Birinak

Yeah, I agree a lot with that distinction. There are a few people who'll still respond to the first kind of post with rudeness, but most responses to these posts are helpful or at least well-intended.

Maybe I misunderstood; are you only having one Protein Shake and water in a whole day? If so, aren't you concerned about not getting in any veggies and the rest of your protein? I know where you're coming from to an extent--obviously, since I started this thread--and I'm glad that you're enjoying your lessened appetite, but I think you should try to consume more than that and get your protein to an adequate level. Otherwise, your health, including your metabolism and muscle-mass, will decline severely. This is why CheckYes and I are somewhat concerned about our lack of appetite. I find using a calorie-counter useful because it tells me how much more I need to eat to reach certain nutritional targets. Calories and potassium are the only targets that I'm having a hard time meeting.

I make sure to get enough protein and I take a high potency Multivitamin for vegetarians, plus a Vitamin D pill every day. Unfortunately, most of my protein is now coming from Protein shakes. Relying on vitamin and protein supplements goes against much of what I feel to be a healthy approach to food and I feel that I ate healthier pre-band (except for the massive portions) than I am eating in this last month. I'm thinking this is just a phase. As I mentioned, if I weren't forcing myself to eat more, I'd usually end the day at about 500 calories. Today, I've eaten 368 calories according to my calorie counter, with 40 grams of protein, mostly from a high quality whey isolate powder. Before I go to bed, I'm going to have another scoop of protein with a full cup of 2% milk to bring up the caloric and nutritional content. And I'll definitely have some fruit and veggies. That'll bring me up to 650 or so calories. Tomorrow, I'm going to try to eat more calorie-dense items that don't take a lot of time to prepare or eat, but those are somewhat difficult to find for a vegetarian looking to keep fat intake down to 24g a day. The problem with losing interest in food is that you can't be bothered putting an effort into preparing and cooking when you don't really want to eat. CheckYes, I think you should purchase a really high quality and good tasting Protein Powder if you haven't already. I find Protein drinks really easy to consume even when I don't want to eat anything. On days when I manage to eat 800 calories, I can usually get in 100g of protein largely with the help of whey. There's obviously a limit to how much people should get from supplemental sources as opposed to whole foods, but at least we'd be getting our protein until our appetites come back.

There are quite a few Protein powder threads on this forum. Check out the food and Nutrition section and also some of the older pages in this section. I use Optimum Nutrition 100% whey Gold Standard. It has 24 grams of protein, 130 calories, and 4 grams of carbs. Both body-builders and people taking protein powders for weight-loss speak well of ON 100% Whey on various forums. I have the "Mocha Cappuchino" flavour and it tastes like chocolate milk if you use it with milk. This flavour is one of the most popular flavours of ON powders. The other top flavours are "Double Rich Chocolate" and "Delicious strawberry." Many people also like "Tropical Punch." I'd suggest that you stay away from "Cookies and Cream" though; while some people absolutely love it, most people say it's horrible. When I need to keep my calories low, I use half a cup of milk, half a cup of Water and ice, and 1.5 scoops of the protein powder to make it thicker and stronger in flavour. Otherwise, I just use one cup of milk and 1 scoop. It doesn't taste bad with water only, but I'm particular about taste. It mixes well with just a spoon (I never have to bother with a shaker or blender) and it's pretty much my snack at times. I've tried other whey protein powders before and while they all weren't bad, they had a bit of a weird after-taste. Some people don't care about taste though. The good thing about whey isolate is that it digests quickly, which means that it's used by your body sooner, it's a good after-workout shake, and it causes less bloating. Also, whey isolate has an excellent amino acid composition. For ON 100% Whey, the ingredients list is simple and it doesn't come with a lot of the unnecessary filler that some other powders contain. A 5 lb container costs about 80 dollars and a 10 lb container costs 130 dollars. It may be expensive, but you don't want to go cheap on your protein powder unless it's still a good one. Hopefully, someone can point you to a similarly healthy and tasty protein powder at a lower cost or maybe you can look out for this brand when it's on sale. Good luck! EDIT: One of the reasons that ON is more expensive than others is because it is made of 100% whey isolate. If you would like a cheaper whey powder, look for whey concentrate/blend. They aren't usually as high quality as whey isolate and they digest slower, but they also have the benefit of being thicker and keeping you full longer. I also just read that you can find 10lb ON on ebay for $70 instead of $130!

