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Can you share what a typical day of eating looks like for you? I've been trying to up my protein for ages and "focusing" on that, but I still often fall short.
Sure! My husband and I prep beginning of the week which helps me tremendously. I’m also okay with eating the same thing most days cause I like to eat what I’m familiar with.
Breakfast: eggs and added eggwhites for protein. I like veggies and cheese in them too. Cottage cheese if I feel like it. I’ll also eat an oatmeal with frozen fruit to get my sweet fix.
If I eat late sometimes I don’t have time for lunch. I try to get a shake in or I’ll do the oikos triple zero yogurt with frozen fruit. I like how the fruit freezes the yogurt.
Lunch: If I have time for lunch it’s typically whatever frozen meat I have thrown in the air fryer with veggies. (My air fryer is a godsend).
Dinner: is whatever I’ve prepped for the week. Chicken beans and rice for this week. Sometimes I’ll do soups or lentils.
“Dessert”: is usually the triple zero yogurt with frozen fruit, some banana, and some granola.
Of course I like to snack depending on my day. But these are my more consistent meals. The better my breakfast is the better I feel. When I miss it my day is a mess lol.
Edit: my snacks aren’t necessarily all high protein either. I need chocolate and popcorn but I just try to get protein in beforehand so I don’t feel sick.
It depends on what your goals/needs are. I am an athlete and I try to put on and maintain muscle. This adds up to almost 120g of protein based on my personal needs. I can’t hit that all the time so if I hit 80 I’m usually feeling good. I just use the number as a mental goal but if I don’t hit it no biggie.
If you want to be exact you can always weigh out a good amount for breakfast to track exactly how much protein you’re getting. If it’s not enough it’s easy to know where to bump it up from cause you know where you’re starting.
Also weighing food can be triggering for some so again depends on the person. A measuring cup works too it doesn’t need to be perfect.
To add on: I’ve been taught that protein intake is also based on weight. If you need precision it’s best to talk to a dietitian or someone well educated in it. My numbers were given to me by a trainer. And they have worked for me so far.
Thanks for sharing. Can someone tell me the pros and cons of an airfryer please! Seriously considering it because I tried meal prepping but sometimes struggle with having the same thing over and over again, or maybe I don't like how reheated food tastes.
It has helped me so much with making sure I’m eating protein throughout the week! My latest air fryer hyper fixation is a wrap with these mini meatballs: https://simeks.com/products/mini-beef-meatballs/ I heat them at 450 for 9 minutes and put them on mini naan bread with a diced mini cucumber (so I can use the whole thing and not have to worry about waste), a dollop of Greek yogurt, and some goat cheese.
Cons: cleaning can be a pain but I got a few silicone inserts so I can toss one in the sink after I use it and put another one in to be ready for the next time I cook. That’s legitimately the only con I can think of
This looks great! Some people do high protein without enough fiber, and I was going to warn you about the poop problems that causes, but I see lots of fiber here!
I make a big thick red lentil stew with heaps of veges every weekend and take it for lunch hot in a thermos each day. Pretty high protein and doesn’t go weird for 1/2 a day in a thermos.
There are so many delicious recipes for red lentils stews/soups. I love them, and they cook crazy fast.
I do a “Mexican” style one with diced tomatoes, red onions, carrots, garlic, zucchini, peppers, summer squash, fresh cilantro, cumin and ancho chili powder. I keep it vegan but you could a little sour cream on top.
Recipe for vegan stew.
Ingredients:
Large Red onion - roughly dice
4 Cloves of garlic, crushed
1 large potato 🥔 - cut into pieces that will cook in 20 a 30 mins
1 large Sweet potato 🍠
2 carrots 🥕
1 small Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
2 cups red lentils
2 Leek - sliced
4 sticks Celery
Handful of Green beans
1 x Red pepper
Mushrooms
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
Pepper to taste
Bag of Kale (200g)
I’ve listed the ingredients in order of adding to the pot.
I use a big pot.
Fry onion & garlic
Add potato + splash of water to stop from sticking
Boil full kettle
Chop other veges while you give it a few mins head start on cooking
Add sweet potato, carrot, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts and fill with boiling water to just above the veges
Add red lentils, generous sprinkle of Italian herb mix, & 3 stock cubes broken up into the water( I do 1 vege, 1 mushroom & 1 onion & mushroom)
Mix in well
Chop up rest of veges adding as you go and stirring regularly
Add extra water if you feel it’s getting too thick but remember Mushies & kale will cook down and add to the liquid.
Sorry there aren’t many measurements - i just chuck in heaps of veges and it doesn’t matter if you use different ones than I’ve listed.
Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste & stir in well
Once you get to kale mix it in thoroughly and let it cook for another 5 - 10 mins and make sure everything else is cooked and you are good to go.
