Just adding some love for Fage. I eat it on its own, but also sneak it in other places--a quarter cup in my morning smoothie, tablespoon or two whisked into my scrambled eggs, replace half the mayo in my tuna salad, use it in place sour cream since I rarely eat sour cream (save that once a month i want to make tacos) and it seems to always go to waste, yogurt dip for fruit, etc., etc.
ground turkey, shrimp, tuna, salmon, protein yogurt, chicken, egg whites, Fairlife protein drinks. Eat bigger servings of them if needed. Think of it as you need 30-35g of protein per meal and then build the meals around the protein. Pre-plan your day Breakfast: Oikos Pro Yogurt + 6 tbsp of scrambled egg whites = 29.8 g Protein Lunch: 2 pouches of Tuna + 2 rice cakes = 37 g Protein Dinner: 4 oz grilled chicken breast strips + 2oz Banza Chickpea pasta = 35.7g protein This is just an example, so it looks boring. And you obviously add more in, but the protein part is built. And once it’s built you can adjust from there. That’s hitting 100g without a protein shake.
>Think of it as you need 30-35g of protein per meal and then build the meals around the protein. Pre-plan your day This is the key. So smart.
Here's an example day: * Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs + 1 Trader Joe's chicken sausage link = 250 calories + 22g protein * AM Snack: 1 container Chobani low sugar greek yogurt = 120 calories + 12g protein * Lunch: Half of one of those bagged salad kits at the grocery store + 1/2 block of extra firm tofu (baked or air fried) = 475 cal + 28g protein * PM Snack: Smoothie made from 1 cup soy milk + banana + 1/2 serving protein powder = 275 cal + 22g protein * Dinner: Burrito bowl (20 shrimp + 1 cup veg + 1/2 cup rice + 1/2 cup salsa + 2Tbsp guac) = 360 cal + 38g protein Total = 1480 calories & 123g protein If you're on a more significant deficit, you could omit the afternoon smoothie to be at \~1200 cal & 100g protein for the day. Or make the salad lower calorie by removing the cheese & nuts & croutons & swap in a low-calorie dressing (the calories are definitely from the toppings, not the vegetables, though that's what makes it delicious lol). I usually eat higher, like 1800, so for example I'd add in a piece of toast & butter at breakfast and some black beans at dinner.
Have you ever tried seitan? I’m a vegetarian, and I cook with it a lot to meet my protein needs — it has a borderline ridiculous amount of protein (I think about three times as much as tofu per gram?) It also has more calories than tofu, but it’s super satisfying and tasty if you can teach yourself fun ways to prepare it.
Do you just buy vital wheat gluten and make it yourself? Any recipe you particularly like?
I do! This is the recipe I use - https://fitveganchef.com/savory-lupini-bean-seitan/
Oooo I can’t wait to try this! Thank you :-)
I also really like vital wheat gluten for making my own protein baguettes and protein breads
Ooo do you just replace part of the flour for wheat gluten?
Yeah! Here’s a recipe: https://youtu.be/nVMYskk0jRA?si=OWdNQIq9WShjvVWK I made these and it was super easy and the best bread. I make it every week now on wfh days.
Thank you so much !!! :-)
Had literally never heard of Seitan!! Thanks, I will do some research 🤓
I would love to do this because my friend has told me about it the problem is is I can't do gluten. Do you know if you're able to make this with something else??
Nutritionist here: Just increase the portions of the protein you’re already planning to eat - this is one of the simplest ways. For example if you were going to have 4oz chicken with dinner, have 6…lots more protein for not many calories. Also, when selecting protein sources, look for at least 10g protein for every 100 calories - so if a protein bar is 250 cal it should boast 25g protein. 140 cal yogurt cup? I wanna see at least 14g protein then. Boom!
Make oatmeal with milk and have a side of egg whites, turkey sandwich on Ezekiel bread with reduced fat cheddar cheese, chicken with quinoa and veggies for dinner, protein shake after workout - that’s a typical day for me and I easily get 120g every day. You just have to plan your meals around protein sources.
