Week 3 Calories

I am starting my 3rd week post op and I have been given the go ahead to start full liquids. Until now I have just been drinking milk for my protein. The protein powder I found (Pure Protein) that I liked before surgery has 160 calories and I was told to mix the protein powder with skim milk for extra protein which is 110 calories so just two of these a day would get me to 62 grams of protein but they would also be a total of 540 calories if you add in yogurt, pudding or other liquids that would be even more calories. Is this too many calories to be consuming this early or is it ok since I am still just on liquids? Should I look for a protein powder with less calories? Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thanks 

Candace

You've done your math right, and it's the reason I stayed away from powders and went with ready made shakes.

Any protein powder will equal a certain dose of calories before you even start.  Since you can't really take it straight, and probably aren't mixing it with water, you're adding calories on top of calories.  The best you can hope for is the minimize the total amount by using lower calorie options such as skim milk.

I never liked the idea of doubling up on the calories without a specific reason for doing it, i.e. "why am and drinking the milk, what nutritional component does it fill in for my day?".

In the end, the ready made shakes seemed like the best control over the protein/calorie combo.

But, you also shouldn't freak out too much on the total calories, what's going to loose you the weight this early on is the 1000+ deficit you're running below basic metabolic rate.  A small amount one way or the other won't make or break the process.  Just be careful that we're talking "small" here.

Thanks for the reply! It seemed like a lot when I added it up. I know they make a ready made version so I will have to check the calories out for that. Thanks again!

I use the Unjury unflavored portein powder and it has 90 calories and 21 grams of protein.  I mixed it with chicken broth, pudding, jello, yogurt, mashed cauliflower - whatever I had that could take a boost of protein.  I still add it to yogurt at the end of the day if my protein is lower than I like. 

I think that starting to eat pudding and yogurt is healthy, so I wouldn't exclude them for the sake of drinking protein drinks.  I wanted to transition back to regular food as quickly as I could.  Of course, that took time because my tummy was swollen, and it was about 8 weeks before I could eat 2 ounces of protein at a meal!

good luck with your weight loss journey.

Carol

Thank you for the reply! I will have to check out the website for unjury. Does the unlfavored powder make the stuff you add it to taste funny?

Hi there!

I wasn't instructed by my surgeon at that point to count calories but maybe I should have?  I did well in the beginning and was losing at a good rate for me.  I was mainly focused on doing my best to get sufficien****er in as well as protein.  I wasn't a fan of the famous Premier RTD shakes but I tried by best to drink 2 a day to get my protein in. I could barely take in 2 spoonfuls of anything pureed either.

Sounds like you are doing great though, keep up the great progress!!!

That is a great point. My diet guidelines do not say anything about calories just to try and get 60 grams of protein with instructions to add protein powder to milk. Just felt like it was a lot when I started adding things up. I tried the Premier drinks before surgery and they were yuck. I think it was all of the vitamins in them. 

Thanks for the reply! 

Follow your guidelines. Protein first. Always protein first. It's not too many calories. You are risking other problems if you do not get your protein requirement. If you do that, calories and carbs will be ok.

If you have a Kroger nearby, you may want to check out their Carb Master milk. It has 60 calories per cup, as well as higher protein (11 grams) and lower carbs (3 grams) than regular milk. That's what I use to mix my protein shakes. To me the RTD ones generally taste somewhere between "blah" and "disgusting concoction of industrial sludge and agricultural run-off."

Keep an eye on the skim milk..1 cup has 12g of carbs. Yes, it does have protein, too, but there are better sources of protein available.  I take in 30-40g of carbs per day, many others do 20g and less a day. My energy level was too low at 20g so I had to bump it up. 

If you've been reading this forum, you've probably become aware that some people become lactose intolerant after surgery. Keep an eye for that.