Low(er) Calorie High Protien foods

[Isaac10991]

Recently, I've been trying to eat in a calorie deficiet, and I'm finding that its really not all that hard. However, as I eat very little throught the day, I know I'm not getting anywhere near to my protien requirements. I'm pretty sure that this is hindering my workout results, and I was hoping that y'all could suggest some recipes that are high in protien, but will allow me to stay in a calorie deficiet. Any suggestions? 

[Hazard]

 

 

 

[Defining]

^^^ what he said.

 

But since I'm a words person, I'll clarify - most fish and lean meat proteins will give you the best kcal/g protein bang for your buck. A few caveats for that - lean cuts specifically. For example, chicken drumsticks can have 1.5x the kcal per g of protein as chicken breast, due to the extra skin et al. That being said, chicken skin also has it's own nutritional benefits, so don't discount foods just because they have extra fat or carbs in them. Extra lean (eg. 95%) ground beef can have as much as 100kcal less per portion than standard ground beef (typically 70-75%) - but it's also more challenging to cook in a way that keeps it appetising.

 

Greek yogurt is a decent dairy choice, since the lactobacillus has eaten lots of the dairy sugars - a 0% greek yogurt is pretty equal for portion/kcal/protein to fish. Cottage cheese is another option, especially dry cottage cheese (which is great to bake with/add to baked eggs/etc).

 

Downside for animal proteins - they're more expensive! I made a spreadsheet on the topic a few months ago, and I've found that protein powders give me the best balance between low kcal/high protein, and reasonably priced protein sources. For example, lentils are CHEAP - but even when they're sprouted, they have extra carbs (even net of fiber) that increase their caloric value. On a cost per g of protein basis, the best option is actually oats (at least for how I buy my groceries) - but they also obviously come with 'tag along' carbs that may not fit into your macros right now.

 

If you're looking for recipes, take any animal protein, add a vegetable based sauce (eg. salsa, tomato, etc) and put it together. Or, try a tool like this: https://www.eatthismuch.com/diet-plan/1800-calorie/high-protein/ . The internet is chock full of recipes, and since everyone has different prep/time/cost/cuisine/ingredient availability/preferences, that's probably the best way to go - google it!  

[Guzzi]

This site has quite a few recipes that contain a decent serving of protein but less than 500kcal per portion.