Really struggling to get protein, help please?

[user1465023742]

Really desperate for some help about my food. I'm having a problem getting enough protein. Protein is the only thing that fills me up properly but I have a very limited budget as I'm on disability benefits and I just can't afford to eat meat or fish every day. I can't eat cheese because I have migraines. Quorn is out because I'm allergic to mushrooms, I can't have eggs because I'm allergic to the white so things like omlettes and scrambled eggs are out. That leaves lentils, which I do like, but the only way I know how to make them is in things like bolognese which i can't have because I'm allergic to tomatoes.

I'm really really struggling and surviving on carbs, which are just making me fatter and fatter and I'm constantly hungry because carbs leave me starving after 2 hours. What can I do?

[PrimalLass]

*Refried beans

[TheFallenMadonna]

You can get tinned sardines in oil. I Don't like them in tomato sauce.

Have you asked your GP about a referral to a dietician? If you need to lose weight and have significant dietary restrictions it might be worth a try?

[user1465023742]

But coconut milk is very high calorie. I need low calorie foods to lose weight :( I don't lose on anything above about 1500 a day because of my disability issues.

I can't stomach liver, sorry :(

Yes, Blanche, they are the main problems, the trouble is that they've covered everything I know how to make, pretty much, that would fill me up. All the usual suggestions like omlettes, fritatas, etc, are out.

[user1465023742]

I did ask the GP about it yes and they referred me to the weight loss service which was absolutely useless and didn't take into account any of my problems at all. I know what to eat to lose weight. I just can't do it. I need alternatives :(

[Penfold007]

OP have your,allergies and intolerances been diagnosed by a doctor? You have quite a restricted diet and should have been referred to a dietician for some advice and guidance. I found the food list given to DD really useful as a starting point. I will dig out some recipes.

[SoftSheen]

Sounds like a tough situation. You've already had lots of good suggestions (and I would second that lentil dahl is brilliant as a cheap protein source that's great at filling you up).

Can I also suggest:

-Cooking bacon, which is very cheap and can be chopped up and added to other things to increase the protein content.
-Frozen peas, also quite cheap and high in protein- maybe pea and bacon soup would be nice?
-Fresh mackerel is sometimes very cheap- keep a look out for it.
-If you have a local butcher, try and pop in now and again to see if there are any seasonal bargains. E.g. during the shooting season our local butcher sells pheasant legs for 25p each.
-Fish fingers!
-Sausages are relatively cheap, keep an eye out for offers and freeze (if you have a freezer). Sausage and bean casserole?
-Make sure you are buying the most economical cuts of meat- never buy chicken breasts, always drumsticks or thighs. Frozen is usually cheaper. Bulk out with veg in a casserole.

Also, try to have higher-fibre carbohydrates (wholegrain bread/ cereals, baked potatoes with the skin on) rather than refined white carbohydrates. More nutritious and fill you up better too.

[StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine]

Don't underestimate broccoli as a protein source. More than lentils!

Tinned fish is good - tuna, sardines, pilchards etc. All very cheap. You can get packs of 3 meaty chicken thighs for about £2.50. one is very filling so a pack is virtually half a week's main meals.

For carbs, go for whole grains such as brown rice. Forget brown pasta. It's revolting.

[user1465023742]

Thanks Penfold, that'd be great. I just don't know what else to eat. I've never been refered to a dietician, they just take one look at me and suggest the weight loss service whhich is crap. All the foods I used to like and knew how to make are the ones that now make me ill. For example I used to make a lot of low fat tomato based foods like tagines or tomato based currys with lentils which was great because it filled me up cheaply and i now can't have them unless i want to be flat on my back with migraine for five days straight.

[TheFallenMadonna]

You can lose weight, as BIWI says, on a high fat, medium protein, low carbohydrate diet. There is a massive industry built on it!! However, I suspect it is not particularly frugal. But there are links on here to lots of vegetarian meals that will be cheap to make. How confident a cook are you?

