Protein

[daisy2002]

Hi guys.... me again

I really need some advice on how i can up my protein.
I am on the pureed stage at the moment.
I've seen people mention trying to get 70g of protein a day or around that.
I've only been told to drink milk which i'm really struggling to do, no other suggestions.
I mentioned adding some cheese and she said only light philidelphia not hard cheese.

I'm a vegetarian & struggling for ideas & struggling to get much protein at all which maybe why i'm not losing anything (nothing for the 2nd week running) and i'm so tired.

I've seen people mention marvel powder. How much do you need to use to get a decent amount of protein? Does it contain a lot of calories?
Again i'm not sure if i'm supposed to be worrying about calories, none of this has been said to me.

I'm worried that i'm getting no where near the amount of protein everyone else is getting.

I'm having an actimel & a scrambled egg for breakfast, half a tin of lentil soup for lunch & pureed quorn mince, cauliflower, broccoli & mash & gravy.
The protein for half the soup if only 4.7g

I'm so confused right now & stressed out that i'm not helping my body heal properly or lose weight properly.

Please can someone help me x

 

[OOnion]

There is an app - Called 'Cal counter' and it measures your daily protien along with your cal's which is really easy to use and helpful. I worked out that the milk powders are approx 21 cal's for 2 teaspoons - which I thought was a lot really for the amount of extra protein it gave you.

My surgeon told me not to worry too much about protein until I am on solids at 4 weeks post op. However I am only a baby bypasser not even at my 6 months yet- so some of the older wiser people may be able to advise you better than moi!

How much water are you drinking, as I have found that really makes a difference. Have you thought about protein shakes for breakfast?

Good Luck
x

 

[minxie]

Hi there, I wouldn't worry to much at the moment, it will improve as you go further onto solid foods. And don't worry about calories this early on as you will nit be eating many yet.

I added a tablespoon of skimmed milk powder to a mug of milk and added cocoa or coffee and sweeteners, have this a couple of times a day and you add a good amount of protein. Also fage yoghurt is high in protein - you might recognise it as Total Greek yoghurt, you can get 0% fat. Add some stewed fruit if you want to flavour it. Also try adding in some fromage frais. Check out the protein levels of various yoghurts as some are quite high in protein. Egg mayonnaise made with extra light Mayo is another good snack. I also used to nibble on cheese triangles or stir them into soup, mashed potato or mashed baked beans.

Hope these tips help but really don't stress too much, it is early days yet and will become easier in time. As for not losing weight, same thing applies - it will happen!

 

[penelope1008]

I echo everything Minxie says its much the same as I did & still do at 9mths post-op.

 

[chrisa]

yeah yoghurt, lowfat custard. philadelphia light cheese, i made cauliflower cheese. xx

 

[daisy2002]

Thank you for the replies & the ideas.

My husband called the bariatric nurse from the hospital as i need to ask her something else. Whilst talking to her he asked about protein. Straight away she said protein shakes or protein powder from holland & barrets.
My husband has just been & the one he found was 75g of protein but its 383 calories (or something along those lines).
The bariatric nurse said i have to have 60g+ esp in the liquid/pureed stage. I can't get my head around it though :cry:
If i use that powder to get me near the protein target..... then i'll be having nearly 400 calories and thats before i eat anything

 

[OOnion]

That's the hardest thing to balance (I find too) I think ohhhh no not going to use up that many calories to get 60g of protein, (when it taste horrid) You get a better ratio of cals v protein from milk than these commercial shakes...purée beans and grated cheese is a good source also and if you use the low fat beans and cheese the calories are not too bad. Hope your on the soft stage before you know it as it will be a lot easier by then x

 

[daisy2002]

My husband spoke to one of the dietitians with the company i went through for my surgery( i hate talking on the phone). She said that during the pureed/soft stage that they aren't bothered how many calories you consume just so long as you get enough protein and get better & heal

Have other people been told this?

I've seen people mention grated cheese but she said no to that & only light phili.

Anyone wanna give me their daily protein/calorie intake for when they were/currently on the pureed stage/soft foods. I'd appreciate it

 

[Fuffs]

My husband spoke to one of the dietitians with the company i went through for my surgery( i hate talking on the phone). She said that during the pureed/soft stage that they aren't bothered how many calories you consume just so long as you get enough protein and get better & heal

Have other people been told this?

I've seen people mention grated cheese but she said no to that & only light phili.

Anyone wanna give me their daily protein/calorie intake for when they were/currently on the pureed stage/soft foods. I'd appreciate it

I wasn't given targets for purée. It was more a eat foods of the right texture and try to get some protein in. It's later on in smooth and solids the targets start.

So I wouldn't overly worry at the moment xxx

 

[Karlos]

Firstly just take a step back for chuffs sake and relax.

That done? OK breath in and out for ten seconds and continue until calm

Now then, forget calorie counting for the next few weeks maybe even months, it's not important unless some point down the line six months from now you find you stall, then you need to count calories to make sure you're eating enough, right now forget them

Protein is your main concern. But right now just get as much in as you can to help the healing process. You can eat cottage cheese rather than grated hard cheese, Fage yoghurt is great and you can add protein powder to it to maximise the protein hit and make it taste better. Forget the calories it's not important at this stage. Milk really is your friend, milky coffees with added skimmed milk powder is another way to get more protein in. You can mash up low sugar baked beans, Low fat cream cheese is OK too scrambled eggs are OK, Soya blended down to purée would be OK too as long as you blitz it to mush. Basically whatever high protein food a veggie can eat will be fine. If you can fit in the vegetables such as broccoli, mash and cauliflower then you've not eaten enough protein, so forget them until the quorn is gone then if you have any room eat the veg.

But please relax, there is nothing to worry about just eat six or seven protein rich meals drink at least half a pint of skimmed milk a day and you'll be fine.

 

[OOnion]

karlos - always the voice of reason! I love it...

Really though do we not need to stress about the amount of calories going in? - I tend to try and stick to 800 a day which usually gives me about 65g protein - in your experience am I getting too anal about things?!

How are you doing anyway?
x

 

[Karlos]

I'm OK thanks, the tumour markers are raised indicating that the treatment is not as effective as it was, but the last scan showed they had stabilised and not yet started to grow again.

900 calories per day is accepted as the minimum we should take in if we are to stay out of starvation mode where our bodies try to hang onto our fat stores and even start to store store more of what we are eating as fat. This is not as much of an issue early out but as we get further out from surgery starvation mode does have an effect on weight loss.

 

[OOnion]

Thank you and sorry to hear things are not as good as they were x

 

[daisy2002]

Lol karlos..... your reply made me laugh.
I'm just worried that i'm not helping my body heal properly or lose weight properly.
I've probably come across as a mental woman :silly: but i think part of that is the lack of information i've received.

I tried Fage yoghurt with protein powder in it yesterday and it made me heave , it went down a bit better in milk. Never tried cottage cheese before but i shall get some and give it a go.

Thanks for your reply :thankyou:

 

[Janifred]

Hi I have a slushi made from: ricotta cheese, plain yog, cottage cheese and philly blitzed then add either frozen berries and icecubes or defrosted berries - depends on your tastes etc. I then thin it a bit with milk and add marvel and I have a protein shot in a couple of long drinks. As for qty I usually use the whole tubs. Hope you like it - sounds awful but is very bland on its own. You can add quorn or tofu too