Vet question-- Is liquid protein as good as solid?

Solstyce
on 3/11/12 9:00 am - WA
VSG on 02/18/12 with
Hi everybody-

I'm three weeks out and starting mushies. I currently get 50grams of protein between two shakes- now that I can start having mushies, my shy of a 1/4 cup serving of various things (refried beans, cauliflower mash, tuna salad- all enriched with protein powder and/or cottage cheese) is only equaling roughly 8gr protein per serving. Having 3 meals a day and two shakes is leaving me 6gr shy of 80gr protein. I'm barely able to hit 650 calories and my carbs are around 25-30.

At this stage, are these numbers looking ok? Should I replace one meal with another shake so I can get over 80gr?  Is the liquid protein as good as solid nutritionally and how our bodies process it?? Just feeling my way through this and trying to do things perfectly!
 
  
HW: 286  Consult: 276  SW:265   Pre-op: -11   1Mo -27  2Mo -11  3Mo -15  4Mo -6 (stall
UGH!)  5Mo -12
ShoreToLose
on 3/11/12 9:56 am, edited 3/11/12 9:57 am - Brick, NJ
Real food is always ur best option. But in our cases, sometimes it's hard. I wouldn't stress about being off 6 grams a day this early in the game. After all, my NUT always said, these are only guidleines. Individual needs will vary.

I hit the weights 5 times a week and take in atleast 150 - 200 grams of protein a day.  I would never be able to eat that in whole foods without taking in a ton of calories. I drink atleast 2-3 shakes a day. 


    
1st Goal: 190 lbs. - Achieved 8/3/2010
2nd: Goal: 165 lbs. - `Achieved 11/2/2010
(deactivated member)
on 3/11/12 10:01 am
Protein suspended in water or in chicken is still protein! No one is better than the other. What is better is to meet your daily protein quota. I still drink two shakes a day and my surgery was almost three years ago.
Sandra C.
on 3/11/12 10:51 am - Kalamazoo, MI
 You all make me want to go grab a protein shake!!!!   ;-)

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com

Duodenal Switch- lap
Dr. Paul. Kemmeter Grand Rapids, Mi.
Dr. John  Renucci, Plastics, Body contouring,Grand Rapids, Mi.
Start 255/ Surgery wt 235/ Current wt. 117

BMI-20, 135 lbs lost, 5'3"

   

(deactivated member)
on 3/11/12 11:06 am
Lol Sandra!  :)
Mary Catherine
on 3/11/12 1:18 pm
 I do not think the body cares whether you get your protein from a shake or a pork chop. Just do you best.  I think you are doing great.
rbb825
on 3/11/12 4:06 pm - Suffern, NY
first off, why on earth do you need 80grams of protein at 3 weeks out?   I am the first to suggest high amounts of protein but that is too much so early out - it is too taxing on your kidneys.

If you are eating a 1/4 cup of food -- that is 2 ounces of protein should be 14 grams of protein.  2 ounces of tuna salad, 2 eggs with mayo, almost all proteins are 6 to 7 grams per ounce.


IF you want more add another meal = protein shakes count as liquid - it is  healthiest to eat 5 to 6 small meals per day, evry 2 to 3 hours and you can count a protein shake as 1 or 2 of them if you like.  This increases your metabolism, maintains your blood sugar and decreases hunger but only eating 3 tiny meals per day will lead to hunger, stalls and glucose levels all over the place.

at 3 weeks, ideal protein is 60 but most can only get 40 - you dont need 80 until you hit about 3 months when you can eat full size meals.

 

H.A.L.A B.
on 3/12/12 2:06 am
That depends. In my case liquid is better than solid - dense.

We can absorb what we can digest and assimilate.  Liquid is mostly predigested proteins. Dense proteins (meat - fish, nuts, hard cheese etc.) we need to chew )and how fine yo can chew them may determine how well you can assimilate them), the digest (some of us not only have pouches but also take antacid - and low acid will prevent some digestion - no digestion - so assimilation) . Add some dumping and or rapid bowel emptying - and much less % of solid -dense foods we can absorb. 
Liquid - much higher percentage we can assimilate - absorb. No "processing" required . 
So if you blood protein levels are low - adding 1-2 shakes may do the trick. 

Look up "protein bioavailability factor" ... or number.  That will tell you how much and what has the highest score.  

Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG

"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"

"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."

momjan
on 3/12/12 3:09 am - Canada
The goal of wls surgery is to use the stores of fat in your body, so you should not be needing that much protein in the beginning.  You will feed off the stores of fat in your body.

I don't know how much a 'normal' meal will be to you, but remember that a wls size normal should be a lot smaller than a regular person's normal.  I still, after two years, only eat 1/2 - 3/4 cup per 3 meals, plus a couple of smaller snacks per day.

A lot of people find that denser proteins - lean meat, tofu, beans, etc. keep them fuller longer and if you eat a lot of 'slider' foods - ie yoghurt, etc. you will be hungrier sooner.  It doesn't mean these can't be good foods, just be aware that you could be hungrier sooner than expected if you are eating a lot of them.

Don't be too quick on trying to get huge meals in as your weight loss may be slower because you aren't drawing from your fat reserves.  Also, why push how much you can ingest - you may end up eating huge amounts when not necessary to satisfy your actual hunger rather than head hunger.

Drink lots of water between meals to keep yourself hydrated and keep the proteins flushed from your kidneys; this will help to ensure you don't get kidney stones.


kerry D.
on 3/13/12 5:13 am - Cambridge, MA
I think you are doing great.  You sound like me at 3 weeks out.  Remember your pouch is still healing and swollen.  What I did was try to add a poached or over-easy egg to a meal. It's almost like putting a sauce on a meal since most of the egg is yolk.   Eggs are the best protein imho.  They taste great over some ff spicy refried beans.  This was one of my go to meals that I still eat now, but with a little cheese added.  It would be an easy way to add those exxtra protein grams, but not something to really worry about at 3 weeks out.
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