Carbs

[Silversurfer]

Hi SS,

I'm finding it extremely difficult to get the right amount of protein in - I have such conflicting advice from the dietician and the bariatric nurse it's unreal. I also play lots of sports - I play squash and racketball as well as the gym and at the moment, I am finding that my reserves of energy run out pretty damn quickly and I can be totally exhausted within an hour. I am 10 weeks post-op tomorrow.

This week before squash I ate special k cereal (15g) with 150ml protein shake for breakfast, I had half a ready meal macaroni cheese (200g) for lunch and took a small banana with me which I ate after my 2nd match. This did seem to work better as I managed 4 matches whereas last week I was totalled after 3. I figured the heavy carbs would give me more energy. Obviously I don't eat like that every day, but when I am playing squash it seems to be a good idea - what do you think?

Last week, I played racketball on monday, gym tuesday, cleaned house wednesday and slept thursday - I was totally knackered - I don't want to live like that!

Please could you give me some idea of what I can eat on a day to day basis I just don't know - and quantities would be a good thing too please. I find it really hard to get more than 50g of protein in a day.

Many thanks SS

Sam

Hi Sam

Some good advice from Mark above, though please bere in mind your only 10 weeks post, you've lost some already, but you'll find that as you lose more your stamina will rise significantly, at the moment your hauling around a load of excess weight so feeling tired out is to be expected.
Your diet sounds about right for your stage, as Mark suggested try adding in some more meat, at 10 weeks you may struggle though with drier meats, so stick to chicken or fish with a lose sauce. Are you taking all your vits as prescribed by your dietician / consultant ! i've religiously taken mine since about 6 weeks post op, a drop in one or the other may be causing you to feel tired quicker.

Theres also no reason why you cant use a protein suppliment daily - i buy Sci-MX which i get from Tescos, make sure its Whey protein and not soya based, and go for the highest concentrate of protein per gram you can find, the only flavour in this range i can stomach is the strawberry and i tend to mix it and drink it straight....McD's it aint, but hits the spot.

You may also find that if your doing an increased level of exercise you need to eat more, now at 10 weeks this is almost impossible, so consider going to 5 or 6 small meals a day rather than 3, make sure you keep your fluid levels up (especially if your exercising) avoid heavy carbs as they wont really help, protein processes slower through your body and releases less fat as it transites through, stick to a high protein diet and keep the carbs to a minimum and see if that makes any difference to your stamina.

Your doing ok though and seem to have your head in the right place, as you lose it will get easier.

 

[Silversurfer]

Ahh, I possibly used the wrong term calling it a 'slider' food then. I was thinking due to it being liquid it would pass through and be digested much quicker than say a portion of chicken, so I imagine you wouldn't feel full for as long as you might otherwise?

It's great to be able to learn all this stuff from people who have already gone down this path, thanks very much!

It does slip through pretty quick, and in my case i need it to get down there and into my system asap ! the suppliment i use is low cal and high in protein, so has little impact on cals in! though i stress i only use protein suppliments now as a training aid, i seem to be able to go harder and faster and for longer if i have a protein kick in the morning.

When you look at a liquid think of it as hollow calories - so a gin and tonic is loaded with calories and give your body no nutritional value at all, where as there is less cals in a chicken fillet and that will add nutritican to your body and fuel it for a period of time.
Also consider foods that melt in the mouth or on the way down as sliders, chocolate is a prime example, by the time it reaches your pouch its a warm liquid and will pas through the stoma without giving you any form of restriction.

 

[BypassBee]

This has all been so helpful!
ive started using the daily plate now, and my carbs out weigh my protein, but not by a huge amount and its down to fruit really. my protein is over 60g per day, usually around 80, which for a female my age is more than enough so im told :S

my weight has started moving again (-4lbs since friday) however i have been down at this weight before then gone back up, so im not counting my chickens

.x.

 

[luscious_peach]

Are you taking all your vits as prescribed by your dietician / consultant !
You may also find that if your doing an increased level of exercise you need to eat more, now at 10 weeks this is almost impossible, so consider going to 5 or 6 small meals a day rather than 3,

Thanks SS for the advice. I am taking my vits, so that's not the problem. It may well be that I am dashing round the court much more (it's doing wonders for my ego as I hear gasps from the spectators as I get a ball I wouldn't have got before)

I find getting the water in hard, and I think the more meals I have, the harder it will be to drink - losing half hour either side of meals. I think they should surgically attach a water bottle to your hand at the same time as the op!

Thanks again for your help.
Sam
x

 

[samsmum]

The quality of the protein really helps boost the amount you get. I have not got the stuff to hand to say what is what but dont forget you do get some protein in your dairy. I was just told to eat protein first, then veg/fruit and then carbs. If convenient make a fruit salad so you can have a little less than a full fruit amout each time to help you fit in more protein. I keep a check on the amount of carbs like bread, pasta, rice etc as this is how I got heavy, eating a high carb diet.

I have tight restriction at the mo but a typical day is

1 rasher of bacon, 1/2 tinned tomatoes, half quorn sausage or 1/2 slice brown toast.

1 chicken thigh with veg stew.

1/2 can ww salmon in lemon mayonaise, spoon of cottage cheese and a couple of dutch crispbakes.

I often have a glass of milk everyday too for calcium and protein.

I have lost every week, except for 2 weeks, for 7 months.

Hope this is of use

 

[Twiggie]

There is also a surprisingly high amount of protein in some fruit & vegetables too ...

(percentage of calories from protein per 100 grams of edible protein)
Watercress 84%
Mushrooms 56%
Spinach 50%
Broccoli 33%
Cauliflower 32%
Courgette 30%
Green Peas 27%
Tomatoes 19%
Melon/peach/strawberry/grapefruit ~10%

Compared with most nuts/seeds containing around 15% you're probably better off eating the veggies! Beans/peas/lentils have a higher protein content of around 35% with kidney beans being the highest at 58%.

Some people are probably eating far more protein than they realise, which is great

 

[Silversurfer]

Good work guys and great to see your all thinking laterally about your protein now, the key really is to find a healthy balanced diet you can sustain long term - that means protein, fats, carbs etc will play a part in your diet, we cant just live on raw protein and its cool to have carbs in our diet as they are essential too, and like someone else suggested eat your protein first and then everything else if you need it to fill up, eventually you will learn how much you can eat and only put that much on your plate to start with and wont be leaving or throwing away food.

Proteins great as a plateau buster, and during these times up your protein, but as your weight lose returns to normal re introduce the carbs back in.

I live by the term MODERATION - nothings bad in moderation ! and moderation is something i've never before been able to understand or get a grip of.