"Best" way to increase protein intake

[Melody68]

Hi everyone, got a practical question, not directly addressed elsewhere.

I'm 68, and have been on TE since April 6 this year, currently taking 84mg/week. I'm pleased - the waist has tightened and the shoulders and arms are bulking up.

Of course I want to help it along. I'm 6'3, 235lbs and would like to get to 220 lbs, about 100 kilo. I read that I should eat about 1.2gms of protein per kilo of weight, meaning 120gms/day. The only change I've done the last few months is to eat 4 eggs for breakfast instead of two.

How on earth does one realistically get to 120gms/day? Four eggs per morning works out to only 26gms for breakfast. For lunch I normally have a cold-cut sandwich and some coffee - I'll bet that's like 4gms of protein. I bought some vegetable protein powder from Costco (21gms protein per scoop) and tried it for the first time today . . . didn't like it; I think I'd rather eat a can of tuna.

Do you guys pay attention to protein and count your protein grams? What do you eat? Do you supplement with the powders to put you over the top? Which powders? And what about cost/budget?

With the greatest of respect for those who tout the carnivore diet, I'm just looking for a twist on a fairly regular meat, potatoes and vegge diet . . . suggestions?

 

[mcap]

Whey protein and Greek yogurt. I get whatever brand Costco sells.

 

[madman]

Hi everyone, got a practical question, not directly addressed elsewhere.

I'm 68, and have been on TE since April 6 this year, currently taking 84mg/week. I'm pleased - the waist has tightened and the shoulders and arms are bulking up.

Of course I want to help it along. I'm 6'3, 235lbs and would like to get to 220 lbs, about 100 kilo. I read that I should eat about 1.2gms of protein per kilo of weight, meaning 120gms/day. The only change I've done the last few months is to eat 4 eggs for breakfast instead of two.

How on earth does one realistically get to 120gms/day? Four eggs per morning works out to only 26gms for breakfast. For lunch I normally have a cold-cut sandwich and some coffee - I'll bet that's like 4gms of protein. I bought some vegetable protein powder from Costco (21gms protein per scoop) and tried it for the first time today . . . didn't like it; I think I'd rather eat a can of tuna.

Do you guys pay attention to protein and count your protein grams? What do you eat? Do you supplement with the powders to put you over the top? Which powders? And what about cost/budget?

With the greatest of respect for those who tout the carnivore diet, I'm just looking for a twist on a fairly regular meat, potatoes and vegge diet . . . suggestions?

Many who are into weight training would be aiming for 1 g/lb lean body mass which is easily more than enough if you are in a caloric surplus.

Some would even venture higher when dieting/cutting calories.

You are definitely not taking in enough protein let alone eating enough meals per day to meet your daily needs.

Should be aiming for 3-4 meals per day spreading out your protein intake.

Numerous options here whether obtained through diet or supplementation.

As you would know red meat, poultry, fish/seafood, eggs and dairy would be the go to sources.

I would try to obtain most of your protein from dietary sources such as beef, chicken, tuna, salmon, whole eggs, milk and greek yogurt which would be an easy way to get enough protein per meal.

Whey protein isolate/concentrate ,milk protein isolate/concentrate or micellar casein would be the go to sources when supplementing as one can easily achieve a high amount of protein per serving.

I take in 200 g per day protein topped up with 500-600 g complex carbs and enough healthy fats.

My go to protein sources would be beef/chicken 2 lbs/day and sella (parcoiled) basmati rice.

I go through a 45 lb bag of basmati every month LOL!

Buy in bulk!

When it comes to packing on muscle mass diet is the key player here and although it is critical to meet your minimum daily requirement for protein being in a slight caloric surplus is critical here and those extra calories should be coming from complex carbohydrates and fats.

A diet higher in complex carbohydrates will have a bigger impact on body composition especially when it comes to gaining muscle/increasing strength, bigger fuller harder muscles, increased endurance/intensity, better pumps and to top it off enhanced recovery!

Especially if one is what would be considered a hard-gainer!

Regardless of your body type, it is much easier to pack on quality mass when consuming complex carbs.

Muscle will always be bigger, fuller, and harder when glycogen stores are topped up!

Strength/recovery is also better.

Carnivore let alone keto would not be the type of diet one would want to follow if maximizing muscle mass/strength let alone stamina/recovery are your goals.

