3 month post-op

Had my 3 month post-op visit with my surgeon yesterday. Was told my 3 week stall and excessive fatigue is probably due to not getting enough protein or water. Anyone else have this trouble in the beginning? I am only getting about 60 grams of protein and 40 oz of water in a day roughly. My job really hinders me from drinking for a few hours at time at times and then by lunchtime I don't drink when eating because, well, it take almost an hour just for me to eat my 3 oz of protein. He suggested drinking water from the start of when I get up in the morning and then a half hour after dinner, all the way till bed time to help with that and to throw in another shake somewhere in the day for protein. Are you newbie sleevers having the same difficulties as me with this? I struggle just to get in what I do now because I get full quick. Yesterday I pushed myself to eat more. I bought some approved protein snacks from the doctors office. But by the end of the day I felt like I was going to explode if I ate or drink anymore and went over my sodium and fat counts on the MyFitnessPal app. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. At this point the stall in weight loss is a little frustrating. Besides that, I'm concerned of my health in the long run if I'm not getting the proper nutrition. 

Thoughts or suggestions from the veterans would be much appreciated :)

Three ounces of protein is a lot.  I would suggest an ounce, stop after 15 minutes and get the rest from shakes.

Oh really? My NUT said I should be eating 3 ounces of lean protein for each meal. Is that too much? I do not want it to hinder my weight loss. Thanks! 

You are able to eat that much.  The poster is taking an hour and feeling too full.  3 ounces is good for you and too much for her. 

See...I felt like 3 was a lot and I never fini**** But my nutritionist told me I needed to be eating 3 oz. :/

I am going on nine years and still eat less than three ounces of protein for most meals.  My protein levels are good, I just do not need or want more than two ounces most of the time.  My exception is good beef filet, I could finish six ounces of that, but not until about year three after surgery.

At three months out, I was having an ounce of meat or fish and getting my protein from shakes.  I am still at my goal weight.

I guess I shouldn't be so concerned then and just eat smaller portions throughout the day. Congrats on the 9 years at goal weight! It's inspiring. 

Hi CMR1075,

I had the RNY in July of last year.  I was like you at 3 mths.  I had no energy and my weight loss was not at all what I had expected it to be.  I got the best protein shakes that I could find and tried to get in my water as much as possible.  It seemed like all I was doing was drinking my shakes and water.  I couldn't find time to eat regular food.  My surgeon actually told me that he has had many people tell him the same thing and have the same issues until about 6-9 mths out when your body will finally adjusts to the changes.  I wasn't getting my iron because you can't take it with calcium which I was taking in the morning and evening.  I wasn't taking my B12 either because I was doing the monthly shots and I would forget.  I had lost so much energy and I couldn't figure it out because I was working out daily.

I finally set an alarm on my phone for noon everyday to remind me to take my iron.  I put my shots on my calendar for the same day every month.  My energy finally came back. 

I was getting discourage because I didn't feel like I was losing the weight that I thought I should be losing.  My lifesaver was the fact that I took pictures everyday from the day of my surgery until about 5 mths out.  I started to look at my pictures and do comparisons and I could see that even though the scale wasn't telling me what I wanted it to, the pictures were.  Funny thing was that at 3 mths, the weight started dropping off.  At my 6 mth follow up, my surgeon told me that I was actually above the curve when it came to my weight loss.  That made me feel good about everything I had done.  My only concern at that appointment was my hair loss and I think I have finally got that under control.  I'm enjoying the new me and I am so glad that I took the chance to make the change in me that I needed to do.  I keep a picture on my phone with myself the day of surgery and myself in February of this year to remind me that I don't ever want to go back to the person I was before.  I still have trouble getting in my water and all my protein, but I know that this will always be a work in progress and I will always have to remind myself to continue to do what I need to do.

Good luck on your journey

Camille

you don't have to worry about your nutrition right now. Focus on liquids. You are burning your stored fat for nutrition. Burning the stored fat is what causes weight loss. 

Later, when most of your body is gone you will be able to eat more and can tend to your nutrition. 

I eat 3 meals of 3 ounces of protein a day, plus string cheese or beef jerky as my snacks, and still have to drink a shake usually to get my protein in. Luckily I like the shakes :) 

As far as drinking water, I feel my my full time job is to drink water now. I drink all day, everyday. It can be annoying, but I think of it as the means of flushing out the fats, and that motivates me. I drink a lot of crystal light, which to me goes down easier than plain water, so maybe try that. 

Good luck and good job on your loss so far!! :)