I intended to vote up your post, but my laptop touchpad is sensitive, my hand slipped, and I ended up voting it down by accident! Sorry, dude. Can someone vote up her post to neutralize my vote and its effect on her "reputation score?" Thanks!

What's a serving of Mung Bean noodles? One cup of whole-wheat spaghetti has about 175 cals, 37 g of carbs, and 8 g of protein. Of the carbs, it has about 6 g of fiber and 1 g of sugar. It provides 10% of your daily Iron. You probably won't be eating a whole cup of spaghetti with the band, since you either can't or you have to make room for protein and veggies. I think that whole-wheat pasta is the healthier choice. Even if you were to go with white pasta, it looks like the stats are still better.

The question that she asked is: is it "very possible" for her (a person her size) to lose 3 pounds a week every week for a year? Most of us have lost 3 pounds some weeks--I've lost 3.5 pounds this week--but some weeks we have plateaus and sometimes life gets in the way. To the OP, I'm not saying you can't do it. As long as you try to attain 3 pounds/week without lessening your health, go for it. But, so that you're not disappointed in the end when you really should be proud of your progress, you should know that an average of about 1-2 pounds a week is more common for people your weight who diet and exercise.

I don't think that it's highly improbable for you to lose even more than 3 pounds in some weeks, especially the first few. I have lost more than 3 pounds some weeks (although some of it was likely Water and possibly even muscle, unfortunately), but my usual weight-loss is 2 pounds (in the first 6 months, it was only about 1-1.5 pounds). Remember that, for many people, restriction doesn't occur until 3 or 4 months in. Some people pick up the slack and go through bandster hell in the interim, while others, like me, eat more than 1 cup in the first few months and lose slower until restriction. As others mentioned, you might be disappointed when you fail to reach your goal or you might end up eating far too little at the expense of your health (malnutrition and muscle loss) and your metabolism. To byrdmen, your progress is really great (congratulations on losing 149 pounds!), but you can't quite compare your experience to Deidre. Aside from the fact that a person's weight-loss is dependent on their metabolism and other factors, there are two factors that make it easy for you to lose 3 pounds a week consistently over a year; you are male and you have 341 pounds to lose, according to your ticker. On average, most males lose weight much more rapidly than females, partly on account of higher muscle mass and the fact that females have evolved to retain fat more easily for reproductive function. Most importantly, people lose weight quicker if they have more weight to lose and they're farther from their ideal body weight. That's why you see people who weigh 800 pounds sometimes losing 25 pounds/week. That would be an impossible or highly unhealthy feat for someone who weighs 259 pounds and whose ideal weight might be about 110 pounds away. You could easily create a 2200 caloric deficit and lose 3-5 pounds/week, while still staying above the 1600 calorie a day guideline for males. If Deidre were to create a 2200 caloric deficit, she might be severely malnourished. If she weren't malnourished (if she was previously consuming 3000 calories and exercising), she'd still be eating a very strict diet in comparison (much lower than the 1200 calorie guideline for women), so it would not be an easy weight-loss. I eat about 900-1100 calories a day and I cannot lose 3 pounds a week consistently over a whole year. For people with less to lose, weight-loss slows down over the year since many are getting very near their ideal weight by one year.

