Too much protein??

So, I am in the pre op stage of losing weight.  My dietician said low fat, low carb, high protein.  She asked me to consume 75g of protein a day.  I couldn't do it and I was consuming way too many carbs.  So, I decided to go stricter with the carbs and incorporate protein shakes.  I have been consuming 1 - 2 shakes per day and consuming approx 6 ounces of meat at lunch and dinner.  This has dropped my carbs to about 50g per day, increased my calories to about 1400-1600 and increased my protein to about 150g per day.  Now I'm reading on the internet that if I'm not working out that the extra protein will turn to fat.  I have increased my activity level (gym 2x a week and then walking the other days), but won't be back in the gym 5 - 7 days a wee****il the 20th when my lil one leaves for the summer.  Can anyone offer some advice?  I feel like I'm working super hard to only possibly be gaining weight.  I'd rather eat what I want if that's the case.

Thanks.

my docs suggest a 1200 cal diet for pre surgery weightloss. 60-80 grams of protein, low sugar (no more than 8g per 100 cal) low fat. Drink 8-12 cups of water a day. Liquid trial diet always gives you extra pounds lost (and shrinks that liver) that is 600-800 cal a day 60-80grams of protein. keeping the carbs low helps with that hunger and cravings. protein is to maintain lean muscle mass. Exercise is a MUST with any dieting and WLS.

my food logs can be seen here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/nsblue

i have lost 56lbs since feb 24th and for the 3 week trial liquids i lost 23.6lbs of that.

 

btw i walk everyday and lift some weights...nutritionist said i only need to exercise 5/7 but i walk every day and make sure i get in 10000 steps

Congrats on your weight loss.  I am working out twice a week at the gym and walking on the other days.  I have dropped my calorie intake and everything else for that matter, considerably from where I was 3 weeks ago.  I am just concerned about my protein intake.  Where I am right now I am not hungry nor am I having any serious cravings.  The protein shakes and the meat honestly fill me, but if I were to reduce that I'm not sure I would feel full still.  So, if I keep my protein where it is at, am I hurting myself?

i was on 1500 cal for about a 17 months, had lost 120 pounds..and i didnt walk except to get me from here to there...mind you my breathing etc did improve. In february I went on 1200 cal (80 grams protein)and the second week in march i started walking 5 days of the week... staring off at 20 minutes adding 5 minutes each week. I am now up to 45 very brisk so i get my cardio up. in so doing i came off my blood pressure meds. i also go for another walk if i see my steps are not up to 10000 steps.

 

as long as you are getting active with exercise...calories is 1200 and your protein is 60-80.. ALSO DRINK at least 8 cups a water a day (plus remember to take your vitamin) you should do fine. 

logging your meals daily is good to do so you can see where you are at... myfitnespal is just one of many places... you put in what you eat and it totals all for you.

my rules have been 65 grams of protein and 65 ounces of fluid daily. 
even now i like to have a protein shake daily to finish up my grams.  i eat so little and have so little appetite, the shakes are my insurance policy!

the pre-op time is so stressful... so many questions and all the anticipation.
my advice....
be good to yourself and just stick with what your doctor and nut say.  there's so much variety and opinion out there and even here on the forum.  you're going to do fine with this....and the weight is really going to come off.   !

Protein per se will not turn to fat.  However, calories in excess of your body's basal metabolic rate plus your exercise, from whatever source (protein, starch, sugar, fat), will be stored as fat.  How about dropping one shake and adding 1/2 cup cottage cheese instead, or an egg white omelet?  Both are fewer calories than a shake.

You have a good point.  I went back and looked at my journal and my shakes consit of about 300 of my calories afer I have mixed them with soy milk and fruit.  I can and will drop down to one per day and only have two on the days I am short on protein.  However, I can't get past the consistency of cottage cheese and am disgusted by egg whites.  I can tolerate boiled eggs, but the fat content is too high.  I will just cut out the shake and not replace it.  Thanks!

My pre-op diet was 2 week liquid diet.. only thing i was allowed was 4 protein shakes a day and allowed to use nonfat milk (9am 1pm 5pm 9pm) and sugar free popsicles, sugar free jello, and broth. I did a blended protein shake with nonfat milk and ice in the mornings adding crystal light single packs to change the flavors and also did this at night.  During the day, I work so I  bring  the atkins advantage shakes. The first 2 days were tough but i am proud of myself and can honestly say after a few meltdowns and tears, I survived the 2 weeks without cheating at all!!!  My suggestion is to drink as much fluids as you can!  Seriously stay away from the carbs...try crystal light, wylers light, coffee tea, chew ice or sugar free gum..keep your stomach full with fluids..I won't say it makes it easier, but it does help!  You can do it!  Have faith in yourself, and take it one day at a time.. wake up every morning telling yourself you can do this!  Also, My NUT told me not to exercise and just light walks.. the reason is because our calorie intake is drastically changing and pre-op can be dificult for our bodies, and it only causes the little bit of calories we consume to be burned and sets us up for failure of the pre-op diet... I lost 20lbs during the 2 weeks and my doctor told me my liver was perfectly small...Best of luck to you and be good to yourself...

Don't forget, protein is 4 calories per gram. So if you eat 100 grams of protein, you have consumed only 400 calories. Unfortunately, the calories get added in because we add mayo or gravy or other fats to make the protein more palatable. If you can do dense protein, like straight tuna or chicken, it is easy to weigh your protein and figure the calories at the end of the day. If you do not already have a little food scale, go buy one. Weigh all your proteins and you will have a very accurate accounting of protein calories by end of day. I also went out and bought one of those little books that tells the nutritional value of all foods, in protein, fats, carbs. You can tract this stuff on the internet too, as alot of people do. I preferred to do it on a sheet of paper, as I cannot always be at the computer. The successful losers on this blog are the ones that track everything they put in their mouth, and nothing gets by them, and they have good insight into their exact nutrition. Let's face it--some of it is just trial and error, as every person's body is different, and that is where you are in your quest. Good luck, you will find the right groove!