where to get my protein from?

daithi09

For lent I've decidied to clean up my diet a bit more than before, in the last 8 months with diet and a bit of exercise I've gone from 15ish stone to 12stone 13 at the min.
Anyway I'm trying to cut out alot for lent, giving up pretty much everything except protein, and I'm eating small amounts every 3-4 hours. Now this is where I need help. My typical day is eggs ((3eggs) or porridge)for breakfast, apple and nuts around ten, tuna and piece of fruit at lunch time, have a protein bar(but it's not very good, full of carbs but 21g protein) and then for dinner I have fish/chicken/meat with beans or the likes.. After the gym I might have another protein bar or sardines and the likes.

Is there anything else i'm missing protein wise? I'm getting a bit bored with the same foods!!
Also I'd love if someone could recommend me any good protein meal supplements for losing body fat and toning up. Sorry for long post! And thanks in advance

EileenG

Get inventive with spices to liven up your meals.

I'd ditch the protein bar and get a whey supplement and make up a shake instead. More protein, less crap. But it doesn't look as if you are going short of protein at all. Once you have enough, there's no point in eating extra.

El_Duderino 09

First off, well done on the weight loss.

Have you thought about tins of chick peas and similar beans? They are great in a veg curry and the likes.

230g tin of chick peas, per 100g has:
114 calories
7g protein
16g carb
2.6g fat
4g fibre

No crap in there man

J.Ball

Eat japanese food its great for you proper japanese food now like sushi and ramen. Isnt tofu full of protein

daithi09

Yeah i'm getting plenty of protein but the supplements aren't exactly for the protein, it's just something quick and easy to have so that i'm not starving! (I'm commuting and it's hard to have a lot of food with me). Think i will start with the shakes instead, just have to find one that's good now.. time to start searching stickies... Thanks for your help guys..

EileenG

Oh, don't forget cottage cheese. High protein, low fat, low carb, and you can just grab and eat. Or buy one in any supermarket if you are on the go.

daithi09

ok so bought my protein shake stuff, which is nutritionX.. per serving: 29g protein and 4g carbs... can't be too bad? Also got a box of creatine thrown in, don't think i should use that tho, does it not like make you put on weight? Also advice needed with regards to protein, if i'm trying to lose weight should i be taking in less protein than i am, someone said today that i should only be taking it if i was trying to bulk up?

Derfil

I'm no expert but I'd imagine you'd want to be doing a lot of weights to be taking in that amount of protein. You'll defo bulk up taking the protein and weights. To loose weight I'd have thought less protein and more running/walking.

EileenG

Creatine is great for athletes in general. It helps you keep going a little longer, train a little harder, lift a little heavier. There is evidence that it prevents muscle atrophy when you are injured, it can help with heat adaptation, it keeps bones dense, all sorts of good stuff. The only down side is that some people retain a little water.

Generally, if you are trying to lose weight, it's especially important to get enough protein. You can reduce the amount of carbs and fat, but if you reduce protein while you are in a calorie deficit, your body gets tempted to shed muscle as well as fat.

daithi09

Damn I should've found that out before buying 50euros worth of protein, ha! Well point taking so.
If it makes a difference, i'm doing cardio one night, then weights the next night rest day then the same again..then i might do some light swimming or something another day, so training four nights a week really..
Thought that I would be able to lose weight and tone up and meet my good body somewhere along the way.. Advice now needed please!

EileenG

Protein keeps well, and it's always useful to have. Make a shake after workouts, it helps recovery and muscle building.

daithi09

Thanks, so I shouldn't be too worried about my protein intake being to much? I know it's a lot especially since I'm now adding in the supplement.. but I'm trying to eat small and often, get my metabolism moving and not putting my body into starve mode.. I have quite a decent calorie deficit and all my food is pretty much protein..(can't be bad?) I'd love to add carbs in but I feel that I'd be taking a step back if I did. Can't wait till easter sunday, buttons easter egg..woop!

EileenG

Don't worry about that. Starvation mode is not quite a myth, in that it does exist, but the clue is in the name. Starvation. If you are so hungry you can't sleep, work, exercise, are constantly cold and have no interest in sex, then you can worry about starvation mode.

In any case, people have it wrong. It's not true that if you lower calories too much, you'll go into starvation mode and stop losing weight. What happens is that your body cuts back on all non-essential functions and your rate of weight loss slows, but you continue to lose weight. According to the broscience version of starvation mode, it's impossible to starve to death, as the less you eat, the more likely to you are to put on weight.

As for the metabolism thing, another myth. When you eat, your body burns extra calories to digest the food. About 10% of the food eaten, in fact. So if you eat one meal of 2000 cals, you'll have a TEE (thermic effect of eating) of 200 calories. And if you eat ten meals of 200 cals, you'll have a TEE of 200 cals. Eating often also gets you into the habit of eating when you are not hungry, which is how most of us got fat in the first place.