How can I get more protein?

[Twinkles 7]

UGH - I'm getting about 30 grams of Protein per day, but all my nutrition paperwork says I should be getting about 50-60. Where on earth do I get this from? I'm on 'soft' foods, banded on 7/29.

I'm eating 1/2 cup of food, 3 x's per day, about 250 calories total for the day. Where can I pull this protein from out of that? No snacking, drinking 2 oz's of Water every 15 minutes... I mean, there isn't a lot of room to fit more protein in.

Help!!!

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

250 calories for the day????? Really??? How long are you supposed to be at that calorie level? You can't possibly get more Protein without more calories. The fact that you're getting 30 grams on a 250 calorie diet is actually amazing.

[Twinkles 7]

That what I thought!

This is my typical day...

Breakfast

1/4 cup Egg Beaters

1/4 cup of Fat Free Cottage cheese or 1/4 cup of Danon Light & Fit Yogurt

Total about 80 calories (about 11 grams of protein)

lunch

2oz of canned chicken Breast

1/4 cup of Fat Free Cottage cheese

Total about 55 calories (about 11 grams of protein)

dinner

1/4 cup pureed Soup or chili

1/4 cup Fat Free Refried Beans, yogurt or cottage cheese

Total about 100 calories (about 7-10 grams of protein)

My husband thinks there is no way I can continue like this, but I don't know what else to do... I feel fine. I get full, etc...

What was all your intakes at this point?

Has anybody mixed unflavored Isopure with Crystal Light?

[2beskinny 4]

My date was 7/19. I was advanced to soft foods (stage beyond pureed) by 10 days out. I was eating WAY more than 250 cals. per day. If you're going to get at least 60 (I usually get between 70-100) per day, you are going to eat more calories. I think what you're eating is great - I would just eat more of it! I average about 1100 cals. per day now. I am exercising and I have plenty of energy and feel great. I just got my first fill today (that was WILD!). I'll see how I do again once I'm back on regular food again (3 days from now). I think a great way to get extra Protein if your not that hungry is add in a shake for a snack. I love the low carb slimfast creamy choc. shakes. Good luck to you!

[zeniada 9]

Try drinking more Protein Drinks you can put ispure in crystal lite havent tried it yet but shouldnt be bad.. just supplement for now and increase your food if you can 250 cal is really low...

[Twinkles 7]

I just don't know how I could eat more because I am full after 1/2 cup of food. And full for about 3 hours and I space my meals out at about 4 hours. I really don't feel like I can eat more, at all.

I'm not even scheduled for a fill until 9/23 and at this point, I'm fine with that because I couldn't eat more with my meals if I wanted.

I am exercising about 30-60 minutes a day, between being on my TreadClimber or jogging on the treadmill, so I'm burning about 300 calories give or take I think.

I will admit, although I feel good, I am exhausted and pretty much collapse on my bed, earlier than I ever have.

I have lost some decent weight, but in the last 4 days, I've lost 1/2 a pound. Which I'm sure is my body saying I'm not giving anything up, but, I just don't know where to go from here. I cannot put anything more in this stomach without feeling that I need to be rolled around the house.

[Twinkles 7]

Try drinking more Protein drinks you can put ispure in crystal lite havent tried it yet but shouldnt be bad.. just supplement for now and increase your food if you can 250 cal is really low...

I do have a case of those optisource Bariatric shakes, I'll try drinking one of those a day. Probably half in the morning and half in the afternoon. Spread my meals out further apart.

[dreamskin 0]

You will get sick if you keep going like that, your Iron levels will drop and you won't feel good at all. I know how you feel though, sometimes it is hard to fit any more in. Could you talk to your dietican? Your body will think it is being staved to death and just not let go of anything. I wonder if fish capsules are a good source of Protein?

[Twinkles 7]

I did actually e-mail my nutritionist, pretty much basically everything I posted in this thread. So we'll see what she says.