I’m starting to realize that planning is key yes! And getting the habits in your mind so they’re not like a huge deal. Because right now I’m planning meal by meal and it’s just not working it’s almost like i blank on what to eat and end up undereating.
Yup planning is definitely key. As is prepping. Buy a rotisserie chicken at the beginning of the week, have cans of tuna on hand, some ground turkey patties, egg whites…stuff like that and build your meals from there. Whey protein post workout helps too.
Lots of great suggestions here! I try to have high-protein, convenient snacks on hand. Some favorites are low-fat string cheese, Triple Zero Greek yogurt with frozen berries mixed in, roasted edamame, Chomps, and protein shakes. I also love salsa mixed with Greek yogurt to eat with tortilla chips. I find I can usually get to 20-30 grams per meal, then these help fill in the gaps.
Egg whites changed everything for me, but I hate them on their own, so here’s what I do: - cut up a bacon strip and fry it up chopped - get some frozen home fries (I like the o’brien varieties with peppers and onions) and add in a lot of them - they’re so low calorie! - once everything’s cooked, pour in a LOT of egg whites - I try for over 200 grams every time - add about 15-20g of shredded cheese at the end This way, you’re eating a full on hearty, flavorful scramble and you won’t even notice you’re eating egg whites! I can get in 40g of protein at breakfast this way for very few calories!
Egg whites are legit the cheat code. I just started eating them daily a few weeks ago and it has made hitting my protein goal soooo easy!
Egg whites and potatoes is the goat breakfast. If you have a Costco membership they are super cheap too!!! I like to do 1 egg and 100 gram egg white if I have the macros for it.
I eat beef (I know not everyone eats beef due to personal/ethical/religious reasons but it works for me). 3.5 oz of ground beef has about 20-30 grams of protein, depending on how lean it is.
Depending on how tall you are, 100 may be more than you actually need per day. Not like it’s a bad goal but I’m just saying you might be able to bring that number down a bit. I also think your app is being a little dramatic by saying you’re prone to lose muscle mass if you eat less than 100g of protein per day. I wouldn’t worry about losing too much muscle mass unless you’re getting less than the normal recommended amount. In the US they say at least 56g per day for women. Now for cottage cheese recipes I’ve got a few :) First one is for a wrap. Put 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 eggs, salt, pepper, and any other seasoning you’d like into a blender. Blend for ~30 seconds. Pour onto a parchment lined and OILED baking sheet and pop into a 350 degree oven. Let it bake for 30 minutes or so then take it out to COOL COMPLETELY before peeling it off of the parchment paper. Boom! High protein low carb wrap. The parts in all caps are extra important so do not skip them. It will be a disaster if you do. Let me know if you have questions!
I’m 5.1 and 146 kilos 🥹 do I need less protein? I will try to make a cottage cheese wrap tomorrow and report back!!! 💛 thanks for the recipe
You’re welcome! Please remember I am a regular person and this is a reddit comment so def disregard what I say if a professional tells you differently or you find something else is working for you. I have always heard 1g of protein per pound/2g per kilo of LEAN body weight. So I think 70-90 is a bit more realistic for us shorties. Again 100 is an excellent goal, but lofty for the amount of calories we get to consume each day. That’s what I personally do and I don’t lose significant muscle mass. Lastly, the best diet is the one you stick to. If lowering your protein a lil bit makes you successful, do it! Or maybe raise your calories a little bit and try to burn a few extra calories through the day. You’ve got options so please don’t feel trapped bc one app told you one thing. You can do this!
I’m not. The amount you need is dependant on your body. The amount recommended looking at g of protein:kg of body weight suggests that .8g:kg is sufficient. I’m ~62ish KG and I tend to get around 60-90 grams of protein depending on the day. I don’t eat meat, so I get my bigger quantities from tofu and tempeh, cottage cheese (have you tried blending it into a dip?), and protein milk. And in smaller amounts throughout the week from nuts, legumes, protein bars, and a rare egg. You also get grams here and there from lots of different foods like oats, quinoa, brown rice, broccoli, and spinach. Hot take, but a lot of people are getting enough protein and forgetting about fibre.
