When do you start counting calories and protein?

[kjordan83 65]

I'm 3 days post-op and concerned I'm not getting enough fluids and/or Protein. What should be my goal every day? How will I know if I'm getting dehydrated? When should I start counting/documenting calories and protein intake? Right now it's hard to keep up with it because I'm so "out of it." I'm sipping in between naps. I want to avoid the "stalls" I keep hearing about, so what should I do?

[Michellemo 161]

I'm 10 months out and have counted calories only a few times and never counted Protein. I was having issues with being light headed upon standing and found out I was dehydrated so now I drink more and I'm fine.

[VSGKirk 855]

I use myfitnesspal as a food diary. I eat what I want and then record it. I like seeing where I fall with my natural eating habits. It's nice too because I'm learning so much about nutrition. The first few weeks were hard, but making new habits always are. Just do your best and don't stress. Stress causes stalls

[Cheer Mama 166]

Right out of surgery I had to keep track of how many oz. of liquids and grams of Protein I was getting. I had a goal of 60 of each. I made a chart of squares that were 6x10. I checked them off every time I drank. Then I wrote down them number of grams I had after each shake........

If I had not have had the chart, I would have found it hard to keep track, especially since I was on pain meds for a while!

Good Luck!

[bradycone 94]

You should be getting in 60 ounces of Water a day along with 60 ounces of Protein. Since you are still on Protein shakes, it's easy to judge that since you know how much is in each one. Just always remember to be sipping on one or the other anytime you are awake!

I'm 8 weeks out and I never count calories. I've lost 70 pounds, and I don't see the point of counting everything when I am still losing well. If I eat my meat first, then some veggies I know I'm good.

As I recall, I started to feel a lot better on day 4, so I hope you do too! Good luck!

[Sassygirl06 962]

There really is no way to avoid the stalls. Your body will have to adjust at times. As for getting all of your Water in...I had a reusable water bottle, I would take a sharpie and every time I would refill I would make a tally mark on it until I had filled and drank 8 of them. You can take an alcohol wipe and the tally marks come off and you are ready for the next day.

As for getting enough protein...it is really hard to get at least 60 grams in one day in the beginning by just eating....so I would buy Protein Shots at Walmart. They have some that has as many as 28 grams of Protein in one shot. Get them really really cold, cause they don't taste the greatest...fruit punch was the least yucky to me.

Now for counting calories and carbs and protein.....really the only thing I ever counted was protein. I got a free booklet from Atkins on line that told me the carbs and protein in everything. Once I got to 60 grams of protein for the day I would stop counting anything. I have never worried about how many carbs I ate or how many calories. As long as the scale kept moving down I didn't change anything. It worked for me! good luck to you!

[Arts137 1,811]

I am watching liquids and Proteins only till I nee my NUT about 2 months after surgery. Because I am tall, I have a goal of 100 gm Protein and 80 oz liguid, So far so good.

[kjordan83 65]

Right out of surgery I had to keep track of how many oz. of liquids and grams of Protein I was getting. I had a goal of 60 of each. I made a chart of squares that were 6x10. I checked them off every time I drank. Then I wrote down them number of grams I had after each shake........

If I had not have had the chart, I would have found it hard to keep track, especially since I was on pain meds for a while!

Good Luck!

Really like the idea of checking boxes! I will eventually move to MFP, but I'm too out of it right now! I can't start shakes until next week, so it's all Water and crystal light for me. I strained some chicken noodle Soup and added some unflavored Protein powder to the broth.

[taylokat 180]

My first week post op my focus was 40 oz of Protein and 48 oz Water. I drank one Isopure daily and as much water or broth as i could. i am 3 months post op and I use MFP daily. My only focus is 60-80 gms of protein protein and 64 oz. of water. I believe in keeping thins simple! I've lost 42 lbs and feel great!

[Vixynne 695]

Wait, I'm confuzzled.

Water is counted in ounces, but isn't Protein measured in grams?

60 grams of protein per day may be doable, but 60 ounces would be 3.75 POUNDS of protein per day. I wouldn't do that even on an unsleeved belly!

[bradycone 94]

Wait, I'm confuzzled.

Water is counted in ounces, but isn't Protein measured in grams?

60 grams of Protein per day may be doable, but 60 ounces would be 3.75 POUNDS of protein per day. I wouldn't do that even on an unsleeved belly!

Vixynne, you are right! liquid is in ounces and protein in grams. In my post I accidentally wrote ounces for both.

[Private Sleever 50]

I don't count calories. But I do count my daily Protein & water/fluid. Each day I have a post-it on my desk and make a tally. Each bottle of Water, I make a check mark; each meal & snack, I write done the gm of protein. So by the end of my work day I'm done my fluids & most of my protein. By dinner time, my daily protein intake is easily met.

[KatInFL 216]

I'm 3 days post-op and concerned I'm not getting enough fluids and/or Protein. What should be my goal every day? How will I know if I'm getting dehydrated? When should I start counting/documenting calories and Protein intake? Right now it's hard to keep up with it because I'm so "out of it." I'm sipping in between naps. I want to avoid the "stalls" I keep hearing about, so what should I do?

What does your doctor recommend? This is one of those things that vary by doctor. Everyone will have a different answer and most will have had success doing it following whatever direction they were given, but you will want to follow your doctor's (and nutritionist's, if you have one) orders. If it was unclear what you are supposed to be getting immediately post-op, I wouldn't hesitate to give the office a call and ask what they want you to be doing. It will keep you from going nuts, trying to decide on your own which of 100 different ways is the "best" way.

~Kat

[taylokat 180]

Lol I made the gm/oz mistake too! Oops sorry!

[2notbwinded 27]

I'm 10 days out and since I don't really like leaving things to chance I count. I use myfitnesspal app and keep track of Calories, Protein, Carbs & Fiber. I take a glance at Fat but since I'm following an Atkins like diet until maintenance I'm not stressing it. I'm soooooo scared I won't succeed. I keep hearing stories of people who are 1 or 2 years out and have lost only 30 or 50 lbs (mostly on Facebook groups). I don't really know their situation, but I can't help but feel like they probably just didn't grab the bull by the horns. So my plan is to work my butt off both in diet and exercise & let my sleeve help me the most toward the end when those last lbs are the hardest and maintenance since I've never had a problem losing in the past just keeping it off. We'll see if my plan works, of course, but I just can't trust myself to wing it.

Edit to add: Not really sure how many cals I should really be consuming. My personal limit is 800 but I've yet to reach it. Today my main goal is getting my full 60g of Protein so I might reach it or go over. We'll see.

Edited July 4, 2013 by 2notbwinded