other than shakes... do you have any tips to share for getting in enough protein during the day? (esp. when it's hard to eat a lot!)

I buy the unflavored Whey packets and I just put it in milk and juice. Tastes delicious. Probably can also put in scrambled eggs as well.

Tuna has become a staple for me, especially for lunch at work or on the go. I really like: Lunch To-Go? Chunk Light | StarKist and BumbleBee Sensations Spicy Thai Chili Kits with Crackers | BumbleBee.com (I usually don't eat the crackers) When eating out, I try to choose grilled fish, shrimp cocktail or crab legs (Red Lobster will let you order the add-on half-pound of snow crab legs without having to order a full dinner). I also keep canned white meat chicken on hand for making my mexican chicken soup, string cheese is a must-have, as is thinly sliced deli turkey. Breakfast is usually Oikos non-fat greek yogurt or a hard-boiled egg (perhaps a scrambled egg with a little cheese and salsa if I get up early enough to cook). My one pre-surgery treat that I've hung onto is chocolate milk. Nesquick makes a 100 calorie, single serving bottle that I pick up at my local convenience store when I want a treat and have a few calories/carbs to spare - 8g protein! I do sometimes supplement with ProJoe drinks from Bariatric Advantage (Frappuccino, anyone?) when I know I will have a hard time getting my 60g in. I track everything on fatsecret.com, so I can "forecast" what I need to eat to hit my goals. I'm happy to share my weekly food diaries if you are interested. Just send me a PM or email to christamccoy [at] gmail dot com. Hope that helps!

I have 1 or 2 protein bars/RTD shakes a day; as far as whole food sources, I like sashimi, eggs, and cheese (including cottage cheese).

I'm having a cottage cheese thing at the moment..... with a bit of lime, and chilli and cilantro in with it... yummy!

I'll have to start back on the sashimi tho..... missing it big time.

I wasn't able to use protein drinks. So, I didn't get in my protein until I got to mushies. Once I could eat soft foods, I was able to get all my protein from food sources. Chicken/tuna/egg salad, soft cheese, greek yogurt, and refried beans were staples in my diet. I ate 4 meals a day that consisted of a minimum of 15gr of protein. Eating just those 4 meals allowed me to hit my protein goal, and feel satisfied.

I'm not sure why my response did not register above, so I'll try again...

Like Tiffykins, I try to get the majority of my Protein from food sourcess. I do have access to all manner of protein supplements at the office, and I use them occasionally if I see that I'm going to fall short of my 60+ gram per day goal. But I try not to rely too heavily on supplements.

Oikos non-fat greek yogurt is a breakfast staple, or I might have a bit of scrambled egg with cheese and salsa if I get up in time to actually cook something. I keep canned tuna and chicken on hand for quick lunches, along with thinly sliced deli turkey and string cheese. Lately, I'm addicted to Bumblebee Thai Spicy Chili Tuna and Starkist Lunch-To-Go Chunk Light, though I don't eat the crackers. I also keep canned crab meat on hand, as I love a good crab salad.

I also make the Cheesy Egg Bake recipe from BariatricEating.com once every week or two, and freeze the leftovers in individual, air-tight packages. They reheat perfectly! (I use the Xpress Redi Set Go cooker to make individual 1/2c portions - sometimes I can finish a whole one, sometimes I can only manage half)

When eating out, I try to choose baked or broiled fish, or perhaps a shrimp cocktail if I am at a restaurant where I know they will not overcook the shirmp, and Red Lobster will allow you to order the add-on snow crab legs without ordering an accompanying dinner. So yummy!

The one pre-surgery vice that I allow myself is chocolate milk. My local convenience store carries a 100 calorie bottle of Nesquick. 8 grams of protein and perfect when I want a little treat.