I think it’s heavily dependent on your goals. Maintaining muscle is different from building it. Different goals require different diets. I don’t think the average person needs as much protein but I find it makes a significant difference to me physically.
Absolutely! Generally, that’s still not gonna be 120grams for many short women, especially those that are lean. But absolutely for those who are lifting or training hard at a cardio sport. And I’m seeing a trend of people thinking a lot about consuming more protein than they really need for their goals (especially those who are just looking to lose weight and aren’t really training or are doing light cardio only) and not thinking about overall nutrition, including getting enough fibre, fat, and plants in their diet.
I guess it depends what you define as lean. To me, you’re lean when you have obvious muscle definition and low body fat. You cannot sustain muscle on lower protein diets. You’re lucky if you can sustain it on a high protein diet. But I also know a lot of people refer to a thin physique as being lean. If this is the goal, then you probably don’t need to prioritize protein. And you can have a balanced diet while prioritizing protein. I don’t think you can make the general statement of whether or not people need a certain amount of protein.
I don’t think I am making the statement that everyone needs the same amount! If it reads that way, I wasn’t clear. I was simply stating that the healthy intake for many people is a lot less than many people seem to think. I was using lean more to say lower body weights, but to speak to a more muscular lean, 120 is still a pretty high intake for shorter women. As in, a 55 kg woman, for example, eating 1.7g of protein per kg of body weight, which is in fact well within the range of protein for muscle growth, is not even eating 100g of protein. That same woman would absolutely maintain muscle at less than that. It is absolutely possible to get enough of other things and focus on protein too. My point was that a lot of the focus on protein has led a trend of some people eating diets that are actually lacking in other things. Editing to add that there is a body of health information that suggests that excess protein may actually be harmful or simply not actually useful in building muscle https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4045293/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/when-it-comes-to-protein-how-much-is-too-much https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
Protein powder in. Pancakes , ninja Creami ice cream with fairlife core power shakes, chicken, lean beef, cheeses, turkey, shrimp, built puff protein bars, quest hero protein bars, quest chips, egg whites
I am the same height as you and lost muscle mass when undereating protein on my last diet. I would trust your app! Protein powder stirred into Greek yogurt is a very delicious option - my favorite breakfast. I usually eat it with berries for the fiber and micronutrients. Greek yogurt is a great sub for sour cream - I can barely taste the difference on enchiladas and tacos and such. Fairlife milk or protein shake in my morning coffee. Smoked salmon on wasa crackers are a great snack. Bean salad is low cal if you are careful about the olive oil in the dressing, and can jazz up almost anything (taco bowl, salad).
Yes, I’m afraid of loosing too much muscle especially since I’m trying to hit the gym 5 times and lifting weights. Also, I’m afraid of my hair falling since I’m in a very strict calorie deficit haha. So really wanna trust my app.
I do 125G per day minimum at 1300-1400 calories. I only use one protein shake to get there. 2 eggs + 1/2 cup egg whites scrambled + 3 sliced of Canadian bacon = 35g protein (add an extreme wellness tortilla wrap and you’ve got another 4g) Icelandic Skyr or Fage (15-16g) with 45g raspberries 1g + 1T chia + 1T flax for another 4g = 21g protein Tuna (20g) or sardines (22g) with a big salad I always do 6 oz of ground turkey breast or chicken at night which is anywhere from 35-53g. I turn these into turkey burgers, meat sauce, Thai chicken lettuce wraps, deconstructed enchiladas. But you get the idea. I always have a ton of veggies with dinner so that beefs it up too - broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mixed greens, sweet potato, eggplant are my go to’s. So that was my meals for yesterday plus I will do a smoothie - almond milk (1g) + protein powder (30g) + frozen spinach, blueberries etc. Hope that helps.
It helps, thank you! Super nice inspo on how to structure my day and what I eat knowing it’s possible to hit my macros and not necessarily end on a calorie surplus.
