We’ve all eaten or consumed some crazy concoctions to hit protein number for our macros.
For example:
- Protein powder mixed with cottage cheese
- Pork rinds and protein bars
- Chicken breast mixed with egg whites
- Cottage cheese mixed with peanut butter and casein protein
- Or you’ve suffered through the hell that is mixing water with protein powder.
When someone tells you to eat more protein, what’s the first thing you do? Head to your local store and pick-up a tub of the P-powder, right?
Like any good bro I love my post workout shake. But, some of my clients can’t handle whey protein. Others feel like their gonna vomit like Linda Blair if they eat one more piece of chicken.
Does the thought of eating more chicken or slurping down another shake makes you do the opposite of smile?
Have no fear Bro Pesci here are some ways to increase protein without taking supplements.
Egg Whites
If you’re trying to get straight protein without supplements there is nothing better than egg whites. Each serving comes packed with 5 grams of protein.
Kicking off your morning with an egg white omelet is a great way to start your day with a healthy dose of protein.
You can even sub these in for whole eggs in recipes like pancakes, waffles, or muffins to add extra protein to your baked goods.
Of course, if you’re really low on protein and need to make up a lot of ground in your macros, you can always eat egg whites by themselves. I suggest adding a little (or a lot) of hot sauce for flavor.
If you hate the taste of egg whites no matter how much hot sauce you bathe them in, do what I do. In your morning oatmeal, add a serving or two of egg whites (I use ⅓ cup for 10g of protein) while the oatmeal is cooking.
Sounds weird I know, but there is no egg white taste at all in the oatmeal.
Low-fat/Non-Fat Cheese
This is my downfall when it comes to dieting. I love cheese and would love to eat it at every meal if I could.
Only problem is that the ratio of fat to protein in cheese isn’t great. Full fat cheeses have around 8-9 grams of fat per 5-7 grams of protein. At two servings, that means cheese has almost a 2:1 ratio of fat to protein. If you’re trying to increase protein without supplements this is no bueno.
Low-fat cheeses like ricotta or feta have a better ratio of protein to fat. Light Parmesan cheese has an exact 2:1 protein to fat ratio and is great to add on top of salads or burgers.
When it comes to high protein cheese though the clear winner is non-fat mozzarella.
One cup of non-fat shredded mozzarella comes packed with 38 grams of protein. You can add this on top of burgers, stuff it in chicken breasts, or use it for grilled cheese.
If snacking is your downfall, non-fat mozzarella is the cheese used for string cheese. Each string of cheese holds about 8 grams of protein. Keep these in your fridge for those nights you need 40-50 grams of protein and don’t want to eat chicken breast and egg whites.
Eat ½ cup of Cottage Cheese at Every Meal
My clients that really struggle to hit their protein goals live by this rule.
Opt for the low-fat or non-fat versions here as they have more protein per serving. Each serving clocks in at 13 grams to 15 grams of protein respectively.
Three servings of this a day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner will net you an extra 40-45 grams of protein. It takes up very little room in your stomach so you don’t have to worry about feeling bloated or full from eating a whole pint if you happen to go big and eat all the cottage at once.
Wait. Does cottage cheese make your stomach churn more than a roller coaster at Six Flags? You’d eat it but aren’t a huge fan of the taste?
Solve that by adding in slices of avocado, honeydew, pineapple, honey, or instead of milk in your post-workout shake. Cottage cheese will help you level up your protein like a boss.
Brotein Equals Gains
You don’t have to buy supplements to hit your protein. I love my post-workout shakes and I’ll continue to slurp them down over my lifetime, but I want you to know there are other ways to get more protein.
But just in case you DO want to take supplements, we got you covered: The 10 Best Protein Powder Supplements For Men, Ranked By Taste, Quality, And Cost