Why
do we use protein supplements?
(see
testimonial on why Nancy supplements now)
Protein
is initially broken down in the upper small intestine,
just outside the lower stomach, using an enzyme manufactured
there called trypsin. Once broken down, protein best
is best absorbed in that first 12 to 18 inches out
of the stomach. If the food doesn’t go by there
any more, how will you break down and extract the
protein from the tiny bit of food you can eat? While
you can absorb some broken down (pre-digested) protein
throughout the intestinal tract, the most absorption
takes place right at the beginning, where ALL bypass
and RNY patients are not going to get it.
Supplemented
protein is already pre-digested for almost instant
absorption. It’s liquid form makes it easier
to get in, even into an irritated pouch, and the pre-digestion
means you can count on absorbing at least most of
it (unless you are very, very distal).
Each
person needs a minimum of 60g of protein per day.
It’s hard for any stapled stomach people to get
it in their food, as the high protein foods are so
dense, we simply can’t get enough IN to ever
reach 60g. Also, since many foods must be combined
with bread or grains to be complete, what happens
if you can’t eat bread yet?
Protein
is best absorbed in amounts of no more than 30g at
one time. Professional athletes can do a little better,
but for weight loss surgery patients, 30g would be
a good try. More protein won’t hurt, but is just
wasted. Unless you are very distal, two drinks of
30g each is an excellent start toward a healthy protein
intake.
Protein
is the main foundation of our health. If the supply
becomes depleted, malnutrition will result. But before
that, we’d experience deficiencies in many other
vitamins or minerals that show themselves more vividly,
such as calcium.
Another
benefit to supplemented protein is that it satisfies
cravings. While we are losing, the sugar cravings
can drive us nuts. Part of it is sugar’s hold
on us. Part of it is low protein, very common for
any of us and part of it is lack of general nutrition.
By being well nourished, don’t’ ever go
into starvation mode. It keeps the body thinking everything
is fine and it is relaxed about allowing us to lose.
Let it go into starvation mode, and it retaliates
by hoarding even more calories than before surgery.
The
proteins we offer here are all considered “complete”
and contain the full branch chain of amino acids,
a smattering of vitamins & minerals and are lactose
free, as well as very, very low in carbs, sugars,
fats and calories. We also try to stick with smooth
and tasty ones. The soys are rather gritty, so we
can special order them, but do not stock them. The
whey proteins are more flavorful, rarely chalky and
never gritty. Most will shake up easily in 4 oz of
water or sugar free juice or pop. If your surgeon
forbids carbonation, flat pop will still give interesting
flavors.
Samples
are available for a small price plus shipping. We
encourage all weight loss surgery patients to consider
this valuable resource over the usual milk and Carnation
Instant Breakfast. Many of us become lactose intolerant
after surgery. Milk is quite high in sugars, and low
in protein in comparison. For the pouch space spent,
the proteins offered here give much more brain satisfaction
and more nutrition than milk or any FOOD type of protein
and are more “available” to us for absorption.
These
samples represent about 20-30g, whatever it says on
the label. If it says that 1 scoop - 22g, then this
sample is 22g of protein (one scoop). Some brands
have tiny scoops, so it takes 2 scoops to reach 30g.
Those bags are marked 2 sc = 32g, so you’ve gotten
2 scoops or 32g of protein, for example.
The
label is from the only brand whose labels come off
easily. While each one has slightly different sweeteners
and other stats, generally this profile is what you
will find in all our proteins. Glutamine enhanced,
lactose free, low in sugar, cars, fats and high in
protein with the full branched chain of amino acids.
Protein HOLDS onto muscle, while allowing the fat
to be flushed away with all that water you’re
drinking!
ProScore
100 needs to be BLENDED with 6-8 oz of liquid and
some ice, to taste. It doesn’t shake well at
all, but it is OH SO WORTH the blending!
All
others will shake up nicely in 4 oz of water. For
variety, you can add them to Crystal Light or Diet
Ice or Sobe Lean or any other sugar free juices. The
ProBlend 55 vanilla is FABULOUS with diet root beer
or diet orange pop, but I don’t recommend shaking
those unless you are CERTAIN the pops are flat. And
yes, flat diet pop is safe. Blending them also takes
out the carbonation if you blend them thoroughly.
Yes,
you can add fruit chunks when your doctor allows,
but watch the sugar! We never add them to milk. Bear
in mind that these products are made for body builders
and weight trainers, as well as professional athletes.
They are designed to put weight ON if used with milk!
No
one really can absorb more than 30g (or so) at one
time, except professional athletes. We recommend a
30g “dose” for breakfast and during your
mid-afternoon “sleepies” to get the most
benefit if you are trying to get 60g per day. If you
are a distal, 30g every 2 or 3 hours will get the
required amount for you. You can mix up more grams
and drink at one time, but you are merely buying the
protein, not really getting the benefit of it. It
is not advisable to mix it up in advance, as we know
it loses its protein integrity (but how much?), and
it begins to gather bacteria after as little as 30
minutes. Even refrigerated in a tightly sealed container
is no guarantee that you’ll be getting the full
safe dose you hope for.
We
hope that you’ll find one or more brands that
you enjoy for your maximum weight loss and best possible
health!
Thanks!
Testimonials
"I
had a very rough first six months, constant throwing
up, tearful, hungry, shaky, almost in a state of panic
because I could not keep down food AND my weight loss
was very slow. I could stomach sugar free Carnation
Instant Breakfast with skim milk and thought I was
doing well for myself. Then I found this group and
the powerful whey protein supplements.
Once I learned how to make them palatable I leaned
on them for virtually ALL my protein nutrition. I
quit throwing up and crying everyday. I quit feeling
panicked and hungry all the time. Finding that stability
and equilibrium allowed me to begin experimenting
with eating a bite of food here and there. One bite
did not make me sick and I felt no need to eat more
than one bite.
Over the past six months I've learned to eat again
without being sick. Tiny amounts, chewing well, relying
on shakes when my pouch feels "grouchy"
and knowing it's ok cause I don't "need"
food that day.
My
surgeon warned us that if we "ate ice cream and
potato chips everyday we
would regain our weight." Ok, I heard that and
determined not to do that.
What he did not discuss and what did not occur to
me was that ALL simple
carbs were harmful to my weight loss process. Dense
protein foods were very
painful and hardly ever stayed down. I was living
on mashed potatoes &
gravy, cheese toast, and sugary carbs. Listening to
the experiences here and
drinking the protein shakes has completely turned
my life around. I've lost
82 pounds and remain 85 pounds from goal, but I'm
much healthier and happier
since discovering the shakes. It takes a bit of perseverance.
I can
honestly say I LOVE the taste of shakes now, but at
first I thought they were
the most disgusting things imaginable."
-
Nancy B
note:
the group that is referred to is the OSSG-Protein
group, which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-Protein/.