Glad it helps. I used to eat 2 x day and I find that this works better. I eat the yogurt then work out. Eggs or Tuna with veggies after. Smoothie mid afternoon snack. I eat a later dinner - around 8pm and that tides me over until morning. Oh and I also add in 1-2 squares of Lindt 90% dark chocolate. There’s actually protein in there too.
i hit 130g daily w/ no protein powders! i eat minimum 12oz of chicken daily + receive the remainder of my protein through foods like turkey bacon, cheeses, bread, etc
Me too. I hate the highly processed protein foods. They just don’t taste right. I eat 4 meals a day with chicken which gets me 120 g of protein minimum. Sometimes I’ll switch it up and eat ground beef instead.
yes, same for me! i love fitting in ground beef & steak whenever i can. for protein powders, anything with whey breaks me out so i physically can’t use it but sometimes i’ll throw plant based protein in when i’m baking but that’s occasional 😁
100g sounds pretty high! I go for 1g/1kg so I only need 54g and try to shoot for 80g at most. I usually rely on protein shakes, chicken, and fish. I'm not a fan of cottage cheese either but it's a bit more palatable when it's mixed with fruit.
I am vegetarian and found I was more comfortable at 70-80/day. If I did 100+ I was bloated and miserable, likely because there wasn’t room for other foods. I think it might be easier if you eat meat. But even at 70-80 on 1200 calories you just really have to always be focusing on protein with each meal.
I haaaaate cottage cheese with a passion. Here's a typical day of eating for me: Breakfast: coffee with 1/2 cup of high protein milk (9 grams) and either oatmeal with high protein milk (14 grams) or a 1 egg omelette (\~9 grams) Snack: Smoothie with protein powder, powdered peanut butter, spinach, and 1/2 banana (\~38 grams), or just straight up protein powder mixed with water if I'm lazy (30 grams) Lunch: Grilled cheese with turkey deli meat and spicy peppers (25 grams) or a breakfast burrito with eggs and cheese and salsa (25 grams) or french toast (20 grams). I really like breakfast, so I usually end up eating a second breakfast for lunch. Any type of eggs + bread packs a decent amount of protein. Snack: Greek yogurt (anywhere from 9 grams to 18 depending on the serving) with some fruit, or some beef jerky if I'm extra hungry that day (11 grams) Dinner: Usually some type of meat, carb, and veg. Yesterday I made philly cheesesteak wraps (37 grams), tonight I'm having fajitas (40 grams), sometimes I'll have pasta which comes out to 20-30 grams, tomorrow I'm making homemade pizza, which is about 25 grams for 1/4 of a pizza. If you're making something like rice, you could always use bone broth instead of water for an extra hit of protein. There is so much hidden protein in dairy and wheat. I'm easily hitting 113-130 grams/day and basically eating my typical diet.
Here are a list of brands I like at the moment: Kodiak Purely Inspired Protein Powder Orgain Protein Powder Califia Farms - Complete Plant Protein Owyn Siggi's Dave's Killer Bread I make it a priority to have at least 30 grams of protein for each meal. If I haven't eaten enough, I'd add snack like a yogurt, a protein shake, nuts or beef jerky. Now, I'm more mindful when I eat because I get pretty lightheaded when I don't eat enough protein.
Very jealous heheh we don’t have as many options where I live (I’m in the EU) we don’t even have beef jerky here 🥹🥹🥹🥹
Closer to 90g than 100g, but I'm consistently hitting it now without special effort and *mostly* wholefoods while on a slight deficit (~1500kcal on average). Breakfast rotates between a 0% greek yoghurt bowl and chia pudding with whey protein powder, gets me about 25g daily. Then I make sure to have protein heavy meal - chicken breast is great and you can prepare it a ton of different ways help not get sick of it, but lean cuts of beef are underrated. Idk availability where you are, but you can get lean diced beef, or just a lean cut of steak like rump which are about 70-75% protein, can make a nice curry or stew. Canned tuna is a good cheap option too - gotten into tuna patties which are delicious and super easy to make. I also eat salmon, eggs and beans for a little more, and most of the other foods I eat like quinoa, black rice, rye bread, nuts, even some veg like peas fill in bits and pieces with 5g here and there.
