After weight loss surgery the goal is to maintain lean body mass, as well as support successful weight loss. Protein supplementation is essential to health and promotes healing. It is recommended to take in 60-70 grams of protein daily. Also, after the surgery, if your protein status is low, your body will heal more slowly, sometimes very slowly.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INSUFFICIENT PROTEIN?
The first sign of lack of protein is often fatigue and/or weakness. Not just the feeling that we didn't get enough sleep last night, but deep fatigue….or weakness where it's hard to get through the day.
A second sign is weight loss plateau. When we don't get enough protein, there is increasing evidence that the body tries to store calories rather than burning them. We hear from many patients who do get enough protein that they are successful in reaching their weight loss goal.
A third sign is hair loss, and we believe it is often preventable. While one cause of hair loss following the surgery is the "shock" of the surgery to the body, another leading cause of hair loss in weight loss surgery patients is insufficient intake of protein.
HOW TO GET THAT MUCH PROTEIN?
An ounce of meat (the weight after the shrinkage of cooking) provides about 7 grams of protein.
An egg contains about 7 grams of protein. Milk contains 8 grams of protein per 8 ounce cup
Example: To get 70 grams of protein from meat, you would need to eat 10 ounces of cooked meat each day.
Purchased Protein powder
* This is a general recommendation that of course cannot consider individual patient needs. It does not, and should not, supersede the recommendation of medical professionals who best know the individual patient needs.
