How do y’all eat so much protein?

[kim2116]

I’m supposed to be at 135g a day, and I can’t seem to swing more than 75-80, and that takes work. Is it possible without protein powder? Or is that the go-to?

Part of the challenge might be that I’m a vegetarian-leaning pescatarian, so that might be part of the challenge, but I really can’t fathom how people pull this off without having an almost-all-meat-diet.

Also, does hitting the 135g mark really matter that much? I certainly don’t feel protein deficient. I only got into lifting in January — I was mostly an endurance athlete before that — so maybe it’s just a mental switch.

 

[cg23]

@kim2116 I just supplement with whey. 50g twice a day and rest is whatever.

 

[ttowngirl]

@kim2116 1 Greek oikos yogurt 15g protein

2 pint glasses of fairlife milk 26g each, 54g total protein

8 oz chicken breast for dinner 70g protein

=139g protein

-Insert rest of day of food-

Since you’re pescatarian swap with chicken with lean fish

 

[aub]

@ttowngirl Mixing some whey into Greek Yogurt is the ultimate cheat code (fruit flavour whey isolate basically makes it into a fruit yogurt)

 

[blucrane]

@aub We get Ratio Protein Yogurt in Publix which is essentially yogurt with added whey protein in it, 25g protein per yogurt box and tastes like icecream, has really helped me with filling up the gaps.

 

[mihailolt]

@kim2116 The 135g mark isn’t a magic number for everyone, it’s dependent on your activity type, goals, and lean body mass. I’m 190lbs and 11%ish body fat, lift 5 days a week, and 130g is my daily target. If you have less lean mass than this you’d likely need less than 135g.

That said, I am a low meat eater, I get my protein through dried edamames, sunflower nuts, pumpkin seeds, mixed nuts, cheese, and greek yogurt mainly. I do supplement with a protein shake 2-3 days a week when I won’t be getting protein from Greek yogurt or meat.

 

[mthandeki]

@kim2116 In my (limited) experience, as long as your diet is balanced & healthy and you eat at a caloric surplus, you’ll put on muscle until you reach a plateau. Once you feel like you’re not getting stronger as fast as you want, look to adding protein.

Bodies are different - there’s no need to follow all the intake recommendations to a T if you are feeling good and building strength

But if you want good sources of vegetarian protein - Greek yogurt and Cottage cheese are my go-to’s.

 

[kim2116]

@mthandeki This was sort of what I suspected, so it’s good to hear! I’m not at a plateau, so maybe it’s a “good for now, get protein shakes when one starts” kinda thing.

Also, seconding the Greek yogurt love. I wish I could do cottage cheese, but I can’t. Texture.

 

[aireland1000]

@kim2116 Whip it! A little honey and cinnamon and a few seconds with an immersion blender (or regular blender) transforms cottage cheese into a fantastic fruit dip that’s creamy and has a salty-sweet mouthfeel like cream cheese. It’s perfect as a fruit dip — I pair it with apple wedges at the end of the day for a really nice, protein-rich dessert.

 

[multifavs]

@mthandeki So if a person is skinny fat looking to build muscle is it better to cut the fat before bulking or start bulking to cut excess fat?

 

[zenbdagirl]

@multifavs You could just go into a lean bulk, prioritize a caloric deficit that's not too high, start creating meals with bought homemade vegetables and fruits occasional meat and make sure to do around 30-50 minutes of intense cardio, but make sure to switch it up, use the treadmills and warm up until you reach your max intensity for those last 10-20 minutes, but also use machines like the cyclers, stair climbers, etc.

 

[multifavs]

@zenbdagirl So if my TDEE is 1925 I’d need to eat what like 1800-1825 or so?

 

[enrique_serrano_m]

@kim2116 One bit at a time!!!

 

[chrisdrama99]

@kim2116 I find that a lot of times, having people pre-log their day ahead of time really helps with making this easy (along with boosting adherence and consistency).

The amount of protein seems like a 5 if you break the amount evenly between all your meals and pick protein sources you want to use to fill those buckets, you'll see that it's not really that much.

Options like:
Chicken breast
Fat free Greek yogurt
Lean beef and other meats
Egg whites
Fat free dairy options
Etc.

 

[pentecostr]

@kim2116 I eat lean protein at each meal. Egg whites, eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, beef, etc. Can hit 180-200gr/day easy. Now if you're vegetarian, you'll need a supplement to achieve this. Make sure its a complete protein with all the essential amino acids.

 

[cosimnot]

@kim2116 a tin of sardines [e.g. from Season] + 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds has 30g protein. Great for a snack or small meal that you would have skipped. [I get both of these for very cheap from CostCo.]

That plus a protein shake should get you from where you are currently to your target. Obviously a piece of cheese and a second tin of sardines can replace the protein shake. Or a few pieces of cheese + bell pepper makes a good snack; add some pumpkin seeds [great source of magneisum too].

 

[kim2116]

@cosimnot Oooh! Sardines! I’ll add them to my Costco list! I like them AND they have the added benefit of being down the food chain, so way less mercury, PFOS, etc…

 

[cosimnot]

@kim2116 Yep.

Be on the look out for sales too. At the Costco I go to, the sardines go on sale (~30% off) every 3-6 months.

 

[kim2116]

@cosimnot I’ve really been looking for a good tuna alternative for backpacking too, and I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me sooner!

 

[dawn16]

@kim2116 I have a morning and after workout smoothie with egg whites, whey, Greek yogurt, almond milk. Drinking egg whites is a protein hack for sure