Liquid protein powders and supplements... forever?

Are you kidding me?

Ahhhh! Just kidding...

Well, sometimes we are lead to believe that protein supplements will be forever, but come a little closer and I'll tell you a secret...it's not forever...the liquids and powder protein supplements that is...not the protein itself...

Your  ultimate goal is to be able to eat real food protein again.

Real solid food.  That would be hamburger, chicken, fish, you know something you can sink your teeth into...not mix in a blender....

For the first two years after weight loss surgery, your tummy will grow...this is due to the healing process of the tummy and it is a "stretchy" organ...it was made to stretch...and it will. You can protect the size of your pouch by following the guidelines, in other words, don't help it out by overeating. But the point is, you will be able to eat more solid food after the initial weight loss phase is done.

Two points are important about this first weight loss phase...

During the weight lose phase it is imperative that you get in that protein supplement...first and foremost.

Protein is for healing and maintaining muscle mass, losing weight and some other stuff, more about this in a minute.

Liquid proteins keep you healthy and healing and losing during this weight loss phase.  This is your easiest and best opportunity to learn the ropes and change your lifestyle.  So make the most of it...it will be over before you know it...and besides your brain has to have time to catch up with your body...believe me...

This adjustment time is important. If you didn't have time to adjust, it would be like someone just handing you a brand new baby unannounced...for keeps...and then walking away. Can you imagine the shock when you realize you're not only physically not prepared but emotional as well...wait, come back...where are the instructions...aaaaa...and...the diapers! ...and wipes! What do I do when it cries? Let's see I'll need a car seat and a crib. Oh, and clothes. What size? And milk. What kind? And bottles...help! I'm not ready for this. When will it sleep? Or better yet, when will I sleep? Well, you get the point.

Make the most of the weight loss phase window of opportunity. Be diligent with learning all you can about how your brand new baby pouch operates and what your body needs to be at optimum health and emotional wholeness.  

During this phase, (the first 6 to 12 months) your opportunity for weight loss is at it's prime. The weight just seems to fall off and your hunger is subdued.  

That does not mean that weight loss is impossible after this period of "prime opportunity", but taking care of your new tool pouch and practicing new lifestyle changes are paramount. Lifestyle changes are forever if weight loss is to be successful. 

Which brings me to my second point, lifestyle changes are what is going to make or break the weight loss success.  This period of the first two years is the time you want to practice the dietary guidelines and exercise and activity lifestyle changes.  Your ability to make these changes will insure that you keep the weight off.

After this weight loss phase, your surgeon or dietician will release you from protein liquid and powder supplements and you will return to eating real food protein.  When, how much, and what that will look like is personal, individual and will be decided by your health care professionals.  

As each month passes and weight loss and lifestyle changes are diligent, you are closer and closer to the new body you have dreamed of.  My advise, from experience...stay with the plan, work the plan with all diligence, and at all cost; don't vary from the plan, and prepare physically and mentally for your new lifestyle, protect that pouch, get into an exercise routine, learn the ropes  and soon life will be as close to normal as it gets for a weight loss surgery patient.

the window of opportunity:

There are certain factors that make the first year opportune for weight loss:

• The more we weigh the faster we lose because we burn more calories.
• Our motivation level is at it's highest in the beginning months after surgery and
• our hunger level is lower.   

You can learn more about this by searching "window of opportunity" on the search bar on the left.   

 protein power:

Our objective is to lose weight, but we want to lose fat, not lean muscle mass. In the process of eating less food our metabolic rate changes. To combat the loss of muscle mass and the subsequent dip in metabolic rate a high protein diet coupled with moderate weight training can help you to preserve your muscle mass when in a caloric deficit. 

If you’ve ever heard somebody say that a calorie is a calorie, they’re flat out wrong. Consuming a high protein diet increases the thermic effect of eating. The thermic effect of eating is the amount of energy required to digest and absorb the food that you eat. Digesting protein required a lot more energy than digesting carbohydrates. In fact the thermic effect of protein is a whopping 30% whereas for carbs it’s only around 7-8%. That means that 30 % of the calories of protein consumed needs to be burned off in order to digest it. Clearly, this leads to a higher metabolic rate and greater fat loss when dieting.

So drink those protein shakes like it was your saving grace...they are!  Protein shakes are your key to healthy weight loss.  After your weight loss phase, protein food will be your priority. Eating enough solid food protein will be the key to maintaining health and weight loss success. Keeping that tummy full with solid food including solid food, real food protein is also the key to satiety.

Protein is for the long haul...it is vital to maintaining muscle mass, metabolic rate and keeping blood sugars stable, good health and permanent weight loss...So stick tight to those protein shakes, it's temporary, in the long term you'll be so glad you made the effort, it will pay back benefits that long last the struggle of getting down those protein supplements....and I'm not kidding!