Bottomline here would be taking in enough quality calories (complex carbs, proteins, fats), meeting your daily protein requirements (1 gram/pound LBM) spread evenly throughout the day combined with a good training plan and you will be good to go.

 

[madman]

Hi everyone, got a practical question, not directly addressed elsewhere.

I'm 68, and have been on TE since April 6 this year, currently taking 84mg/week. I'm pleased - the waist has tightened and the shoulders and arms are bulking up.

Of course I want to help it along. I'm 6'3, 235lbs and would like to get to 220 lbs, about 100 kilo. I read that I should eat about 1.2gms of protein per kilo of weight, meaning 120gms/day. The only change I've done the last few months is to eat 4 eggs for breakfast instead of two.

How on earth does one realistically get to 120gms/day? Four eggs per morning works out to only 26gms for breakfast. For lunch I normally have a cold-cut sandwich and some coffee - I'll bet that's like 4gms of protein. I bought some vegetable protein powder from Costco (21gms protein per scoop) and tried it for the first time today . . . didn't like it; I think I'd rather eat a can of tuna.

Do you guys pay attention to protein and count your protein grams? What do you eat? Do you supplement with the powders to put you over the top? Which powders? And what about cost/budget?

With the greatest of respect for those who tout the carnivore diet, I'm just looking for a twist on a fairly regular meat, potatoes and vegge diet . . . suggestions?

Not too fond of the UHT pasteurization but high protein milk would be another easy way to jack up your protein intake.

Throw in the high dose of calcium (550 mg) let alone potassium (300 mg) per 1 cup (250 mL) to boot!

What is Natrel Plus?

Discover Natrel Plus: made from 100% Canadian milk, it contains 18g of protein per serving. A new offering that will delight everyone, even lactose intolerants!

www.natrel.ca

https://sameday.costco.ca/store/costco-canada/products/21356066-natrel-plus-2-milk-protein-shake-each

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Here's a typical day of eating for me. Macros at the top. 213 g protein, no shakes, no protein supplements, no BS.

 

[Melody68]

Hello Madman, as usual I'm blown away with the excellent detail when you respond to my questions, many thanks.

I would try to obtain most of your protein from dietary sources such as beef, chicken, tuna, salmon, whole eggs, milk and greek yogurt which would be an easy way to get enough protein per meal.
This is fairly simple and something I'm going to do instead of getting into powders . . . the bottom line, just gotta eat more throughout the day, and not only focus on protein but also keep those complex carbs up.

I'm very surprised that I've made some good upper body gains without lifting much weight (since I've been dealing with a stubborn tennis elbow condition). Mostly my elbow remains fixed while I do shoulder raises or chest flys, and I might do so with 5-15 lb dumbells, not a lot of weight . . . and yet the muscles really thickened up. I know it's the T, but you wouldn't think it would be that effective.

Thus I don't really think I justify mega-grams of protein and carbs compared to someone who's lifting serious weight.

I take in 200 g per day protein topped up with 500-600 g complex carbs and enough healthy fats.

Madman, those are some pretty heavy duty numbers. I've got to ask, what would your typical breakfast be?

 

[Melody68]

Here's a typical day of eating for me. Macros at the top. 213 g protein, no shakes, no protein supplements, no BS.

View attachment 48318

Interesting Funkman - took me a while to decipher the code. I buy the Kirkland organic eggs too; you eat two of them, check. Then you eat 5 quarter lb beef patties (just the meat I presume); but I could eat 1/2 or 3/4lb ground beef, that would work. Then for dinner you eat the rib-eye steak, that gives you 103 gms of protein - that's the big one.

Doesn't sound impossible - I guess I really don't eat a lot of red meat since I have two concerns - the expected higher hematocrit, and also that I had kidney stones in the past. The solution for both is to drink more water, which is what I'm doing.

I guess 200 gms/day of protein is feasible . . . but is it wise if you're 68 years old to start on such a feeding frenzy? Maybe. I've watched too many friends that naturally seem to eat less as they get older, and end up getting more and more frail. I don't want that . . .

 

[BadLeroyBrown]

Whey protein and Greek yogurt. I get whatever brand Costco sells.

