Is it true that not getting enough protein can slow/stall weight loss?

I asked this question a few weeks ago on the RNY board and got a few responses, but I would like to know from the experts!   I try to get in all of my protein, but I have to admit I sometimes really struggle.  I noticed that my weight loss has really slowed the last few weeks...just 57 pounds since RNY on July 6th.  I know I don't eat much (maybe 600 calories per day average) and I do exercise hard, and faithfully.  I figured I would have to keep losing not matter what I did (as long as I was not eating much and exercising), but that's not the case!   So, last week I increased my protein and I did lose a couple of pounds.  That made me wonder if it was the protein itself, the extra calories I got from the protein drinks, natural weight loss or a plain ole coincidence?  What are your thoughts on the correlation between weight loss and protein after RNY? Other than hair loss, are there other effects of not getting enough protein?  I am thinking I might need to be scared into doing better!  Thanks! Nanette

I was told that I had to eat 60 gms and not more than 100 gms of protein.  What do you eat?  Linda

My first impression is that you are seeing the effects of total calorie malnutrition.   Protein deficit over time is pretty ugly.  Your immune system weakens, your organs are digested for energy, your muscles are maintained if you are using them (with exercise), you can start to have edema (swelling) usually in your lower extremities - there are many other things!   And it is a slow, ugly process... If your body is starving for total calories, it will burn protein for energy.  If you are really exercising hard your calorie needs are probably higher than 600 calories a day.  When you increase your calories (whether from protein or fat or carbs) your body will respond by moving more toward normal from its usual starving state. Maybe you are at a plateau? Maybe you need to increase your calories (from protein is fine!)

I can always count on you to scare me into compliance!  You paint a pretty bad picutre of protein deficency and I want no part of that!  Thanks!  I honestly think I need more calories too.  I think I may be in starvation mode and working against my body.  It's just so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that NOT eating used to be a good thing, and now I have to eat more for it to be a good thing!!  My natural tendency is to just not eat when I am not hungry and before surgery, that would have been a good thing, but not now.  I guess I am struggling with that shift in thinking more than I thought because sometimes I am secretly proud of myself for not eating.  My faulty thinking is that eventually I will lose if I don't eat (hey, the people in concentration camps lost weight, right?).  The problem with that is that I won't be healthy either.  I mostly just eat cottage cheese, meats (small amounts) and veggies (cause I love them and seem to tolerate them well).  I stay away from carbs, anything white, and all sugar.  I am going to go back to protein shakes for my extra calories and extra protein.  I think I just gave them up too soon.  So, the bottom line is that you do think not getting enough protein can slow or stall weight loss?...among other negative things!  Thanks!  Nanette 

Thanks for all of this information! I do have to say that my bloodwork in the past has shown that I have been protein deficient so the doctor has told me but told me not to worry about that number. But it always comes up low. This was before surgery. I am really interested in the part where you say it can cause swelling or edema in the lower extremities. I have gone to the doctor so many times over my legs and no one has ever given me a good answer as to why my legs swell and all along my blood work shows that my serum protein..not sure if is albumin they are looking at or what but has been low. It is amazing I can come here and find more information here about my body then my own PCP has helped me with. Thankyou....I don't like what you say about protein deficiency being ugly. That is pretty scary to me so this post right here that you have written is enough to whip my butt on the right track.

I never knew lack of protein would get that awful ..I just thought our bodies would use up our own muscles for protein needs but was not sure at what rate and how severe. I still don't know but I do know I need to pay attention and take my supplements like I am supposed to.

Also I ran accross this calculator somewhere at one time...How can we find out how much protein we actually do need to take in individually. Someplace I remember I could plug in my bmi or wt and ht and it would tell me my own protein daily intake needs. Is  there another formula for this?

Thanks so much for all of this information...trying to go thru all of the posts that I can and am reading reading reading. 

Yes, your body uses its muscles for protein and energy - and that is the process you want to avoid! It is extremely common for obese people to be protein deficient pre-operatively.  Often it is the co-morbidities associated with obesity that got you to seek surgery to begin with - among all of those problems is protein deficiency.   If you were immediately post-op, I would say the albumin level would be low because of the recent surgery.  If you are greater than 6 months out, that number should be close to normal or above normal.  Now this is assuming you have had no other procedures and are otherwise healthy.  There are other medical conditions and medications that can alter these lab levels. That's all stuff for a personal assessment with your RD. So do we agree that this protein deficiency is something you need to turn around? Generally speaking take your weight in kilogram (your actual weight - maybe subtract a few pounds if you are having a lot of lower extremity edema) Kilograms = weight in pounds divided by 2.2 Now - your goal protein should be at least 1 gram per kilogram.  Yes, maybe that's high, but assuming your kidneys are functioning normally and you are getting adequate fluid, this is a reasonable starting goal. Keep an eye on your labs.  Albumin has a 45 day half life, which means it would be at least a month or two before you would see an appreciable change in that level. Take your protein deficiency seriously.

Sorry for the delay in replying..no big reason really and just now remembered I should thankyou and reply back to you.

Yes I am now taking my protein seriously..I think this is why I did not reply...I went to go find  my husband to tell him all about this and about just what protein deficiency does and was telling him about the coincidence between my swolen lower legs and the low serum protein that has been found in my blood work just this last year. He is really aggravated now too at our PCP clinic...more like an HMO atmosphere only we pay big bucks for these people.

I am just really glad that I have access to this information now...I never realized in all my life that our nutrition can really mean this much. And I am a nurse but I never really focused on the nutritional part of nursing. In fact we don't really have much time for that..lol.

Ok so I weigh now 233 divided by 2.2 would be ...WOW! 105 gms of protein??? Yikes! And I am having a hard time trying to make it to 60 gms/day! No wonder I am deficient...before  surgery...I was a big carb eater...I would get the majority of my calories in carbs and maybe 10% in protein. Then along came surgery and I realize now I need protein from the foods I eat...I was getting around 30-40gms/day and that took a little effort. Then I read your post yesterday and thought this missy better get her act in gear! So two days in a row I have reached 60 gms. Now I have to reach for 105? Holy Moly I better buy some more bullets..lol.

Thanks again Danielle though really...you are a blessing to this community! Getting the word out about protein deficiency and how important it is to get our daily intake in is worth so much. A lot of people just do not realize just HOW important protein is. I was one of those people.

Sherri