Protein Requirements

Hello Fellow DSers! I just because a card-carrying member of the dark side on August 7th. My recovery to this point has been smooth. Each day I feel better than I did the day before.

My question is about protein requirements. My surgeon's NUT says that my ultimate goal is 78g of protein per day. They explain that this number is based on height, gender and malabsorption rates. If we only absorb about 60% of that, then I only net about 48g of protein, which hardly sounds sufficient.

Should I plan on an ultimate goal of 120g of protein per day? Will I jeopardize my weight loss honeymoon period with this amount of protein?

Im four months out, and if I go a few days without getting the 120 grams of protien, I FEEL IT!  I know its important.  It feels like I have NO energy, and I aucturally feel sick, and cant move.  Its soooo important, whether you get it in eating or supplimenting with the protien shakes.  This is a no brainer.  Its just the way it is.

120 grams is the minimum for me too and I get that much in protein shakes/coffee. All the rest is extra that I don't have to worry about counting. 6 years post-op and counting.  : )

--gina

I calculated my requirements mathematically - cause that's just how this geek rolls.

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from a surgery, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

Example: I weight 160 lbs

160/2.2= 72.73kg
72.73kg x .8= 58.18 gm protein/day if I was a normal, healthy person not doing any activity.

Because I malabsorb 40% of all protein, I bump it to 50% malabsorbtion (just to be safe) and add more protein
58.18 x 1.5 (adding the malabsortion back) = 87.27

I've used this formula, and recalculate my protein number every 15 lbs.  I've watched my protein needs drop as I've lost weight.  I don't mind over eating protein, because it is important that we get enough.  But I am mindful that our bodies turn excess protein into sugar and store it as fat just like all the other calories we don't burn.  While I was losing and in the honeymoon period, it didn't matter.  Now that the weight lose has stopped, I am looking at all numbers - carbs and calories.

Thanks everyone!!

JAshley, I am a numbers nerd too, so I can appreciate your approach.

Thanks everyone for all of your help.

Now I will go back to lurking in the shadows.

When all is said an done, go by your labs. You want your protein total close to 7, your albumin in the 4s and your prealbumin at the top of the range. Eat or drink enough protein to maintain those levels.  : )

--gina

Oh yes.  That should have been in with my numbers. Thanks for that reminder

Once I got my labs back and saw they were a bit high, I backed off of the 120 gms of shakes plus half a cow in meals every day.

Keeping these levels on your labs is the priority.  

Was this Dr Smith's NUT?  If so you can also disregard just about anything else she told you about life after the DS INCLUDING VITAMINS.

She gave me the same story as you.  I follow VitaLady's plan and do well.  I always shoot for 125 g of protein a day. 

Starting out we say shoot for 30 in 30 60 in 60 and 90 in 90 with at least 100 a day for life if your labs are good.

~Becky