Question:
how do I get the proper amount of protein?

My doctor wants me to be getting my protein from the foods I eat but after 3 months post op I can't hold much and meats aren't my favorite anymore does anyone have any suggestions? I still do the shakes and protein shots but my hair is still coming out. Help    — ddb62 (posted on October 29, 2008)

October 29, 2008
My surgeon told me that my hair was going to fall out no matter what I did. It has, and now it's coming back in. I still drink one to two protein drinks a day. Our bodies don't produce protein, we need protein to help us not lose muscle mass. Your heart is a muscle. Its very important.
   — azreggie

October 29, 2008
You don't have much info on your profile...Okay so you have NO info! LOL I'm guessing that you only just had RNY since you are concerned about protein...The first few months you will only be able to eat a very small amount of food. You will work your way up to eating larger portions of food. It was about 3 mos that I began eating more and more and by 6 months I was not afraid of dying of starvation or anything! By 18 months I felt like a normal small person...It takes a while! You'll get there... 3 months is the common transition into more normal habits! You must continually try denser proteins...Dense proteins are what will sustain you the best and not leave you hungry every hour or two... In the long run, you will need to eat meat or dense protein to maintain your weight loss. Give yourself time and let it happen naturally...But keep trying to eat meat as this is the best, most purest, natural form of lean, quality protein you will ever get! I look for meats that have no hormones and are farm raised and/or organic whenever I can. For what you pay for some of these protein supplements and "products"...I might as well get the best of the best! and i skip the supps unless i am not eating right...They for certain I will have a shake or a protein supp! Eat MEAT! Also, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds, legumes (beans), whole grains... Good luck! Your tastes for things will change often the first year too as will your tolerance for certain foods! So keep trying different (healthy) stuff.....Also... I started losing crazy-insane amts of hair at 3 mos...and I thought I'd have none left when it was over...It lasted about 3 months too! I even cut 6 inches off to put less stress/weight on myhair folicles! Then...by about 5-6 mos post op my hair was starting to come in nicely again...This is a common complaint that docs really have no specific cause or treatment for...It's more a combo of losing rapid weight, surgery stress, healing, lack of nutrients, stress on the metabolism...and just a gamut of serious changes in your body and eating. Give all of it, time!
   — .Anita R.

October 29, 2008
At 3 months post op your body is still trying to adjust to your new eating habits. At 3 mo I still couldn't eat much. All mat was not my friend. When i tried to eat it most of the time it just got stuck in my throat until I threw up and got it out of my throat. But i tell you with time and I am at 6 months now and I can eat most any meat now with no problem. I am still careful, chew well but all is better now. I did drink protein drink with 100 calories, that had 25 grams of protein and tasted good and only a few ounces. They cost about 2.25 each online but it was soo helpful with hair,and man my nails are soo string. I have stopped those now because I didn't think I needed the extra protein now and didn't want that extra 100 calories. Hope this helps!
   — susajohn

October 29, 2008
Talk to you NUT. Also look at fish and beans. On my nutrition sheet they are highest in protein. Ex: 3oz halibut is 23 grm, Navy beans 1/2cup 20 gms. Firm tofu 1/2cup 20grms Good luck
   — urbrat2

October 29, 2008
Every good WL surgeon should be telling you exactly what yours did. "You need to be getting your nutrition from lean meats and veggies". This is their mantra and should be ours as well. You'll hear "no slider foods" as well. They want our pouches to stay full of healthy chunky food for satiety. When an obese person is satisfied, their job is done. Satiety is the big word. Having said that, very early post op, it can be a difficult challenge. Sometimes it is hard to get anything down... in those times, it needs to be something with protein... that is our most important goal. Keep trying to eat lean meats and it should get easier over time. Your pouch and stoma are small as you are pretty new to this process... over time and usually around 6 -8 months, I see people being able to get them down easier. Just keep trying. Until that time... do cottage cheese, cheese, scrambled eggs, ground beef, mozzarella sticks... whatever you can to get it in. I have an easier time with fish and just cooked shrimp than any other protein really. I never used to eat fish, but, I purchases new low carb and WLS cookbooks and just started reading and cooking. If you can only eat a few bites, make it the healthiest few bites you can get in. Hair falling out happens and is common 3-6 months out. It should start growing back soon after that. Mine didn't fall out, my naturally VERY curly hair went stick straight and my eyelashes fell out. Weird huh? I spent my entire life fighting the curls and now I have none. Old story huh? Some people say Biotin and Nioxin (I think ???) help, some say no. Long story short, keep focusing on protein and keep trying chunkier proteins. Dawn V.
   — DawnVic

October 29, 2008
Your body doesn't care about the source of your protein--- all that matters to maintain muscle tone (especially for that all important muscle- the heart) is that you maintain at least 60 grams of protein per day. Certainly, increasing protein intake will expedite early weight loss. At three months, based upon my own experience and the experience of the many people I've worked with through the support groups I've lead over the years, it is nearly impossible to be getting 60-80 grams of protein from "food" sources. Keep supplementing to assure your health and weight loss. As for the hair loss, some suggest that it is not protein related, but due to loss of certain trace minerals, other experts suggest that the hair loss is due to the trauma of surgery, which is felt weeks away (depending upon the growth cycle of your hair).
   — SteveColarossi

October 30, 2008
tender chicken, poached fish, tofu, scrambled egg, and cottage cheese are my main sources of protien in my diet right now. I am 7 weeks out. To those sources, I add a little bit of soft veggie, brocolli, brussel sprout, but you have to see what your tummy will tolerate. I have a protien shake for my first meal every day. I have four small meals a day. I am losing between 2 and 5 lbs a week. Be sure to supplement your good food choices with physical activity, they go hand in hand.
   — cydthekid50

October 30, 2008
Debbie, cottage cheese is a very good low-fat source of protein (1/2 a cup is about 15 grams of protein). Also fresh fish...salmon, swordfish, or tuna is excellent and is easier for me to tolerate than other meats (about 7 grams of protein per ounce). And then of course, eggs are a good source too and can be cooked in a variety of ways. However, if you are unable to tolerate meats, I would suggest continuing to supplement with the protein shakes (whey protein). As far as hair falling out, I use Building Block vitamin supplements that are designed for gastric bypass patients. Dr. Marema has all of his patients on them: calcium (2 in the morning and 2 at night), iron (one a day), multivitamin (1 in the morning and one at night), and anti-Ox (1 in the morning and 1 at night). I am coming up on 6 months from my surgery and have not lost any hair. I believe it has to do with making sure I have at least 64 grams of protein a day (from any source) combined with the vitamins and minerals. http://www.bbvitamins.com Good luck, --Kathryn
   — kathryn_ann

November 1, 2008
My nutritionist recommeded Isopure Protein Water. It has 40 grams of protein in a bottle and is not milk based, so I can drink it between my meals instead of as a protein shake. My gym carries it (Gold's Gym), and I think it can be bought at GNC and Vitamin World.
   — sandra17

November 1, 2008
I work for a dermatologist and he described the hair loss problem this way....anytime you have a stress to your body like this some of your hair follicles "fall asleep" and you have the hair loss. In 4-5 months it should grow back but it may be thinner and finer. He also recommended blood tests for thyroid, iron and ferritin in addition to making sure I eat the allotted amt of protein. My surgeon told me to take over the counter Biotin which is actually Vit B7 and you can't over dose on it because it is water soluble and the excess comes out in your urine. The derm md said that washing your hair less frequently doesn't matter and there are some products on the market that you can use that give you hair the appearance of thickness. I think one is called Nioxin.
   — AuntPamcakes4six

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