Meeting protein goals without dairy

[ilovegod123]

Hey y’all, I’m trying to hit a target of 130ish g of protein everyday which is hard enough as it is but I have a dairy intolerance which makes it feel even more impossible considering I’m aiming for only 1700 calories. Anyone else able to do it? If so literally HOW help your girl out

 

[jeanclaude]

@ilovegod123 I do eat dairy, but chicken is my main source of protein. 6 oz of raw chicken breast is around 39 grams of protein and is only 180 calories. Fish and shrimp have similar macros.

Egg whites are really high in protein and low in calories. I'll do make ahead egg white muffins for breakfast from a carton of liquid egg whites and some veggies.

There are non-dairy protein powders and premade shakes. They can be an quick source of protein if you don't have time to cook a meal.

I also do some substitutes to sneak extra protein in. Chickpea pasta has about double the protein of normal pasta. There are some low-carb high protein tortillas - I usually get Xtreme Wellness tortillas that have 5g of protein and 50 calories.

I usually get around 120g of protein in my 1500 calorie diet. I try for at least 30g per meal which isn't too hard if I center the meal around a lean protein like chicken or fish, and then mostly fill my plate with vegetables and maybe a small side of a starch or legume. I often do protein shakes for breakfast because I'm too lazy too cook in the morning.

 

[xdxaxvxex]

@jeanclaude yesss, eggs and legumes

 

[tarheelpride91]

@ilovegod123 It’s super possible! I don’t eat dairy in my diet, which makes things like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, whey protein products, any cheese, out of the picture.
I consume 1200-1500 cals a day (usually closer to 1200) and I get 100g of protein everyday. Here are my sources

1. Chicken breast: 100g of chicken breast, skinless is 165 cals with 31g of protein. I usually eat 100g for one or two meals a day.
2. Eggs: one egg is 70 cals for 6.3g of protein. I usually eat 1-3 eggs a day.
3. Tuna: 100g of canned tuna in water is 106 cals for 21.2G protein
4. Smoked Salmon: 100g smoked salmon is 214 cals for 20g protein
5. Vegan protein powder: if you really need an extra protein boost, you can make protein shakes with vegan protein powder

If you’re curious about the meals I eat, I’ve uploaded some pictures on posts, and I also post on ig, @diet.with.hara

For you, if you can have 4 meals a day, each meal 400-500 cals with 30g of protein each, I think it’s totally doable without dairy.

 

[ilovegod123]

@tarheelpride91 I do all of these! I’m guessing I’ll just have to increase my protein portions

 

[sandralois]

@ilovegod123 I don't eat dairy, and dont eat meat either unless I go out to eat. I mostly get my protein through vegan protein powder and "no cow" bars (dipped only, the other ones arent great), but also pea milk, eggs, beans, nuts, etc. Hemp hearts are an awesome way to add some healthy fats + 10g of protein to my meal, just sprinkle it onto oatmeal, salad, soup, in a smoothie, etc.

 

[vvvdinovvv]

@ilovegod123 Dairy, soy, and eggs do not agree with my system which means I have a similar challenge. I really like Unsweetened Ripple (pea) milk and the pre-made Ripple Protein shakes. I mix a shake with unsweetened milk to cut the sweetness and add protein. In the shakes, chocolate is my favorite flavor. I order shakes on Amazon and get the milk at the grocery store.

 

[ilovegod123]

@vvvdinovvv Phew those limitations sound so difficult, happy you’ve got a way to work around them still! I recently started working in ripple milk and I’m glad I did. I’ve gotta find ripple milk without calcium supplemented in it because it’s been giving me an arrhythmia (calcium supplements do this to me, I’m learning, unfortunately)

 

[jessica]

@ilovegod123 Soy milk, tofu, tempeh (loads in tempeh), edemame, pea protein, hemp protein…

 

[ilovegod123]

@jessica I tried soy milk once and quickly found out it does not agree with me lol I was sad too because it’s got the best consistency of all the non dairy milks imo

 

[abastzar]

@ilovegod123 Heck yeah, I'll drop my faves:

Kite Hill makes Greek yogurt in plain/vanilla flavors for 17g-18g per serving

Silk has protein milk that's 10g per serving

If you are near an Asian grocery, pressed tofu is 15g per 3oz

Roasted edamame pulls 14g per serving

Peanut butter powder is 3g-5g per tablespoon and way less calories than peanut butter. Bonus: blender is easier to clean for smoothies.

 

[ilovegod123]

@abastzar Oh wow I didn’t know PB powder is less calories. I’m gonna look into this, thanks!!

 

[jessephilz]

@ilovegod123 I’m lactose intolerant so my dairy intake is generally just a cup of yogurt and sometimes a protein bar since those don’t mess me up. You can easily get dairy free versions of both of those, though.

My protein shakes are pea, quinoa, and/or hemp protein mixed with unsweetened almond milk (chosen for cost/calorie/taste, not protein content- other non-dairy milks are way better for protein) and sometimes powdered peanut butter. I also add fruit and spinach if it’s going to be a meal.

I don’t really like land meat very much, so I eat loads of eggs, tempeh, beans, and seafood. But it’s definitely easier to hit your protein goals on a low calorie limit if you’re including lean meats like chicken breast.

 

[mattcity]

@ilovegod123 Vegetarian here and also eat very very minimal dairy. I have absolutely no problem hitting my protein goals and - actually - I'm seeing far more obvious lean gainz now, as opposed to a few month ago when I still ate meat (though this is also because i've been very on-it consistency-wise with my training too). Here's the bulk of my protein:

I eat a lot of legumes. Lentils, beans, chickpeas, smoked tofu, tempeh, seitan, pea protein. You can make some absolutely delicious meals with these and because they don't feel stodgy at all, it feels so easy to add more to reach my goals.

I also use a vegan protein powder which is delicious - not as grainy as whey, and just tastes smoother, if that makes sense.

Soya milk has a very good protein ratio and there's some brands which do delicious flavours (like a chocolate version) too.

 

[sparletta]

@ilovegod123 I do the isopure protein powder with water. It's like juice instead of a shake. I add about a cup of diet ocean spray juice. Comes out to 95 calories and 20 g protein.

I also do meal preps that are high protein. Check out Zach Coen. He has a lot of really good recipes.

 

[ilovegod123]

@sparletta Are isopure non dairy?! Idk why I thought they’d all be whey protein. Also about to check out Zach coen rn!