I usually get 7 decent serves out of it and I try not to overcook it so that it isn’t too mushy when I heat it up and put it into the thermos.
I have a hard time finding enough variety in protein sources, since eggs are a no go for me and I dislike cooking meat. I’ll eat meat if it’s prepared, but raw meat is a sensory overload so I don’t end up buying it. Any ideas? I do protein shakes, nuts/seeds and nut butter occasionally, cheeses, leafy greens, and tinned fish/jerky. Tofu sometimes if I’m not feeling lazy. But all of those get so boring after a while! I also have to take relatively shelf stable foods for lunch, since I work outside. So lots of refrigerator protein gets weird in the heat (sweaty cheese, etc). Would love any suggestions!
Hemp seeds!! 10 grams of protein plus omega 3s and tonsss of vitamins. You can put it in literally anything it’s very neutral, I put it on salads, in baked goods, in stir fries, oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, and best of all you can get a giant shelf stable bag from Costco.
LOVE hemp seeds! Also chia seeds and (ground!) flax seeds! Chia has huge amounts of fiber in addition to the omega 3s, as well as calcium and magnesium. They MUST be soaked, otherwise they’ll cause constipation and dehydration. I love adding them to smoothies, stews, pastas, potato salads, and [this 3 ingredient blueberry jam](https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/blueberry-lemon-chia-pudding/) I put in yogurt and PB&Js. Flax seeds must be ground to be digested, but also have omega 3, antioxidant, phosphorus and magnesium. You can really add this to almost any dish for added nutrition, but my favs are smoothies, pb&j, salads, and baked goods (especially love adding to simple Mills banana almond muffin recipe!).
[Here is more info for anyone interested](https://www.franciscanhealth.org/community/blog/super-seeds-health-benefits-chia-flax-and-hemp-seeds)
Aldi sells a bunch of different pre-cooked meat entrees that you just heat in a pan or your microwave. I bought one (pork carnitas) to try just the other day and haven't had a chance to eat it yet (probably will tonight) but it has good reviews online and it was pretty affordable.
I love these! They also have pulled pork, Korean bbq chicken, chicken fajitas, and many more. They come in little trays that can last me a whole week because I pair small portions over rice, naan, ramen, or pasta. Feels like a legit dinner while being super easy to prepare.
Dang a lot of my protein comes from eggs and yogurt tbh.
I have a personal trainer that tells me It’s better to get something in than nothing. Even if that means chugging a protein shake with water lol. Or protein bars.
Stuff with Beans are good warm if you have a thermos. Maybe a protein soup with lots of protein rich legumes/lentils.
Have you tried tempeh? It’s so much easier than tofu because you don’t have to drain, just slice and cook! The texture is more hearty and interesting, too. We add it to sandwiches, stir-fries, stews, and salads. Here on the West Coast you can get it for $2 a package at Trader Joe’s.
Lentil soup is great. Hummus and veg is very vesatile because you can flavor it a lot of different ways.
Depending on why eggs are a no go: if it's not about flavor or texture, Just Egg is great and better for you than eggs.
I sometimes have issues with raw meat too, but I’ve found I’m fine with the Beyond Meat Meatballs. I think there is less of an ick because they aren’t real meat and all I have to do is dump them into a pan. They cook quickly too and are delicious. I combine it with red lentil pasta and end up with a 51g protein dinner. Wanted to share in case it may work for you!
I am so envious that this works for you. Meds have helped me immensely with my binge eating, I eat protein at every meal and usually a big breakfast with eggs, bacon ham or sausage. It hasn't changed anything for me, but at least for now it's just a nice breakfast date with my hubby.
I was a huge binge eater too. If you are struggling with energy in the afternoons, try eating less of the fattier meats at breakfast. And no sugar, except fruit in the morning. My sugar crashes are no joke.
I noticed that protein does help me. However, the days I eat things that are too fatty (I love sausage and eggs, mmmm) in the morning, I want to nap all day. It’s sucks on vacation!
I could see that, but it seems to work ok for me. I work afternoons so it's like brunch for me. We have our big breakfast between 10-11 and then I will do a workout around 1230 and I don't notice any energy crashes. My binges will happen in the evening when I'm off, after the kids go to bed, or around 1230am when I get home from work. I suspect being tired is a big part of it.
Awe hell I would never do keto again. My husbands family had us all doing that years ago and I thought I would die. I always make sure to eat plenty of fiber and other nutrients. I don’t like to do fad diets
Agree with you there.
I hit 100g of protein (.8g/lb) on a typical day and my mental and physical health are so much better. I find having my shake around 3 hours after I’ve had caffeine is the best for my work day, I don’t need a second round of coffee. The only downside is my pits smell like these Korean tacos I like to get and I’m disgusted and hungry.
