Question for Vets on Calories and Protein

Hi JC,

It sounds like you are about where I was at 9 weeks out.  I remember at 7 weeks, the swelling went down in my tummy and I was able to eat a whole 2 ounces at a meal, rather than 1 ounce before that!  My calories were a little higher than yours - around 600 per day at that point. 

I wasn't able to add any veggies until I was about 6 months out.  I only had room for my protein before that.  What a treat to eat veggies again!

Early out, I added protein powder to anything I could stir. yogurt, chicken broth, pudding, jello, mashed cauliflower, cottage cheese.  That's how I got my protein numbers up.

best wishes,

Carol

Thanks Carol - I appreciate the input.  I can't get in much in the way of veggies either.  I stick with protein and typically hit capacity before I can even think about the vegetables.  I look forward to a salad some day in the future though.  :)

I've not been a fan of protein powders too much, but adding another shake to my day seems to be a popular suggestion and one I'm going to follow!

One other suggestion -- if you mix your shakes with milk, look for one of the milks on the market with added protein. I've been using Fairlife milk to make my shakes, and it adds an additional 5g of protein compared to regular milk.

Its so interesting to see each doctors/nutritionists plans. My NUT has never had me count calories. I strictly count carbs and and protein.

I have never been a fan of protein bars or shakes, I do them now on occasion. I have always tried to consume my protein with food. I never had a problem reaching my protein goal with three meals & three snack. 

I agree that the differences in between plans can be wildly different.  My doctor says 3 meals a day period.  No snacks if you aren't hungry, but if I feel like I need to add them, it should be yogurt or milk only.  I'm still not experiencing hunger, so I stick with the 3 meals typically and maybe have an ounce of nuts or something just to help increase my protein intake.  These shakes are just tiring, so I've just struggled on if I should add another one or if, since I'm meeting that protein goal they gave me, should stay the course.  I'm going to experiment and try adding another to my day and see what it does for me.

If its working than keep to it! You're doing great!!

From being on here for the past year and a half or so I have learned that there a so many different plans pre op post op and maintenance.   The characteristics I see common in people who are successf are :  awareness, listening to their body, listening to their doctors, but not blindly trusting them.  

If if something is working stick with it.  Things change over time.