I have questions about balancing diet and tracking food

[daylilies]

So first off, I have kidney issues so I am supposed to be on a low protein diet.

I have been tracking my food on fitbit for the last few days and I noticed something odd. For instance earlier I had 2 oz. of deli chicken (the processed kind you can get sliced at the deli). It should be purely protein, right? So I tracked it and also had two chicken wings and tracked those. I didn't weigh them but I estimated wings are 2 oz. each. So 4 oz. total should be 113 grams, right? But my protein macro only shows my total being 45 grams! Even just the deli chicken is more than that. I mean even accounting for the weight of the bones in the wings and additives in the deli chicken it seems like it should be more.

Second, because of my low protein diet I'm having a hard time figuring out what I should eat. My doctor recommended less than 8 oz. of animal protein a day. I didn't think to ask about other proteins. Pasta and bread upset my stomach so I don't eat a lot of those either. So what am I supposed to eat? I'd have to eat so much fruit and vegetables. I'm also not supposed to eat nuts which I know a lot of people eat for the protein.

Which brings me to my next point--weight loss. My fitbit says I burn about 1800 calories a day (and I am fairly active). So wouldn't I have to limit myself to 1300 calories a day to lose weight? Is that enough? I only want to lose 10-20 lbs but I've been at a plateau for a long time now because I don't have a good handle on my diet. Thanks for reading all this, I'm just very frustrated right now.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @daylilies - I admire your determination to do the right thing for your health. Because of your specific health issues, I strongly recommend you ask your doctor to arrange for an appointment with a nutritionalist. It can likely be done via video conferencing, depending on the restrictions in your state. It is very important you protect your kidneys. You need good advice from a professional. Once you get the specifics from a professional, you can come back here for discussions on how to fine tune your diet. 

On a side note, you may want to google nutrition info on the deli chicken. It’s not as good as you may think. And it can be high in sodium. 

[daylilies]

I know the deli chicken isn't the best for me. It's just convenient right now. We can't always find the fresh poultry we want at the store.
I agree it would be best to talk to a dietitian! I was just looking for some advice in the meantime. Thank you!

[trainermike]

SO, without knowing the specifics of your kidney situation, I can still give you some tips. I too have kidney issues, but it can be a completely different situation.First off, If you have to limit your protein, you need to make it the best quality possible! Chicken wings and processed meat ain't gonna cut it. Unfortunately if you want to be successful at this, you're gonna HAVE to COOK! FRESH Chicken, Fish, Protein Shakes, Turkey, et cetera all great. Add your veggies in plus 100 gms of some complex carbs and you're good to go. I"d be more than happy to give you more info. Let me know what specifics you need to know. 💪🌴😎

[daylilies]

Thank you so much! And I love to cook, but deli meat is a convenient thing to grab when I'm looking for breakfast or lunch (yeah, I eat non-breakfast things for breakfast sometimes lol)
I was thinking of cooking off a bunch of fresh chicken breast though so it will be convenient.
I'm supposed to be on a low oxalate diet, if you know anything about that. I keep reading conflicting information about what is allowed and not allowed.

[daylilies]

Thank you, I am sure you're right about the deli chicken. I know those things aren't the best for me. I was going to cook off some chicken breast to have on hand instead.

[trainermike]

Hi there! I took a deeper dive into the low oxalate diet. It is very
specific and includes foods that under other circumstances may be good for
you. the biggest thing I noticed is to eat clean. eating real chicken
breast as opposed to the processed one will make a little difference, but
this oxalate situation is deeper than that. What is it that you were
concerned with? Kidney stones, mental responses or something else. That
will help in determining the specifics. Apple cider vinegar is a fantastic
way to deal with oxidative situations that cause kidney stones. I know the
science is interesting, but in real time it seems to have a significant
effect. Let me know if you have any other questions

[SunsetRunner]

Another tip, @daylilies - if your concern is calcium oxalate kidney stones -  my doctor suggested drinking apple cedar vinegar or lemon juice, both of which upset my stomach. But I found lemon capsules on Amazon that consist of simply dehydrated lemons. I’ve been taking one/day and so far, so good. But I also follow a low oxalate diet. You can do it!!   

[daylilies]

Thank you-I forgot I posted here. I talked to a dietitian a few days ago and she actually said the diet didn't need to be followed--that there wasn't much evidence for following the diet, but that sticking to low sodium and drinking about 3 liters of water a day (100 oz!) does show improvement. And she said plant-based protein is better than meats.

That's very cool about the lemon capsules. Glad that's working for you!