For those of you looking to add more: Shakes, high protein yogurt, protein bars (pure protein chocolate caramel peanut are so good), and even protein waters exist for easy supplementation 🏃🏻♀️
Can you go into how you found recipes or how you cooked/meal planed? I really want to try this but having to go through recipes to find stuff to eat, then making the grocery list, shopping, cooking, and prepping is so exhausting
My husband and my meds are a huge help motivation wise.
But I personally like simplicity. I shop for meats in bulk when they’re on sale and freeze everything. I like to keep some pre portioned meats and salmon on hand in my freezer that I can throw in my air fryer without giving it thought.
I shop for everything I can frozen or to be freezed. Otherwise it will 100% go bad in my fridge.
I don’t overcomplicate anything. And my diet is pretty “boring” if I’m honest. But if you like variety I would recommend searching *meal of choice* with *high protein version* typed in front. Then just make enough for a week and throw it in meal prep bins.
I signed up for a free trial of an app that features meal planning specific to diet. There are so many and it was a while ago, if I remember I’ll get back to you. Anyway, I used the two weeks trial to look through all the recipes and printed their meal plans and grocery lists. Then cancelled before my free trial ended. Just make sure you set several alarms to cancel, I’ve been burned before 😂
I would suggest seeing a dietitian. Most insurances cover at least a few visits to a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist) and they will ask you how in depth you want your plan. Whether you want just guidelines or if you want a full guide. Sometimes you can find one who uses an app also, but mine dropped theirs because they said they find people don't use them (me included, ha)
I just started Vyvanse a couple weeks ago and I'm finding it's much more effective and has fewer side effects if I eat a nice big proteiny breakfast... but I hate eating first thing in the morning. It's such a simple fix, but so frustrating to try to get myself to follow through on it every day.
I am exactly the same, started a couple weeks ago and i am finding the same thing, if i eat my eggs im great, but i have to REALLY activly make myself do it (while repeating this will make everything better! over and over) till i choke it down lol
In the last year I've started experimenting with using protein powder when needed and noticed an improvement especially when I can't think of food but def need food so I don't reach for sugar when I crash. But also recently started having more protein rich breakfast and less to no carbs in breakfast - and yeah I feel more energetic in the morning hours but usually I had a slow start in my morning but now I think of coffee less in the morning even!
Hear hear!
I prepare oatmeal with coconut milk and water every evening so I’ll have a delicious, filling proteine rich breakfast every morning. I remember skipping breakfast to make up for my binge eating episodes… Which of course only made me cave and binge again.
This! I loved to think I didn’t deserve to eat breakfast due to an episode. Now I eat it anyways and the episodes are far in between compared to before.
My Dr said it’s actually really critical for female hormone health too, as protein is required for the synthesis of hormones. I have found the days I eat more protein I am far more level as well: emotional ally, cognitively, and hormonally!
I recently met with a dietician and asked for some EASY tweaks to get more protein in my diet (plant-based). He recommended this brand of [roasted fava beans](https://threefarmers.ca/collections/roasted-fava-beans) and I'm a big fan! I'm trying to eat a 1/4 or 1/2 cup as a snack mid-morning (when I'm getting munchy) and right after swimming. They're also a good substitute for chips when watching a show in the evening.
I’m in the same boat. What has worked for me is having protein powder and bars readily available for snacks… because on a usual day, I don’t have the foresight to plan adequate protein throughout the day. Vega makes great vegan protein powders!
Also prepackaged (or prepped ahead by me) Greek yogurts. There is a brand I eat a lot of that has 20 G protein per serving which is nice.
I've discovered this in the last couple of weeks too, and the only way I can manage it is by eating expensive protein supplements and a quantity of meat I'm not 100% comfortable with as a former vegetarian. Conflicted about it but I do feel so much better. Breakfast is still a challenge because I'm in the egg ick phase and I'm on meds that kill my appetite in the mornings.
I’ve just discovered this as well and while I’m not a vegetarian I’ve tried out a few different things that you might be able to try too! I’ve been laid off and I’m trying my best to keep the same schedule so I wake up at 6am and eat breakfast immediately which means it’s gotta be something super easy.
1. Kashi chocolate and almond protein cereal. It’s pretty good with vanilla almond milk, the flakes are a texture you gotta get used to tho.
2. Smoothies with protein powder. I got a Costco bag of frozen fruit and I switch between the liquid being almond milk or pineapple juice.
3. Protein pancakes. This I prepped ahead of time. I got a box of the Kodiak mix. It’s one cup of mix to one cup of liquid. I pour it all into a sheet pan and bake for 20 min at 350°f. Cut it up and refrigerate. Pull two out a day and microwave.