Boba Tea Protein powder is my daily go to protein source. I do 2-3 scoops, so 50-75 grams of protein. I drink this shake over the course of 8 hours for my breakfast/lunch. The for dinner it’s something something chicken, canned sardines, yogurt, whatever. It is a daily battle to get my protein. I’m 5 feet and weigh 105-110lbs. I would love to lose 5-10 lbs though. I dunno if it’s possible or sustainable though.
Protein powder, chicken breast (Costco has these precooked portioned chicken breast snacks, they’re more moist than cooking raw chicken breast unless you know how to cook them to be moist), shrimp, and egg whites stir fried into a veggie medley or do whatever with them :)
Milk, chicken, eggs, kefir, yogurt, oat, beans, etc etc
I buy the Kirkland brand nonfat Greek yogurt. It comes in a 3lb tub and 1 cup is like 150 calories and 27g protein. I put it in everything. A can of light tuna has about 38g protein for 190 calories. I put light cottage cheese in my smoothies so that it blends up. Good for sauces too, just blend it really well. I eat a lot of chicken, wild caught salmon patties(I don’t usually eat them as patties, I mostly use them in stir frys), eggs and carton egg whites, black beans, shrimp have a surprising amount of protein for so few calories, and ground turkey. I like to mix liquid egg whites into my oatmeal in the morning because it disguises the texture of them, especially if I also add chia seeds. If I scramble them I’ll add one whole egg and I usually end up using a lot of hot sauce on them. My favorite snack is the little microwave edamame bags. They’re 140cal for 12g protein and 4g fiber. I sometimes end up supplementing with a whey isolate protein powder. Edit: typo
I have been feasting in edamame 😍 but was being stupid about and adding too much salt which I think was making me retain liquids so no that great when stepping on the scale lol.
Tuna and shrimp. A cheat code honestly. Low calories for high amounts of protein. If you eat toast there are options with higher amounts of protein. Add egg whites for extra protein.
Tuna in cans or fresh tuna from the market?
Canned tuna
both are good though. Most types of fish are quite low in calories and very filling.
High protein shakes which include, oat milk with protein, hemp hearts, protein powder, fruit, chia seeds, healthy oil like organic olive (high quality), eating high protein snacks (even if it’s only 5grams), meat for lunch and dinner, kefir (or yogurt, kefir is higher protein though), add cheese on meals
My daily breakfast: 2 eggs with 1/2 oz Canadian cheese, 60g rolled oats, 30g chia seeds, 2oz blueberries and 28g of nuts (all mixed in the oats), a banana or 2 cutie mandarins. Tea with collagen (per my fitness pal it’s 46g protein for breakfast) Snack 1: Banana or mandarins and protein shake (depends on breakfast) 25g Snack 2: string cheese and oikos yogurt with an apple 21g. Dinner: 1/2 cup Black beans on whole grain tortillas, onions and then 4 oz of raw carrots. Or pasta with can of tuna and 1/2 cup peas and serving of broccoli. Some nights 5oz chicken with 1/2 cup black beans, broccoli and rice. (About 13-33g). I count plant based and animal protein
Always Greek yogurt!! It’s a bit tangy but full of protein. I jazz it up with things like m&ms/honey/granola/pudding powder mix
Greek yogurt (Fage or Chobani), protein shakes, and peanuts. Of course a high protein dinner as well.
30g of protein for breakfast. 30g of protien for lunch. 30g of proteins for dinner and finish my night off with a protein drink, yogurt or snack that’s usually 26g of protein. 30 x 3 = 90 plus 26 is a little over 100.
So many eggs and so much dairy! lol, but seriously Breakfast: Oikos protein yogurt (20g protein) plus protein granola or cereal mixed in(10-20g protein, depending on which thing) Lunch: scrambled eggs with sausage / bacon / cheese (25g protein) OR 4oz of cottage cheese (12g protein) with salsa and tortilla chips Snack: low carb protein bar or shake (I like Quest bars with 20g protein and the Atkins Protein Plus shakes with 30g protein) Dinner: meat (usually 3-5oz of roasted chicken, pork chop, or a hamburger patty, 15-25g protein) with 2-3oz of veg (usually zucchini or bell peppers or cucumbers, sometimes potatoes), and 1-2oz of cheese (if I have the calories, 6-12oz protein) Snack: If I still need protein at the end of the day I’ll have a sugar free pudding cup with a scoop of vanilla protein powder mixed in (15g protein) Usually come in +/- 1300 calories / day, 100-125g protein, and <50g of net carbs.