Can't "second" this enough. I was 310 now 279 on my way to a leaner but big 250 (been there before I'm a big boy ya know even back when natty other than the Midwestern whole milk lol) I put the hard work and hours in the gym. Always have since hockey and football 10 years old started. But I never realized I didn't get nearly enough protein. Once I started tracking that (only thing I track but obviously if you are tracking protein you are going to get a fairly decent snapshot of calories too) and eating 75% of my weight in protein did I start to see muscle increase and true fat lost. I can even "over eat" and still lean out. It's crazy the shit the diet and food companies get some (like young me) to believe.

ANYWAY TLDR To help me hit my protein numbers (macros bro) ramble over... I make a double whey scoop protein shake (24 grams per scoop) in my blender and I add the following: 2 tbsp peanut butter crunchy, 2 tbsp raw honey, tbsp butter, 2 cups whole ultra filtered milk (think fairlife but no I don't buy fairlife) white or chocolate, 1 banana, 3 ice cubes. This nets about 800 ish calories and about 70 ish grams of protein. It's so good I crave it and I can tell if I miss them in the gym and I think maybe my erections too. Then I also inhale Chobani Coconut yogurt cups ( I add in a bunch of organic walnuts and a few low sugar chocolate chips). Another tasty way to get 30 grams of protein if you eat 3 or so cups. Bam about 100 grams of protein right there. Add in a full real meal or 2 and you're there.

 

[Melody68]

Can't "second" this enough. I was 310 now 279 on my way to a leaner but big 250 (been there before I'm a big boy ya know even back when natty other than the Midwestern whole milk lol) I put the hard work and hours in the gym. Always have since hockey and football 10 years old started. But I never realized I didn't get nearly enough protein. Once I started tracking that (only thing I track but obviously if you are tracking protein you are going to get a fairly decent snapshot of calories too) and eating 75% of my weight in protein did I start to see muscle increase and true fat lost. I can even "over eat" and still lean out. It's crazy the shit the diet and food companies get some (like young me) to believe.

ANYWAY TLDR To help me hit my protein numbers (macros bro) ramble over... I make a double whey scoop protein shake (24 grams per scoop) in my blender and I add the following: 2 tbsp peanut butter crunchy, 2 tbsp raw honey, tbsp butter, 2 cups whole ultra filtered milk (think fairlife but no I don't buy fairlife) white or chocolate, 1 banana, 3 ice cubes. This nets about 800 ish calories and about 70 ish grams of protein. It's so good I crave it and I can tell if I miss them in the gym and I think maybe my erections too. Then I also inhale Chobani Coconut yogurt cups ( I add in a bunch of organic walnuts and a few low sugar chocolate chips). Another tasty way to get 30 grams of protein if you eat 3 or so cups. Bam about 100 grams of protein right there. Add in a full real meal or 2 and you're there.

Wow, starting to feel like I missed the memo and, in fact, grew up on another planet . . . clearly, CLEARLY, I have to take things up several notches in my diet plans. Typically, I would think that if you eat this much you gain weight; you're saying it's just the opposite. A lot to consider - thanks for taking the time to inform . . .

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

Several things...timing in relation to workouts is a factor also. Supposedly the first 24-36 hours is when most adaptation occurs and for older people it's closer to 24 hours so I try to concentrate my protein in the 24 hours after my more intense workouts and my carbs on the day before my most intense workouts, of which there are 2-3 in a week for me. Eat your protein first in a meal. I think the general recommendations on protein are a bit high. If you follow Dr. Mercola, he is near 70 and has had to eat relatively little protein due to perceived kidney issues, yet his lifts at around 180-190 as an ectomorph are (were) something anyone could feel good about and more than enough to not be remotely frail. I see nothing wrong with meat, potatoes and a few veggies, provided you supplement vitamins and minerals. And don't be afraid to experiment when you have the chance. For example, I have tried to find out how much weight I could gain eating as much as I could on a fairly "clean" diet (no seed oils, low a-cellular carbs) while I was on a cruise and had basically unlimited food, and I found that after about a 4-5 pound gain that I simply could not gain any more no matter how much I tried to eat, so there are a lot of variables involved, metabolic rate being a major one.