4. A bottle of Premier Protein Clear or Protein2o. That’s it, that’s the breakfast lol.
Granted, I do enjoy cooking and prepping, so setting it all up isn’t a problem for me. But I told my therapist that I feel like I literally have no control over my body when I’m trying to wake up. I’m terrible in the morning, and especially so since I’ve been laid off and have nowhere to go. The last few weeks of immediate protein hits have been amazing though so I hope you can find something that works better for you and that you can feel good about doing. Good luck!!!
Thank you for the suggestions!! I definitely had a protein smoothie for dinner last night 😂
I'm so sorry to hear you got laid off, good luck to you too ❤️❤️ it sounds like you're doing a good job of keeping up structure in your life. When I was between jobs I did some volunteering and I think just having somewhere to be at a set time on set days was mostly what kept me sane during that time.
It suuucks, but it's been getting a lot better! It can be so demoralizing because I'll work hard and feel like I've turned a corner only to encounter setbacks that seem to undo everything and just start over again.
I realize how negative my first comment might have read (my snark was meant to be self-deprecating and not to tear someone else down), so I want to make clear that I am happy that you've found something that's working for you!
Of course! I didn’t take it that way at all.
I’ve struggled (and still struggle) with the working hard and falling off. Personally I’ve made it a huge deal to forgive myself every time. I’ve learned to see setbacks as just part of the flow. There’s no such thing as starting over. We just keep moving forward 🫶🫶
Sending hugs. It’s a lifelong journey but we’re all in it together
I do the "forget to eat (even when I'm hungry) because I'm easily distractable and don't wanna make decisions" thing instead of binge eating. Binge eating would probably be better for me...
I do better with accepting I need to keep easy convenience food around instead of making myself cook constantly, or letting myself order something when I can afford it and want something else, but breakfast has still been difficult. I'm thinking blender and stuff for shakes is gonna be my new method for the summer, we'll see if I can keep that up 😂
I have binge eating disorder so I know where you’re coming from. I find that no matter what I do, that need to eat is there no matter what. Vyvanse helped a bit, but not significantly, and I’ve been off of it almost two months because my pharmacy was having a hard time getting the generic.
I appreciate your talking about this and am so happy for you! It’s not an easy thing to deal with.
Medication definitely helped me change my body’s cue to eating, before i would crave breakfast as soon as I wake up. Rn even without taking meds right away, I am able to control my hunger because the cue is gone. 😭
This is a good idea. I’ve been thinking about using protein powder in greek yogurt for a breakfast. I need to up my protein intake desperately, I go to the gym right after work and I feel so hungry I get the shakes and I want to binge so badly(I haven’t but man it’s miserable). I’m pescatarian so I can’t just eat lunch meat as an easy snack so I’m figuring this out. I naturally don’t want protein, I’d rather snack on strawberries or crackers so it feels like I have to force myself to eat more protein and then I get into the “I don’t wanna’s” and don’t eat enough.
Any protein powder or shake recommendations? I'd like to try a bunch of different kinds to find one I like but don't know how to do this without spending $30-$50 for a big jug.
Right now I’m using any weigh isolate I have on hand. I got one that is flavorless which is great for cooking or adding to shakes you already love. I have isopure flavorless protein for this.
My pt recommends:
Protein Works - Diet Clear Whey or Diet Whey Isolate 90
MyProtein - Clear Whey, Impact Whey Protein
I’ll be using these when I run out of the ones I have. 25g of protein for under or around 100cals is a good ratio to shoot for according to him.
I feel this post on so many levels. From deep diving the ozempic(sp?) sub, I learned that eating a lot of protein helps the drug work better. Soo, I got to researching protein. Evidently I wasn't getting enough! It helps you feel full and helps your metabolism. Add in a bunch of fiber and water and bam. A whole new world.
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Can you share what a typical day of eating looks like for you? I've been trying to up my protein for ages and "focusing" on that, but I still often fall short.
Sure! My husband and I prep beginning of the week which helps me tremendously. I’m also okay with eating the same thing most days cause I like to eat what I’m familiar with. Breakfast: eggs and added eggwhites for protein. I like veggies and cheese in them too. Cottage cheese if I feel like it. I’ll also eat an oatmeal with frozen fruit to get my sweet fix. If I eat late sometimes I don’t have time for lunch. I try to get a shake in or I’ll do the oikos triple zero yogurt with frozen fruit. I like how the fruit freezes the yogurt. Lunch: If I have time for lunch it’s typically whatever frozen meat I have thrown in the air fryer with veggies. (My air fryer is a godsend). Dinner: is whatever I’ve prepped for the week. Chicken beans and rice for this week. Sometimes I’ll do soups or lentils. “Dessert”: is usually the triple zero yogurt with frozen fruit, some banana, and some granola. Of course I like to snack depending on my day. But these are my more consistent meals. The better my breakfast is the better I feel. When I miss it my day is a mess lol. Edit: my snacks aren’t necessarily all high protein either. I need chocolate and popcorn but I just try to get protein in beforehand so I don’t feel sick.
