Calories and protein

[Smallbites2015 21]

I'm seven weeks postop how in the world do you manage to get all your Protein and calories in when I can barely manage to eat maybe 1-2 ounces at a time ? Greek yogurt I can eat 3.5 oz with a break in between.

Nut said back off Protein shakes which I may have one or two per day.

meat still an issue but worried about carbs in Beans. I eat string cheese, can tolerate Ostrim meat sticks only, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, 1/2 oz deli meat - low sodium turkey breast, laughing cow wedges.

I'm too full to think about veggies or fruit.< /p>

Getting Vitamins in most days, was doing good on Water but my job just went nuts and I'm all over the place. Now getting a cold so feel really crappy.

Stopped exercising due to low calorie intake...will I still lose? Don't want my hair to fall out either.

I've shunned the scale for now but clothes are really loose already down a size.

Help! ???? I've been so busy lately it is a blur

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I think it sounds like you are doing well with your Protein intake. Don't push yourself to eat too much too soon. Does "back off protein shakes" mean that you can no longer have them at all, or just that you have to dial it back from maybe 2 shakes per day to 1 shake per day? If you can have one shake per day, could your daily eating look something like this?

Protein Shake -- 25 grams protein

Greek yogurt -- 15 grams protein

Ostrim stick - 14 grams protein

1/2 c. cottage cheese - 14 grams protein

string cheese - 7 grams protein

That would put you right about at your target, at least under most plans. And, I hate to break it to you but you can't prevent Hair loss. It either will happen, or it won't. It's caused by telogen effluvium, correlated with the shock of surgery. I hit my protein goal every single day (75 grams) starting the day after surgery and I still had significant hair loss. Other people were not nearly as religious about protein and didn't have any hair loss. It's really luck of the draw IMO.

If your dietician is absolutely adamant that you must stop all Protein Shakes immediately, I would get back in touch with her and lay it out very plainly for her. Tell her that there is no way you are going to meet your protein goals without having at least one shake per day. Given that reality, your options are either to have that shake and meet your protein goals, or skip the shake and not meet your protein goals. Since those are your options for the immediate future, which option does she recommend?

Yes, you will still lose without exercising. Quadriplegics can lose weight doing nothing but lying in bed or sitting in a chair so long as they eat right. In fact, there are studies showing that exercise causes people to gain weight, not lose weight. Exercise is great for your health but the impact on weight loss is minimal from what I can see.

[BeagleLover 1,020]

@@Smallbites2015, I'm 11 months out and I eat similar amounts as you do. I find myself eating, waiting at least a half hour, drinking. Then more waiting and eating pretty much all day. I get the Protein and fluids in, but it takes effort. Do whatever you need to do to get your recommended Protein. Sounds like you're doing well!

[Smallbites2015 21]

Thanks Bufflehead and Beaglelover. Dietician said maybe one shake per day. I like your outline but worried because of he quantity or rather lack of it I can eat. I don't want to be a grazer but moving in that direction.

She told me minimum calories is 600 so striving for that.

hair loss trying not to stress but thanks.

I really appreciate the advice. Job is stress ing me out too so it magnifies my other concerns .

[BeagleLover 1,020]

@@Smallbites2015, Yeah, that too... sorry, forgot to mention. I often have a (100% Protein isolate) shake if I'm running short on Protein for the day. Not a big deal. Do what is healthy that works for YOU. I don't even keep track of calories. The way I look at it, I earned the right not to count those--- DONE with diets! I keep a spreadsheet of 2 columns that automatically total: 1 is protein grams, the other is ounces.

Don't stress over hair loss, it'll come back.

[Muffin4632 1]

I am 3 months post op and I am also having issues with my Protein intake. A friend of mine recommend these Protein Shots he found at CVS Pharmacy. Each shots contains 25 grams of protein but they are also 120 Valerie's. I also found out that GNC sells a protein enhanced Water. I have yet to give that a try.

[majorsmama 91]

I eat a lot of tuna. 2 oz has 16g of Protein. I drink one Protein Shake a day and by choosing the right foods, can get 75-100g of protein in a day. I'm 5 weeks post-op.

[dkrause 23]

I am 3 months post op and I am also having issues with my Protein intake. A friend of mine recommend these Protein Shots he found at CVS Pharmacy. Each shots contains 25 grams of protein but they are also 120 Valerie's. I also found out that GNC sells a protein enhanced Water. I have yet to give that a try.

The whey protein shots are 3.2 and 42 grams. Good way to jump start your day with your intake. I slam one every morning and I have over half already in. They can be purchased at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe or Amazon among other places I'm sure.

[BeagleLover 1,020]

Just a reminder... you absorb all of the Protein in Protein isolate. Some Proteins can't be absorbed, so you may not actually be getting the advertised # of protein grams. Check out other posts on this.