Do we all need 70 grams of protein if we do NOT have surgery?

[Kelchicky 4]

Just curious about something....the bariatric doctors and nutritionists keep saying 70 to 90 grams of Protein a day to keep your organs functioning and muscles from depleting etc etc. but did we all ever really get this BEFORE in our lives? I mean I know my overweight butt only ever has gotten a fraction of that. Just curious as to why the difference in requirement or was this supposed to be the requirement for our bodies all along? Thank you!!!

[RickM 1,747]

The short answer is yes - by and large, the bariatric recommendations largely reflect our normal maintenance needs for Protein. Now, that amount varies from person to person, primarily based upon their lean body mass (muscles, organs, skin, etc.) A short woman of normalish weight, say 5' 0" and 100-110lb, would need around 50g of protein to maintain her 75lb or so of lean body mass, while a 6'0" 180lb man with around 150 lb of lean body mass will need twice that, around 100g. If one is actively trying to build additional muscle mass (and doing the work to do so,) then they will need additional protein, maybe up to around another 40g or so depending upon what they are trying to do.

But as an average, what the bariatric programs usually recommend is in line with the normal recommendations for normal people, though maybe a bit simplified, and sometimes with a bit of overkill added in (a bit too much is better than not enough.)

[Kelchicky 4]

Wow, thank you so much! I guess I never realized how little of Protein I have been getting (I am presurgery right now) until I started tracking in My Fitness Pal. I probably only get around 15 to 20 through food a day since I am a carb person and don’t eat a lot of meat or green veggies (probably how I got so overweight)! I am just so worried about getting the protein after surgery. I have started the Protein Shakes which I actually like but I am so afraid that I just won’t be into getting protein more through food and changing my carry ways. Baby steps I suppose!

[Arabesque 6,446]

I’ve thought about this too cause I never got in all the recommended Protein before my surgery. I probably only got about 30g in on a good day. I never got my Calcium in back then either. Now I do. I believe the recommended amount of protein in the US is 0.8g per 1kg you weigh. In Australia it’s supposedly 1g of protein per 1kg of weight. My dietician told me I had to aim for 1.2g per kg of my weight as I’m a women in her mid 50s. You’d need more if you’re building muscles or very active. I aim for 60g of protein but I can vary from 40 - 70g. But I probably average out at about 60g across each week.

[AZhiker 2,251]

You can add a lot of Protein with legumes. Refried Beans were one of my favorites during the soft food stage. I have transitioned to Whole Food Plant Based eating during the past year, and even without any animal products in my diet, I still get at least 60 gm of protein a day from legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and plant based milks and yogurt. It really isn't that hard to do.

[GradyCat 3,692]

Yes, our bodies really need this amount of Protein. I get TONS of it now because my whole eating patterns have changed post-WLS. I don't eat any carbs and I don't like veggies, so pretty much all I eat is protein. I also still drink chocolate protein (25 g) for Breakfast, so that's 1/3 of my daily needs right there.

[Darktowerdream 419]

I don't eat a lot of meat or necessarily veggies. But stick to. Low carb way of eating and have for years but for some reason it stopped working and I turned to the tool of gastric bypass surgery to help me. Metabolic disorders and inability to exercise due to lifelong chronic illness and disability doesn't help. But I'm here a year and a half later after surgery.

it helps to calculate your baseline Protein using the ratio of 0.36 grams of protein per 1 lb body weight.

I have a morning Protein Bar with tea it's my routine. lunch is my main meal. I might for example have a skillet meal of veggie burger, egg and maybe a little avocado or even a baby banana cooked in. dinner is routinely Greek yogurt usually oikos triple zero mixed with Protein Powder usually PEScience (but I tdon't tidy VEga sport and it's good too) some golden flax, a little Peanut Butter powder sprinkled on top, freeze a bit, top with sola low carb granola only 15 grams I measure everything. Sometimes a sprinkle of pepitas. I like a combination of flavor and texture.

But I usually end up getting more protein than I require ... while being low carb . And minimal sugar.

edit: you don't need carbs to feel satisfied and can get similar taste and texture profiles from low carb meals. I had to deal with sugar addiction long before I even thought bariatric surgery was ever an option.

Edited November 27, 2020 by Darktowerdream

[Digidoll 25]

I asked my doctor the other day about if I was getting too much Protein because I do 1 Protein Drink in the morning and 1 at night so i get like 150% protein a day.. he said I'd have to be getting way more protein then that to be too much. But I have lost 6 pounds in a week which is awesome (while being on a 1200 to 1300 calorie diet).

Sent from my G60 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Ellen_Marie 0]

My dietician is making me wait another month to get my surgery date because I was eating too much Protein on my low carb pre-op diet. I have to stick within 70-90g or I won’t get approved lol. So I have the opposite problem I guess.

[lizonaplane 1,604]

I am not a big fan of meat, although I love veggies, fruits, cheese, dairy, etc. I also loved bread and sweets, which is how I got so overweight. I haven't had surgery yet but I have switched to low carb and have been adding more Protein via greek yogurt, Protein Drinks, and more fish and meat (small servings) and I have lost 27 lbs in 3 months! I couldn't believe it. The best part is, I'm not as hungry as I used to be when I ate more carbs. I also find that I crave sweets less now that I eat fewer sweet things (I still eat a fair amount of fruit). I am now a little concerned about what @Ellen_Marie is saying because some days I'm well over 100 g of protein now. I'll have to ask my surgery center.