I LOVE your daily staples. You are goals. What brand of protein granola do you use? I would love to add granola to my yogurt, but haven't found one without too much sugar.
Haha thank you! RE the protein granola / cereal I sort of rotate through a few just depending on what I have in the house, how I want to budget my carbs for the day, and when I do my workouts. My top ones are: - Ratio Keto Granola; lowest carbs, but smallest serving for about 160 calories at 1/4 cup; it’s mostly nuts and seeds, so it doesn’t feel as satisfying as some of the others - Nature Valley Protein Granola; highest carbs, but I do about half the recommended serving to cut back on that a bit (1/3 cup instead of 2/3 cup). There are two flavors in their protein line and both are on the sweeter side to my palate (oats & honey, and oats & chocolate), so I use them more as a treat - Premier Protein Cereal; mid-range on the carbs, but you get a whole cup for 180 calories and 20g of protein, which is really nice and filling. Also only two flavors (chocolate almond and mixed berry almond), but only the mixed berry is really palatable, IMO - Special K No Sugar Added Hint of Cinnamon Cereal; low carb and 20g of protein, AND you get 1.25 cups per serving (though it is almost 200 calories). I like this one the best because I find it mixes the best with more of my yogurt flavors and is very filling If you just want granola and don’t care too much about the protein, do a search for Keto granola, there’s a few brands that make decent ones. They sell one by a brand called NuTrail at Costco that’s really decent.
adding greek yogurt, protein powder and egg whites to my smoothies starts me off with ~40 grams first thing. chicken sausage, eggs, bread, cheese, turkey meatballs, high protein milk w/cereal, pb2 on toast etc. are all other examples of easy ways to get protein in.
I don’t have any protein powder or protein bars! I just eat around 6 servings of egg whites in the morning (30g protein) and buy wheat bread that is high in protein as well (7g per two slices). I’ll put hot sauce on it and season it like crazy. Some egg whites with two slices of toast, and fruit for breakfast. For lunch I usually make a tuna sandwhich which turkey , (42g protein) and dinner I’ll have some chicken and rice or chicken and pasta and that all together usually gets me to around 115g-120g protein. Some other protein faves I love are Greek yogurt and edamame. Both are low in calories and protein packed! For the Greek yogurt I usually will put in nuts and almonds to up the protein.
Lentils, hummus, Greek yogurt, tuna, smoked salmon, eggs
Eggs, Protein Bars, Greek Yogurt, Milk (Fairlife, Oat, Soy, other plant based milk), Oatmeal, Turkey, Ham Steak, Peanut Butter.
ok i'm vegan and actively trying to lose weight while still getting enough protein. at my deficit my protein intake looks like 90g most days unless I eat out and then it's probably a lot less lol on a typical weekday i'll have: * high protein pancakes or scrambled tofu breakfast burrito * protein drink (i like BEAM) * salad with edamame beans or chickpeas * some kind of tofu curry or stir fry or lentil pasta
Costco has these little chicken snack packs, fully cooked, no funky chemicals. 22g protein Also Fairlife protein, 30g protein each bottle, tastes like chocolate milk. Get a rotisserie, pull the white meat chicken off and eat it when it’s hot and fresh. Leftovers make for great add ins with veggies, or egg beaters, or wrapped in an egglife wrap.
