protein restriction - help!

[laryssa1974]

I'm new here and I have a question about managing my diet.    I am pre-dialysis and my doctor has made my protein restriction 38 to 40 grams. How can I do that when I am a meat and potatoes girl! I can't live without cheeseburgers and chocolate.    How do others do it??  Also, what do you do to track your diet and how much protein you eat? Any ideas will be appreciated!  

Laryssa
32 from CT

[Rerun]

Hi Laryssa1974 - I was never pre-dialysis, so I didn't get the opportunity to save my kidney function.  I don't care how you do it but you cut back on your protine. because if you get on dialysis.... The Potatoes go too, with a hell of a lot of other food that you now enjoy.

I'm sure our other members will help you with ideas.

In the mean time please go introduce yourself so we get to know more about you.

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?board=14.0

Thank you for your post.


Rerun, Moderator

[BigSky]

Well its one of them things of do it or else.

If you want to keep track of your intake of what you are eating check out this program.  They give a two week free trial to try it out with no obligation to buy it.

www.dietpower.com





EDITED:  Fixed Link - Rerun, Moderator

[angieskidney]

I'm new here and I have a question about managing my diet.    I am pre-dialysis and my doctor has made my protein restriction 38 to 40 grams. How can I do that when I am a meat and potatoes girl! I can't live without cheeseburgers and chocolate.    How do others do it??  Also, what do you do to track your diet and how much protein you eat? Any ideas will be appreciated!  

Laryssa
32 from CT

If you want to stay off dialysis as long as possible you FIND a way! The protein right now would be very very hard on your remaining kidney function.

I know it is hard but it is better than the alternative! Trust me, the dialysis diet sucks even more .. of course once you are on dialysis you will need to have LOTS of meat since on dialysis usually your Protein is too low (but the potatoes will ALWAYS be a no no!!)

Just try your best. And follow the advice your dietitian gives and the people here give (which I find is even better and more insightful)

Here is some reading I found for you:
http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/15/12/1986

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/3265/lowp.html

http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001892.html

Low protein diets can delay kidney failure in people with kidney disease (diabetic kidney disease excluded).
Kidney disease (nephropathy) can lead to kidney failure (end-stage renal disease). A diet low in protein is sometimes recommended to try to slow the progression of kidney disease. Monitoring compliance with a protein-restricted diet is possible by determining urea production since urea is a byproduct of the degradation of all proteins. If urea production is reduced then the accumulation of toxins will be limited.The review of trials for people with kidney disease (diabetic kidney disease excluded) found that low protein diets can delay end-stage renal disease.

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press/1999/FEBRUARY/990215.HTM

http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/e5aaa.htm

[jbeany]

Well, all things in moderation, laryssa.  I'm on dialysis, so now I need more protien, but the chocolate is still an issue!

You have to start learning how much protien is in everything you eat.  Then, on the days you can't live without a cheeseburger anymore, just make sure you have low protein meals for all the rest of the day.  If you skip the eggs with your breakfast, and take the cheese off your sandwich at lunch, the cheeseburger won't put you over your daily limit.  I do the same thing with the foods I'm craving.  

My best advice - don't deprive yourself.  That only leads to binging and a "I'm not doing without it anymore!" attitude that will put you on dialysis that much sooner.  Trust me; you want to put that off as long as possible!

[Jill D.]

Hi Laryssa,

I was on a pre-dialysis diet for a few years, and here are some things that I did:
- cut out milk (that was a big source of protein for me)
- limit cheese to sprinkling a little on salads and the occassional casseroles that contained cheese. I would leave the cheese off of sandwiches and subs, and really didn't miss it. I would treat myself to a slice of pizza now and then, or if I made it at home I would go very light on the cheese. Also, I love mexican food, so I would stick to tacos with a little beef, no cheese, and lots of veggies.
- I don't remember my total protein limit, but of the total my dietician recommended only 3-4 oz. of lean meat per day. I got to where I rarely ate a "chunk" of meat anymore (like a steak, chicken breast, hamburger, etc.) This way, I could have a little meat at lunch and a little at dinner  (I stuck with toast, bagel or cereal and fruit for breakfast). I would put some chicken or steak pieces on a salad, or add some type of meat (chicken or tuna) in some pasta salad for lunch. For dinner I would make stir fry or pasta dishes, or do kabobs on the grill. The trick was to use veggies and rice or pasta as a main ingredient, then add some meat.
If I tried the best I could on most days, occasionally I would have a 3 oz.burger or petite 3-4 oz. steak at a restaurant, or a small chicken breast.
As far as chocolate...occasionally I would treat myself to a bite size snickers. Also, I have many mocha flavored lip glosses, and believe it or not it really helps just getting that flavor!
When I first went on the pre-dialysis diet, I took a week and ate my "normal" diet and wrote down everything I ate, then figured out how much protein I was consuming and where my biggest source of protein was coming from (it was milk for me). I found then it was easier to make adjustments to my diet without being overwhelmed with constant tracking.
I agree with jbeany...don't totally deprive yourself. Try to do the best you can on most days, and at times eat what you are craving. Just don't go crazy and eat a 24 oz. steak! 
Also, like jbeany mentioned, the dialysis diet allows more protein, but is more restrictive in so many more ways, so do the best you can with the low protein stuff to delay dialysis as long as possible.

