Idiots guide to getting more protein - help!

[onetwonetoo]

I've been going to the gym for the last few months, l mainly use weights/machines and a blast of cardio at the end 2/3x p/w

While I'm definitely seeing some improvement in tone I think I could do better if I could work out how to use macros and up my protein intake.

I've looked online but can't seem to work it in to my real life. I have two children I need to think of when cooking.

I also think I may be out on my cal intake. I thought I should be having 1700 to maintain my current weight but after speaking to someone at the gym they said given my height, 5ft, and weight, 50kg, that I should be on around 1200.

If anyone can point me in the direction of some helpful information, or has any advice it would be much appreciated

Be cautious about products advertising their protein content as they tend to be very highly processed and full of junk. Real food is always better if you can. I do use whey powder in a post workout drink but I found one which is just whey.

I agree with the advice above on spreading intake through the day. I aim for about 1.6g per kg per day when training as we need more than baseline to support muscle growth particularly as we age. But we also need micronutrients, carbs and healthy fats so it's important to leave room for a varied diet.

1200 kcal seems too low, I am a tiny bit taller than you and a few kg heavier and for me 1600-1700 seems a good level for fuelling training and building strength while keeping my weight stable; and I add in more carbs on heavy aerobic days to make sure I am getting enough for recovery and fuelling the next day of training.

A bowl of defrosted edamame with a light sprinkle of chilli or salt or garlic is a great protein boost.

Could try something like eggs and prawn scramble for breakfast, tuna pasta for lunch and chicken and rice for dinner and some snacks like cottage cheese in between. Easily get 80g of protein out of that. 1200 is way too low for someone doing lifting. I’d stick to your 1700.

Hi @onetwonetoo I'm a dietitian (lots of sports experience).

Calories: You're spot on at 1700kcal to maintain your weight, assuming that you are lightly active day to day, with 2-3 gym sessions a week. 1200kcal is too low, and would likely result in you feeling exhausted, grumpy and starving. I see this a lot with clients and long term can lead to significant health consequences e.g. periods disappearing, fertility issues, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, binge eating, lowered immune system etc.

Protein: to maintain or build muscle aim for approx 1.5g/kg (or anywhere between 1.2g-2g/kg), which is about 75g per day for you. Spread the protein throughout the day if possible, so having some at each meal. Unless you are doing multiple training sessions each day (as some professional or amateur athletes), there's no need to obsess about getting protein in immediately after a training session.

It is also worth noting that as we get older, particularly peri menopause and beyond (and also true for men), our bodies become less efficient at using protein, so we need more to maintain muscle and prevent muscle wastage (sarcopenia). Drops in oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can also make it harder to build muscle.

Carbs also very important to maintain good health, as are healthy fats, fruit, veg etc etc. Our bodies like balance. Over restriction of anything or extreme diets often to not end well!

If it's helpful, I have made a pdf about high protein sources, with approximate costs per portion, and some meal ideas. To get it for free use the discount code: mumsnet "High Protein Source with Example Meals"

25-30 protein at each meal is ideal for you. You can find this in....
1 tin of sardines/tuna
120g chicken/beef/pork/fish etc - a small chicken breast, salmon fillet etc.
4 eggs
200g cottage cheese
a high protein yogurt
1 scoop protein powder

Other sources of protein that aren't quite so high:
Beans, lentils, standard yogurt, milk, tofu, nuts

Surprisingly, there is also protein in carbohydrate foods like bread (4-6g per slice), pasta (5g in a portion).

The most cost effective high protein sources are sardines, cottage cheese, protein powder and tuna. Looking out for offers in supermarkets can be very helpful.

Protein powder can be a really convenient way of reaching protein requirements - I get a bit creative by making my own high protein milk (1 pint semi skimmed milk with a scoop of protein powder), adding half a scoop to a standard yogurt, or a whole scoop to my porridge in the morning.

HTH, essay over!

This is really helpful, @sarsums

Are there any particular protein powders you'd recommend?

Thanks!