I use www.fatsecret.com both on the web and on my phone to track everything I eat. This way, I'm able to forecast what I'm going to need to do to get my protein in, it really helps for planning. When I know I'm not going to hit my goal, or if my planning goes awry, I like the ProJoe drinks from Bariatric Advantage (they remind me of a frappuccino!). I'd be happy to share my weekly logs if you are interested, just send me a PM.

Jordien, you and I got sleeved around the same time and I've been eating a lot of tuna and fish -- seems to have higher protein per bite -- since we can't eat very much, I've been trying really hard to focus on higher protein foods, and like Tiffykins, I've been eating it at least 4 times a day so I can get it all in.

I wasn't able to use Protein drinks. So, I didn't get in my protein until I got to mushies. Once I could eat soft foods, I was able to get all my protein from food sources. Chicken/tuna/egg salad, soft cheese, greek yogurt, and refried Beans were staples in my diet. I ate 4 meals a day that consisted of a minimum of 15gr of protein. Eating just those 4 meals allowed me to hit my protein goal, and feel satisfied.

Hi, congratulation . on your weight loss. Just a few questions. I'm going to have a revision from lap band to sleeve. Do u still loses enough weight after having the band. I heard that you don't have the restrictions after having the band like you would if you just had the sleeve.Also did you have ONE SURGERY OR DID U HAVE TO GO BACK AND HAVE THE SLEEVE LATER AFTER TAKEN BAND OUT? Would really appreciate of you information you can provide. Thanks, Joyce

Hi, congratulation . on your weight loss. Just a few questions. I'm going to have a revision from lap band to sleeve. Do u still loses enough weight after having the band. I heard that you don't have the restrictions after having the band like you would if you just had the sleeve.Also did you have ONE SURGERY OR DID U HAVE TO GO BACK AND HAVE THE SLEEVE LATER AFTER TAKEN BAND OUT? Would really appreciate of you information you can provide. Thanks, Joyce

I only lost 7lbs with my band. The rest of my weight loss is all with the sleeve. I have 100 times more restriction with my sleeve than I ever had with the band so I'm not sure where that information is coming from. The sleeve works like the band is advertised to work but fails miserably in most cases.

The only way you wouldn't have restriction with your sleeve after the band is if your surgeon doesn't dissect the fundus completely or uses a huge bougie to guide the staples. So, really it has nothing to do with having a band before, it's about surgical technique.

I had my revision done all in one surgery.

I am 5 days out and was feeling very light headed, dizzy, weak this morning to the point where I decided I had to get in a few more calories. It is not on my list of foods, but I have been drinking 2% milk all day instead of Water and it is going down well. I feel a 1000 x better too. Protein, fat, sugars are just what I needed---I was eating yogurt but I am getting tired of all the sweet stuff. Popcycles, pudding, applesauce, crystal light--yuk! The only thing with a bit of sale is the broth I drink so I am going to continue with the milk until I can get to the real food stage. Works for babies

Down 10 lbs from Monday......

As others have said tuna has become a big part of my diet. It's quick and easy to prepare and packed with protein. Once I was onto soft foods and allowed to eat tuna was when I was finally able to meet my protein goal for the day. I mix it with Greek yogurt instead of mayo (there is no low/no fat mayo in Taiwan that I can find LOL).

Thanks very much for your replies on this!! I appreciate it!! I am slowly moving to foods and anxious to find some really good things packed with protein. I just can't take these shakes anymore!! LOL!

Questions...

is there a good place to look at how much Protein is in various food sources>

If I get in 50-70 grams of protein a day, can I ignore counting everything else - dairy, veggie, carb etc.

If I make it too complicated on myself, I just won't do it.

Deb

I never counted anything other than protein and carbs. I would imagine if you put protein counter into google you'll come up with several places.

Cottage cheese is your friend. I used to put one spoon of low cal strawberry jam and two spoons of vanilla flavoured protein powder plus some yoghurt in mine. Now I'm maintaining I haven't been counting my protein but once you can eat meat, chicken and tuna are both good.