Idiots guide to Protein and a few other things....

Hi All,

I am probably going to have my Roux n Y in October. Last Friday, June 27th, I started my 3 months physician/nutritionist monitored diet and exercise which for me is: a 1500 calorie a day diet, low fat, low sugars, lots of protein. I am told to walk 3 times a week for at least an hour. 

So I know that protein is what we need after surgery, protein protein protein. I email my nutritionist asking her if during my pre-surgery diet I get more than 80 grams of protein a day. I sent her my MyFitnessPal link so she could see what I was eating. Then I get this...

"Also (as an fyi) after surgery, we like patients to get protein more "real foods" and limit protein drinks/ supplements/ bars to just one a day. 

Keep up the great work! and let me know how I can help." 

This whole time I've been upping my protein by using protein shakes, and bars, now I get this wrench thrown in the works.

How do you find out how much PROTEIN a chicken tenderloin has in it?

I've been eating and drinking these bars and shakes because I can monitor the protein in them without problem.

Ug...some days I just want to throw in the towel on this whole thing.

Can I do anything right?

Surgeons vary as far as their recommendations for "protein."  My surgeon wanted his patients to eat their protein more than use protein drinks.  His belief was that it gives a patient more satiety. 

I think there is a setting in My Fitness Pal where you can get the protein grams.  You can also look on the nutritional breakdown of foods for the protein (fat, carb, sugar grams too).  By using the nutritional breakdown on the packaging you'll be able to monitor your protein easily.  You can also use OH's Health Tracker (under MY OH, drop down to Health Tracker).  Health Tracker has nutritional information too.

Don't throw in the towel.  It is just a change in focus but you're still doing great. 

Thanks Cathy!

Meat typically has about seven grams of protein per ounce.  A serving of chicken or other meat that is about the size of a deck of cards is about three ounces.  So a chicken breast the size of a deck of cards would have about 21 grams of protein.

Eggs have about six grams of protein each.

Things like cheese, yogurt, etc. should have the amount of protein on the label.

Thank you. I feel like an idiot not knowing these things. I'm just now delving into books on WLS and eating post WLS.

I wish schools would teach you about nutrition from the beginning...I just feel completely ignorant.

I appreciate everyone's kindness and responsiveness. 

As a post-op nearly 6 years out, I would love to get all of my protein from "real" food without relying on shakes or bars. However, that just isn't possible for me. If I hadn't relied on extra shakes, I would be in very bad shape by now. I've read that people who don't get all their protein from "real" food are less successful. OMG!  That is just ridiculous.  Everyone has to find what works for them. For those who do get all needed protein from "real"  food, I say good for you.  For those who don't, I say good for you. I am no less successful for how I get my protein as long as I get it.

As has been suggested, there are many resources for nutritional information for food in the basic form such as meats, grains, fruits, etc.  Find one that is easy for you to use.

If you are using My Fitness Pal, it will tell you when you do a search.  You can often even say what brand the chicken is.  You will, however, have to use a scale for everything.

I think most of us started with protein shakes as we couldn't eat for a long time after surgery. I'm days away from six months out and still have one shake every day and get the rest from food.

The shakes are great for pre op and early post op and I've read many post from. Eterans who still use shakes.  I guess that you don't HAVE to use them for the rest of your life unless you want to.

Don't give up on them yet!

I'm three months post op and had gotten down to one shake a day.  After looking at my blood work at my three month check up I was told to get more protein in in the form of another shake since they are easier to digest.  I wasn't too excited about that since I really don't care for them, but am making an effort.

Protein bars and shakes do not serve any purpose during pre-op.  They are only used after surgery because it is so hard to get enough protein from real food in the beginning.  Think of them as crutches.  You do not need crutches if your leg is not broken.  

After surgery you will not be eating 1500 calories a day.  Now it will be easy to get enough protein from food.

MFP has a very robust search function and you can find almost any brand of food and protein out there and plug in the amount you're eating. It will automatically give you the protein/carb/fat/calorie count on it.