There are 1000s of protein powders 'out there', and it can feel like a bit of a head fry with knowing which one to choose.

The foundations of a balanced diet is fundamental, and I always recommend a 'food first' approach for getting enough protein. However, protein powder can be a convenient and cost effective way to supplement this.

Selecting a protein powder can involve several factors.
If you've any medical conditions, concerns about digestive issues, allergies/intolerances or disordered eating, then please consult a medical professional e.g. GP or experienced Registered Dietitian.

Factors to consider......

Protein source: whey and casein which are from cow's milk, or soy, pea, rice, hemp, or a blend of these.
Some people may experience digestive discomfort or bloating with certain types of protein powders. e.g. whey protein isolate may be better tolerated than whey protein concentrate, rice protein better tolerated than soy protein powders.

Price: if cost is a consideration there are big variations. e.g. £1.30/100g to £3/100g.

Protein Content: Look at the protein content per serving, it's usually about 25g per scoop/serving.

Additional Ingredients: Some people prefer minimal additives or artificial ingredients, while others may not mind them. Most flavoured protein powders will contain a sweetener, typically Sucralose, and sometimes emulsifiers which helps the powder to dissolve. There are unflavoured ones which don't have any of these. I've written a short blog post on minimally processed protein powders.

Two reliable brands are:
MyProtein - reasonably priced, efficient delivery, tastes good, mixes well, relatively basic list of ingredients, good reputation. To my knowledge, only available online.
Optimal Nutrition - more expensive but available in supermarkets and Holland & Barrett.

Recently I got a perfectly acceptable one from Home Bargains (currently out of stock), and Bulk Whey Protein - too sweet for me so once it's finished, I'll probably will go back to MyProtein or the Home Bargains one when it's back in stock.

The best advice I had was from Karen Weir who is a PT but also a researcher into women's health.
She said try to eat protein at every meal and aim for this to be a decent amount once you succeeded at this then you can start worrying about whether it's 75g or 100g etc. but step one is definitely protein at every meal.
Eggs for breakfast etc

Cottage cheese is good if you like the taste (I don't!)

Neither do I but I do like Rose Elliot's Cottage Cheese muffins. You can swap the soy flour for lupin flour which is comparable protein but more fibre and less fat (per 100g, 40g protein, 28g fibre) if that matters to you.

https://www.roseelliot.com/recipes/soups--salads-and-snacks/cheese-and-sun-blush-tomato-muffins

I use cottage cheese in American style pancakes - if you have Pinterest you can google recipes. The ones I make use porridge oats which I blitz into a flour before blending with the cottage cheese, eggs and vanilla essence. I serve with berries and Greek yoghurt.

I also recommend liquid egg whites which I add to my omelettes and scrambled eggs. ( usually 2 large eggs ) They boost up the protein without excessive calories. You can also mix cottage cheese into scrambled eggs at the end before you serve them. I often have a bit of smoked mackerel on the side too.

@sarsums

What are the carbs required for? Apparently they're not an essential nutrient, so I'm curious to know what your current nutritionist training makes of that. Thank you. Sorry for a slight derail, OP!

Hey @Watchkeys
Great question, and one that deserves more than an off the cuff response.
I may not have time today, but I promise to come back with a half decent, concise reply for you about the carbs. It can be a hugely polarised and misunderstood 'thing'. Just be wary of any evangelical or extreme views on good and bad food.

For context, my professional background is BSc Physiology, MSc Human Nutrition & Dietetics, 23 years practicing in the NHS, professional sport, lecturing, nutrition/medical writing.
In RL I'm a lone parent to 3, perimenopausal, ex wife of a professional athlete, and long time Mumsnetter - thank you MN for pulling me through 18 years of pregnancy, parenting and divorce😘

@Anameisaname lovely advice from your PT regarding getting a 'decent' amount of protein at each meal. No need to be too prescriptive with measuring or weighing quantities.
@2024Hackathon @Divebar2021 love the cottage cheese suggestions. Not only high in protein but also high in micronutrients like calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin B2.