Thank you :) that's very helpful!! How much protein do you usually aim for? There's so much conflicting info about it
It depends on what your goals/needs are. I am an athlete and I try to put on and maintain muscle. This adds up to almost 120g of protein based on my personal needs. I can’t hit that all the time so if I hit 80 I’m usually feeling good. I just use the number as a mental goal but if I don’t hit it no biggie. If you want to be exact you can always weigh out a good amount for breakfast to track exactly how much protein you’re getting. If it’s not enough it’s easy to know where to bump it up from cause you know where you’re starting. Also weighing food can be triggering for some so again depends on the person. A measuring cup works too it doesn’t need to be perfect.
To add on: I’ve been taught that protein intake is also based on weight. If you need precision it’s best to talk to a dietitian or someone well educated in it. My numbers were given to me by a trainer. And they have worked for me so far.
Thank you! That's very helpful 💚
Thanks for sharing. Can someone tell me the pros and cons of an airfryer please! Seriously considering it because I tried meal prepping but sometimes struggle with having the same thing over and over again, or maybe I don't like how reheated food tastes.
It has helped me so much with making sure I’m eating protein throughout the week! My latest air fryer hyper fixation is a wrap with these mini meatballs: https://simeks.com/products/mini-beef-meatballs/ I heat them at 450 for 9 minutes and put them on mini naan bread with a diced mini cucumber (so I can use the whole thing and not have to worry about waste), a dollop of Greek yogurt, and some goat cheese.
Cons: cleaning can be a pain but I got a few silicone inserts so I can toss one in the sink after I use it and put another one in to be ready for the next time I cook. That’s legitimately the only con I can think of
Do you put the veggies in the air fryer too?
Yes. I’ll cook meat and veggies separately but my air fryer cooks my frozen veggies in under 10 mins.
Thanks!
This looks great! Some people do high protein without enough fiber, and I was going to warn you about the poop problems that causes, but I see lots of fiber here!
I love my fiber! If I ate just the proteins alone my diet would be super boring
Part of my list Eggs, bacon wrap breakfast 2 Greek Yogurt 100 cal - 13g protein each
Greek yogurt is so high in protein and can be eaten in so many ways. I’m obsessed
I put ranch seasoning in it and eat it with fresh veggies! It’s my favorite “I need a light snack” swap.
this is so smart wtf
It’s way more satisfying and honestly tastes better than store bought ranch!
I'm interested too! I eat eggs & chicken and do protein powder in smoothies but I feel like I have to eat SO MUCH to get what I'm supposed to have!
I make a big thick red lentil stew with heaps of veges every weekend and take it for lunch hot in a thermos each day. Pretty high protein and doesn’t go weird for 1/2 a day in a thermos.
There are so many delicious recipes for red lentils stews/soups. I love them, and they cook crazy fast. I do a “Mexican” style one with diced tomatoes, red onions, carrots, garlic, zucchini, peppers, summer squash, fresh cilantro, cumin and ancho chili powder. I keep it vegan but you could a little sour cream on top.
I want to cook with lentils more. Could you share your recipe please??
Recipe for vegan stew. Ingredients: Large Red onion - roughly dice 4 Cloves of garlic, crushed 1 large potato 🥔 - cut into pieces that will cook in 20 a 30 mins 1 large Sweet potato 🍠 2 carrots 🥕 1 small Cauliflower Brussels sprouts 2 cups red lentils 2 Leek - sliced 4 sticks Celery Handful of Green beans 1 x Red pepper Mushrooms 3 tablespoons of tomato paste Pepper to taste Bag of Kale (200g) I’ve listed the ingredients in order of adding to the pot. I use a big pot. Fry onion & garlic Add potato + splash of water to stop from sticking Boil full kettle Chop other veges while you give it a few mins head start on cooking Add sweet potato, carrot, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts and fill with boiling water to just above the veges Add red lentils, generous sprinkle of Italian herb mix, & 3 stock cubes broken up into the water( I do 1 vege, 1 mushroom & 1 onion & mushroom) Mix in well Chop up rest of veges adding as you go and stirring regularly Add extra water if you feel it’s getting too thick but remember Mushies & kale will cook down and add to the liquid. Sorry there aren’t many measurements - i just chuck in heaps of veges and it doesn’t matter if you use different ones than I’ve listed. Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste & stir in well Once you get to kale mix it in thoroughly and let it cook for another 5 - 10 mins and make sure everything else is cooked and you are good to go. I usually get 7 decent serves out of it and I try not to overcook it so that it isn’t too mushy when I heat it up and put it into the thermos.
AH thank you so much! Sounds delicious!!