cottage cheese: I believe most 2% has 15 grams of protein per half cup (I still choose 2% over 0% because there's only a difference of about 10 calories between the two, and 0% has higher carbs. Also, I hate the more liquidy consistency and taste of 0%); greek yogurt: You can find brands with 19 or more grams of protein per half cup. I think Liberte has a plain greek yogurt with 18 grams. Look especially for plain greek yogurt, which has higher protein, and lower calories and carbs than fruit flavours; eggs: there are only 70 calories for a large egg, which is a good source of amino acids and important nutrients; chicken breast: 1 chicken breast has 3 times the protein than 1 thigh (30 g vs. 10g), while having a lower fat content; tuna (or other fish): high protein, low calories and fat tofu: only a half-cup provides 20g of protein, while being very low in calories and fat (make sure to use a low-calorie marinade; or only a few teaspoons of soy sauce which is absorbed well by tofu) beans: some provide about 10g of protein in a half-cup; low fat, high potassium, Iron, and Fiber. protein powders: some doctors advise against Protein Shakes because you don't get the fullness from them as you would from eating solids. I don't think this is a big deal for many bandsters, as long as they're monitoring their caloric intake well and they know that they're not exceeding it. I don't really have a problem with fitting protein powders into a 1100 calorie or lower diet, while not being hungry, so they've been very useful to me in getting in protein. If you're still experiencing hunger while restricting your diet, then solid foods is probably the way to go. However, if you have room for about 130 calories in your daily budget, a low-carb, low-sugar Protein Powder can boost your protein intake by about 25g or two scoops (260 cals) by 50g. The brand that I use is Optimum Nutrition 100% whey. The flavours that are most popular or almost unanimously liked are mocha cappuchino (I have this and, with milk, it's pretty close to chocolate milk), double rich chocolate, and delicious strawberry. Other people also talk about Muscle Milk and GNC's protein powder. Are you male? If so, your 1000 calorie limit seems very strict compared to most guidelines. Have you consulted your family doctor? Also, I find it hard to get in more than 120g of protein on a 1100 cal diet, while also eating 3-5 servings of veggies a day. However, I'm a vegetarian, and I'm sure it's much easier getting 150g of protein in with a meat diet. And, I'm not very strict with what I eat; I'll have a bite of anything I like as long as it fits into my day's caloric budget and I've met my other nutritional needs. To meet 150 grams of protein, you just need to make sure that every meal you consume is efficient (high protein to calorie ratio). People on the low-carb subforum should be able to help you.

I agree. My diet hardly conforms to these rules in every meal of the day. I too eat white flour, sugar (etc.) in very small portions. When I am in maintenance, I'll simply eat them in moderation. Yesterday, I ate four nachos with processed cheese and I just watched that it fit into my caloric budget (actually, I've been eating way under my budget lately). My biggest problem, pre-band, was portion-control of mainly healthy, whole-grain foods. The dinner was always healthy, but I would go back for a second plate. The thought of that kind of disgusts me now. My basic point is that these rules (or a variation on them) are what most of us successful dieters follow for 80-90 percent of what we consume. They're really not that controversial. For some, however, the rules must be followed 100 percent of the time. My sister doesn't allow herself a single bite of a junk food or starch and, although I don't diet the same way, I understand her reasoning. For her, one bite leads to another. She finds herself binging throughout the weekend with the justification that she ruined her diet and she'll have to start again on Monday, so she might as well keep eating poorly until then. I think many people who need to go "cold turkey" experience something similar and they'd have to adhere to these kinds of rules more strictly.

Yes, there are also those who don't understand the difference between "you're" and "your." There are all kinds of people, I suppose. You're correct. I am an argumentative person when I encounter a position contrary to logic or reason. I appreciate debate and I believe that mature adults should be able to argue any issue dispassionately and academically, without resorting to personal attacks or proclaiming offense unnecessarily. If I debate a poster here, I expect that they understand that it is not personal and that I have no anger toward them. And, it's an opportunity for them to show me the ways in which my argument is wrong. I am also a direct person and it's not my style to insult others in a passive-aggressive manner. As you can see above, I just tried your method of speaking and I find that it doesn't suit me much. If I disagree with a person's words or actions, I tell them directly and I explain my reasoning. Mominoc quoted me and I responded asking if she was objecting to something particular in my post. Then, I honestly discussed my opinions on the sentiments she expressed. She chose to respond in a passive-aggressive and falsely bewildered tone, but what is that to me?

Please see your original post. Thanks.