This is a brilliant thread thanks to OP for starting it and @sarsums for the advice. I'm quite active and try to get a lifting session in every week but thanks to you guys I've found out I don't eat anywhere near enough protein to support muscle development

I'd already started to increase my protein before reading this thread. I'm now reporting back to say that I've managed to do this every day since posting.

I've had a couple of family meals to negotiate that meant eating a fair amount of carbohydrates. However, I should have a fairly clear run for the next 4 weeks as we're hosting rather than being the invitees, IYSWIM.

The cottage cheese (above) or fish muffins are a pleasant way to have more protein. That and this 'bread' roll recipe. (I can't give a link as it no longer is active)

250 g full fat quark / soft cheese / cottage cheese
4 small eggs
70 g ground almonds/hazelnuts/walnuts
70 g milled linseed
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
*1 Tbsp sesame seeds 8g
*3 Tbsp sunflower seeds 30g
*3 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 30g
1 Tbsp psyllium husk (whole) 5g
1 tsp sea salt (or a bit more)
Instructions

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).
Mix quark/soft or cottage cheese and eggs
In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients, then combine and let sit for 5 minutes.
Bake in a 25 cm loaf pan (lined with backing paper) for 80 minutes.

Nutrition info per entire loaf: Kcal 1400, Fat 102g, Protein 83g, Carbs 13g (fibre 50g)
I split this into 10 rolls and bake in small tins.

I have similar situation to you in that I have to cook family friendly meals but I need to eat plenty of protein.

Breakfasts I usually have eggs with a bit of cheese in them and veg. My daughter likes eggs OK too so its pretty easy to make the same breakfast, or I just do her porridge in the microwave so I'm not having to use loads of different pans at once.

Lunch I normally have a wrap with a chicken breast and hummus plus salad, or tuna with jacket potato and salad with cottage cheese. Again, fairly family-friendly and I just vary what fillings I offer my daughter. Afterwards I have a few tbsps of plain greek yoghurt with a bit of almond butter and fruit in. Mostly my DD is at school for this meal so I really try and cram in the protein when I'm alone and I don't mind eating repetitive high protein lunches by myself.

Dinner I usually keep it simple and we have either roast meat or fish of some kind plus a veg, plus a carb. If daughter doesn't want the fish its easy to put some salmon in the oven for me while I cook some sausages for my daughter, for example. I try and keep it simple.

Sometimes I do typical "family" type foods eg lasagne, shepherds pie etc and I just tend to have a sensible size portion and then maybe some cold chicken on the side as well, or something like that to increase the protein on my plate. I have learned that I need to keep the fridge well stocked with easy-access protein sources, or I just reach for the toast and butter....So my weekly shop includes a lot of those pre-cooked sliced chicken in different flavours, smoked salmon, cottage cheese, nuts, big tubs of greek yoghurt, prawns...things like that. I've had to shift the mindset when I shop. Its also expensive!!

I haven't RTWT, but a when I was eating a high protein diet (110-120g per day) this is how I did it
Breakfast - 2 egg and veggie scramble with extra egg whites (you can buy in bottles). Plus some toast
Mid-morning snack: Added (unflavoured) protein powder to my coffee (do this by mixing the protein powder with cold milk then pour in the coffee - don't add it to a hot drink as it goes all weird)
Lunch - tuna or prawns or chicken with some form of veg (salad, bean curry, etc)
Dinner - various high protein meals, e.g. turkey mince stir-fry, chicken and rice, prawn and bean stew, etc (at least 30g protein)
Evening snack - FAGE greek yog with berries

Basically I got 30g of protein at each meal and made up the other 20-30g in high protein snacks)

I don’t know if anyone else has had this but I went a bit too protein heavy earlier this year and it really made me feel terrible. I think I was well over 100g protein a day and I had bad stomach pains and headaches. I cut it back to 70/80g a day and added carbs back instead and feel better. Carbs in moderation are fine. Potato’s are one of the most satisfying foods you can eat