protein! protein! protein!...Help

[dgordon]

I'm drinking 80 grams of protein a day. I take my vitamins and B-12 to keep my energy levels up. I still drink chicken and veggie broths for lunch. I'm beginning to add foods, I had egg whites this morning. I seem to tolerate them ok. I think my stomach can take almost anything (lol). However, I am on a soft diet for another week. I take in 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day. The nutritionist ask that I not eat salad or fish yet, even though I believe that I can eat it now.

Are you drinking lots of water? That seems to help with regularity. I can always tell when I'm slacking on water.

[Nadolphi]

Wow your doing great. Yes I do need to drink more. Barely get time and seem to go for bread sticks instead of water. Old habits die hard!

[Chrsmartin]

Hi Sol! I am not getting enough protein either. I usually eat a packet of oatmeal for breakfast, chicken (with maybe 2-3 tbsp of rice) for lunch, and chicken or ground beef/turkey with a few bites of sweet potato for dinner. I have also done an omelet with spinach, tomatoes and cheese on the weekends. I know I need to get more protein in but I'm not usually hungry in between meals. I have been using the Optifast shakes that the doctor sells but have not really been doing it lately I am almost 6 weeks out and have lost 26 lbs. You have inspired me to focus more on protein from now on! Let me know how you are doing with it all. Good luck!
Chris

[sol]

You guys are all ROCKSTARS!!!!
Could you ever have imagined any of us counting calories and protien in order to stay alive? lol
I keep telling people that this really is a challenge that I thrust myself into. I used to watch the biggest loser and wish that I could be on that show so that they could make me make better eating choices. Well ...I'm now on the biggest loser minus the tv cameras lol....and the prize money hehe.

No regrets!!!


Thank you everyone, I went to the store last night and took a little bit of each of your meal ideas with me.
I ended up with avocoados, turkey meat, cheese, eggs, almonds etc. ;-)
I've also made SURE in the last 2 days that there is at least 40 grams of protien in my shakes, after that I have a protien shot in water and thats 66 grams right there. That leaves 24 that I'm hoping to get with food. Wish me luck with this and I'll be doing the same for you...point blank period-> Lets get it in!!!!!

Tomorrow I am exactly 1 month post-op!! wooohooo *does dance and throws confetti*

For those of you commending my weightloss I don't want it to seem like I'm not thoroughly excited :-) but my doctor required no pre-op diet *gassspppssssss*, yes..I admit...I had a plate of enchiladas the night before my surgery. Mentally I have been paying the price ever since, although I'm much better now! Pre-oppers don't slack on that pre-op diet...your brain needs to get used to whats about to happen (notice I didn't say stomach). Point being, I believe my weight loss now wouldn't be so rapid if I did have a pre-op diet. But again, I'm not complaining :-)

Thank you all so much again, for your food ideas and sharing your struggles. This post has been an awesome help and it also motivated me to get on your level!!

XOXO,
Sol

[sol]

oh yeah...and as always feel free to add me on yahoo instant messanger

vegasgrl143

[ashleymonna]

Hi everyone!

I can't get the weight loss ticker to work but I am almost 7 weeks out, down 29 pounds, almost 2 pant sizes, and couldn't be happier.

I wanted to throw my protein habits out there for others in case it helps. I am getting at 60 grams of protein a day from the following two items: (#1) 14 oz. bottle of Muscle Milk Light for breakfast (20 grams of protein, 170 calories, 12 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of fiber and (#2) 20 oz. bottle of Nature's Best Zero Carb Isopure Protein Drink for afternoon beverage (basically flavored water with 40 grams of protein and only 160 calories). This routine works great for me becuase I know whatever I end up eating throghout the day, I've got at least 60 grams down. The Muscle Milk flavors are great and aren't chalky to me at all like some other protein shakes. The Isopure drinks are good as well. Pictures attached.

Hope this helps and good luck to everyone out there!
Ashley

[justjenr]

I've heard my fitness pal is great, I use spark people and it also helps track pretty closely to what you have eaten. Lots of foods too. I really like being able to track everything and see where I am at. I know my protein is a bit low (avg 30-40), but hope to have a better selections to choose from soon. I move to my dr's stage 3 diet tomorrow and I am sure we'll talk all about that. Protein shakes are ok, I just have trouble finding ones that I like. Just bought body fortress chocolate powder on a recommendation.

[leilani]

OMG! This information is awesome! I have just made a grocery list based on all of these recommendations and downloaded my Fitness Pal. I too struggle with the protein every day, I seem to have no appetite and am looking forward to drinking most of my protein, I am glad to hear of some alternatives to the powdered whey, I just don't like that stuff so I am going to buy all the other products and test them out.

@Sol, I live in Las Vegas too! Although my Dr (Umbach) recommended a pre-op diet, I totally abandoned the whole thing, I was at Applebee's the day before surgery and was laughing when I read your post!

[MissDeidre]

Honestly, I know I'm in the minority with this one but I actually find that I like the whey powder.

Before my surgery, I got a bunch of Atkins shakes (LOVE THEM) and tried all the different ones and now use them as my "snacks" (I "dose" myself by opening the shake and pouring a serving out into a little 3 oz Dixie cup).

