Need help getting back on track
I am 16 years old, had my surgery in 07. and I am back up to probably 280, not good at all and I have lost alot of muscle because of my lack of protein. I am really disappointed in myself and can't stand to think about it. I just scheduled for another fill, I have three fills since my surgery, in 07. Hopefully this will be the start to get back on track. I am not as big as I was when I got the surgery but no where i want to be.
I am about to turn 17, and plan on seeing my family in ohio soon, but before that my main goal is to lose more weight and look better because I am ashamed to go up there looking like this because I know there going to say in their heads "what happened?"
I am asking for your advice/thoughts/help on how exactly I can get back on track. Its rough right now.
If you have time read my profile blogs and that will tell you my history, goals and much more than this post.
Thank You!
Good Luck to all!
I am about to turn 17, and plan on seeing my family in ohio soon, but before that my main goal is to lose more weight and look better because I am ashamed to go up there looking like this because I know there going to say in their heads "what happened?"
I am asking for your advice/thoughts/help on how exactly I can get back on track. Its rough right now.
If you have time read my profile blogs and that will tell you my history, goals and much more than this post.
Thank You!
Good Luck to all!
Hello, dear. My name's Ashlee. I'm eighteen, had my surgery right after I turned seventeen in April of 2007. You're a Bandit, I see (Lap-Band), I had the more intense RNY. Still, the key to losing weight and keeping it off with the Lap-Band is to live as though you HAD RNY. It's definitely harder, I know, because you don't have the food cop called dumping syndrome and you also still have a big ol' stomach, but believe me... the key is protein. And I know that you already know that. Protein shakes are key. And I know how hard it can be to drink them. I'm almost two years out and, until just recently, I had such a hard time drinking protein. The cheap stuff from Wal-Mart and even a lot of the stuff from GNC just doesn't work. Most of it is made for bodybuilders, and is wayyyy to high in carbs to even THINK about touching.
My advice to you would be this:
Visit www.bariatriceating.com. It's a fantastic website run by a fantastic lady, Susan Maria Leach. Their protein powders and RTD's (Ready to Drink proteins) are all taste-tested and evaluated to make sure they meet our nutritional standards. She also carries post-op friendly foods and protein-fortified bars and other things. She gives better advice than even the surgeon I had, and I rely on her word as the end-all, be-all.
Once you find some protein powders or RTD's, try what we in the WLS community like to call an LPT. That stands for Liquid Protein Train. Take two or three days and drink four or five supplements a day to detox and de-carb your body. I'm serious when I say that it works, that if you can use your willpower to fight off head hunger that you'll find yourself back on track and ready to go.
The proteins I suggest, personally are Nectar, which is a sweet but puckery Kool-Aid type protein that, when you mix it with water and Crystal Lite, is virtually indistinguishable as a protein drink. Currently, I'm pretty much living on my Nectar Strawberry Kiwi mixed with Wild Strawberry Crystal Lite and some water in a sports bottle. Don't use a blender with Nectar, it'll make it way too foamy and you'll hate it. Shake it up really good and let it settle then gently tip the bottle back and forth and it blends pretty well. It's best when it's VERY cold. I love the Strawberry Kiwi, but they have tons of other flavors... Roadside Lemonade, even a Lemon Iced Tea, it really is your fancy.
Now, with the milkier proteins, I don't suggest you use milk to mix them. It adds unnecessary carbs and lactose ("milk sugar"). So, my personal favorite is either Whey Gourmet or Matrix, and those come in a bunch of different flavors, as well.
The key is to get creative. The basic formula goes like this: 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 scoops protein powder, 1 cup ice cubes... but chances are it won't taste FABULOUS if you just use that, so I use add-ins. For example, today I had a White Chocolate Cherry shake. All of that stuff, 1 1/2 scoops of Whey Gourmet White Chocolate, 2 tablespoons of Sugar-Free White Chocolate Pudding, and about 1/2 teaspoon of cherry extract. Then you want to put the lid on the blender and PULSE. Don't just hit the "Blend" button and let 'er rip, because you'll end up with a massive amount of foam that's almost unpleasant to drink. It takes some diligence, but pulse until all of the ice is gone, pour it in a glass, let it sit in the fridge for a little bit so any ice crystals can melt, stir it up, and VOILA! Yum.
Also tonight I had a warm protein cocoa. I took a scoop of Zero Carb Isopure Dutch Chocolate, mixed it into a smooth paste with a little cool water, and then added some hot (but NOT boiling) water, top it off with a dollop of SF Cool-Whip and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and boom! Down the hatch!
Also, know that you should try and eat as much dense protein as possible. It depends on your tastes, but I love fish and seafood and I also love chicken and eggs. I don't tolerate scrambled eggs well, the pebbly texture just doesn't go down great, so I poach mine in some chicken or beef broth or all-natural tomato juice. Turkey is too dry for me, as is pork, and red meat like beef just doesn't go down well, so I avoid those. If you're going to have them, and any other protein meat, but especially beef and pork, make sure you've got some low-sugar, low-carb sauces and salsas so you can chew, chew, chew them into a smooth mouthful.
