In the six months prior to surgery, the nutritionist had me make sure I got in at least 60 grams of protein a day.

So-o-o, when I began my liquid diet 10 days before surgery, which I had October 9th, I kept up with that belief, using protein shakes @ 20 grams each, chicken broth protein, and using unflavored protein in other liquids.

Now I'm in Phase II, pureed foods, for five weeks and have continued watching my protein intake--so now I'm taking in even MORE protein.

However, I just looked in the food guidebook provided by my bariatric center and I see that my actual goals for Phase II are 600 calories and 30 grams of protein. No-one is in the doctor's office today and tomorrow we are going away for four days.

Just what are the consequences of ingesting too much protein??

For purposes that you'd need to worry about, the only real consequence is that you intake more than you can use and the rest is stored as fat.

Anything else is considered extreme and really wouldn't come into play withon our scope (I'd hope!)

When I took in too much protein, I had TERRIBLE gas. The pains were unbearable and it was not very pleasant.

Thanks, Wheetsin, am back from the weekend and you were so right: the Doctor's office called back and said it's certainly okay to have more protein than Phase II allows.

From my father's dialysis, I remember something about too much protein and think I freaked for nothing. Thanks for relieving my mind before we went away!

I dont know, I doubt a bandster would ever really take in problematic amounts.

But protein is an important nutrient, yet the focus on protein first means that when you read threads where people are listing what they've eaten that day, I'm horrified by how few vegetables, fruit and wholegrains people eat. They eat a piece of chicken with 3 green beans and that's dinner. You may not be eating "too much" protein like that but you're missing out on a lot of things you need because of the focus on protein, if that makes sense.

I totally understand what you are saying. The hardest thing I'm finding (and grant you I'm new) is I can eat so-o-o little food before I'm full, and my surgeon's literature says " Eat Protein First!"

Well, 1/4 cup of food doesn't go far!! It doesn't seem like there'll be much room left for fruits and vegetables (does the fruit in yogurt count??!!) LOL

I never paid much attention to protein before banding, but it DOES seem that the (banding) focus is solely on getting in enough protein.

Hey, here's a question for anyone: When I read about the "Main Sources of Protein" (meat, dairy, eggs), why do I never see BEANS in the list?

And are they okay to use? Many of my dinners in these two weeks post-liquid-diet have been refried beans with shredded cheese. Is there some reason beans are generally omitted from the list?

Personally, I think beans and lentils are PERFECT bandster foods - they kill 3 birds with one stone.

Protein, fibre and they're a vegetable.

I eat loads of beans.

Thanks for alleviating my fears! (Hey, I forgot they were a vegetable too!!!)

The only issue I've heard of with protein is eating it exclusively can lead to death. In extreme survival conditions eating nothing but lean protein and not getting any fats in your diet can slowly lead to death. However, for most humans, this is about as likely, as well, getting stranded in the woods for 6 months eating nothing but rabbits