I have been wondering about our protein requirements as we loose weight. I understand that as we are loosing weight we need protein to maintain our muscles and cellular repair. But if you are loosing at a much slower rate or at goal, wouldn't our protein requirement be less?

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Good article above, although it doesn't mention VSG. The article was posted 8 years ago, before VSG was so popular. But still good info.

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I am guessing that whether or not you have had wls we still have nutritional needs that everyone has- just harder to get them in.


Mich W
Hw 223, SW 217 CW 197.4 GW 135

Wls patients need more protein than non-wls patients. Our nutritional needs have changed.

I consume 100 to 120 grams of protein per day.

Higher protein intake enables me to maintain my 118-pound body on 2000+ calories per day. Protein-rich foods provide more satiety.

Also, the body must expend considerable energy/calories to digest protein. This is called the thermic effect of food (TEF). The more protein we eat, the more it speeds up our metabolic rates.

I lift heavy weights 3 times weekly and run 20+ miles per week, so my protein needs are increased. However, a sedentary person who has undergone bariatric surgery is basically asking for chronic hunger and weight regain by limiting protein intake to 40-60 grams daily.

Edited July 27, 20179 yr by Introversion

Just people. Our bodies still have the same nutritional requirement I would think. I'll try to do some deeper research today from some on web sources as well. My work offers nutrition consultations through our wellness benefit.I'll look into it.


Mich W
Hw 223, SW 217 CW 198 GW 135

Be careful about getting advice from a wellness plan. Lots of badly trained nuts around. You need one trained in bariatrics or you could get really bad advice and quickly stop you loss.

Ok introversion. You bring up a very good point. While I am not convinced that my body requires that much protein, I would certainly agree that dense protein does indeed take longer to digest and because of my surgery does in fact keep me full longer. I think this happens more with meat vs a protein shake. So maybe the argument is more along the physiological lines vs nutritional lines. My Nut has put a rubber chicken breast in front of me and asked how much of this I could eat. And it does make a difference.

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One thing that no one has mentioned.. digestion partially takes place in the stomach.

Food is supposed to sit in the stomach for a couple hours, being churned up well with stomach acid and digestive juices. The acid helps break down the protein and other nutrients so that the intestines can absorb those nutrients.

When we have a sleeve or pouch, the food doesn't get to sit in there as long, and probably doesn't get mixed with the acid as well. (I mean, how could it? The stomach isn't a soft, floppy, muscular holding-sack anymore.. it's a narrow, stiff tube or small pouch with a hole in it!).

So even when we eat protein, we just aren't going to digest it as well as a typical person. So.. we need to eat more of it, spread out in a bunch of smaller meals, to give our bodies the best opportunity to actually absorb the nutrients.

My surgeon recommends 70g protein, and as a fairly sedentary female, I feel this is a good amount. If I begin working out, my needs will go up.

Be careful about getting advice from a wellness plan. Lots of badly trained nuts around. You need one trained in bariatrics or you could get really bad advice and quickly stop you loss.

Thanks! That makes sense. I do have my bariatric NUT as well but she costs me $50 every time I see her. I thought I'd see the wellness one, but probably won't.


Mich W
Hw 223, SW 217 CW 197.4 GW 135

Best results with 1gram of lean protein for each pound of lean body weight.