[PotatoesPastaAndBread]

I eat leads if these, mixed salad beans in vinaigrette. 65p a can and a can is two portions
mixed beans

Lots of humous, £1 a pot, serves 2-4 meals
humous

Good luck

[TheFallenMadonna]

Use stock in the curries instead of tomatoes.

[user1465023742]

Sausages are so fattening though :(

Everything says "lean protein".

[user1465023742]

Not at all FallenMadonna. I really dont know how to cook at all. I could make a few things like bolognese and stuff but now they're off limits. I dont know how to make things taste nice, everything seems so bland and horrible. Thats why i used to make things with tomatoes, at least they tasted of something.

Im going to try that dahl though.

[Footle]

Tinned mackerel has no bones ,comes in brine, costs 60p at Morrisons and 40p at Aldi. Sardines too. But the versions in oil are more filling and will do you no harm. Eggs won't either. You can't avoid fat as well as everything else on your list, and you don't need to.

[Artandco]

You shouldn't be eating low calorie foods to loose weight. Low calorie = the hunger you feel, therefore you eat more. High calorie means you feel fuller so eat less

You can make curries and tagines without tomatoes still

Full fat coconut milk, full fat Greek yogurt

[Flisspaps]

What BIWI says. There's lots of us following the high fat/low carb advice on the bootcamp threads and losing weight.

I'm the smallest I've been in 2 years after 2 weeks, she speaks the truth! It's easily sustainable as well, and I'm spending no more on food than I was before.

[user1465023742]

I dont mean eating "diet foods" like low-cal yoghurt and drinks and stuff but there has to be some calorie limit! I'm very inactive because of my disability and if I go over about 1600 calories a day I gain, even at my size. I simply can't lose on less than that and if I'm eaitng high fat foods the calories go up

[user1465023742]

Eggs won't either.

I can't eat eggs. I'm intolerant to them, I'll be rolling around in agony with stomach pains for hours.

[JassyRadlett]

OP, you've had some great advice here but I'll add another - the single change I made that made the biggest difference to hoe full I feel was switching to brown rice and brown pasta. Which have the bonus of actually having flavour.

[PrimalLass]

But coconut milk is very high calorie. I need low calorie foods to lose weight

You really don't. Low carb high fat is very effective.

[user1465023742]

I really can't see how. High fat food has more calories in it and if I go over about 1600 a day I will gain because I can't exercise.

[SitsOnFence]

Hi OP, are you on steroids for your health issues by any chance? Nothing filled me up when I was on even the very lowest 'no side effects from this' dose

Also, I know you didn't ask this, but could you be getting too much sugar? I can be completely sated on 1,200 kcal/day of anything (fat/carbs/protein) so long as I avoid refined carbs and sugars. Tough on a budget, I know, as cheap food and refined carbs tend to go hand in hand. I went cold turkey on them and, after 3 days from hell, the hunger and cravings started to go. After a few more days I was able to reintroduce some of those foods back, in smaller quantities, without the hunger pangs. Sorry if this is something you already do/have already considered, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

As others have said, high fat ('good' fats, not trans fats etc) can be a really great way to lose weight. I buy the big bags of plain cashew nuts from poundland and weigh out 100 kcal worth to have alongside carb-rich meals to balance them out a bit and help keep me feeling full. Works out really cheap.

[PrimalLass]

Then you should do some reading about it. There is plenty out there. Start with the low carb boot camp threads here, the first post usually had lots of links.

[StrawberrytallCake]

I feel your pain user I'm trying to lose a little weight using myfitnesspal but also trying to go for high fat, low carb because of the health benefits. However that puts me well over my MFP goal.

I think it's one or the other but I'm still keeping an eye on my calorie intake without punishing myself. As you can't eat a lot of the low cal foods you may be better on the higher fat diet, which you will still lose weight on but I'm gathering that will happen in a different way?

[StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine]

A couple of good quality sausages (pack of 6 typically £2.50) a small baked potato, carrot, leek or cabbage and a little gravy is probably 500 calories tops and very, very filling.