DLCoggin

Given the choice between missing my daily protein goal or having a protein bar, I'd take the bar every time!

Isopure is an excellent protein supplement. According to their website, the liquid is made from 100% whey isolate and the protein calorie to total calorie ratio is as good as it gets - 100% of the calories are from protein. The powder ratio is considerably less favorable but powders are more cost effective. They gave me Isopure in the hospital following my surgery. At the time, I did not care for the taste (at all!) but they have come out with a number of new flavors since two years ago. I have read very positive comments by members on the forum.

Protein can be an extremely complex subject requiring advanced degrees in chemistry and nutritional science to understand. I am not an expert by any means. But the following might help give you an idea of what's happening in the protein supplement world. As near as I can determine, "proto whey" is a marketing term, not a scientific one. Whey protein can be processed a number of different ways. "Denatured" protein involves the use of heat or acid or both to change the molecular structure of protein and make it more easily absorbed. "Ultra filtration" produces whey concentrate - about 70%-80% pure protein. Concentrate still contains fair amounts of fat and lactose giving it what some consider a better taste. "Micro/nano filtration" removes virtually all fat and lactose and is used to create whey isolate - about 90%-95% pure protein. Isolate may be the best choice for folks who are lactose intolerant. Whey isolate can be even further processed or "Hydrolyzed". Hydrolyzed whey protein is even more pure than isolate and is assimilated by the body very, very quickly. It also is very expensive, tastes extremely bitter and loses many important benefits provided by biologically active peptides that are destroyed in the hydrolyzation process. Sometimes the protein of choice by serious bodybuilders but probably not appropriate for the rest of us. Ion-exchange whey protein is the purest form of whey protein on the market today. It contains almost none of the vital peptides and is biologically inactive. I have no idea who buys it or why. So in my opinion, the age old adage "the less processed your food is, the better" is true when it comes to protein. If you are not lactose intolerant, many doctors consider the additional purity of whey isolate vs. whey concentrate to be insignificant. And most would agree that concentrate tastes better. Egg protein is another animal based protein that is excellent. For many years egg protein was considered the gold standard of protein. It has only been relatively recently that whey has taken the number one spot. But that is likely due more to lower costs, easier manufacturing and more options for flavoring than any significant advantage as far as protein goes. If you're a vegetarian, soy protein is a complete plant based protein and is readily available. Stay away from collagen protein. Finally when choosing a protein supplement, always consider the protein calorie to total calorie ratio. I drink Pure Protein shakes for Breakfast which have 35g of protein for a total protein calorie count of 140 vs. the total calorie count which is 160 or 170 depending on the flavor. So the protein calories are roughly 85% of the total. And I like the taste. There are many other good options. Hope that helps and have a great day!!

I would add to what music said that any "whole food" (yogurt in this instance) with a roughly equivalent amount of protein is always the healthier choice vs. any "supplement". Protein is especially important for us RNY folks but it's not the whole story. Whole foods offer a lot of nutritional benefits beyond protein that are often not available from supplements. Protein bars are handy if you're on the run and don't have the time or it's inconvenient to get other, more balanced options. I usually carry one along with a few nuts, a piece of fruit, and/or turkey jerky in my car. I'm guessing that I eat one or two a month.

You can see the ingredient list for New whey here - http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=YQ-1006#.Ui0TQ33n_Dc . Note the it says "Hydrolyzed (Predigested) Collagenic Protein" - any ingredient list with collagen (or any derivative of it like "collagenic") is not recommended. 42g of indigestible Protein is still pretty much no protein at all. Hydrolyzed protein is heated which breaks protein down into "peptide fragments" and further reduces its value. I was shocked and quite pleased to discover that Yes Whey is made with whey isolate. That I am aware of it, is the first and only "shot" or "bullet" on the market that is not made with collagen protein.

If I'm not mistaken, New Whey is collagen Protein. Very poor quality protein and all but indigestible. You want to stay away from collagen protein.

