How much protein do I need???

jjsmiles · July 15, 2008

You know there are as many opinions out there as there are doctors. I sometimes think that the doc's that are saying Protein at the expense of all other food are in it for the results rather than health. Most of us can tell you that we lose very well on a high Protein diet (Atkins like), but we have difficulty keeping the weight off once we introduce some carbs back into our diet.

I am so glad that my clinic is funded through health care (not fee for service or insurance) and so they really don't have a vested interest in fast results. As such they recommend that patients eat a varied diet, including carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, as well as protein.

I aim for 60- 65 grams plus of protein and stay around 1000 calories a day. That said, I don't sweat it if I eat more (if I go out) and if I really want something (pizza, chips, chocolate), I have them, but just not all the time and in greatly reduced quantities. I log everything I eat faithfully on the dailyplate.com. I also try to exercise (hard cardio and strength) at LEAST an hour 4-5 times per week (I built up to that over time).

Research is showing that exercising regularly and logging your food are some of the key indicators of weight loss success. A bandster just posted an interesting article yesterday of a large study that supported food journaling- showed people who logged their intake lost 2x the amount of weight of those that don't log.

I very consciously chose that for this journey I wanted to eat as normally as possible, so that I could maintain the eating habits for a lifetime. As you can see, I have lost over 140 pounds in 13 months, so I think I have made the right choices for myself, so far anyways :thumbup:

Kathybad · July 17, 2008

I agree 110% with JJSMILES. We all get very frustrated with the conflicting advice everyone gets from the nutritionists and docs. In the end, it's what will work for you long term.

I'm approaching my 1 year band anniversary, and have lost 70+ lbs in that time. I did this by eating as normally as my band will allow. Here's my typical menu:

B: coffee w/ cream (can't do it without cream); All Bran Honey & Nut Cereal (11 g fiber); some fresh fruit and a bit of milk.

S: cheese string or yogurt (don't always have a snack)

L: leftovers from the night before or a Lean Cuisine meal

S: All Bran Bites, yogurt or cheese string

D: a meat, vegetable and a bit of starch

S: a treat... usually a cookie or ice cream or chips.

When I log my day on thedailyplate.com, it usually comes out at about 1000 to 1200 cals, based on my quantities. Sometimes I get high in Protein, sometimes not... but its usually pretty balanced.

If I followed the "all Protein only" plan, it wouldn't last long for me because I love my veggies and fruit... its what keeps me happy.

Exercise is also key, which is why I haven't lost more in my first year. I haven't been exercising all that much. But that changed this last week, and now I've committed to an exercise plan.

Good luck to all of the new bandsters... I love my band, and know it literally saved my life.