Thinking of going vegetarian...

Ya - my morning meal has become my double scoop, coffee and milk drink.  If for some reason I don't get it made, I really miss it!!!  Previously, I had been making it a point to have a real food breakfast on the weekends.  But, I felt like I was really having to push to get the protein volume in and it left me feeling physically blahhhh.  So, I'm leaning more and more to even starting my day with a protein drink on the weekends.  The rest of the day though, I have quite a bit of real food.  And, having a 3 o'clock protein drink seems to really hit just the right spot in addition to whatever food I've been eating.  I had tried to push a protein drink for lunch as well... but my body just wasn't having it.  I had to have food food.  

 I suspect I will probably start averaging 150 or so grams protein pretty soon... especially as I work to get in more protein.  I was shocked today when I calculated it up as 183 grams of protein!  I will initially aim for 100 grams of carbs or less and will get it lower from there.  I think I'll be able to get it down to 75 without too much effort.  I'll have to keep my fingers crossed to get it down to 50!  But... someone else mentioned that half and half has few carbs than milk....  I think that could make the difference for me.  

Vegetable protein is good, but it is not as bioavailable as animal/dairy.

There's a whole other set of chemical reactions that go on in braking down vegetable protein, which is incomplet unles combined with another form that brings the mising components.  Easiest and most famous example - beans and rice.  Nevertheless, there are other elements that a present in animal protein that you just can't get from vegetables.

I was using soy protein meat substitutes pre-op, and I asked about that, assuming it would be OK.  Not only is it not OK, my hosptial (at that time) would not even do the DS on a vegetarian!

REgarding the half anf half v milk - you can do that, but make SURE your gallbladder's gone!

When I was in college (unaltered, I think the DS was even experimental then!), I had a horrific gall bladder attack when I started using half and halfin my cereal and coffee!  Gallstones were forming, and one was small enough to try to pass through the duct.

 Good info!  Thanks!

Honey, no wonder you don't have room for protein. Come on now.

It's not so much that I don't have room for protein... iti's more that trying to get it all in via dense proteins has become an increasing and unsatisfying chore.  Because of that, I've been relying more and more on protein drinks....  There are multiple reasons for that.  One is that I was trying to get in my protein while keeping my cals as low as possible - an issue I am thankful to learn via all of you wonderful folks is not something I should be concerning myself with.  Another reason I've been turning more and more to protein drinks is because of the unomfortable way the dense protein from foods sits on my stomach.  Just not any fun.  My food satisfaction was dropping and I was finding myself throw out more and more protein dishes that I had made that became unpalitable to me.  But, the drinks were/are continuing to go well.  But... for the sake of food satisfaction, I did allow myself to start grazing with carb snacks.  I understand this was a big no-no.  I'm pleased to say that my kitchen has received a big de-carbing as of today.  I'm feeling really good about all this and enthusiastically hopeful that my wt loss is going to kick back in.  I had really started to stress and feel a little depressed about it.  

If you continue to rely on beverages, that food satisfaction thing is NEVER going to get in balance for you. People who have been at this for MANY years cumulatively are trying to get this across to you. Time to extend your protein food options. Time to do MORE with protein and LESS with veggies, NOT just to "decarb." 

BTW ,  more with protein and less with veggies is an important PART of "decarbing."

There is so much more to this than whether or not you lose another ounce. You know, like a slow horrible death from malnutrition.

THAT is why you need to fire the morons at your surgeon's office and get DS-appropriate advice and care.

I often snack on deviled eggs, cheese (all kinds), nuts, salami, Greek yogurt. I drink at least 2-3 shakes a day using decaf coffee as a base with a healthy dose of heavy cream. I also make a decaf cafe mocha and top it with whipped cream.

Just a few ideas.

 Ohhh wow.. that cafe mocha topped with whipped cream sounds wonderful!!!   Yummm!

My breakfast has been pretty consistently 2 scoops protein powder (48 grams), about 1 cup of coffee, and topped with unsweetened coconut milk.  However... I think I ran into some quality issues with the coconut milk.  In addition to that, I think I might have been starving my body for fat and that was why my hands had gotten achy.  As of today, I went back to whole milk to top off my morning drink.. but I was shocked at how many carbs it has in it!!!  12g / cup!

I LOVE the suggestion of the deviled eggs.  Mind blowing that I'll be within my dietary rights to snack on them!!!  I've never made them.. but I will now.

Use half and half or heavy cream instead of milk or that other stuff. You need the fat anyway.

Milk at least has PROTEIN in it along with the carbs. 12 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein isn't bad at all.