Probably Controversial

[Badgy]

I am going to assume that post-operative diet choices are somewhat of a touchy subject, so I will do my best to tread lightly here.

It seems everywhere I go in the quest bariatric information, I encounter keto. Now I get keto. I've done keto and I have my own logically formed opinions about keto. What I DON'T understand is the push of high protein shake consumption in keto.

I can't stand the taste of non-nutritive sweeteners, especially aspartame. Because I suffer a mental illness, it is also recommended that I steer clear of them.
All these fancy shakes are chock full of artificial ingredients and sugars.

I have Isopure. I use it occasionally as a meal replacement and will use it for surgery diet guidelines as prescribed, but as a daily drink? Why? I see people adding Salted Caramel Premier to coffee for breakfast. Why? Making cookies with protein powder... Why? Why this push for protein? It's not in the medical guidelines other than early weeks post surgery. And even in keto, protein is not as important as FATS.

Is this product marketing run amok? Is there some advantage to heavy protein consumption that I'm unaware of?

I'm afraid that ten years from now there's going to be a lot of thin but chronically ill people from consuming so much fake food in place of living foods.

Thoughts?

 

[eladams2015]

I am going to assume that post-operative diet choices are somewhat of a touchy subject, so I will do my best to tread lightly here.

It seems everywhere I go in the quest bariatric information, I encounter keto. Now I get keto. I've done keto and I have my own logically formed opinions about keto. What I DON'T understand is the push of high protein shake consumption in keto.

I can't stand the taste of non-nutritive sweeteners, especially aspartame. Because I suffer a mental illness, it is also recommended that I steer clear of them.
All these fancy shakes are chock full of artificial ingredients and sugars.

I have Isopure. I use it occasionally as a meal replacement and will use it for surgery diet guidelines as prescribed, but as a daily drink? Why? I see people adding Salted Caramel Premier to coffee for breakfast. Why? Making cookies with protein powder... Why? Why this push for protein? It's not in the medical guidelines other than early weeks post surgery. And even in keto, protein is not as important as FATS.

Is this product marketing run amok? Is there some advantage to heavy protein consumption that I'm unaware of?

I'm afraid that ten years from now there's going to be a lot of thin but chronically ill people from consuming so much fake food in place of living foods.

Thoughts?

I believe that there is an article or post about this exact topic that came up a month or so ago... I could not find it to link in. The industry has gone crazy and there is a lot of junk to sift through. Just because someone slaps the word "healthy" on packaging doesn't make it truth.

We do need the higher protein in our diet post surgery due to the fact that we don't absorb it like someone who has not had bariatric surgery, and we can also have issues with the high fat content of a traditional keto (everyone is different/body reacts differently). I personally also have issue with the artificial sweeteners... this is why I primarily make my own protein shakes/smoothies. I use frozen fruit (no ice required to water it down when you use frozen fruit) to sweeten, add collagen protein (unflavored)... you can adjust them to your own tastes. I frequently also use nut butters in them and greens... whole foods that are unprocessed and nothing artificial! Takes a little more effort than twisting the top off a pre-made shake, but it is SO much healthier.

 

[Badgy]

I believe that there is an article or post about this exact topic that came up a month or so ago... I could not find it to link in. The industry has gone crazy and there is a lot of junk to sift through. Just because someone slaps the word "healthy" on packaging doesn't make it truth.

We do need the higher protein in our diet post surgery due to the fact that we don't absorb it like someone who has not had bariatric surgery, and we can also have issues with the high fat content of a traditional keto (everyone is different/body reacts differently). I personally also have issue with the artificial sweeteners... this is why I primarily make my own protein shakes/smoothies. I use frozen fruit (no ice required to water it down when you use frozen fruit) to sweeten, add collagen protein (unflavored)... you can adjust them to your own tastes. I frequently also use nut butters in them and greens... whole foods that are unprocessed and nothing artificial! Takes a little more effort than twisting the top off a pre-made shake, but it is SO much healthier.

Same here! I would much rather add my own fruit and flavor. Real cacao for chocolate, or PBfit, or frozen blueberries. Overripe bananas make super sweeteners.

 

[Badgy]

KETO, SCHMETO. One of the most important things about pursuing a bariatric choice is the post-op diet and getting enough protein. Not only do you need protein, but you need complete proteins in able to feed your muscles.

Until a few years ago, the government listed Recommended Daily Allowances of protein at only 25 grams! We know now that you need a lot more protein for a lot of reasons.

There is no single nutrient that is so essential to your well-being. Not only does it go immediately to your body to help your muscles, but it makes your brain sharper and gives you immediately usable energy that lasts longer than sugar.

Fat turns into sugar in your system, as does alcohol and other substances. I don't recommend sugar substitutes, but they are sometimes a necessary evil.

But getting 50 to 70 grams of protein per day is the healthiest thing you can do for your body, except for drinking water, which is essential to life in all your organs and systems. I won't touch those protein shakes because I don't trust them and they taste awful. But a broiled piece of chicken or pork, a thick slice of baked turkey on a sandwich, eggs, cottage cheese and yogurt can be made to taste great and provide you with all your perfect protein needs.

this has nothing to do with marketing, and every few years there's some new diet people swear by. The post-op bariatric "diet" is sane and safe and mine didn't include substitutes like shakes or water.

now, if losing 60 pounds in my first two months isn't impressive, considering i did it all by focusing on protein, then what is? I eat protein first and last every day, and i count my grams and if i needed to, i'd keep a food diary, which i recommend to everyone who's barely post-op. I built my diet around the proteins I listed above, and peanut butter, which, when served on whole-wheat bread, forms a perfect protein. In some forms, dried beans and brown rice also form a perfect protein. Not all rice qualifies, but a lot of them do.

The key to it all is that you need to get complete protein with all 9 amino acids, and there are only a few foods that qualify. Most are eggs and dairy.

And Badgy, you've seen my post-op pictures, haven't you? I'm going to post one here showing how well I did in my first several months, plus another taken long before I decided to have the surgery.


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View attachment 2581

Protein, baby. It was all about the protein. And 12 years after, I'm still wearing the small clothes I love, feeling healthy, hiking mountains and working out at the YMCA. And for f*ck's sake, I'm going to be 69 years old this summer! I feel like a teenager and I have the strength of Hercules! I lived for 3 years as a vegetarian (ovo-lacto) and for the entire time I was pregnant and never lacked in nutrients because I studied protein from non-animal sources.

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That's awesome! Thank you!