Keep It Real
It is very easy to get off course or side tracked during our WLS journey. But if I can share just one thing that I have learned that would be to “KEEP IT REAL".
What I mean by that is our food choices should come from real and natural food sources. This is incredibly difficult for most of us for many reasons. Most of us were raised on fast food and many of us simply do not have the time to go to the market every other day and then spend an extra amount of time planning our meals and snacks for the day. Who has that kind of time? However, this is where the rubber meets the road…. In order for us to succeed we HAVE to make the time.
It is imperative to make our daily food selections in advance as routine for our day as it is for lets say taking a daily shower. Protein should be supplied liberally from plant sources, such as beans, nuts and soy, poultry, eggs, fish and meat a few times a week. Try to consume cheese and yogurt on a daily basis, but in small amounts.
In the early stages of WLS your nutritionist will guide you through meeting your daily protein goals. This is a critical time, you have just had major surgery. As you progress and heal you will be moved on to different food phases and this is where they will pull you back from protein shakes, (if any had to be added) they want you to get your protein from real food sources. There’s a couple of reasons for that, one being that synthetic man made proteins are inferior and not a good choice. All protein sources do not have equal value. Two would be that it is not recommended for you to ingest anything over 20 - 25 grams of protein at one time because it is very hard on the kidney’s. Have you ever read a post where someone stated that they just had a protein drink that had 30 grams of protein and added 2 scoops of protein mix to it to make it add up to about 50 or 60 grams of protein so that they had their requirement met for the day? YIKES….. Probably be the same poster that you read about in the hospital with kidney stones…. Not always, but you have to say probable.
Have you ever seen the nutritional value of a real natural food touting 30, 40, or even 50 grams per serving? No, and there is a reason.
Now here is another not so popular topic, PROTEIN BARS. Did you know that Protein supplements have turned into a multi billion dollar enterprise, and with the increased popularity of WLS over the recent years this number has sky rocketed. Unfortunately, due to increasing popularity there are many companies on the market that have sprouted up, driven purely by sales and marketing out to make a quick dollar. I think I will start another topic thread dedicated solely to Protein Bars because it is a topic solely within itself and understandably so.
Acknowledge the choices set before you and choose a new direction that creates a strong desire and dedication to your weight loss goals.. Try to KEEP IT REAL, it is so worth it.
Thank so much for sharing this info (as well as your post re: protein bars)....both were good reads. One of the reasons I am so excited about my post-WLS intake is that I am eating so clean and all my foods are whole foods now that I don't do the shakes anymore. Plus, kicking caffeine & suger has completely done away with the highs & lows in my energy during the day.
Thanks again!! xo, Micheala.
Preop Weight 293/SW 289/CW 202.3/GW 165/LW158
on 5/8/09 5:34 am
I just posted about eating healthily on the protein bar thread. I should be swimming I eat so much fish these days. But there's something just so delicious about fresh food. I love having 3 oz of tilapia and a sweet potato (teeny tiny one). It's easy to savor and enjoy it.
Processed food is all about consuming and not tasting to me, if that makes any sense. I had some Breton mini's crackers with dinner last night (deil turkey, cheese and the crackers) and I just ate them. I didn't savor them. Plus I was starving because it had been a long day AND I cut the grass after work. It's more challenging to savor your food when you're not about to gnaw off your own leg!
Hmm. I think I will take some time and SAVOR (I need a synonym!) some vanilla carb master yogurt. Yummmmmmm.
HUGS!!!
Denise
Okay...let's just give some props to the Vanilla Carb Master Yogurt (& all the Carb Master yogurts)....one of those often gets me to my 80gm of protein in a day (they have 12g of protein)....now, I am probably going to get lambasted for this because I have NO IDEA if peanut butter (creamy, low carb peanut butter---not the high in sugar & fat kind, but the low fat/sugar type--organic, that I feed my kiddos) is legal....but, last night I put about 1/4 tsp of peanut butter in a Vanilla Carb Master Yogurt & stirred it up really, really well. I usually use the yogurts to mix my Rx & vitamins in, so I took a bite & OMGOODNESS.....maybe I have been deprived of anything that tastes sweet too long (definitely my weakness). I don't do the sugar free Cool Whip because I don't need to get back to where sweets are my thing.....BUT, that dang yogurt w/the PButter mixed in was so, so yummy.....if you can have PB, try it.
Okay...now somebody give me the 411 on the low carb/low sugar/high protein/organic peanut butter....is that legal or am I a fool? xo, Micheala.
Preop Weight 293/SW 289/CW 202.3/GW 165/LW158
Hi Micheala,
You are very welcome. It takes time to replace old eating habits with new ones. I am a food addict (the definition of that for me is to use food to medicate) that is what got me close to 300 pounds on a 5’ 3" body frame. That is why it is stressed that WLS is a tool, not a cure for Morbid Obesity. We have to use the tool in combination with several other factors to make it work for us.
Keeping it real helps me be in tune with my body and helped me learn and recognize what made me feel good or bad after eating certain items. Doing that is a real challenge for all of us. We are each faced with daily struggles such as jobs, family, children, financial, time or the lack thereof etc.. None of us are immune to any of those things. We each have to do the best we can and if possible try to help each other.
I think you are doing great on your WLS journey and appreciate all the things you share with the group. It is much appreciated. And it is also what I like to refer to as Res Ipsa Loquitur LOL… I had to put that in there just for you.
