I need tips or ideas for protein

Hello! I'm now 1 wk out of surgery and wow, things go very differently here in Sweden! I had to do 1 month liquid diet before surgery but after you eat regular food right away, although you do eat very small amounts of softer foods. Less than 24 hrs out I was given a small piece of hard bread, a bit of butter and cheese! So far I'm doing very well with it all, no pain or gas/bowel issues but trying to get 60-80 gms protein in when you can barely get down 1/4 of a cup of food down at a time is difficult. Any tips or ideas of what to eat when the system here skips past the common post-op diet?

(btw, is there a secret to getting a ticker to work here? My settings look nothing like the tutorials and for the life of me I can't get one to work)

I started with scrambled eggs, then added well chopped dark chicken meat. The key is to chew until it has the consistency of applesauce. Soups work well - split pea soup and lentil soup have a lot of protein. You can add minced up meat to both if necessary. The added plus is that the liquid counts as water. I am three months out and still have a protein shake (Premier Protein) fro breakfast since it has 30 grams of protein.

Any type of meat - chew very thoroughly. Just because your program says you can eat regular food right away doesn't mean that your stomach is ready for that. It might be, it might not be. You can always supplement with protein shakes in order to reach your protein goals. Until you can reach your protein goal, though, don't waste your stomach space on non-protein food items.

Fish is generally higher in protein by the ounce than meat. 3 ounces of shrimp 21 grams. 3 ounces of cod 16 grams. 4 ounces of halibut 23 grams. Canned Albacore Tuna packed in water - 1/4 cup 13 grams.

In those first few weeks I used protein shakes to get to the goal of 60-80 grams - I still do 1 shake a day because it works for my lifestyle - its usually breakfast as I'm on the way out the door - I drink it in the car.

Best of luck.

Thanks! I have been eating almost nothing but meat and fish but still finding it hard to get to that magic 60+ when I am only supposed to do 6 small meals and right now I am limited to about 50g per meal. Hopefully as I continue to heal that will change. I haven't really thought of lentils, I love those and they fit into my plan! And I hadn't even thought about shakes or soups counting as liquids. That's great! I'm determined to follow my program and get/keep this wieght off!

Based on what I see here, I'd say many/most people here supplement with protein drinks for at least the first month post-op, if not two months. With such a tiny amount of stomach space, it can be almost physically impossible to get in enough protein, so things like shakes can help you reach your goals.

Well, since the protein drinks I have are about 24g for an 8 oz portion its not that hard to hit the 60g mark.

As for the ticker ... make sure you have the info set in your health tracker (click the gear up there for the drop down menu)

I relied on unflavored protein powder for the first month or so to supplement my protein input until I could eat enough protein to make my goals.

I'd mix protein powder in my chicken broth, in sugar-free jello, in sugar-free, fat free puddings, in yogurt, in soups - basically in anything I could stir.

good luck with your weight loss process.

Carol

I didn't have to do any progression diet either (released from hospital day 4 on soft foods). I could progress on my own trying what I wanted, erring on the tenderest options at first. My go-to items were egg custard and ricotta cheese. Ricotta (7g per 1/4 cup) can be sweet or savory depending on what you want.

Top with a little tomato and cheese for the inside of lasagna

Mix a tub with a box of SF pudding and a little milk, and whip to pudding consistency.

Mix with eggs, vanilla and a little sweetener and bake

I should have added with ricotta..try slow roasted meats like pot roast and chicken thighs (dark meat is moister). Shrimp is another that goes down easily and crazy high in protein. The crock pot is definitey your friend. Go for a prime rib or ribeye (or filet) over sirloin for a while.

Beware of chicken breast, tenders and hamburger for a while. These sat in my stomach like a rock for a while.

Remember, the moister the better. Think of meats that can be squished with a fork. You don't have to squish them, but they should be that tender.