Question:
Difficulty with protein intake

Hi Everyone: I am 5 months postop lap rny, down 62 pounds, BMI of 29, and 28 pounds from my doctor's goal. I still have great difficulty with getting in the right amount of protein by foods alone. Very few protein foods agree with me. I can eat all kinds of cheese, turkey meat balls and yogurt. However, I cannot do chicken, deli meats, tuna, shrimp and many seafood products that I used to adore. I do have a protein shake every morning, which gives about 35 grams of protein. Has anyone ever had 2 protein shakes per day to get the required protein daily, and eaten the rest of their calories in whatever they choose? Unbelieveably, I hated protein shakes for the first 2 months. Now, I am able to tolerate a particular shake well. Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks for your input. Love Grace    — Grace H. (posted on January 23, 2003)

January 22, 2003
Grace - I believe that Michelle Curran gets all of her protein in via supplements. As far as the things you can't tolerate now, try them again in a month and see if it's the same...JR
   — John Rushton

January 23, 2003
Grace, My doctor requires 2 protein shakes a day for a total of 45-50 grams of protein from shakes and another 20 from food!! (70 grams daily) If you can get in the other shake I think it would be great and keep on trying high protein food. I cannot do the shakes, which one do you use?? :-)
   — Pizofret

January 23, 2003
I have at times pretty much lived on protien drinks, just when I don't want to eat or when nothing sounds good. Now I use them just for a nutritional safety net so I can relax and not count everything. I didn't have surgery to spend my whole life obsessing about food. Just do what feels right for your body. Good Luck to you.
   — Cara F.

January 23, 2003
Just to be clear, I DO eat protein foods, meats & all. I tolerate most. Chicken & pork are iffy. But I never much LIKED protein foods. My doc requires 120-150g via supplement (very distal). My PREFERENCE is to get more than that via supplement. I don't want to be food focused. It is especially unappealing to me to have to force feed myself anything. I love my shakes! Not only do they taste good to me, but I suspect there is some sort of mental freedomthing associated with them, as well. After 44 yrs of eating this, not eating that, now (with the exception of milk & sugar) I eat (or not) what I want & what agrees. Life is so much easier. But yes, I do not count protein foods toward my daily totals. So yes, John, you're right. I only COUNT my protein supps toward my total. If I do eat prime rib, it has the same protein value to me as celery.
   — vitalady

January 23, 2003
Hi Guys: I am the original poster. Thanks so much for your answers. I have tried quite a few protein drinks, but I have been using Whey Protein in Strawberry from GNC. This also comes in Vanilla and Chocolate. Thanks again. Love Grace
   — Grace H.

January 24, 2003
Hi grace You and I are on the same boat I don't tolerate any of that stuff either but I found a protien shake that has 45grams of protien a serving. Diffently start looking in your area for body builders shakes the protien is allot higher I find the one I had at a speciality store for body builders called nutrasport. I don't remember ther name of the product I bought. But there where at least 5 different products on the shelf that had 40 or more grams of protien . You can also try gnc.
   — sheri B.

January 25, 2003
Hi Grace! I have 2 30gm protein shakes a day, then eat whatever I want with an emphasis on protein, vegies, fruit. I don't eat noodles, bread or rice or anything else that's starchy. I found that adding the second protein shake helped me to take the emphasis off what I was eating, I was getting stressed because nothing felt good going down and I was having problems getting my 60gm of protein every day. Now, I drink 2 shakes - one in the morning and one in the evening, then just eat healthy during the day! Best of luck to you!
   — JoAnn B.