Hello. I am in my 3rd month and finding it challenging to hit my daily water and protein goals. I typically start my day with a shake and make sure my meals are heavy on the protein side BUT they are such small portions I don't think I am hitting the 60-70 grams per day. I also find it challenging to drink the water. Last week I was gulping it a little bit but got sick so now I am back to the tiny sips.

I am wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks? For example, I read yesterday someone diluted the Isopure drinks with water (since they don't taste that great) to help with additional protein. I am also wondering if anyone has recipes that require protein powder (besides smoothies)?

Thanks!

During the first 5 months, it was a full-time job - and a chore - meeting those protein and water goals for me, too. The first 4.5 months, it generally took 12 to 14 hours per day - and sometimes 16 - to get it all down with those extremely tiny sips. Things improved slightly between months 4 to 5 in terms of volume: at some point I turned a bit of a corner, and it didn't take quite as long to get it all in. Looking back at my notes, I fell short on protein only 4 days during the first 5 months, but most days were such a struggle.

As long as you're getting in anywhere from 46-75 for the average female (though a min. of 60 is best during the first 3 months when you're not able to eat much whole food), or 0.8g per kg of your ideal body weight, you'll be just fine. I found it encouraging that in 23 years of WLS, my program has never had a single patient that was protein deficient, even the ones who had severe, ongoing complications.

If you Google around, you'll find loads of recipes that incorporate protein powder: pancakes, puddings, soups, bars, balls, oatmeal, etc. Unflavoured powders such as Nectar Medical can be added to virtually any food. One resource that I found especially helpful was the book "Protein Ninja: Power Through Your Day with 100 Recipes that Pack a Protein Punch" by Terry Hope Romero. Most of the recipes in the book incorporate protein powder.

You will get through this ?, even if it doesn't always feel like you will!

Edited June 24, 20206 yr by PollyEster

2 hours ago, suzcar729 said:

Hello. I am in my 3rd month and finding it challenging to hit my daily Water and Protein goals. I typically start my day with a shake and make sure my meals are heavy on the protein side BUT they are such small portions I don't think I am hitting the 60-70 grams per day. I also find it challenging to drink the water. Last week I was gulping it a little bit but got sick so now I am back to the tiny sips.

I am wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks? For example, I read yesterday someone diluted the Isopure drinks with water (since they don't taste that great) to help with additional protein. I am also wondering if anyone has recipes that require Protein Powder (besides smoothies)?

Thanks!

Hi! ALL fluids count towards your daily hydration goals. Water is superior but any sugar free non diuretic drink will help. Also don't forget that you can try to hydrate through solids (ice, popsicles), fluids and gels (foods that contain large concentrations of liquids https://www.google.com/amp/s/verilymag.com/.amp/2017/07/how-much-gel-water-should-i-drink-a-day-when-dehydrated )

Good Luck ❤

Hey Suzczar, You needn't drink protein you don't like. I drank a clear mango flavored protein drink by Premier Protein. It was delicious. Lots of different supplements give something else a try.

That's why I was on shakes 3x a day for the first months to make sure I got my protein goals. Protein is soooooo important

I did same. I made sure I got my protein in, 60-70 grams daily, this way:

**Premier Protein Cafe Latte Shake for breakfast: 30 grams protein, 11.5oz fluid.

**Evening Snack Preventer, sipped after dinner till bedtime: Premier Protein Clear Raspberry: 20 gram protein, 17oz fluid

So between those two “built ins”, I got 50 grams protein, 28.5 fluid. I filled in remainder of the day to easily reach protein & fluid goals. Made it VERY SIMPLE!

Good luck!

Thank you everyone!

14 hours ago, suzcar729 said:

Hello. I am in my 3rd month and finding it challenging to hit my daily Water and Protein goals. I typically start my day with a shake and make sure my meals are heavy on the protein side BUT they are such small portions I don't think I am hitting the 60-70 grams per day. I also find it challenging to drink the water. Last week I was gulping it a little bit but got sick so now I am back to the tiny sips.

I am wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks? For example, I read yesterday someone diluted the Isopure drinks with water (since they don't taste that great) to help with additional protein. I am also wondering if anyone has recipes that require Protein Powder (besides smoothies)?

Thanks!

I like mixing oikos triple zero yogurt with PEScience protein powder and putting it in the freezer 30 minutes, mix it again (freeze more if you want it more ice cream like) and this gets you a nice amount of protein for low calories. I use half scoop but you could use one scoop and thin it with a little milk (I like using unsweetened ripple milk some use fair life) I like using either peanut butter banana yogurt or banana yogurt an peanut butter cookie protein powder. I use a little sola low carb granola. Skinny girl jelly and sugar free land o lakes whipped cream. The way I make it it’s 35 grams protein.

1oikos triple zero + 1 scoop would = 220 calories, 39 grams protein

also Remember calculate your base protein 0.36 grams protein per 1lb body weight. Minimum. Unless you are exercising heavily that’s fine.

I had gotten this interesting article about drinking water
https://www.realsimple.com/health/drinking-too-much-water

Also I’ve read fair life skim milk helps you stay hydrated with the added benefit of protein ...

Link for PEScience

http://rwrd.io/c6uus2e

Since my surgeon didn't have any long term rules about caffeine, I now get half of my protein (30 g) in my morning latte - coffee, 1.2 cups of milk, and a 20 g scoop of unflavored protein powder. I put it in a thermos and drink it over an hour or two.

I'm a big fan of the unflavored protein powder because it allows you to add protein to whatever it is you already like - for me it's coffee, for you, it may be something else. You're much more likely to eat something you like than something you have to choke down.

1 hour ago, rjan said:

Since my surgeon didn't have any long term rules about caffeine, I now get half of my Protein (30 g) in my morning latte - coffee, 1.2 cups of milk, and a 20 g scoop of unflavored Protein Powder. I put it in a thermos and drink it over an hour or two.

Hey rjan, which protein powder do you mix into your morning latte? I’d like to try that, and give my Premier Protein Cafe Latte a rest. Any tips on how to best mix protein powder in to avoid gummy or clumpy coffee would also be appreciated. Thanks!

I use the GNC whey iso burst. But I think without flavoring, most brands are pretty similar.

It's totally gross if it gets gummy. Before you steam the milk, leave about 1/4 cup aside. Then add 1/4 cup hot milk to the cold milk, and mix the protein powder into that. Then you can add that protein mix back into the other hot liquids without it getting gummy, but still nice and hot.

I’ve bought the unflavored unjury protein powder and mix it in w my mash potatoes, soups, anything really. I’m not big on shakes or smoothies so I found that, that works pretty well for me.

I just recently discovered Genepro unflavored protein powder. It is expensive but worth it. It has 30gr protein per scoop and the scoop is less than half size of other protein powders. It mixes easily and doesn’t leave that powdery taste. It’s the only way I’ve hit my daily protein goals. I’m not a big water drinker so I add a scoop to my glass of tea and have 30gr of protein with one tea drink. It doesn’t even change the flavor or texture either. I highly recommend trying it. It’s been a game changer for me! ?