Why do we need so much protein?

Ok, I'm almost 4 months post op & I was wondering why do we need so much protein per day. Water & vitamins I understand but the boards have been all over the place when it comes to protein. I understand during the healing process a good amt of protein is good for that & protein helps with building muscle, but what is a good amt of protein per day & why. I know protein from food keeps you fuller longer but how much can be absorbed at 1 time & for how long? So far I've seen people try to go to 80-100 grams of protein per day. Why so much? Thanks for any info.

your nut should have explained before surgery. it's to maintain muscle. your muscles are fat burners. the more muscle the more fat you burn. also, we are malabsorptive so we don't digest everything we eat. that's why we take a multivitamin every day too. i'm 6 years out and still aim for 80 or more a day. best of luck to you.

The OP had VSG - she does not malabsorb. 

From what I understand, protein is the main focus during weight loss to minimize loss of muscle tissue.  Your body is not getting enough calories to maintain its weight (which is the whole point), so it will turn to its own resources in order to make up the deficit.  The first thing it will turn to is your muscle tissue.  You don't want it to to that--you want it to burn your fat stores--so you provide your body with lots of protein.  In order to keep your body burning the fat stores, you want to deny it the quick-energy sugars, hence the reasoning for the low carbohydrates with focus on complex (beans, legumes) rather than simple (potatoes, bread) carbohydrates.  

So, you're not so much building up muscle as maintaining what you already have and trying to force your body to burn your fat stores.  As for what's enough protein, I don't have a hard answer for that.  As you've seen on the boards, everyone's requirements are different and usually your best bet is to follow your plan.  

Science, am I right?  :D

Jen

Thank-you,hold onto what I have, that makes sense, my nut mostly told me the kinds of protein to have, the amt I forgot, it's probably somewhere in my paperwork. I just knew having protein helps to build muscle, not prevent muscle loss, I thought that's when working with weights, or any weight bearing exercise would do that.

It also depends on which form of WLS you have. With a Sleeve, you don't have any intentional malabsorption (since no intestine is bypassed), but SOME Sleevers malabsorb because their tiny new tummies don't adequately break down proteins, making the intestine have to work harder. Those who have the RNY intentionally malabsorb a small per centage of the protein they eat, for a couple of years at least, and DSers intentionally malabsorb about half the protein they eat, forever. (So DSers eat a LOT of protein!)

Ideally, everyone will base how much protein they personally need on what their labs show. Mine tell me I need about 140 grams a day.

As VSG you probably need 50-60 ggr of proteins or less...but that would depend also on your exercise routine and your blood work...

50-60g is the target for restriction-only procedures.

The malabsorbers (RNY and DS) get much more because they only keep around half of what they take in.

My surgeon explained it as our bodies can turn protein into fat and carbs, but they can't turn anything into protein.  The only way to get enough is to eat it, so that's why it has to come before anything else.

I found a great article that breaks down why it is so important check it out. protein