I'm 5 mo. out and have good restriction now. The calorie count is usually close to what I need (I'm tracking everything). I'm not a cook, and so I might be missing something, but I'm trying to get into a routine that will be a lifestyle change I can live with. I'm not hungry at all between meals, and I eat about a cup at each, but to get in all the Protein that's pretty much all I eat; I hardly ever get in enough veggies, fruit (hardly ever get ANY fruit in), or dairy. The 3oz. of protein (to get 20+g/meal) is usually 3/4 C right there...and that's if it's just plain meat.

Is anyone able to achieve this on a daily basis? How do you get in all the protein AND veggies/fruit/dairy servings without eating more than a cup, or too many calories.

My requirements (they don't look very different from most peoples):

- *Key to this is that I (and my doc) do not want to drink calories including Protein shakes (I get that works for some of you).

- About 60-70g of SOLID protein- that means I have to fit in more than 20g per meal.

- Several servings of veggies, fruit, and some dairy per day

- About 1C per meal. NUT says up to 1.5C, but no way can I eat that much, and it seems like that much could stretch things- BTW my NUT was NO help, gave me conflicting info. even.

- 3 meals a day, no Snacks

- 1000-1200 cals. per day

I keep reading the posts on what people are eating and either they're drinking protein shakes, they're not eating enough at all (tiny amounts or too few calories), or they're no way coming close to enough protein, let alone veggies, fruit, and dairy. Just looking at the 'what I ate today' posts and most people aren't even coming close to getting the recommended 60g of solid protein.

Am I missing something, is this even doable? If I'm not hungry between meals do I even need all that protein- are we eating it for nutrition or to satisfy our hunger longer? Or should I just not worry about the fruit, veggies, dairy? Help!

Its hard... really hard. Especially with the limited amount of food you can eat. Because of my weight I was told to get 84 grams a day, 64 at bare minimum. I try and do it with solid food and if I haven't gotten in half by lunch then I turn to supplements. And by solid I mean non-supplements.

I know a really good source is dairy and soy so I try to make sure thats what my Snacks consist of to fit in more Protein. Here's an example of a really good day I had this week.

Breakfast (16g)

2 oz turkey sausage-8

1 egg-6

Decaf with cream- 2

snack(7)

Gensoy Soy Crisps- (7)

lunch (25)

veggie lasagna- 15

Over the moon skim milk- 10

snack (4)

Sargento cheese stick- 4

dinner (24.5)

Morning Star "chicken Nuggets"-15

yogurt-7

granola-2.5

Total- 76.5g

Thanks SweetZ! I was beginning to wonder if ANYONE was able to achieve this...and yet, most of our docs give very similar requirements; at least those of us that were told not to have liquid calories.

I'm thinking I might have to start adding some Snacks in (my doc doesn't allow), even though I'm not hungry between meals, but I'm only losing a pound a week, so I'm not anxious to add more calories. Even on your day, I see you didn't get fruit in either (maybe in the yogurt?)...I never do. I'll have to look for some of those soy snacks...great idea. I'm beginning to see why so many here still use Protein shakes. This seems impossible to acheive...but I'm not giving up yet! Thanks!

fruits and veggies are like a waste of space!!! I mean I know they aren't but its just super hard! My doc actually said very little about liquid calories... protein, water and supplements seemed to be the main concern.

Since I'm vertically challenged (4'11") my nut told me I should aim for 50g of Protein. I used to log in everthing I ate, along with the calorie, protein & fat count. I stopped counting about a month ago, but still journal my food. A typical day would be:

Breakfast: 22g

1 cu 1%milk w/coffee 8g plus either

3/4 cu Cereal (Spl K or Kashi Go Lean) 10g w/ w/ 1/2 c 1% milk 4g & 1/2 cu blueberries or

1 scrambled egg 6g w/grated LF parmesan 2g

toasted whole wheat Eng muffin 6g

Lunch: about 15-20 g

1/2 can tuna fish Water chestnuts or canellini Beans (I use balsamic vinegar instead of mayo) or

romaine lettuce with tofu or canalleni beans or

lentil/spinach Soup made w/unjury chicken broth Protein powder or

crustless vegetable quiche

Dinner: about 20g

3 ozfish/chicken/beef w/either sm salad or spinach

The breakfast & lunch items I eat for any meal.

