Protein, Vitamins & Minerals

Hello everybody and Happy New year!!!!

Like all of you I am here to get it together. I have 50lbs to lose that I gained with 2 babies that I had.

I just would like to know what vitamins & minerals do everyone take AND how much protein supplements do you get in a day?

Here's mine.
Multivitamin or Prenantal vitamins
B-1
B-12
B-complex
Biotin
L-Glucosamine
Chondrotin
Calcuim Citrate w/ Vitamin D
Ferrous Sulfate (iron)
Vitamin C
Fat Burner

And, I try to get in at least 5 protein supplements in a day.

Now, what about you?

Be Blessed,
Sharonne

Hi Sharonne,

Kathy and I are putting together some "guidelines" for food, vitamins and exercise.  We'll post them very soon.  Obviously, it is up to each person to decide what works best for us.

You had RNY so I'll share some recommendations.  With the malabsorption of our surgery (I had RNY too), we must be very cognizant of taking high quality vitamins regularly.  To maximize absorption, you could take chewable or liquid vitamins.  The digestion starts the minute the vitamins are in your mouth.  Tablets can be iffy because we don't have the HCI to assist in digestion of tablets. 

As far as what I've done, I've taken Bariatric Advantage due to their specialized formulation created for wls patients.  They are pricey but I feel it is well worth it.  I take their chewable citrusmulti-vitamin, their B12 and chocolate calcium.  I enjoy taking them.  Whatever vitamins you take, the focus needs to be on a high quality easily absorbed vitamins. 

Many post-ops are put on children's chewables right after surgery and don't move up to a high quality vitamin.  For adults, you need to have more nutrients than kids.  Much less as a wls patient, eating less and with the malabsorption, we definitely need to move past the kids' vitamins to high quality vitamins.

A couple of questions.....What fat burner are you taking?    How are your labs? 

Another thing, make sure to take your iron supplement at least two hours apart from your calcium.  Iron isn't a friendly vitamin and supplements need to be staggered two hours from taking others. 

Another tip for your B12....if you take your B12 sublingually, keep the saliva from the dissolved B12 in your mouth for 30 seconds.  By doing this, you'll maximize the absorption of this important vitamin.

Thanks!!  Cathy

Hi Cathy,

Thanks for the info. My labs are great. I am taking the Hydroxcut Max fat burner.

Be Blessed,
Sharonne

Hi there!  My regimen given to me by my nut - all are Bariatric Advantage which she suggested and I actually like better than others I've tried.  I actually haven't been doing very well with these lately, so I haven't been feeling really well, but with BOTT I'm getting them in again!!  I know, I know - these are for life and no more slips!!!

Breakfast - chewable multi vitamin (tropical flavor)

Snack - dry Vitamin D (5000 units) and B-1

Lunch - chewable calcium lozenge - cherry flavor and subligual B-12 (thanks for the saliva tip, Cathy!)

Snack - dry Vitamin D (5000 units) and B-1

Dinner - chewable multi vitamin and chewable calcium lozenge

I don't have to take iron and my iron levels are good, but I run low on D and B-1, so have to take extra of those each day.

I am better at shallowing pills, because to me chewables taste like chalk. I have tried so many different brands. Glad to know that your labs are good. My iron is low partly because I was anemic before I had the surgery.

Be Blessed,
Sharonne

Here's a link to the ASMBS Bariatric Nutrition Guidelines.  Check the chart that starts on page 7 for the minimum vitamins you should be taking based on your surgery type.
http://ullberg.us/Andrea/SOARD_Bariatric_Nutrition.pdf

Here's what I take each day:

Adult Chewable Multi-Vitamin (Centrum) -- 2 per day
B-50 Complex -- 2 per day
B-12 Sublingual -- 2500mcg tabs, 2 times per week
Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D -- 2000mg calcium per day (in 5 doses of 400mg each)
Vitamin A - 2,500mg (I think), 1 per day (based on low lab results)
Iron - 1 per day (I think it's 28mg)  (based on low lab results)
Zinc - 30mg, 1 per day (based on low lab results)
Copper - 2mg, 1 per day
(Iron, zinc and copper work as a team)
Vitamin C - 100mg, 1 per day with my iron for better absorption

Protein... I have 1 protein supplement per day either a shake or a bar which equals about 20g to 30g per day.  Otherwise I get the rest of my protein from food.  My total is around 100-120g protein per day.

So what's that "Fat Burner" you're taking?  Is that a diet pill?

Pam