 

[BadLeroyBrown]

Lots of good info going around here it's nice to see/hear people are eating or at least trying to eat real food still out there. I wish I would have realized how important eating real food is when I was younger oh well live and learn as we say and do. Another great whole food that doesn't get enough credit in my humble opinion is good old fashioned potatoes. I love baking some and then adding on bacon, cheddar, chives, a bit of sour cream! Or I add big chunks into a chicken soup I make.

 

[BadLeroyBrown]

Wow, starting to feel like I missed the memo and, in fact, grew up on another planet . . . clearly, CLEARLY, I have to take things up several notches in my diet plans. Typically, I would think that if you eat this much you gain weight; you're saying it's just the opposite. A lot to consider - thanks for taking the time to inform . . .

Keep in mind it's all relative to CICO still. Always. If you're putting in the exercise/gym work you gotta fuel it up. Here's an example (screenshot attached) of one of my recent full body weight workout days focused this day more on mid heavy weights, higher reps, more sets, lower rest. I walk for 10 minutes before that so I burned about 1300 calories in that 90 minute workout. Even after my monster protein shake post workout I'm still in a couple hundred calorie deficit! 5 days a week I am in about a 500 calorie a day deficit. On Saturday and Sunday anything goes (food, beer, cocktails, snacks although I don't go overboard like I could when I was young any longer).

 

[Melody68]

Okay friends, in addition to eating a little bit more meat in my diet, I've made some other small but significant changes that should add some good protein . . .
1. Instead of 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, I'm now eating 4 eggs (+13gm protein for the extra 2 eggs). I've also added 2 small breakfast sausages (+17gms protein).
2. I went to Costco and bought Greek yogurt; I'll mix it with some frozen raspberries, 3/4 cup (+17gms protein).
3. My wife also mixed up some tuna salad (tuna flakes with a bit of mayo and celery) and I generously load some of that onto a small piece of pumpernickel bread. (estimate 8 gms protein).

All told, those three changes should add about 13 + 17 +17 +8 = 55 extra gms of protein. I probably was only getting 65 gms on my regular diet, so at least now with 120gms I'm more in the game. I'll expand on it as time allows - right now I feel pretty full with the extra food . . .

 

[Phil Goodman]

Okay friends, in addition to eating a little bit more meat in my diet, I've made some other small but significant changes that should add some good protein . . .
1. Instead of 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, I'm now eating 4 eggs (+13gm protein for the extra 2 eggs). I've also added 2 small breakfast sausages (+17gms protein).
2. I went to Costco and bought Greek yogurt; I'll mix it with some frozen raspberries, 3/4 cup (+17gms protein).
3. My wife also mixed up some tuna salad (tuna flakes with a bit of mayo and celery) and I generously load some of that onto a small piece of pumpernickel bread. (estimate 8 gms protein).

All told, those three changes should add about 13 + 17 +17 +8 = 55 extra gms of protein. I probably was only getting 65 gms on my regular diet, so at least now with 120gms I'm more in the game. I'll expand on it as time allows - right now I feel pretty full with the extra food . . .

Late to the party but my breakfast pretty much every morning is a protein shake with 1-1.5 scoops(25- 37 grams protein), whole fat Greek yogurt (16 grams protein), pineapple or some other fruit, almonds and or pistachios(around 10 G protein) and on gym days 1-2 spoons of honey. So every morning I’m already around 60 grams of protein. I’ve been doing it long enough that after that I pretty much just listen to my body, but I do have a general rule of having my gym days(3 days/week) be my red meat days. For example today was leg day and I had meatloaf with fruit for lunch and beef tips with rice and kimchi for dinner. Oh yeah.. and pecan pie because this is a great time to enjoy foods like that. I’m a fan of mixing up meats, so I usually mix up chicken, fish, and beef throughout the week…and I’m not a big fan of pork so that’s pretty sparingly.


And one piece of advice I’ll give you based on your last comment, don’t force feed yourself if you’re stuffed. Some people will argue against that though, and I can only speak from personal experience….but when I tried to hit a hard number and force feed even when full I ended up messing my stomach up and didn’t really speed up gains much if at all. Your body can only process what it can process, so shoving it full of food will likely only result in bloating, other discomfort, and digestive issues. Once you get used to feeding it high quality meat/protein sources it will tell you what it needs. Listen to it. Just make sure if you are hungry, that you’re using the opportunity to get plenty of protein in during that window.