Vitalady - Protein Supplements??

Hello,  I read this in another post, and am wondering - are the 180g protein in supps per day protein shakes?  Do you add them in between the meals?  Just curious how you do this.  I'm 16 months out and am still trying to figure out how to eat real food and get my protein supps in and stay within 1200 calories a day. 

15 yrs
normal food, no milk, no sugar

bfast, egg, bacon, toast

lunch yesterday was part of egg salad sandwich

dinner was left over chicken 'n rice, cooked in borth & stuff

Between snacks were fruit or part of fruit

But I do 180g protein in supps per day.

I do 30g shakes, in water, 6 per day. I sorta leap frog them with the meals, so protein, food, protein, food and so on water in between. The protein is just a beverage to me. It has the added benefit of reducing cravings and general appetite, so I place it before meals often, to turn off my wanter before I mauw down on the whole table.

I do about 1000 cal/protiens, 1000 cal/food, I think, Protein cal don't count. They don't go to waste, or turn to fat since there is a need for them. I don't really count calories, only protein g in, sugar g out, so no meal or drink is over 6g sugar.

That makes so much sense!!  I felt like I was relying on them too much even though my surgeon said he was fine with me using them to keep my protein up.  I can handle eating solid food, but not as much as I was having to eat to keep my protein up.  I'm much better at drinking beverages all day (water, CL, protein shakes).  I'm going to go ahead and add them back in.  Luckily I'm one of those who love my protein shakes, so I've been missing them anyway!  Thank you so much for your reply.  

Food is "entertainment" to me now. I TRY to make healthy choices, fruits, nuts, whole grains, cheese.. not overly fond of meat.

So, I still have 4-5 small meals. Tonight is dinner at Cattlemen's in CA, for while I will save space. LOL If I'm going to eat meat, make it worth my while!

I do hear some docs say something about using protein shakes for a crutch. Crutch? Insteada.......... what? I use them ALSO, but then, my doc insisted on it. And I love my protein. Tastes good and in some ways, takes the place of those 3 packs of cigs I smoked long ago.

OH! THAT must be the crutch part, right? Using 30g protein, 0g sugar shakes vs cigs, even tho I quit smoking in 1988 and didn't discover protein til 1994?

Yeah, I understand that.  Food has become something I have to do now, but not my major focus.  I had to give up the whole grains - seemed like whenever I ate even good for your whole grain fods, I'd end up craving more bread-pasta-granola bar carbs - this happened before my RNY, too, so apparently continues on.  I work on getting my good carbs in with veggies which are something I hated before surgery, but absolutely CRAVE now. In my perfect food world, I could totally give up all other foods and live on fresh steamed veggies, cottage cheese and my protein shakes!!  Eggs and meat are foods I can tolerate, but don't really care about them one way or the other.  They're just something I eat just to be eating something different that has protein.  Wouldn't bother me at all to not have them.

Oh and I seriously miss fruit - strawberries, watermelon, apples, peaches, grapes, bananas.  I drool just at the thought of them and sometimes feel like I could cry because I just want one of them so badly!  But everytime I've tried them I get tingly, flash back and forth between being super hot, then super cold, get cold sweats until I'm drenched, dizzy, nausea, and need a nap right away.

My doc says the protein shakes are good for us and are just a part of life for some of us now.  He's okay with them. 

Some crutches are the good kind - this is obviously one of those times!  Hey, if they keep you from smoking, no one could argue with that!!  Especially since the shakes taste good, are so low-cal, sugar-free, and tons of protein vs. what lots of other folks crutch with - more food! Congrats on the no smoking for all this time!!!  That's a huge achievement to be proud of!

Ooh, Cattlemen's - that would be a treat!  Now I do have a real craving that just started for a really well-seasoned, yummy piece of steak with a green salad!  I hope you have a great time tonight!

I had the most PERFECT fillet I've had for ages. Met with old friends and some new ppl. Wonderful. Love it. While technically, these trips are business, it's not like we can't collect hugs, laughs, fun, too, right? I don't think any IRS rules forbid smiling while working?

In my perfect food world, I'd have a huge baked potato with bread, rice and pasta as sides, various veggies on the potato. But THAT isn't going to happen!

At least I inspired you to steak, not fudge (the gateway drug). LOL

LOL - as far as I know, the entertainment tax doesn't cover laughing and smiling while you're working - YET.  I'm glad you had a great time.  Thanks for all your help.  Once I'm done with working two jobs, I'm hoping to go up to one of your support group meetings.  I'm thinking it's time for me to get back to some support and hit as many meetings as I can for awhile since I haven't been to one for a few months now.  Only a couple more weeks of two jobs, then I'll have some evenings free again!  Woo hoo!!

we might get home the day of our July mtg, in which case, you get an instant replay of everything I just paid an arm and a leg to learn. LOL

I try not to dominate any other meetings, but it sorta bubbles forth, like an overflowing cup or something. LOL

and yes, I'm absolutely certain we'd have settled comfortable another 30-40# higher had we not been so entwined in support. There are at LEAT 3 per month, plus tihs mega trip, plus mini-trips to conference that aren't far or way too expensive.

Seeing, being seen. 2 of the strongest motivators to keep that "just one bite" out of my mouth!

Michelle, your enthusiasm is so contagious.  I am 11 days out from my RNY Revision (Dr Fox did original in 1992) and Carter at madigan did this one.  Not as easy of a recovery as I hoped but, committed to get this right and enjoy the benefits I had years ago from the gift of Dr Fox's skills.
have a safe trip, Mari

we're in San Jose now, but the meetings are still going to happen as usual.