You quoted me, so I'm guessing that this was in reply to what I said. What I can't figure out is if you're disagreeing with something particular in my post and, if so, what that may be. As for myself, I'm not rigid with my own eating regime. I hardly have a regime. I pretty much just try to stay under 1100-1200 calories, avoid junk food with the exception to a few treats, and I eat more Protein and less refined carbs. If I want rice or bread, I'll have a few bites. If I want chocolate, I'll have something small and work it into the day's calories. Every week or so, I have a cheat day in which I loosen up on the "diet" even further. This works for me and I hardly feel deprived. I can probably eat in this same way for life without feeling as if I'm on a life-long diet (although when I'm on maintenance, I'll probably be eating somewhat more). Some people have to go cold turkey and that may work for them. Some people cut out major carbs completely and they lose weight fast. What I've been saying is that these rules are generally what most people do anyhow when they lose weight, give or take a rule. I'm not rigid with my diet, and yet I don't feel the need to proclaim my free will whenever a layman or doctor dares to post dietary advice, unless the advice was targeted at me specifically and it was unsolicited. Just ignore whichever rules or all rules that they suggest if they don't work for you. We understand that you're an adult and that no one can tell you what to do. As far as the poster who countered that this suggestion was wrong because healthy food was sometimes advertised on tv, again, we can make use of our highly evolved brains and understand that the rule wasn't intended to restrict those foods. Surely, we can understand nuance. As most foods advertised on tv are highly processed and unhealthy, either packaged junk or fast-food, this is a good guideline. I follow it generally and I suspect that most dieters do to an even greater degree. If someone were to advise that people intending to lose weight should avoid fast-food, I wouldn't have to say: "This rule's crap! I know there's a fast-food restaurant that has a low-calorie salad!" I understand the basic underlying idea, which is a good one, and I can adapt it to include this low-cal salad. There may be one or two rules that don't apply to a particular individual; there may be a difference in the degree an individual abides by these rules, but in general the process of losing weight requires a similar kind of behaviour. There are different diets, but the basic underlying idea is usually the same. Unless taken as absolutes, there's nothing controversial or extreme about these rules. As I said, they serve as good guides. The doctor didn't even say "never do this;" they said "avoid." They're along the lines of what most nutritionists would prescribe and what many people do to lose weight or to eat healthily. There may be multiple specific methods of losing weight, but it's not entirely a subjective matter. And some methods are objectively bad ways to go about achieving a healthy diet.

I think you need to stop eating and drinking much sooner than half an hour before bed. Even if you didn't have the band, it's advised to stop at least two to three hours before sleep. This is for digestive health and proper sleep. Carbs and Protein take about an hour to a few hours to digest. Veggies and fruit take about half an hour. However, this is different for bandsters and for people who lie down after eating. Lying down, the process of digestion is slowed and it can result in the irritation of the esophagus by raised stomach acids. Also, food in the upper digestive tract can disturb sleep and consuming Water too soon before bed may mean that you'll be more likely to wake up to pee during the night. Bandsters have to take this consideration more seriously since it takes much longer for food to leave the upper digestive tract with a pouch. One night, I had a Multivitamin pill about an hour before bed and, early in the morning, I woke up tasting some of it. I also used to drink a little water about an hour before bed, thinking that it would pass through the pouch by bedtime. I woke up a few hours after bed coughing up water. My pillow was soaked. It doesn't happen to everyone. It happened to me when my band was a little too tight. A very small unfill (about 0.25 of a cc) helped a lot. Along with not eating later than a few hours before bed, maybe you need a small unfill?

It depends on your current weight and the current amount of calories that you are consuming to maintain that weight. For me, 1200 calories a day would amount to 1-1.5 pounds lost a week with a sedentary lifestyle, starting at a weight of 267 pounds. As you lose weight, you'll find that your caloric budget will lower considerably. You will not be consuming the same amount of calories after a year of steady and rapid weight-loss to maintain your current rate of loss. Either your weight-loss will slow or you will have to cut your calories further over time. Also, you're male. The average male consumes about 1800-2200 calories to maintain a healthy weight, on account of muscle mass and metabolic differences. Exercise will increase your caloric requirement. 1200 calories is also set by many nutritionists as the lowest a woman should go in order to avoid adverse health effects. Many people and doctors still follow a lower caloric regime. I consume about 1100 calories a day. Finally, if you're finding that your caloric requirement to lose at the same rate as other dieters is considerably higher than other dieters, this does not indicate a slower metabolism. In fact, it points to the opposite.