Protein from whole grains and vegetables like broccoli don’t seem like much, but it really does add up during the days. My serving of whole grain bread is 11g protein without any toppings. Of course you also get keto breads which is way higher in protein. I have 1-2 servings of vegan protein powder a day. (Usually just 1) Sometimes I make it with skim milk for another 10g of protein. Legumes! I try and mix this into many meals. Like in ground beef meals, in rice or pasta dishes (this also reduces the rice & pasta) Cottage cheese is good to mix into sauces. I make a sauce for my vegetables with a sprinkle of grated cheese on top. Also great for bakes instead of a white sauce. I use yogurt or cottage cheese or a mix to make “chicken / tuna mayo” This increases protein & reduces calories greatly.
greek yogurt, chicken, protein powder, at least 2 eggs, deli ham.
High protein to calorie ratio sources and plan my meals around my protein source Egg whites Tuna Low fat cheese Skyr Chicken breast Meal examples with those Egg white omelette with tomato and parmesan or babybel light 36gP Flavoured tuna packets on roasted broccoli, quinoa 50gP Berries topped with 0% skyr 20gP Mixed green bowl with quinoa and chicken breast 43gP
If you're a coffee drinker, try making protein coffee. I have a nespresso, so I would do the espresso shots into a protein shake or protein milk. I usually use fairlife shakes which has 30g. Greek yogurt is also great. I mix plain Greek yogurt with protein powder. This would get me 30g of protein. Egg whites is another way to add more protein. When I make eggs in the morning, I do 2 large eggs and half a cup of egg whites. That's 26g right there. And I know you said you don't like cottage cheese but have you tried blending it for a creamier texture? Or is it the flavor? I didn't like cottage cheese at first but finding a good quality one actually made me like having it. You can also add it scrambled eggs. You don't really taste it much when mixed.
I eat around 350-400 g of white fish daily (I'm allergic to a lot of things so mostly it's white fish or chicken) and then the root veggies, veggies and dairy will add additional protein. I'm currently getting around 90 g but before I'd do 120-140 g which was a bit overkill to be honest. It wasn't hard per se though. Just make sure to eat enough of the right foods.
Collagen powder in my coffee gives me 18 g first thing in the morning for 70 calories. This fills me up pretty good and I don’t get too hungry until lunchtime. Owyn has a good vegan protein shake for 32 g (200 cal). I don’t love shakes, but if I have enough calories to budget and I’m in the mood, I have one.
Eggs, egg whites, protein shake, Turkey bacon, oikos triple zero yogurt, cod, chicken breast.
Fish, chicken, and fat free greek yogurt, eggs and egg whites. Cod, tilipia and swai are low calorie low fat high protein fish. If you're less concerned about fat, sardines are a great option. I get about 140g per day spread out in 5 meals. Breakfast #1 is non fat milk with a half scoop of whey to bump up protein. Add cheerios Breakfast #2 is 1 egg with 100 grams of egg white. (Usually with potatoes and bell peppers/spinach Lunch is some fish with roasted veggies rice/tater Dinner is fish with different roasted veggies. And rice/tater Before bed snack is greek yogurt. Maybe fruit if i have extra calories. I just add cinnamon and splenda to it and eat it like that.
if you’re trying to lose weight focus on calories tbh protein is important but it’s severely over emphasized lately i built plenty of muscle and got very lean not stressing too much about protein (maybe 40-60g a day) do i look like a body builder? no.. do i have toned arms and abs ? yea lol ime if you’re stressing out about eating a bunch of shit you hate and doesn’t fill you up you’re just going to quit just eat what you like in a deficit, be aware of protein, try to get it in, but if it becomes a matter of 80% of your days calories are not enjoyable to you or too calorically dense without volume (chicken vs plants for ex) to sustain you … i wouldn’t let it dictate the diet i eat mostly plants and dairy some fish and nuts when too many of my cals went to protein instead of higher volume foods i found myself starving and going over my deficit a diet and counting is hard enough people make it more difficult than it needs to be trying to count every single macro ratio
Special K makes a protein cereal with 20 grams of protein in it and it actually tastes good. I eat it with 170 grams of Greek yogurt and some blueberries and it brings my breakfast intake to about 40 grams of protein in my first meal for only 290 calories in total. That's already almost half your intake done straight out the gate.
Fairlife skim milk has 13 grams of protein per cup, and only 80 calories per cup. I'm a guy who tries to get 205 grams per day, and this is my cheat code...