But the majority of my protein is coming from the GNC powders. It's 60g of protein per serving, with really low carbs and the chocolate and strawberry flavours are really tasty. (The vanilla tastes like you're filling your mouth with cake batter ... I really don't recommend that flavour).

I tried others ... like Unjury ... and mostly use them for add-ins with my puddings and other foods.

Just my $1.25

[mom2dms]

You are not in this alone...I think we all struggle with protein!
I have a hard time in the morning because eating and getting in the car to drive right away makes me sick to my stomach. So, I typically have a tall soy vanilla late which I generally drink about half which is 80 calories and 7.5g of protein.
I mix non flavored protein powder into two camelback drink bottles before I leave for work for the day (24 g each) into either with water and crystal lite (I also mix in a benifiber packet) or iced tea. I try to drink these both all day, but am struggling to get all my water intake in each day.
For lunch I typically have 1-2 oz of tuna salad (90 calories and 4.5g of protein)
I try to eat a snack at mid morning, either a yoplait yogurt (100 calories 5 g of protein) or a protein bar (Pure Protein bars chocolate peanutbutter - 200 calories 20 g of protein. I typically eat half in the morning and the other half in the afternoon)
Dinner is some type of meat - typically about 1-2 oz.
Before bedtime, I try to have a snack to keep severe heartburn from interrupting my sleep. I will have a piece of peanutbutter toast (200 calories not exactly sure on the protein).

Anyone who has yummy shake recipes .. please share!

[hollieann71]

I havent had one protein shake yet...and havent met one that I like! I get my protein from food....but at first i got it from whey protein shots...they sale at walmart... they are fruit punch flavored and are in a test tube looking vial... i mix them with plain water and ice or crystal light.... 24 proteins per tube! not to bad!!

[lshepler]

Hi!

How much protein is in your protein shake? And how many ounces are your shakes?
My protein shakes are 8 oz. The scoop provides 24 grams of protein. It takes me about 30-45 minutes to get it down. But that is fast compared to when I started-it took me 2 hours plus.

How many times are you eating a day? Or Are you on a set schedule? If so what is it?
I eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. I eat my protein first, which usually doesn't leave much room for anything else. Snacks are usually a string cheese, beef jerky, fat free sugar free pudding made with unflavored protein, and if I'm low on protein for the day, I have a protein bullet.

Can you please give me some examples of what you are eating and the quantities?
I eat shredded chicken, salmon, tuna, canned chicken, lunchmeat, even steak. I pretty much eat what the family eats, just much smaller portions. I can get in about a half cup (max) of whatever I'm eating.
Are you weighing your food? How many ounces per meal? Out of the ounces how are you determining the amount of protein intake?
I don't weigh my food at all. 2 tbsp is one ounce, 4 tbsp is 1/4 cup and 8 tbsp is 1/2 cup. I never eat more than 1/2 cup total volume, or I feel sick. And I also try to never drink while eating, as it will push your food thru your sleeve and you will feel hungry sooner than you should.
Hope this helps, best of luck to you!
Lisa

[jakebsmom]

I'm only 2 1/2 weeks out, but am on mushy food (thank goodness!). This week I've been eating:
breakfast - 1 cup of 1% milk while I'm getting ready and then a yougart on the way to work (Kroger carbmaster's are good - 8-13 grams of protein and 60 calories!)
lunch - 3 slices of lunch meat (Boar's Head!!) with a little lite cream cheese spread on it, rolled up. Then a few bites of fruit or steamed broccoli with it.
snack - string cheese
dinner - fish (even one with stuffing for added calories to put me over 500), maybe a bite or two of veggie
snack - low fat cottage cheese with a little fruit or a sugar free pudding.
I'm staying right at 800 calories and 60-65 grams of protein. Perfect for me right now!

[jakebsmom]

I didn't have a pre-op diet either except for the day before surgery. So 48 hours before surgery, I was eating many "last meals"! I am jealous of all the weight loss I see on here during the pre-op phase!

[sol]

Holy Moly the thread kept going and growing!!
I think that's awesome!!!
And when you scroll down you can see that 92 people have read through it. lol
I'm hoping that all 92 people took something away from everyone that contributed to this.
How cool is that.

I have been hard at work on the protien, but as you can see from one of my recent posts I know have gout which could possibly be from my high protien intake (what the HECK lol) imagine that...and doesn't it just want to make you scream?!?! So while in the process of becoming a protein guru I came to an abrupt stop. Now I am faced with the challenge of figuring out what in my diet will cause the flare ups and stay stay stay AWAY!!
Either way I'm excited for all of the posts because that is an amazing amount of menu's that each of us can learn from. I definitely took a lot of you on my last grocery trip and you didn't even know it ;-)

Oh....I almost forgot, I made some awesome protein posicles with popsicle makers. I'm going to start a tumblr account and start linking it to the forum. Make it a little easier to get to know me. I have a twitter too but you can ask Dr. A....I overtweet too much and not ever about WLS. Its weird because a lot of people still don't know. I'm babbling...
lol
Thank you all for your contribution to this thread...
If you see something missing please fill us in!!

Many blessings beautifulls,
Sol