Lol - now that's a dedicated logger!

GREAT job Karen!! Good for you! Do you maintain a food log?

I found the nutrition label for Yes Whey at http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-435130-protica-nutritional-research-yes-whey-rtd-liquid-protein-shot-orange-29-oz . It does indeed appear that Yes Whey is made with whey isolate Protein. That is a big deal. It is the first and only protein "shot" or "bullet" that I have ever seen that does not have collagen protein as a primary ingredient. Collagen protein has a digestibility score of 8 out of a possible 100. High amounts of indigestible protein are useless. Whey isolate has a digestibility score of 100 and at 90%+ protein, is the purest form of protein available. With 25g of protein and 100 calories in 2.9oz - this could be the answer for folks who do not like Protein shakes or powders. Protein has 4 calories per gram so with 25g of protein in these shots, 100% of the 100 calories is protein. Impressive. Has anyone tried these? I would be very interested in hearing how they shape up as far as taste goes! Whey isolate is made by using a high-tech ultra filtering process which removes almost all of the lactose and fat from whey concentrate. That results in a taste that many find less appealing. But 2.9oz is a very small amount to get down, even if you don't love the taste. An ideal amount (volume wise) for those who are in the first few weeks post-op and limited to about 2-4oz servings. Beyond that, these shots could be a great way to boost anyone's protein intake to your doctor's recommended level. And to top it off, Yes Whey appears to be competitively priced with comparable ready-to-drink shakes which have almost twice the calories and four times the volume. It looks like Protica Nutritional Research got it right. Very, very interesting!

Great job Jenn. Congratulations!!

There's no question that dumping is not limited to sugar. Carbs and/or fat will result in dumping for some folks as well. But...instead of focusing all that energy on condemning yourself, why not celebrate the fact that you learned a valuable lesson? It's important to allow yourself to be human. It's also more realistic, more sustainable, healthier and a lot more fun. Lifestyle changes are the result of ongoing lessons learned. I'm almost two years out - still learning, still making adjustments, still lovin the new me!!

Kristy, Kristy, Kristy - how could you forget to pack your scale? LOL! I really think it's good to take an occasional break from logging (or the scale!). I don't log when I'm on vacation. I think everyone enjoys and benefits from getting away from the "routine" for a bit.

You are certainly most welcome! Love the candor in your posts and looking forward to following your journey to a healthier, happier you. You're gonna love the new you!!

I'll second that - scared the hell out of me too and I knew what was happening as well.

And they taste good!!

I seldom fail to share my experience with anyone who asks but in this case, let's make a deal. You discuss this with your doctor. Without fail. In as much detail as necessary until you are completely confident in what action to take in the event that the situation comes up. Then share with us his/her advice on what you should do (there are no doubt others who would benefit from your comments), and then I'll be glad to share my experience with you. Deal? I am not a doctor. And with a history of diabetic coma, this is a question for the Big Kahuna - not some guy or for that matter ANYONE on an internet forum, regardless of how well intentioned they might be. Have a great day!!

I am absolutely not a doctor but I have experienced late dumping several times. Twice after eating white rice, once from eating a baked potato (both simple carbs) and in all cases about two to three hours following eating. Late dumping is usually the result of reactive hypoglycemia. The first time I had it I checked my blood sugar and it was 37. The majority of folks (about two-thirds) who experience dumping experience early dumping. The remaining one-third experience late dumping. And it's important to remember that many never experience dumping at all. Here are a couple of links, one from WebMD and the second one from the University of Rochester Medical Center describing dumping (including late dumping). There are many more. http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/dumping-syndrome-causes-foods-treatments http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=134&ContentID=107

Green smoothie fans swear they're quite tasty. I suppose the recipe has a big bearing on that but there are about a billion on the net and I don't have the patience to read past about two. Lol. So my plan is to just throw in whatever stuff strikes my fancy at the grocery store and see what happens. I'll let you know!!