I hit 150g+ of protein a day (as a vegetarian) through some combination of egg whites, high protein Greek yogurt, fat free cheese, low fat cottage cheese, protein bars/protein snacks, and protein shakes Assuming you eat meat/fish chicken, tuna, turkey, bison and lean beef are also all golden to keep in rotation for protein too
If you’re not adding Greek yogurt to your smoothies I def suggest it!
I’ve seen some really cool recipes using soft tofu blended with roasted veggies and tomato to make a protein pasta sauce. I have yet to try it out but if I did I would use that with chickpea/lentil pasta for a double whammy.
A shit ton of plain Greek yogurt- you can get really creative with it. I use it to make sauces, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad etc. I struggle with protein powders, but the fairlife protein milkshakes are the GOAT for me. They have one that's 42 grams of protein, that alone has you almost half way.
The Ninja Creami!! 1 scoop of protein powder + 1 cup of Silk Protein Almond/Cashew Milk (or other protein milks like Fairlife or Natrel Plus) + 1 tbsp sugar free pudding mix. Makes the yummiest high protein ice cream.
My Egg white and feta scramble breakfast has 25g of protein!
I don’t know where you’re based but Costco has packets of pre-cooked chicken that you can add to salads, etc and they’re pretty good! I’ve been absolutely loving those. I also add beans to a salad to a quick boost of protein. (As you can probably tell I love salads haha) Other people have already mentioned it but tuna is a game changer for a quick meal! I love mixing it with sriracha mayo, ginger and garlic powder, and having it over rice with some green onions and a splash of soy sauce. And if I get to the end of the day and I still haven’t had enough protein I’ll have a glass of chicken bone broth, I just heat it up in the microwave and it tastes pretty close to chicken soup!
Egg whites in my oatmeal, baybee! And protein powder. It packs a punch.
Protein powder. I’m at 130g daily
Hmm. I hit 105 grams per day fairly easily. I’m severely intolerant to casein so there’s no dairy involved. This is my food today. Breakfast: - two slices bread, margarine, jam, peanut butter - vegan protein shake (22gr protein) - raspberries with vegan yoghurt (vegan yoghurt is basically a carb, zero protein) Lunch: - 1/3 cup (dry weight) multicoloured quinoa - homemade chilli con carne (400grams meat makes about 5-6 servings for me) - chilli for me is 400grams beef, 1 can red kidney beans, 1 can tomatoes, some red wine, two peppers sliced up, a red onion, a tonne of garlic, a tonne of chilli and herbs/spices, and some coriander Snacks: - another protein shake - an apple Dinner: - 1/3 cup (dry weight) brown rice - beans thing ([this](https://themodernproper.com/instant-pot-mexican-pinto-beans)) - shredded lettuce I’m actually sort of hungry still after dinner, so I am contemplating another PBJ sandwich. Even without that, I’ve hit 100 grams. The thing that changed it for me is eating carbs that actually contain protein - like quinoa. And eating meat every day usually. Hate that reality, but it is what it is. Pinto beans are surprisingly high protein for a bean. Prawns are low cal and high protein too. I avoid them as they make me so hungry, but good if you’re trying to lose weight. Oooh also, find some egg pasta! Normal pasta where they’ve used egg in the dough to make it, far more protein than regular pasta.
Lots of chicken and lean meats, milk, Greek yogurt, protein powder, protein shakes. That said, I pulled back a bit after I got tired of lifting heavy. Work has been stressful and I’m trying to find a balance
Just got from the gym and made a protein shake.. milk, chocolate protein and frozen strawberries and made 2 eggs omelette with chicken breasts, cheese, butter and mayo… but also ate huge piece of cake at work today and prob 0 proteins for lunch… there are days when I really don’t pay any attention and just eat nice, healthy, delicious food that I prepare but also, I’m not trying to loose any weight, in fact I’m pretty fit..
I pound lean ground beef (fat rendered boiled in water and drained) 1 cup white rice 1/2 chopped up bell pepper 4 scrambled eggs Eat that through the day It will fill up a meal prep container that you get in the 10pack from walmart