Need help w/ Protein

(Jen ) #1

Hey all!
Day 5 Keto. I’ve been scouring the forum looking for a definitive answer on protein supplements. My macros for protein based on LBM are 90g/day. My questions:
-for someone (me) who is recovering from abdominal surgery BUT extremely sedentary due to pain I obviously need protein to heal my body.
-before starting keto I ate a very low protein diet. Once in a while I would have a heavy protein meal maybe once a week.
-thoughts on protein supplements? I am NOT looking to supplement all of my protein macros, but possibly 1/3 of my macros.
-I am severely allergic to fish and shellfish so I know nothing about protein in these food items.
-Vital Proteins Collagen has ~30g of protein depending on which product you use. Macros check out great as well. This is also extremely interesting as it helps with gut issues, which I have loads of.
-I am just SO FULL that the thought of eating more protein makes me nauseous (contributing part of that to keto flu). I am able to get 60g/day of protein right now.
-Again, I’m a carnivore but not a huge fan of meat and I really hate eggs (I’m choking them down anyways). Don’t like tofu either. I think it’s a texture thing.

If anyone has experience with keto friendly protein supplements I would love to hear them. I did read the Protein thread but I’m confused and there seems to be a bit of controversy regarding protein supps. Again, not looking to supplement all protein, just about 1/3 of it because 90g is just too much for me.

If you made it reading this far you are a champ… Thank you! :slightly_smiling_face:

(Jen ) #2

I should also mention I am not diabetic or pre-diabetic. I had lifesaving surgery last year (I had a ruptured ulcer in my stomach and have spent the better part of the last year in the hospital).

The problem with repairing the giant hole in my stomach is that I have a ton of dietary restrictions- but YAY for keto because I can meal prep things I CAN eat very easily.

I also have pretty severe intestinal issues and I’ve been wanting to try the Vital Proteins Collagen supplement as many people with gut issues swear it changed their life. Half of these people are sponsored ads, though, so I’m not sure what is actually the truth.

(Tovan Nhsh) #3

I have been adding the Vital Proteins Collagen to coffee once/twice a day for awhile now. Did you have any specific questions? As far as the collagen goes: I like it. It has no discernible taste & does make it a little easier on days when I’m “meat light”. I’ve experienced no negative impact to glucose or ketones from adding it.

(Jen ) #4

I guess my specific question I didn’t ask is isn’t 90g/day high? I’m only counting my protein and carb macros per day. Thanks for the feedback on the Collagen. Do you experience any “bonus features” including skin, hair, and nails? Asking because it’s absolutely frigid here and my biological hair is extremely short so I have a lot of heat loss and the cold air chaps the living crap out of my skin that is exposed.

(Allie) #5

90g protein is a lot, especially for someone sedentary. When I was still tracking mine was 89g and I’m very active with walking about ten miles a day and weights. Most women are fine with 50 to 75g.

(Jen ) #6

Thanks so much! I might walk 10-20 minutes a day right now, as my body is still sore. Once I am able to run/swim/exercise again, I would think I need more protein to build LBM. I truly appreciate your response!

Jen

(Allie) #7

Good luck Jen, hope you progress as you want to :blush:
You may be surprised about how little protein you need, I’ve heard of male bodybuilders on keto only needing 70g.

(Jen ) #8

Thanks, Allie!
I can guarantee you I am not aiming to be a bodybuilder; just trying to get to the healthiest me!

(Richard Hanson) #9

Hi Jen,

My doctor prescribed a ketogenic diet and I try to keep my protein < 50 g/day. I have lost over 60 pounds in less than five months and have less then twenty to go, so I have reached that point where I need to start increasing my caloric intake so that when I reach my goal I will have achieved an energy equilibrium. I am already eating my macros of carbs and protein and the issue is increasing my fat intake without also increasing my protein intake.

For me, and perhaps for many, the choice between more bacon, more steak, more prosciutto and a protein supplement is extraordinarily easy. The problem is not eating more protein, the problem is eating more fat without eating more protein and I would respectfully decline to ever spend a dime on a protein powder.

There is quite a bit of advice on how much protein to eat with a very wade range of values and I can not provide medical advice as to what might be an appropriate amount of protein for you, but you might want to reassess your underlying assumptions about consuming a protein supplement.

You rock Jen! Congratulation on a great start on your keto journey! Bon Voyage!

Keto for life!

Warmest Regards,
Richard

#10

Hey @JayBee I hope you’re feeling better today.
Protein has been the most confusing part of this for me. I shoot for around 80 but less than 100, but I don’t track it too much and I do not supplement protein. I’m fairly active. When I first started I was studiously writing everything down and calculating everything but it made eating a pain.
I know I’ve probably not helped you at all but I agree with Allie that 90 seems a bit high.

