Protein Intake

How do you make sure that you get all of your protein in, do you use shakes or bars?  What works best for you WL Grads?

Some continue to drink protein shakes when they don't have time or need an extra protein boost in their numbers. My surgeon told me not to have them after a year...not to use them as a crutch but if I don't have time to eat a steak (and that can take a really LONG time!) I have them available. I also fortify my oatmeal with protein (tvp) or add protein powder to my malto meal cereal in the mornings..Just because carbs without protein effect me wrong.

Protein bars tend to give me really noxious gas...sorry if that's TMI but it really is bad. I can't have anything with sugar alcohols in it or protein bars if I'm going to be in a meeting at work...

Oh, really I’ve never heard that.  If you can get all of your protein in through regular food than that’s great.  I have never been much of a protein eater but am working on it especially since I have been eating too many carbs and it is showing on the scale.  I need to work on getting more protein in anyway that I can. I’ve tried a few different protein powders and shakes but realized that my taste has changed and my system doesn’t take to milk the way that it used to.  What kind of protein do you use?

Depending on the application (what I'm eating it in) I use TVP in my oatmeal. Textured Vegetable Protein or Textured Soy Protein. I use Fearn's Granulated. It's a fine granule that goes well in oatmeal and I bought it at vitacost.com.

I use just the whey protein that is found at walmart in malto meal and in ice coffee...chocolate for that although it's not too tasty..

I use soy milk..plain (not vanilla) because milk makes me alittle nauseous. I buy the soy milk in the cases at costco. Soy milk can sit on the floor for months until I open it and refrigerate it...I love it for the convenience factor and it tastes pretty good in oatmeal.

We sign a contract pre-op that we will take our protein supps FOR LIFE. Of course, eating protein as a space filler is strongly encouraged, too.

I'm 15 yrs, and drink 180g or more in shakes. I'm not overly fond of meat/fish/chicken, so that works just fine for me. I was always right on the edge of being a veggie.

My meat is chocolate, BTW.

I do go thru a "bar period" every now and then, but I don't count the protein in bars.

Michelle:

Why dont you count the protein in protein bars?

Is their a reason for that?

Melissa

I don't count the protein in any FOOD. I malabsorb. I do not digest.

The protein in bars usually is mixed with glycerin, which tends to coat the protein, so even MORE digestion would be required.

I do consider them to be a safe "meal".

I'm allergic to artificial sweeteners (give me ulcers) and , like Dawn, sugar alcohols cause me to do horrible things to the atmosphere! Add gluten intolerance to that and the bars and shakes are really really limited.

My protein average is 100 gm+ a day and I eat 90% of it - mostly egg whites, cheese and yogurt. Meat can be a bit tough on my pouchy still (even 2 yrs out). I definite can't eat meat leftovers without a lot of mayo or something else to make it soft and juicy again. I also find that fine ground meats, really fine like a pate or spread, works A LOT better than whole meats. Lunch meat seems to work better than a steak Nuts and seeds are also great for quick, portable protein and I buy a Big-A$$ Tub o' nuts or a monster bag of sunflower seeds at Costco once a month... but peanut butter gets stuck and gives me the foamies.

I do add the plain or vanilla "100% natural, no artificial-anything" whey protein powders, or plain old powdered milk, to my hot cereals, cream soups, hot chocolate & coffee if I'm running low on protein or need something quick. But finding those can sometimes be difficult and expensive. I haven't found a chocolate powder that doesn't make me dump or get foamies (although I can eat chocolate just fine?!?!).

I can drink unfortified cow's milk or goats milk... these don't seem to make me pukey like regular fortified grocery store milk. I can drink raw milk (unpasteurized & unfortified) just fine, no probs at all; but lots of people are afraid to or can't find it in their area. Also canned evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk that's sweetened) seems to be just fine and I add it all sorts of cooked stuff. We have shelf-stable boxed milk up here in AK (Real Fresh), and I can cook with that OK and put it on cold cereal; but certainly can't drink it plain . Reconstituted powdered milk works, but tastes really funky if I drink it plain or put it on cold cereal.

I prefer whey powders and real dairy because lots of soy seems to aggravate my PCOS. I can eat tofu and drink soy mil****asionally  with no problems, but me and TVP (any form or flavor) are not friends.

The bars give me the foamies something chronic, I can't eat them at all. No matter which brand or how much I chew them, they always seem to get stuck.

Hi, PlicketyCat

It sounds like you pay very close attention to your body which is a great thing.  I am glad that you have found what works best for you.  I am still in the process of trying different things and it doesnt help that I am not that adventurous.  But you have gave me some different ideas to look into.

Thanks

Glad I could help. One thing I found very interesting was that, after years of thinking I was Lactose Intolerant, I discovered that I was having problems with something in the grocery store milk... not actually lactose.  I always thought it was weird that I could eat cheese and yogurt, just not drink milk. If you find that powdered milk doesn't trigger you, it's a very cost-effective replacement to protein powders and is more readily available.

I'm going to check with my cousin about raw/organic milk in Philly. I know his wife gets goats milk for their baby, so there has to be a supplier around there somewhere :)