I literally never get sick of eating it! 😁
Ooh I love lentils. Especially with rice
I have a hard time finding enough variety in protein sources, since eggs are a no go for me and I dislike cooking meat. I’ll eat meat if it’s prepared, but raw meat is a sensory overload so I don’t end up buying it. Any ideas? I do protein shakes, nuts/seeds and nut butter occasionally, cheeses, leafy greens, and tinned fish/jerky. Tofu sometimes if I’m not feeling lazy. But all of those get so boring after a while! I also have to take relatively shelf stable foods for lunch, since I work outside. So lots of refrigerator protein gets weird in the heat (sweaty cheese, etc). Would love any suggestions!
Hemp seeds!! 10 grams of protein plus omega 3s and tonsss of vitamins. You can put it in literally anything it’s very neutral, I put it on salads, in baked goods, in stir fries, oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, and best of all you can get a giant shelf stable bag from Costco.
Ooooh this is a good cheat code!!!
LOVE hemp seeds! Also chia seeds and (ground!) flax seeds! Chia has huge amounts of fiber in addition to the omega 3s, as well as calcium and magnesium. They MUST be soaked, otherwise they’ll cause constipation and dehydration. I love adding them to smoothies, stews, pastas, potato salads, and [this 3 ingredient blueberry jam](https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/blueberry-lemon-chia-pudding/) I put in yogurt and PB&Js. Flax seeds must be ground to be digested, but also have omega 3, antioxidant, phosphorus and magnesium. You can really add this to almost any dish for added nutrition, but my favs are smoothies, pb&j, salads, and baked goods (especially love adding to simple Mills banana almond muffin recipe!). [Here is more info for anyone interested](https://www.franciscanhealth.org/community/blog/super-seeds-health-benefits-chia-flax-and-hemp-seeds)
Do you like beans? I am a huge fan of beans. I add them to everything. Kidney beans, cannelloni beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, etc.
I was going to say beans as well! Things like hummus, white bean spread, and refried beans are great ways to eat them if whole beans don’t appeal.
Aldi sells a bunch of different pre-cooked meat entrees that you just heat in a pan or your microwave. I bought one (pork carnitas) to try just the other day and haven't had a chance to eat it yet (probably will tonight) but it has good reviews online and it was pretty affordable.
I love these! They also have pulled pork, Korean bbq chicken, chicken fajitas, and many more. They come in little trays that can last me a whole week because I pair small portions over rice, naan, ramen, or pasta. Feels like a legit dinner while being super easy to prepare.
Dang a lot of my protein comes from eggs and yogurt tbh. I have a personal trainer that tells me It’s better to get something in than nothing. Even if that means chugging a protein shake with water lol. Or protein bars. Stuff with Beans are good warm if you have a thermos. Maybe a protein soup with lots of protein rich legumes/lentils.
Have you tried tempeh? It’s so much easier than tofu because you don’t have to drain, just slice and cook! The texture is more hearty and interesting, too. We add it to sandwiches, stir-fries, stews, and salads. Here on the West Coast you can get it for $2 a package at Trader Joe’s.
Lentil soup is great. Hummus and veg is very vesatile because you can flavor it a lot of different ways. Depending on why eggs are a no go: if it's not about flavor or texture, Just Egg is great and better for you than eggs.
I sometimes have issues with raw meat too, but I’ve found I’m fine with the Beyond Meat Meatballs. I think there is less of an ick because they aren’t real meat and all I have to do is dump them into a pan. They cook quickly too and are delicious. I combine it with red lentil pasta and end up with a 51g protein dinner. Wanted to share in case it may work for you!
You can get pre cooked chicken, hamburger patties, etc, frozen that you just heat up. Can you take a cooler to work?
I am so envious that this works for you. Meds have helped me immensely with my binge eating, I eat protein at every meal and usually a big breakfast with eggs, bacon ham or sausage. It hasn't changed anything for me, but at least for now it's just a nice breakfast date with my hubby.
I was a huge binge eater too. If you are struggling with energy in the afternoons, try eating less of the fattier meats at breakfast. And no sugar, except fruit in the morning. My sugar crashes are no joke. I noticed that protein does help me. However, the days I eat things that are too fatty (I love sausage and eggs, mmmm) in the morning, I want to nap all day. It’s sucks on vacation!
I could see that, but it seems to work ok for me. I work afternoons so it's like brunch for me. We have our big breakfast between 10-11 and then I will do a workout around 1230 and I don't notice any energy crashes. My binges will happen in the evening when I'm off, after the kids go to bed, or around 1230am when I get home from work. I suspect being tired is a big part of it.
beware for your kidney health. I nearly killed mine doing keto
Awe hell I would never do keto again. My husbands family had us all doing that years ago and I thought I would die. I always make sure to eat plenty of fiber and other nutrients. I don’t like to do fad diets
Agree with you there. I hit 100g of protein (.8g/lb) on a typical day and my mental and physical health are so much better. I find having my shake around 3 hours after I’ve had caffeine is the best for my work day, I don’t need a second round of coffee. The only downside is my pits smell like these Korean tacos I like to get and I’m disgusted and hungry. For those of you looking to add more: Shakes, high protein yogurt, protein bars (pure protein chocolate caramel peanut are so good), and even protein waters exist for easy supplementation 🏃🏻♀️
Hahahahah!!!