I honestly thought this was, I guess, normal. When I had my initial consult with the nutritionist, she gave me a sample menu for a 1200 calorie diet. I had asked her if this was for after and she said "Oh no no, this is for before, after surgery you will be eating a lot less." So, I guess I assumed 250-300 calories, was, well, a lot less.

I put a bunch of my Protein shakes in the fridge and they are 100 calories per serving, so I'll start with them 2-3 times a day.

I'll update after my nutritionist e-mails me back with what she has to say.

Thanks for all of your replies! I feel like an idiot , but even my husband went through all my nutrition info and doesn't see where I'm NOT following what they recommend. He monitors my food like crazy because he is afraid I'll become malnourished and sick, so he's pretty thankful for all your replies too.

[dreamskin 0]

it is so easy to do and this is what I was writing about on my "Did you ever cheat" thread. I dont think that any of us are getting enough infoirmation from the doctors and dieticans. We just have to try to figure it out for ourselves, and thats not so easy.

[momofkmk 0]

I also have been struggling to get in enough Protein for the day. I have found that if I add powdered milk to anything that is milk based or Peanut Butter to my shakes I am able to up my Protein a little more.

Good Luck!

[emjay 8]

The best way to get added Protein is by supplements. I have an powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chocolate shake in the morning with skim milk. In the afternoon I mix a scoop of unflavored Unjury with Crystal Light lemonade for a total of 50 grams of Protein just from my liquids. Alot of physicians don't like bandsters to supplement with Protein shakes, but in all honesty, it's what has helped me maintain and build muscle tone and also has increased my weight loss while decreasing my appetite. My doc seems to feel like if this is working for me (and it has), then continue doing it and sees no problem with it.

250 calories a day is insanely low. I get around 1400-1500 calories day. 2 Protein Shakes like the above is around 410 calories a day in liquids, but well worth it to me for the benefit I'm getting.

If you really don't feel like you can eat anymore, than try liquid supplements until you are able to. It will help you feel better and not so exhausted. You don't want to your body to get accustomed to living on such a low calorie count - it can wreak havoc with your metabolism.

[Shay7997 0]

250 calories a day will send your body into starvation mode and you will NOT lose weight. You cannot survive off only 250 calories a day. Malnutrition will set in and you'll start to look like a 3rd worlder.

My doctor and nutritionist have been amazing. I was told that once I got past the swelling and could begin to eat I would need to have between 900 and 1200 calories a day. Anything less and I will go into starvation mode and weight loss will cease. I was also told if I went a week without losing one pound, to go back to a liquid diet until I lost that pound plus one more. It was a "time-out" and worked wonders for getting me back on track.

Once I met goal, I increased my calorie intake to 1500.

You CAN get all your Protein in, but it will require you to eat more calories. 250 calories is just not healthy.

[2beskinny 4]

Sounds like you still have a lot of swelling from the surgery which is probably why you are having a difficult time eating more. It's such a catch 22 because Protein aids in healing as well as weight loss, and you are having a difficult time getting more in because of the surgery! Hopefully you can increase your calorie level soon. I'm sure you've receive the message from all the posts by now...you can't stay at this level and be healthy (isn't that why we all did this?) and I'm certain you don't want to start losing your hair which I've read on these threads can happen with insufficient protein/calories. I probably only ate 250-300 calories a day for the first 3 days after my surgery, but then felt I could consume more (healthy stuff to be sure, but more of it). You really need to work yourself up to at least 800-1000 calories a day as a minimum.

[Twinkles 7]

Thank you all!!!

I'm going to work on increasing my calories today and hopefully my body will decide to let go of some more poundage.

We read through all the material again last night and my husband said that maybe they write it super strict assuming people are going to cheat. Well, that sucks for the people who don't cheat and end up consuming 250 calories a day.

The thing that irks me is that there are absolutely no calorie guidelines in any of it. Basically says 3, 1/2 cup meals per day, no snacking. Well, it's no wonder that I haven't been eating more than 250 calories. BAH!

My goal today, with the Protein shakes will be about 600 calories and we'll go from there.

Hopefully my nutritionist responds soon.

Thanks again!!!