[planetjanet_76]

Hi,

I'm kinda new here too  I actually just came across a geart site: Nutrimaps.com (I'll try my computer skills and try to put a link). you have to register to use it but it's free and it offers great features for keeping a diet. I haven't really mastered it yet (just found it) but it seems very promising.

good luck to you anyway and let me know if you find anything good 


Janet



oh.. the link: https://www.nutrimaps.com/MemberSignIn.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault.aspx

[Rerun]

Hi,

I'm kinda new here too  I actually just came across a geart site: Nutrimaps.com (I'll try my computer skills and try to put a link). you have to register to use it but it's free and it offers great features for keeping a diet. I haven't really mastered it yet (just found it) but it seems very promising.

good luck to you anyway and let me know if you find anything good 


Janet



oh.. the link: https://www.nutrimaps.com/MemberSignIn.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault.aspx

Hi Janet.  I see this is your first post.  Please go to "Introduce Yourself."  We like to know a little about you.  Thanks,

Rerun, Moderator

[angela515]

LOL@Meat and potatoes girl... if your pre-dialysis I would do anything to stay that way as long as possible, you go on dialysis and say byebye to potatoes and chocolate and alot of other things you probably love.

[joanna2007]

Hi Laryssa,

     I think we're at the same point in our CKD.  I'm pre-dialysis, on the transplant list and trying to figure out what I can do to keep my kidneys working for as long as I can.

     My GFR is 13 and Bun 73.  My neph hasn't told me to go on a low protein diet and that makes me a little mad.  I ask her all the time if there's anything I can do.....she just says take your meds and watch your BP.

     The transplant doc said he'd like me to lose 30 lbs to get my BMI to 38....he said I was lucky I had a 'fat ass' and carry my weight on my hips and legs...lucky me.     Again, he just said to cut back a little and didn't say....STAY AWAY FROM PROTEIN.   However, the more I read and learn it sounds 'very important' to limit my intake.   grrrrr

      For the last couple of weeks, I've given up diet colas ( a very big sacrifice) and now I'm reading that aspartame is also not good for you, so now I'm trying to give that up too.   I'm down to water with a little fruit juice in it for flavor.  I'm trying to keep my meat protein to 4-6 oz and increase my fruits and veg. 

      I really haven't lost any weight in the last couple of weeks, but hoping that if I just stick with it I'll start seeing some results. 

      Anyway, I'm all ears for any info on the pre-dialysis diet.

                                       Joanna

[MyssAnne]

My pre-ckd diet was restricted in protein as well. Now that I'm on the cycler, I can have more protein, yay!!!
I too, am a meat and potatoes girl. I LOOOVE my potatoes! IF they are leached, you can have them, within
moderation. As for baked potatoes, make that a rare indulgence!  That means I have mashed potatoes, fried
potatoes, what ever you can do with a cubed and leached potato.   Even frozen potato cubes can be leached by
the way. At least I have....    As for the meat, well, kabobs are one thing I did. Chef salads, without all the cheese,
of course, is another.   As for chocolate, I agree. Limit it to about once or twice a month. Make it the snack size
bar too, OR, make it a really expensive chocolate, so you feel really indulgent and decadent!

[joanna2007]

With the protein restriction diet, do you have any suggestions on how to lose weight?  I'm finding I'm eating bread and pasta to make up for the protein and I'm just treading water on losing any weight.
                                        Joanna

[angela515]

Have you tried replacing your bread and pasta with salads? I love salads, so its easy for me to replace bread, I love pasta too, so I eat it in moderation and eat my salads with it.

[George Jung]

What about veggie burgers or portabella burgers?  I think they would be good substitutes?  Pot roast is okay when cooked for a long time I think.  I never was on a pre-dialysis diet so I never thought much of it but I will do some double checking and get back to this.