Plant based proteins

i?m still Having issues with red meat, chicken, fish and pork. The issue is it seems like every other time I have them it makes me feel really rotten with my stomach. I only eat at most 3 oz of them, 98% of the time 2 or less. I measure on a food scale. I can eat shrimp without any issues as of yet but can?t afford to eat only that lol.

My question is what plant based proteins work for you in a situation like this? It also has to be carb sensible as i?m Trying to hit 25-30 per day or less. I do Greek yogurt and about a serving of cheese a day. I usually have a protein shake for breakfast. I?ve been thinking of making my own veggie burgers or trying tofu again(maybe if I cook it right I won?t gag LOL)

I had grilled chicken for lunch and it made me feel icky for over an hour.

Any any tips are highly appreciated!

You're 3 months post-op, right? The regular diet progressions are sort of "one size fits most" and you might be one of the people that needs to progress slower. There are some plans out there, for example, that have "no red meat" for six whole months! UGH!!

However.. I also don't really see anything wrong with you only eating 3 ounces per meal at this point.

But here's what I'd suggest trying - work on getting very moist/soft meats. For me, chicken thighs are always way easier than chicken breast. Deli meat is also a good option as it can be more moist and easier on the stomach. Fish like tilapia that's really soft is a good option too. How are eggs working for you? Pork can be dry a lot of the time, so you might want to hold off there. I have an easier time with some cuts of cow than others - skirt steak is better than leaner cuts for example.

The "problem" with plant based proteins is that they're higher in carbs as you mention. Some people have great success with that, though. There's no reason not to try them out and see how your stomach reacts.

Ultimately, though, this is something that will take time. If my math is right and you are only three months post-op, I'd recommend revisiting things that don't sit well in a month and trying again. So if grilled chicken makes you feel gross now, try it again at the end of July. It might just be that you're one of the "lucky" ones who would benefit from a slower diet progression.

I still have problems with grilled chicken if it is dry. The more moist the better especially early on. The roast chicken from food stores was a moist chicken I could handle in the early days.

If you're going to try and keep your carbs that low it will be tough with non-animal options. That being said, the lowest carb to highest protein ratio products are probably Tofu (other soy products can be good too, but have more carbs - like Tempeh and Edamame), Seitan or maybe TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein). Other than that, you are going to go way over 25-30g a day if you use non-animal sources of protein.

I'm not discouraging you from non-animal protein, just saying that the goals of keeping protein intake under 30g and getting 100% of protein from non-animal sources are conflicting goals.

Can you do whey? that seams to be the best absorbed.

I am allergic to whey, so I cant use that. I tried to use vegan proteins and there are some that are better than others. Orgain Protein powder (Costco) is not very bad... Or Most Vega protein powders are not very bad.

If you can tolerate Soy -Soy based protein powders are OK options. I am allergic to also to so, that's why I had to use vegan proteins.

I did not find one vegan proteins shake that I look forward to "drinking". I will drink it, but because I had to, not because I wanted to. (

FYI: I had to drink my proteins when I used to have days that my hernia was acting up and I could not eat much solid foods for a while. On day is often OK, 2, 3 maybe .. but couple of weeks - not cool.

I think, and of course, I can't be sure, but you may actually be feeling your restriction -- that's why dense protein is often recommended. It sits longer and heavier on your pouch than slider foods such as yogurt, shakes and cheese. Three ounces is actually a lot of dense food in a 3 month old pouch. Even at 5 years, I usually have 3 to 4 oz servings.

At 3 months out -- there was NO way I could have comfortably eaten 3 oz of chicken or beef -- and when I tried -- felt terrible. A few times, I even experienced the foamies.

For the first 6 or 7 months - I was hovering around 1.5 to 2.0 oz max. I had to chew really well, too. Fattier cuts when down easier -- steak was easier than hamburger -- thighs were easier than breasts. Shrimp, seafood, and fish (other than tuna) was always good -- and I could often get a little more oz in. Even now, shrimp is a go-to when I have a crabby pouch day (pun intended).

I would consider giving your belly a bit of a break for a day or two -- go with your yogurt and shakes -- so that you let yourself settle. Then try doing just ONE ounce of ONE type (say chicken) at a meal, and see how it sits. If it's okay, do the same at your next meal. If it's not, set that meat aside for a few weeks, and then try again.

Just one type of meat, and just once ounce. You can always eat more often if you get hungry before -- then try another type of meat after a few days and do the same routine. This is what worked for me.

I agree with Kat....you might be trying to eat too much at a time?
I am 4 months post op and I just started eating 3oz of moist/light fish...Chicken/turkey/beef usually is closer to 2oz most of the time. everyone is different but I know if I over-do it on the amount of anything I eat, I get that yucky feeling for a while, and the denser the protein, the fuller you will feel with less food.

maybe try eating just one or 2 oz at a time--smaller, more frequent meals might work better for you?

also other good suggestions, making sure the meat is moist & tender...adding different sauces can help.

Not knocking plant proteins but as others have said, it is difficult to find them high enough in protein content and low enough to keep your carbs where you want them to be.
Eggs are always a great source of protein too if you can tolerate those...so much you can do with eggs!
Even adding protein powders to other things like your yogurt can help you get an additional protein boost til you're able to get a little more meat down.

Thanks for the replies and tips. I am still struggling with the old mentality of needing to finish food. Not always but every once in a while. Like I mentioned it's usually 2 oz or less and still have a bit of discomfort.

Ive tried pea protein and YUCK! All the power to people who like it but it wasn't for me.

I will for for sure try more sauces and moister meat! I appreciate the tips!

What if you cooked up the meat in a slow cooker or pressure cooker with broth and veggies to really break it down? Or as someone else said, try a rotisserie chicken?

A good information source is Dr Garth Davis. You can Google him, or go to his Facebook page...

When use things like beans, etc as a protein source, NO way am I am going to be able to keep my daily carb totals "low" - but that is perfectly OKAY - that type of carb is GREAT - but it sure took me some getting used to, seeing those numbers "in black and white"

Like others, smarter than me, have already told you - give your new body time - we all progress at different rates - I am 16 YEARS out - and STILL cannot tolerate pork, of all silly things...I can probably eat a bag of rocks, but not a pork chop...