I am only a week post op but have a protein question.  Is it possible to get in the recommened 60-70 grams of protein eating only 3 meals a day, no snacking.  That is the diet my NUT has me on, just wondering what you all did to achieve that?  Thanks for input.  By the way, I obviously know this early out I will not get that in.

The first couple of weeks, I just did the best that I could.  I did shakes mostly, but did not get anywhere I needed on the protien.  Each day it did get better and I now get all mine from food.  I do the protien drink in the morning as my pouch likes the drink and so do I.  I get 24 from drink and around 6-70 from food.

Back when I had my first surgery I was told that we could only absorb 30 grams of protein at a time.  I have heard that this has been disputed but at the time I hated the protein drinks and my stomach was a lot larger.  My protein goal was 100 grams a day, at least, so I made sure that each of my meals was at least 30 grams of protein.  It wasn't really hard then but I can see how it is hard with a smaller stomach capacity.  That is why I learned to love my protein drinks. 

It would be  possible for some people, but very hard at such an early stage.  You would basically  need to eat 3 ounces of meat for each meal.  But can you eat three ounces of meat at a time at just one week out?

Why does  you nut want you to follow that plan if you know you cannot get that in this early out?  What does your nut want you to do to get your protein right now?

I will say that it would be very difficult for me to get enough protein or calories if I only ate three meals a day, and I am three years out.  My blood sugar would also drop very low between meals and I would feel very weak and sick.  I do much better eating about six times a day.

 at a week post op are you even eating?  I guess if your doing protein shakes 3 times a day you could if your getting 20g a shake?  I was only on liquids i think..but i couldn't stomach the protein or much else at that point in time.  lol  

As I said, this is not expected right now, but that is what she want you to work toward. She is very against snacking. I guess I will worry about it when I have to. Thanks everyone.

Why is she against snacking?

Here's what I don't get.  If I go more than about three hours between meals, my blood sugar drops and I feel very ill.  I eat six times a day and get about 1500 calories and 75 grams of protein.  Why would a dietician be against that?  Why would  a dietician recommend I go longer between meals and suffer from very low blood sugar?  I don't understand it.

You would have to make very careful choices in order to get it all from 3 meals with no snacking.  Plus it's going to depend on what your body can tolerate.  Here's an example:

Greek Yogurt, 6 oz - 14 grams

1/4 cup granola - 2 grams

(I gotta have crunch)  

So that's 16 grams for breakfast.   

Lunch could be a 3 oz burger with some cheese = about 24 grams (USDA database says 3 oz patty of 90% lean beef is 22 grams).  You could have a side dish of something with one or two more possibly.  So lets say lunch is 25 grams.  

We're up to 41.  

Let's try 3 oz of chicken thighs for supper - easier to eat than breasts.  That's about 20 grams, give or take. So there's 61.  

Of course it's going to be a while until you can eat that much.  So, yes, you can get there but it might take up to a year.  

I snack.  If I don't I get too hungry and I eat too fast and too much.  I don't think snacking is bad if you do it mindfully.  I eat nuts or protein bars.  i have to eat every couple of hours.  You might end up having to do that too.  You are going to have to do what is right for you and your body and not just listen to your nutritionist blindly :)    

Good luck and enjoy the journey!   

 

I have the same NUT as she does, the reason she is against the snacking is because she has seen people fail with the snacking and go back to their old habits. At least that is what she has told me.

I am 5 months out and I still can't all that protein in. She said by 6 months I should be.

Yeah, but surely it depends what you are snacking on?  Early on, those snacks should be the two protein shakes anyway.  Now, my dietician isn't keen on us eating protein bars because she says they have too many carbs (most of them) and lead you to bad habits like candy bars.  That makes sense to me.

I don't see how people could be healthy only eating three times a day in the early stages when there is so little room to eat at each sitting.