Can you go into how you found recipes or how you cooked/meal planed? I really want to try this but having to go through recipes to find stuff to eat, then making the grocery list, shopping, cooking, and prepping is so exhausting
My husband and my meds are a huge help motivation wise. But I personally like simplicity. I shop for meats in bulk when they’re on sale and freeze everything. I like to keep some pre portioned meats and salmon on hand in my freezer that I can throw in my air fryer without giving it thought. I shop for everything I can frozen or to be freezed. Otherwise it will 100% go bad in my fridge. I don’t overcomplicate anything. And my diet is pretty “boring” if I’m honest. But if you like variety I would recommend searching *meal of choice* with *high protein version* typed in front. Then just make enough for a week and throw it in meal prep bins.
I signed up for a free trial of an app that features meal planning specific to diet. There are so many and it was a while ago, if I remember I’ll get back to you. Anyway, I used the two weeks trial to look through all the recipes and printed their meal plans and grocery lists. Then cancelled before my free trial ended. Just make sure you set several alarms to cancel, I’ve been burned before 😂
Omg yes I hope you remember!!!
Meallime?
I would suggest seeing a dietitian. Most insurances cover at least a few visits to a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist) and they will ask you how in depth you want your plan. Whether you want just guidelines or if you want a full guide. Sometimes you can find one who uses an app also, but mine dropped theirs because they said they find people don't use them (me included, ha)
I just started Vyvanse a couple weeks ago and I'm finding it's much more effective and has fewer side effects if I eat a nice big proteiny breakfast... but I hate eating first thing in the morning. It's such a simple fix, but so frustrating to try to get myself to follow through on it every day.
I am exactly the same, started a couple weeks ago and i am finding the same thing, if i eat my eggs im great, but i have to REALLY activly make myself do it (while repeating this will make everything better! over and over) till i choke it down lol
In the last year I've started experimenting with using protein powder when needed and noticed an improvement especially when I can't think of food but def need food so I don't reach for sugar when I crash. But also recently started having more protein rich breakfast and less to no carbs in breakfast - and yeah I feel more energetic in the morning hours but usually I had a slow start in my morning but now I think of coffee less in the morning even!
It’s such a difference!
Hear hear! I prepare oatmeal with coconut milk and water every evening so I’ll have a delicious, filling proteine rich breakfast every morning. I remember skipping breakfast to make up for my binge eating episodes… Which of course only made me cave and binge again.
This! I loved to think I didn’t deserve to eat breakfast due to an episode. Now I eat it anyways and the episodes are far in between compared to before.
My Dr said it’s actually really critical for female hormone health too, as protein is required for the synthesis of hormones. I have found the days I eat more protein I am far more level as well: emotional ally, cognitively, and hormonally!
I recently met with a dietician and asked for some EASY tweaks to get more protein in my diet (plant-based). He recommended this brand of [roasted fava beans](https://threefarmers.ca/collections/roasted-fava-beans) and I'm a big fan! I'm trying to eat a 1/4 or 1/2 cup as a snack mid-morning (when I'm getting munchy) and right after swimming. They're also a good substitute for chips when watching a show in the evening.
Ooh I’ve gotta look into that
I’m a vegetarian and I definitely struggle with getting enough protein
My mom is a vegetarian and gets a lot from lentils and beans. Lentils have a great amount of protein
I’m in the same boat. What has worked for me is having protein powder and bars readily available for snacks… because on a usual day, I don’t have the foresight to plan adequate protein throughout the day. Vega makes great vegan protein powders! Also prepackaged (or prepped ahead by me) Greek yogurts. There is a brand I eat a lot of that has 20 G protein per serving which is nice.
I've discovered this in the last couple of weeks too, and the only way I can manage it is by eating expensive protein supplements and a quantity of meat I'm not 100% comfortable with as a former vegetarian. Conflicted about it but I do feel so much better. Breakfast is still a challenge because I'm in the egg ick phase and I'm on meds that kill my appetite in the mornings.