Pissed off brain throwing a temper tantrum and stay away from the silly little machine. Nobody gets right to the point like you do music! Love it!!

I'm right there with you guys. Fiber is always a struggle. But...my wife and I have a plan. This weekend we're going to stock up on "green smoothie" stuff. Lots of spinach and then whatever else we can think of to throw into the blender! My plan is to drink a green smoothie every day for at least a week (a month would be even better but baby steps) and see what happens with my fiber. Some people swear that it increases your energy level and does all kinds of cool things. Stay tuned!

Diarrhea is one of a fairly long list of symptoms associated with dumping. Diarrhea occurs when foods high in sugar "dump" too quickly from the pouch into the small intestine. Sugar, especially refined sugar, draws Water very quickly from the bloodstream into the small intestine and diarrhea (sometimes severe) is the result. "Early" dumping normally occurs 15 to 30 minutes after eating. "Late" dumping usually occurs two to three hours after eating but can occur as much as twelve hours later. You can read more by doing a search for "Dumping the Confusion About Dumping".

BMI is the almost universal gauge for qualifying patients for bariatric surgery and there is no indication (that I'm aware of) that would point to that changing any time soon. But some doctors and researchers believe that waist measurement, relative to hip measurement or height, may be a better indicator of risk for developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other serious diseases. All body fat is not created equal. Belly fat has been shown to be considerably more dangerous and damaging than other types. That's why you'll sometimes read that an "apple shaped" body (more belly fat) is a greater cause for concern than a "pear shaped" body (more hip and thigh fat). Harvard School of Public Health has an interesting article on the subject - http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-definition/abdominal-obesity/ .

There is no schedule for stalls and no substitute for patience. Stay positive. Stay patient. Stay focused on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can. You will lose weight. And you're gonna love the new you!!

I think it's more likely that individual results depend on a whole shopping list of variables. For example, I think it's easier for men to lose weight, lose it more quickly, and see changes in weight more quickly in response to diet, than it is for women. I know you are also doing weight training - you're very likely reducing fat stores but increasing muscle volume. And of course muscle weighs more than fat. Now compare that to my situation. My activity level is fairly constant. No weight training. Average calorie intake closely monitored. Average calorie expenditure comparatively constant. I'm two plus decades older than you are. And I'm a guy. So the number of variables likely to affect my weight, up or down, are considerably fewer than they are for you. I know you are actually below your original goal weight and trying to lose a little more. That would point to the strong possibility that you're running up against your set-point. As recently as 2009-2010, set-points were considered by many to be theoretical. That has changed in the last few years with more and more research yielding strong evidence that set-points are very real. The human body is (unfortunately) much more receptive to weight gain than it is to weight loss. When we had to hunt and gather to survive, obesity was not an issue. Starvation was. So our bodies evolved defenses to protect against starvation. Your body will literally fight to maintain the set-point that it's at. Set-point ranges are usually about 10% of your total body weight. So if you weigh 150 lbs, each set-point range is about 15 lbs. If you're at the top of your current range, losing a few lbs is relatively easy. On the other hand, if you're at or near the bottom of your current range, your body will defend the set-point by reducing your metabolism, slowing your heart rate, etc. Making it considerably more difficult to lose even modest amounts of weight. Sorry, probably a lot more information than you wanted. To answer your question directly, I think the more experience you have logging, the better you become at interpreting the information in your log and identifying how changes in carbs/fat/protein/exercise/water will translate into weight changes. I always enjoy reading your posts and exchanging ideas with you music! Have a great day!!

I think it's great that seemingly more and more folks are recognizing logging for exactly what it is - a tool. A very powerful one. With benefits that, in my opinion, far outweigh the effort required to maintain the log. Tools are not synonymous with "easy". But they are synonymous with "easier". Just like the surgery. Surgery doesn't make losing weight "easy", just "easier". The more tools you have in your arsenal, the easier it is to reach, and then maintain your goals. Simple as that.