High Protein Meal Replacements

Getting Adequate Protein

I always prefer eating real food. I love eating real food. That's not so hard to figure out, but as you read in my last post, as a Lap-Band patient, it's not always easy to get the recommended amount of protein; 60 to 90 grams of protein a day. A person without a Lap-Band typically does not get adequate nutrition from their diet alone, but a bariatric patient is at a disadvantage because of the smaller portion sizes. I eat good quality meals as a rule, but after talking with many successful Lap-Band patients, one of the common denominators seem to be a consistent intake of good quality protein. So how can we get that 60 to 90 grams of protein in our diet if we can't take in large enough portions of solid protein? The answer seems to be high quality protein drinks or as they're better known; Meal Replacement Drinks. High quality whey is the key. Not all meal replacement protein drinks are alike, as a matter of fact, some don't even come close to quality.

Which Proteins are Best?

R.J. Sepe writes, "A high quality whey protein, for example, as compared to other protein, is considerably easier to efficiently break down into peptides or useable building blocks. In addition, whey protein is considered to be a high quality protein because it is a complete protein and therefore, provides us with all of the essential amino acids which are necessary for protein to do its job."

A recent article from the Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism states, "We recommend that nutritional management should include: an average of 60-120 g of protein daily in all patients to maintain lean body mass during weight loss and for the long term." They also say, "We recommend that long-term vitamin and mineral supplementation be considered in all patients undergoing bariatric surgery."

Okay, okay, I get it. So on the advice of a friend, I started drinking an Isagenix, all natural shake every morning and now have added one for either lunch or dinner and I have started losing weight again! I eat a sensible, 400-800 calorie dinner (or lunch, if I am having a shake for dinner) and to top it off, I feel fantastic! What? Yes, really good. I have more energy and I mean long-lasting energy, not the kind that you get with a cup of coffee or sugar. Nutrition is incredibly important, I have always known that, but I thought you had to take handfuls of vitamins to get all the nutrition that I am now getting with a couple of excellent-tasting shakes that I mix with water (not milk) and frozen fruit (Yum!)

Protein and Bariatric Surgery.....

It is important for everyone to have high quality protein and nutrition every single day. It is even more important for a Lap-Band patient since the amount of protein that can be consumed at one time is decreased. We cannot live without protein, it is the main cell building-block. It builds and maintains muscle and is responsible for the repair of many parts of our body, including organs, skin and hair. Studies have also shown that low levels of protein in the body can create a situation where a body will decrease its Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the rate that our bodies burn food for energy. We want to increase this rate, to help burn fat more effectively and faster! Increasing exercise will also accomplish this same goal, but combining with adequate protein in the diet will bump it up even more. I know very successful Lap-Band patients who faithfully get 60 or more grams of protein daily and that combined with other Success Habits have helped them watch the scale go down consistently.

So what is adequate protein and how can we get it? Most dieticians I know recommend a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day and even more. Some recommend 90 grams per day or approximately 30 grams per meal. As a Lap-Band patient, I know that it is difficult to get that much in the form of food, although I do try. I recommend getting a small calorie-counter type book that also lists protein amounts in foods just to carry with you. It's difficult to know how many grams of protein you are getting in food without something like that. Online resources are very valuable as well.

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