Depending on how hungry I am, i have 1 or 2 Snacks a day that is usually either: activia 5g, Jello SF/FF pudding made with protien powder 10g, V-8 or piece of fruit

On days that I am too busy or not very hungry i supplement with 1/2 bottle of Isopure Lemon Green Tea mixed with regular green tea 10 g

I usually don't eat many starches unless I'm having friends over, and then I like to make cuzcous w/unjury chicken broth, peas & spices.

Hope this helps.

Band_Groupie - I am 5 months out too (Bunny Bandster)...and I have the same problem. I think I have good restriction now. Well since I eat a lot less, it's also mean less calories and less Protein. I am trying real hard to get it in but couldn't and may be that is why I have not loss any weight since. My doctor does not want me to drink Protein drinks too but sometimes I had to because I am busy mama (3 kids under 4) :smile2:

I am trying to do really good this week and eat all the protein and will see if the scales move for me this week. I am going to buy some protein powder too to add to soup or yogurt. There are so many out there that I don't know which one taste good.

I am going to talk to the DT again today and sees what she said.

- ... I am going to buy some Protein powder too to add to soup or yogurt. There are so many out there that I don't know which one taste good.

I am going to talk to the DT again today and sees what she said.

powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury makes and unflavored and chicken broth flavor protein powder which is pretty good. If you don't want to buy the whole container, they sell samples.

Also, I highly recommend Fage FF Greek yogurt. It has 20g protein p/cup and tastes great.

Padanelle - Thanks for all the ifo about the powder Protein. I will try to stop by GNC and see if they carry it. Can I find greek yogurt in the the yogurt section?

Thanks,

Padanelle - Thanks for all the ifo about the powder Protein. I will try to stop by GNC and see if they carry it. Can I find greek yogurt in the the yogurt section?

Thanks,

unjury can only be bought online: www.unjury.com

You can get the Greek yougurt at most supermarkets. I like Fage brand 0%. Its great mixed with fruit. I also add different spices and creat a sauce for dry meats/fish.

OK, glad to see others are working this out. I've got some new ideas of things I didn't think of; have been doing the greek yogurt, but hadn't thought about it as a sauce! ...and I'm going to have to look up canellini Beans (what are they?)...but I've been looking for different beans to add. Bought some chick peas/edamame...anyone have a hummus recipe that's not spicy?

I just started adding 3T of soy Protein to my morning oatmeal 1/2 sv. It's now more protein than oatmeal...blech! I need another trip to GNC- good powder additions to solids, thanks!

Lots of good ideas here...keep 'em coming! I've been reading the 'what I ate today' thread for awhile and it was just depressing me and wasn't helping with my needs, thanks so much all (SweetZ- doc says if you wanted to go on a Liquid Protein diet you should have done that and not gotten the band LOL....defeats the purpose of the band. Yeah, my sis lost a lot of wt. on a liquid protein diet...gained it back...doesn't teach you how to live.)

Edited September 28, 200916 yr by Band_Groupie

Canellini beans are basically a white kidney bean, I think they are used a lot in italian dishes, I was watching foodnetwork a couple weeks ago (tv is usually background noise for homework) and Giada DeLaurentis made a salad out of edamame, cannelini beans and a couple other things that looked good so I found the recipe and tried it and it was pretty good. I know both the edamame and beans have decent protein so maybe thats something to try, feel free to message me if you want the recipe and I will email it to you.

my biggest add to my protein intake to allow for the veg and fruits has been adding 20 grams of protein by mixing a pack of either vanilla or chocolate unjury into my morning coffee or also into a snack of pudding. it helps to free up some of my other meals protein wise so i can incorporate more veg and fruit. i also picked up the fuze-slenderize juice and have been adding strawberry unjury to that for a mid afternoon hit of protein. there's only 5 calories in an 8 oz. serving of this.

I don't have a problem. I eat things like low fat cottage cheese (packed with protein, 12-13 grams in 1/2 cup) and an egg (usually about 7 grams per egg); 3 oz lean meat, usually about 20 grams) with a veggie and sometimes a whole grain carb; about the same at dinner. If I feel I've come up short for the day, 1 oz of low fat cheese is tasty and is 7 grams.