I put out the call for suggestions on how to add more protein to my diet, and you guys answered! Below is a list of the excellent protein suggestions offered to me in the comments of my earlier post on this topic:
- Eggs and egg whites (try them in a scramble or omelet with veggies)
- Try a good breakfast cereal high in protein and dietary fiber, such as Kashi Go Lean.
- Make a low-cal smoothie with a scoop of cottage cheese, some frozen berries, a little milk or soy milk, a dash of vanilla and sweetener of some sort, and a scoop of protein powder if you want more boost. Blend with ice and drink it down, or take it to work and drink it after you arrive.
- Whey protein shakes
- Greek yogurt
- Turkey and chicken (grill a family pack all at once and then eat throughout the week in salads, pasta, quesadillas, etc.)
- For sandwich eaters: Substitute additional meat in place of cheese, and try eating sandwiches open-faced (with one piece of bread rather than two)
- Try eating 1/4 cup of oil- and salt-free nuts as a snack.
- Try a protein bar such as Premiere Nutrition protein bars (30g protein), Pro-Max, or a Zone bar. Many of these are available at Costco or Target.
- Roll sliced turkey around a pickle spear, cut into slices, and take to work as a snack.
- Smear some peanut butter on celery.
- Use low-fat ground beef or turkey and mix up to half with chopped vegetables to make a meatloaf.
- Buy frozen chicken sausages at Costco or Sam’s Club (13 gr protein and 100 calories), split open and brown without oil in a pan—then slice and eat with mustard.
- Cook a turkey burger (add a big scoop of salsa to the meat for flavor and moisture) and eat on a bed of salad greens with a soy peanut dressing.
- For dessert try 3 or 4 dried apricots each with a whole almond on top. Tastes a bit like an oatmeal cookie without the subsequent cravings from eating sugar.
- For another dessert option, take some cottage cheese and mix in a bit of unsweetened cocoa and some Splenda (or the artificial sweetener of your choice).
Special thanks go out to Anonymous Fat Girl, Babbalou, Carla, Heather, Hot Mother, and Quix for these suggestions!
14. January 2010 at 10:44 AM
I am hooked on Snickers Marathon bars. 1 bar is 20g of protein and 10g of fiber! It’s excellent and makes me full for a long time! Not to mention the energy reserve!
I’m definitely writing down your other suggestions! I am trying to add more protein to my diet as well!
Congratulations on your weight loss success so far! :)
~Kellie
14. January 2010 at 3:47 PM
Kellie: Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting! Good luck to you with adding in more protein—I’d love to hear if any of these suggestions work out for you :).
14. January 2010 at 1:59 PM
Hey Hilary, just a suggestion if you decide to grill a bunch of chicken breasts to use over a few days. They will be MUCH better if you marinate the meat for a day before cooking. You can marinate in just about anything, generally however there is citrus and oil. I squeeze a few lemons, mix with some olive oil, garlic and add an additional herb for flavor – whatever you like – tarragon or a mixture called Herbes de Provence. Add a good shake of sea salt and pepper if you want. I do like chicken but a boneless breast that’s grilled and dry just triggers my gag reflex!
14. January 2010 at 3:51 PM
I really appreciate that suggestion, Babbalou, because I totally remember attempting to choke down some dry chicken breast when I tried (and failed) to do a bootcamp contest last year. I was practically crying because it was so depressing! Marinating the chicken makes tasty sense.
14. January 2010 at 4:56 PM
Great list, I’ll have to take this to the grocery store to help remind me. Protein is one of the things I find most difficult to get enough of.
15. January 2010 at 7:43 AM
I love, love, LOVE greek yogurt!!! It’s my ultimate favorite as of late. I used to struggle with the protein shakes. I don’t like the taste after I’m done, it’s kind of chalky. Anyway, I found a new flavor at Wal-Mart, it’s chocolate peanut butter. I love that stuff!
15. January 2010 at 10:54 AM
I thought I commented here yesterday, I guess it disappeared into the blogosphere! These have been really good suggestions. I look forward to increasing my protein power!
15. January 2010 at 4:31 PM
thanks for the list! with all the working out, we probably all could use some more protein.