So Im currently on a weight loss journey, what are some good high protein foods, low in cals that would allow me to maintain roughly same protein intake while being in a deficit?
It can be foods, packaged snacks, baked products, anything really.
Greek yogurt (100 calories and 18g protein per 3/4 cup)
Beans/lentils (110 calories, 8g fiber, 8g protein per 1/2 cup)
Green peas (6g protein and 80 calories per 1/2 cup
Cottage cheese (100 calories and 12g protein per half cup)
Eggs and egg whites (80 calories and 8g protein per egg with yolk)
Broccoli (30 calories and 5g protein per cup)
Lentil/ chickpea/ soybean pasta (est. 180-200 calories 18-25g protein per cup cooked)
Ricotta cheese (est. 110 calories and 8-10g protein per serving)
Low fat cheese, string cheese, skim milk (est. 80 calories and 8g protein per serving)
Tofu, Seitan, tempeh are also very high in protein (probably comparable to Greek yogurt as listed above)
/u/so_coconuts_migrate gave you an awesome general list so I’ll try to add with some specific hacks.
Protein-enriched wraps/bread (I like the brand Flat-Out)
Protein-enriched pasta (I like Liviva edamame/black bean pasta)
Add protein powder to everything! Tea/coffee (mix in cold water first, then add), pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, baking, unflavoured yogurt, etc. Get a yummy flavour like Salted Caramel and you can add it to a lot of sweet dishes. Unflavoured protein powder can be added to savory dishes.
Add Lupin (bean) flour to your baking
Roast/air-fry chickpeas tossed in Indian spices for a crunchy snack
Make homemade hummus or chickpea cookie dough dip
You don’t want to mess with processed and packaged foods. Stay with whole, real food or egg white or why protein. Packaged foods have many processed oils and additives, preservatives and chemicals that will do you no favors!
Babybell light, eggwhite-oatmeal, protein coffee, greek yougurt , If you feeling bakey i recommend cheatdaydesign.com, lots of macrofriendly high protein recipes. I made the brownies and replaced it with protein bars
Boiled eggs ••••••
Simple Mills Crackers + goat cheese ••••••
Plain yogurt sweetened with stevia + berries ••••••
Tuna or Chicken salad ••••••
Chicken Soup w/o noodles (or low cal noodles like miracle noodle) ••••••
Egg Drop Soup ••••••
Sausage patties
If you’re not concerned about micronutrition, and only are focusing on macros, then TVP or soy curls would fit along those lines.
If you can stomach the flavor, spirulina is a good choice for your macros and for micronutrients.
I would caution you about focusing on dieting for weight loss while relying on the internet for help. Protein is not your major concern (Why protein? Why not fiber? Or water? Or antioxidants? Etc.), and consuming more protein than your body uses will eventually turn into deposited fat, quite the opposite of what you’re going for.
You might consider seeing a dietician if you’re serious about your weight loss. They do cost money, but so do all the weight loss products that don’t seem to work on anyone except those who are selling it ;-)
Good luck.
You’ve got a lot of great suggestions here. One of my fav protein snacks you can make in bulk is quinoa bites with egg, veg, and a little cheese. You can season them however but they’re great with pizza seasoning and a little sauce to dip in.
For weight loss, high-fiber snacks should be your focus. Don’t sweat the carbs either. Keep fat intake to a bare minimum.
Boomcorn (Korean popcorn), seeds, nuts, dry roasted edamame, dried fruit, unsweetened applesauce, etc.
There are feeding trials showing increasing protein fraction, all else equal, does increase weight gain. These are not the final say on protein energy metabolism, but unless you have a need for protein (pro/elite athlete, protein energy wasting disease), this is not something to prioritize.