'Pro'-viders

Looking to pump up your protein intake but aren't exactly thrilled with the idea of eating canned tuna? Fear not, you chicken of the sea -- there are plenty of much tastier foods out there that offer a heaping helping of this macronutrient.

The current issue of Maximum Fitness magazine serves up these fine alternatives to the usual protein suspects:

Beans. Score a solid 18g of protein from a cup of kidney beans, which take only a few minutes to cook up in a saucepan or microwave.

Eggs. Large eggs contain about 6.5g of protein each. Not a whole bunch, but most people don't just eat a single egg. It doesn't take a degree in advanced mathamatics to figure out that a hearty egg breakfast can hook you up with a healthy dose of pro.Chicken. A four-ounce chicken breast usually packs around 26g of protein. There are dozens of ways to turn this into a delicious lunch or dinner entree.

Oatmeal. At six grams of protein per cup, oatmeal is a real twofer -- you also get a 54g of slow-digesting carbohydrates (in addition to 8g of fiber ... so I guess you can call it a three-fer!!). For even more protein, add a scoop of protein powder.

Venison. Deer meat isn't easy to come by in certain parts of the country (personally, I wouldn't have a clue where to find it), but it may be worth seeking out. At 51.5g of protein in a six-ounces of meat, it is among the best whole food sources of protein available. The tricky part may be coming to terms with the fact that you're eating Bambi.