(Jen ) #11

@fatman & @barefootbob- thank you! The keto flu is still here (I woke up hungry, had a BPC about 6 hours ago), drank the whole thing and now I have a banging headache & mild nausea. I feel hungover without the party, lol. Drinking lots of water, my sodium pills (1g each- my cardiologist says I can have as many as 8g per day from the pills alone as well as dietary sodium). Also taking my potassium pill. No fever or aches besides my head today, I think I’m headed in the right direction. I haven’t had more than 10g of carbs per day and I know scales are controversial and I’m losing water weight but I’m down almost 7 lbs! Clothes are fitting better, too. This keto thing may just save my life after all!

Richard- I wound up ordering Vital Protein’s Collagen supplement. It has a bit of protein in it but loads of Collagen which I am hopeful will at least maintain what little cartilage I have left in my knees and all of my effed up tendons. I am 34 and want to put off knee replacements as long as possible. I need a hip as well, but for now I’m hoping fat loss will de-stress my lousy joints and I can live in fantasy land of not needing joint replacements for a very long time!

#12

I add sea salt to my BPC. Love it.
Keep up the good work and hope the keto flu passes quickly.

(Richard Hanson) #13

Hi again Jen,

I am 55 and also had knee and hip pain. I am a side sleeper and I would wake up many times a night from the pain in my hips. That is all gone. I think part of it is the weight loss, but also a ketogenic diet can lower inflammation.

I sincerely hope that your experience will mirror mine own. At a minimum, a rational hope that your joint health will improve is justified. :slight_smile:

Warmest Regards,
Richard

(Liz ) #14

Before I went Keto I was paleo for a while. I started taking 2 Tbs/day Great Lakes collagen for gut health & in 2 weeks a year long knee pain completely resolved & never returned. I noticed improved skin & nails, my hair grows faster but not thicker. I also take MSM powder & hyaluronic acid as I suspect I have a genetic collagen deficiency manifesting as hypermobility joint syndrome. I had gotten so sore & stiff I felt 100 years old (I’m 48). Lying in bed would result in a sore side all up & down. Keto since March & all my stiffness/soreness disappeared. GONE. I’m sure some of it is the 40 pounds lost but the rest has to be the reduced inflammation! It’s been astonishing.

On your other topic, I try to keep protein to 60g/day. I’m 5’8” and aiming to weigh 150 pounds or so. I don’t exercise much.

Wishing you well!

(Rob) #15

My mum had a Whipple’s procedure that had major complications that kept her in hospital for 9weeks. She was very weak when she came out and took months to get her strength back since she could not eat much and digest even less.
We got pretty basic nutritional advice from the NHS but it didn’t venture into macros or recommended diets etc. Her hair was falling out and upon research realized it was due to whatever protein she was taking in being usurped for repairing the huge side to side wound (reopened twice).

I wish we’d been told to increase or supplement protein which may have sped up her recovery. 8 months later and she’s OK now but I’m interested to see your experience with increased intake/supplementation.

She did lose 50lbs in 3 months but it was quite a bit more traumatic than Keto!

As to other non-supplemental protein sources… nuts and cheese spring to mind.

(Mike W.) #16

Turns out we need much less than any calculator will tell you… There’s also some links to the “science” in the article.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #17

Great link, thank you. I also read the related article on the different metabolic pathways the body uses for protein, fat, and carbohydrate, which further explains why we don’t want too much protein and want a lot of fat.

(Mike W.) #18

As someone who’s diet has mostly been protein, this is hard to grasp but necessary. High fat, not high protein.

(Jen ) #19

A.) I love your username.
B.) Thank you for the article!! It’s the first I’ve read of a scholarly article (backed by science and evidence based practice). I feel so relieved reading it.
C.) You made my Monday (which is a near impossible feat, haha!)
D.) From the article:

marasmusAmino acids cannot be stored for long term energy. Any protein eaten in excess needs to be converted to glucose or fat for storage. Nine amino acids are called ‘essential’ amino acids because our body cannot synthesize them – histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanin, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. We must get these from our diet or we will get malnourished. There are also essential fatty acids such as the omega 3 and 6. There are no essential carbohydrates.

No, we do not ‘need’ to eat 130 grams of glucose daily for our brain. It’s a complete lie. Fasting for 1 day does not cause our brains to become ‘starved of glucose’ as we become blubbering idiots and lose control of bowel and bladder. I would vote that widely circulated ‘fact’ as ‘most idiotic statement not made by Donald Trump.

(Jen ) #20

Hi @Capnbob!

I’m so so very sorry the trauma your mom went through. I’ll keep you posted about the collagen (should be here tomorrow) to see if it can help with her scarring. I have a massive scar down the middle of my abdomen, from 4" below my belly button all the way to my sternum. It hurts (its been over a year since that surgery), its keloided, and I have tried more topical treatments than I thought existed. I also lost 45 lbs after the first surgery as I was in the ICU for two weeks and I almost didn’t make it. I’ve managed to keep off about 30 lbs but before Keto I just lived off of carbs with small portions of meat and fell back to it after the surgery. Best wishes to your mom on her Whipple recovery.

Edit: I also lost most of my hair about 3 months after my surgery. It’s finally about 3" long. Trauma and stress can do so much harm to your body.