When in to the "normal" food stage, how can you get enough protein without powders and shakes?

[Rexcom]

When in the "normal" food stage, (say ~2 months post op) how can I get enough protein without powders and shakes? I'd like to be able to get in 100 grams of protein a day. Any tips?
Thanks!

[MsLisa71]

I do it just about every day! Sample menu here: breakfast; 2 eggs, 1 slice provolone cheese and 1 oz. Turkey Breakfast Sausage = 25g protein. lunch; 3 oz baked chicken breast, 5 (frozen/microwaved) brussels sprouts = 29g protein. snack; 10 almonds, 1 oz cubed Colby cheese, .5 oz dry salame = 10g protein. dinner; chicken tortilla soup, .25 c shredded Mexican cheese, .5 avocado, 2 tbsp. sour cream = 25g protein.


Other snacks I lean toward are: Dannon light & fit yogurt = 12g protein, Cheese Sticks = 6g protein, ProGranola (protein granola) = 9g protein/1 oz svg, Cottage Cheese = 7g protein/.25 cup svg


I hope you find this helpful. I drink maybe 1-2 protein drinks in a week, usually half at a time if I need a protein boost at the end of the day to hit my goal of 80-90g/day.

[jackalope81]

There's no requirement to stop shakes when you start solids. It's not an either or thing especially in the period where you lose weight for the first 12-18 months post op. Lots of multi year people still drink them, especially for a breakfast on the go,

[Katrina]

Why would you want to stop? I love my protein shake. For me it's the tastiest and easiest way to get in my protein without having to figure out what to eat, count, and add. I can't get the much protein in with meat as my tummy still doesn't handle it wlvery well at 4 years out. My stomach loves the shakes, and it is the one consistent thing I can keep down. But, if you're hating them, the above menu MsLisa posted looks pretty darn good.

[Ann2]

Rex, it'll happen. And like others said (above), you don't HAVE to stop protein shakes, especially if you've found one (or more) that you enjoy drinking.

Some of the best non-shake protein sources for me have been:

* Greek yogurt -- highest protein I've found is the Fage non-fat plain Greek yogurt at 25 grams/cup and only 130 calories. You can spice it up with Torani sugar-free syrups -- lots of flavors out there, including vanilla, French vanilla, S'mores, Hazelnut, salted caramel, etc. I like to add lemon juice (very few calories) and French vanilla. May not be your cup of yogurt, but you might find something that will suit you.

* Then there's the old reliable skinless, boneless chicken breast, the dieter's staple. Early on, you can mince it up.

* Salmon -- that was the first fish my brand-new sleeve loved. Tuna had been an old friend, but my sleeve did NOT like it early on.

* Cheese ... a good/bad choice. I LOVE cheese. Four and a half years post-op I still weigh it because, as I said, I weigh it, and I could go overboard on it. BTW, I like full-fat cheese -- tastes SO much better, and because ... cheese should taste GOOD.

In the fat-free dairy department, I'm a fan of skim milk. I use it (frothed up and hot) to make morning lattes. Got into that early on. Still love those.

Those are some ideas. But YOU will figure out what you like. And I agree, 100 grams is a good protein target. That's still my daily target.

[KiwiGal]

I still have a protein shake for breakfast most days. It's quick and convenient as I have my breakfast at work and I like the taste so all good.
If I am not having a shake I have overnight oats and add a half scoop of protein powder to them. A full scoop is too much for the small amount of oats that I have. The milk that I soak them in adds a bit more protein. Otherwise the rest of the day is cottage cheese, eggs or chicken for lunch, fish or chicken for dinner and that all usually adds up to near 80g. I was told to aim for between 60-80g per day.
You will find out what suits you best. It will be a bit of trial and error but whatever it is it needs to work for you.

[sraebaer]

Meat may be difficult at first (OMG, you don't even want to hear my first chicken breast story), I would concentrate on softer foods like yogurt or fish when you are cleared for all foods. While the ultimate goal is to get all your protein with food, there is no reason you can't have a protein shake if you are not able to do that at first. I'm 5 years out and still have one a day, basically for my coffee creamer and the rest for a snack. I also take them when I travel, as they are a better snack than the Peanut M&Ms I used to get on road trips. (Even though peanuts have protein, right?)

I went through a stage for years where I couldn't stand them anymore, actually passed out all my leftovers at support group, and then came back later and bought them again. I look at the 30 grams in my Premier Protein shake as a little extra "insurance."

The stores are packed with protein products, so weight loss patients can't be the only ones using them.

[Christie13]

Hahahaha. It take a while to get it all in with food alone. I still take a shake almost on a daily basis and I am 2 years post op. I also strength train, though, so I need the extra protein. But yeah...get used to supplementing with a shake for a while.