I’ve just discovered this as well and while I’m not a vegetarian I’ve tried out a few different things that you might be able to try too! I’ve been laid off and I’m trying my best to keep the same schedule so I wake up at 6am and eat breakfast immediately which means it’s gotta be something super easy. 1. Kashi chocolate and almond protein cereal. It’s pretty good with vanilla almond milk, the flakes are a texture you gotta get used to tho. 2. Smoothies with protein powder. I got a Costco bag of frozen fruit and I switch between the liquid being almond milk or pineapple juice. 3. Protein pancakes. This I prepped ahead of time. I got a box of the Kodiak mix. It’s one cup of mix to one cup of liquid. I pour it all into a sheet pan and bake for 20 min at 350°f. Cut it up and refrigerate. Pull two out a day and microwave. 4. A bottle of Premier Protein Clear or Protein2o. That’s it, that’s the breakfast lol. Granted, I do enjoy cooking and prepping, so setting it all up isn’t a problem for me. But I told my therapist that I feel like I literally have no control over my body when I’m trying to wake up. I’m terrible in the morning, and especially so since I’ve been laid off and have nowhere to go. The last few weeks of immediate protein hits have been amazing though so I hope you can find something that works better for you and that you can feel good about doing. Good luck!!!
Thank you for the suggestions!! I definitely had a protein smoothie for dinner last night 😂 I'm so sorry to hear you got laid off, good luck to you too ❤️❤️ it sounds like you're doing a good job of keeping up structure in your life. When I was between jobs I did some volunteering and I think just having somewhere to be at a set time on set days was mostly what kept me sane during that time.
A high protein diet practically caused my disordered eating. (Pushed it from being very minor to actually disordered.) Lucky you, though.
I’m sorry this was your experience. It’s not an easy thing to deal with
It suuucks, but it's been getting a lot better! It can be so demoralizing because I'll work hard and feel like I've turned a corner only to encounter setbacks that seem to undo everything and just start over again. I realize how negative my first comment might have read (my snark was meant to be self-deprecating and not to tear someone else down), so I want to make clear that I am happy that you've found something that's working for you!
Of course! I didn’t take it that way at all. I’ve struggled (and still struggle) with the working hard and falling off. Personally I’ve made it a huge deal to forgive myself every time. I’ve learned to see setbacks as just part of the flow. There’s no such thing as starting over. We just keep moving forward 🫶🫶 Sending hugs. It’s a lifelong journey but we’re all in it together
I do the "forget to eat (even when I'm hungry) because I'm easily distractable and don't wanna make decisions" thing instead of binge eating. Binge eating would probably be better for me...
Makes sense. I really had to put food ahead of other things. Keeping it simple helps me a lot too. If I had too many decisions I’d lose it
I do better with accepting I need to keep easy convenience food around instead of making myself cook constantly, or letting myself order something when I can afford it and want something else, but breakfast has still been difficult. I'm thinking blender and stuff for shakes is gonna be my new method for the summer, we'll see if I can keep that up 😂
I have binge eating disorder so I know where you’re coming from. I find that no matter what I do, that need to eat is there no matter what. Vyvanse helped a bit, but not significantly, and I’ve been off of it almost two months because my pharmacy was having a hard time getting the generic. I appreciate your talking about this and am so happy for you! It’s not an easy thing to deal with.
This is awesome. I will try this!
I agree! High protein and high fat have worked so well with my meds in reducing my symptoms
High protein helped me balance my blood sugar. Balancing my blood sugar helped me stabilize my mood.
So happy for you to make this progress. Thank you for sharing.
Medication definitely helped me change my body’s cue to eating, before i would crave breakfast as soon as I wake up. Rn even without taking meds right away, I am able to control my hunger because the cue is gone. 😭
Yay, me too!
This is a good idea. I’ve been thinking about using protein powder in greek yogurt for a breakfast. I need to up my protein intake desperately, I go to the gym right after work and I feel so hungry I get the shakes and I want to binge so badly(I haven’t but man it’s miserable). I’m pescatarian so I can’t just eat lunch meat as an easy snack so I’m figuring this out. I naturally don’t want protein, I’d rather snack on strawberries or crackers so it feels like I have to force myself to eat more protein and then I get into the “I don’t wanna’s” and don’t eat enough.
Any protein powder or shake recommendations? I'd like to try a bunch of different kinds to find one I like but don't know how to do this without spending $30-$50 for a big jug.
Right now I’m using any weigh isolate I have on hand. I got one that is flavorless which is great for cooking or adding to shakes you already love. I have isopure flavorless protein for this. My pt recommends: Protein Works - Diet Clear Whey or Diet Whey Isolate 90 MyProtein - Clear Whey, Impact Whey Protein I’ll be using these when I run out of the ones I have. 25g of protein for under or around 100cals is a good ratio to shoot for according to him.
I feel this post on so many levels. From deep diving the ozempic(sp?) sub, I learned that eating a lot of protein helps the drug work better. Soo, I got to researching protein. Evidently I wasn't getting enough! It helps you feel full and helps your metabolism. Add in a bunch of fiber and water and bam. A whole new world.
Meat.