Chapter 3: Maintaining Healthy Eating for Life 65
Remember, these supplements are used to supplement (not take the place
of) healthy food. They need to be taken as directed for the rest of your life.
It’s a requirement, not a recommendation.Meeting your protein goal with supplements
with supplements
You may have difficulty getting in your 60 to 80 grams of protein a day.
Remember, when you first start eating after surgery, you can only consume
about 2 ounces of food. Even if you choose high-protein foods (like eggs at 3.5
grams per ounce), this is a max of 21 grams of protein a day from your meals.
A far cry from what your body needs to heal! In the first few months after
surgery, meeting your protein needs from food alone is almost impossible.
This is where protein supplements come in. Like multivitamin supplements,
these are meant to be used in addition to the healthy proteins you eat.If you don’t receive adequate protein over time, you’ll experience muscle
wasting and weakness, which will sabotage your weight loss efforts. Muscle
helps you burn more calories, and if you’re too weak to exercise, you won’t
build muscle. (Oh, and did we mention that lack of protein also causes hair
loss?)Taking a look at your options
A plethora of protein supplements are available. The challenge is finding one
that tastes good, has a palatable texture, is affordable, and is the right kind
of protein. Some types provide everything you need to maintain lean body
mass, but others don’t, so reading labels is very important.The highest quality protein comes in the form of whey protein. Whey, a liquid
byproduct of cheese production, is rapidly digested and absorbed. It doesn’t
sit in the stomach very long, so it tends to be well tolerated. Some supplements
have whey concentrates or whey isolates. Whey concentrates have a small
amount of lactose. If you have a severe lactose intolerance, you may want to
look for whey isolates, which are lactose free. Avoid supplements containing
collagen, because it’s not a high-quality protein.
Protein supplements come in a variety of forms. You can find shakes, drinks,
puddings, bars, teas, and soups. You can also purchase unflavored, odorless
protein supplements that you can mix into your food. Because protein
supplements can be somewhat expensive, your support group is a great
place to find out what other people like without having to incur the expense
of trial and error. Some companies send samples to surgery centers so you
can try before you purchase.