After you eat your protein, go for the COMPLEX carbs. Green, leafy vegetables are good, and after my surgery I came to ADORE salad. Fruits are okay, bu****ch the sugar content. Berries are lowest in sugar, bananas are highest. Why should you watch your carbs? Well, because they're quickly converted into glucose, giving you a spike and then leaving you with a hollow-hunger feeling that leads to overeating and carb binging, which does nothing but slow, stall, and end your weight loss, and, in the long run, can even make you GAIN weight.
Trust me when I say that I know it's a hard pill to swallow that you may spend the rest of your life avoiding rice, pasta, bread, crackers, and potatoes. But try not to focus on what you can't eat. Instead, focus on what you can. Life as a post-op isn't about deprivation... it's about experimenting with new flavors and finding new ways to enjoy what you CAN have!
If you'd like to talk to me a little bit more, feel free to message me. I've absorbed so much information in the past few months, I can spit it back with no problem!
Best of luck to you, sweetie. And let me know how things are going, okay?
~Ashlee
My advice to you would be this:
Visit www.bariatriceating.com. It's a fantastic website run by a fantastic lady, Susan Maria Leach. Their protein powders and RTD's (Ready to Drink proteins) are all taste-tested and evaluated to make sure they meet our nutritional standards. She also carries post-op friendly foods and protein-fortified bars and other things. She gives better advice than even the surgeon I had, and I rely on her word as the end-all, be-all.
Once you find some protein powders or RTD's, try what we in the WLS community like to call an LPT. That stands for Liquid Protein Train. Take two or three days and drink four or five supplements a day to detox and de-carb your body. I'm serious when I say that it works, that if you can use your willpower to fight off head hunger that you'll find yourself back on track and ready to go.
The proteins I suggest, personally are Nectar, which is a sweet but puckery Kool-Aid type protein that, when you mix it with water and Crystal Lite, is virtually indistinguishable as a protein drink. Currently, I'm pretty much living on my Nectar Strawberry Kiwi mixed with Wild Strawberry Crystal Lite and some water in a sports bottle. Don't use a blender with Nectar, it'll make it way too foamy and you'll hate it. Shake it up really good and let it settle then gently tip the bottle back and forth and it blends pretty well. It's best when it's VERY cold. I love the Strawberry Kiwi, but they have tons of other flavors... Roadside Lemonade, even a Lemon Iced Tea, it really is your fancy.
Now, with the milkier proteins, I don't suggest you use milk to mix them. It adds unnecessary carbs and lactose ("milk sugar"). So, my personal favorite is either Whey Gourmet or Matrix, and those come in a bunch of different flavors, as well.
The key is to get creative. The basic formula goes like this: 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 scoops protein powder, 1 cup ice cubes... but chances are it won't taste FABULOUS if you just use that, so I use add-ins. For example, today I had a White Chocolate Cherry shake. All of that stuff, 1 1/2 scoops of Whey Gourmet White Chocolate, 2 tablespoons of Sugar-Free White Chocolate Pudding, and about 1/2 teaspoon of cherry extract. Then you want to put the lid on the blender and PULSE. Don't just hit the "Blend" button and let 'er rip, because you'll end up with a massive amount of foam that's almost unpleasant to drink. It takes some diligence, but pulse until all of the ice is gone, pour it in a glass, let it sit in the fridge for a little bit so any ice crystals can melt, stir it up, and VOILA! Yum.
Also tonight I had a warm protein cocoa. I took a scoop of Zero Carb Isopure Dutch Chocolate, mixed it into a smooth paste with a little cool water, and then added some hot (but NOT boiling) water, top it off with a dollop of SF Cool-Whip and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and boom! Down the hatch!
Also, know that you should try and eat as much dense protein as possible. It depends on your tastes, but I love fish and seafood and I also love chicken and eggs. I don't tolerate scrambled eggs well, the pebbly texture just doesn't go down great, so I poach mine in some chicken or beef broth or all-natural tomato juice. Turkey is too dry for me, as is pork, and red meat like beef just doesn't go down well, so I avoid those. If you're going to have them, and any other protein meat, but especially beef and pork, make sure you've got some low-sugar, low-carb sauces and salsas so you can chew, chew, chew them into a smooth mouthful.
After you eat your protein, go for the COMPLEX carbs. Green, leafy vegetables are good, and after my surgery I came to ADORE salad. Fruits are okay, bu****ch the sugar content. Berries are lowest in sugar, bananas are highest. Why should you watch your carbs? Well, because they're quickly converted into glucose, giving you a spike and then leaving you with a hollow-hunger feeling that leads to overeating and carb binging, which does nothing but slow, stall, and end your weight loss, and, in the long run, can even make you GAIN weight.
Trust me when I say that I know it's a hard pill to swallow that you may spend the rest of your life avoiding rice, pasta, bread, crackers, and potatoes. But try not to focus on what you can't eat. Instead, focus on what you can. Life as a post-op isn't about deprivation... it's about experimenting with new flavors and finding new ways to enjoy what you CAN have!
If you'd like to talk to me a little bit more, feel free to message me. I've absorbed so much information in the past few months, I can spit it back with no problem!
Best of luck to you, sweetie. And let me know how things are going, okay?
~Ashlee
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