Your weight-loss is inspirational and I congratulate you, but I suppose we will have to "agree to disagree," especially about fats. You'll also have to agree to disagree with the science of chemistry. Various fats are quite different in their chemical structures and in how our body responds to them. "Fat is a fat. end of." I'm not sure how writing "end of" settles the issue of whether "a fat is just a fat." Perhaps it just gives the feeling of finality. You now say that you never discussed "digestion," but what other process were you thinking of when judging whether a digested substance is the same as another? Aside from chemical composition, which you surely agree differs, how foods are digested and used by the body are the basis of whether they are different from one another. In terms of food, this is the one process underlying all others. Fats vary also in their energy content. This has direct relevance to weight-loss and health. I'm not sure how you're attempting to argue otherwise. I never said that simple or complex carbs differ noticeably in how much they impact glucose levels. You've attempted to knock down an argument that I haven't set up. I said that Fiber causes no difference in glucose levels, whereas other forms of carbs, both simple and complex typically do. The main reason to predominantly eat complex carbs is because such foods are in a less processed form and possess more fiber. You may feel that how a food impacts blood glucose levels has no significance to weight-loss, but I'm sure you're not arguing that they have no real significance to a segment of the population. Again, I agreed that it probably makes little difference whether one uses casein, whey isolate, or whey concentrate for weight-loss. The considerations that should be important to those choosing between them are how easily digestible they are and how quickly the person needs their Protein to be digested. If a person is either needing protein immediately after a work-out or if they suffer from bloating, this may affect their decision. People here are discussing which protein powders they should take for the best digestibility and effect, in general, not solely for weight-loss. As I mentioned in the previous post, I also agree with the general spirit of your post, which I take to be that dieters shouldn't get caught up in the details of the food they are eating; if they follow common-sense and consistently reduce their calorie, fat, or carb intake, they will likely be successful with their weight-loss. Dieters who become preoccupied with this kind of carb versus that may be behaving impulsively and may be unable to maintain their regime. However, if they are concerned with health in general (such as cholesterol levels), with practical matters such as bloating, or if they want to make their weight-loss regime as efficient as possible, then adjusting their eating according to the details can be helpful.

Biotin is not the only deficiency which may result in hair loss. You may be Iron deficient or deficient in another mineral. You might benefit from increased consumption of iodine. But I don't think you should be self-treating without a medical practitioner first isolating and identifying the cause of your hair-loss. You need to get your blood tested. You may be experiencing other deficiency symptoms that you haven't recognized. Your hair loss may also be genetic. Did your parents or grandparents experience early hair loss? How much Protein are you consuming? Both insufficient and extremely excessive protein consumption can result in hair loss. You're not losing weight and you're losing hair, which leads me to think it may be insufficient protein. I doubt that you're consuming enough carbs to result in hair loss and maintain your weight. Anyhow, June 6th really isn't that long from now. I'm sure you won't be bald by then. You can't rely on anyone other than your doctor to find a proper diagnosis and treatment for you.

I'd agree that for most purposes, a protein is a protein, but there are some differences according to the forms that Proteins come in. The stomach digests some proteins more quickly than others. In terms of protein powders, casein digests slower than whey. If I were to choose a Protein Powder to use immediately after exercise, I would use whey isolate. I would also opt for something other than casein if I were feeling bloated. Also, proteins vary according to amino acid composition. Anyhow, the overall function of the various protein powders is the same and the effect on muscle build likely similar. And, not all carbs and fats are the same. For our purposes, differences among carbs are not always important, but the same could not be said for fats. In terms of carbs, there are monosaccharides and disaccharides (simple carbohydrates), and polysaccharides and oligosaccharides (complex), which are monosaccharide polymers. Some carbohydrates are digested more quickly than others, also depending on the food source and preparation. Fiber, for instance, is a carbohydrate, but it is not digested by the stomach. So, fiber, while offering the benefits of roughage, will not cause a change in blood glucose levels. Most importantly, fats are also very different depending on chemical composition and absorption by the body. They differ in energy content and some fats are essential for the human body, while others are not.

The advisement against drinking your calories makes sense. People feel more full on solid foods than liquids, and something like an iced cappuchino can have the calories of a cheeseburger, while only feeling like a light snack. However, for people who mindfully consume protein shakes within their caloric budget and also make sure to meet their nutritional needs, they don't have to feel bad about "breaking" this rule. You're doing what makes sense for your needs and what produces results. So, in general, it's a good rule, but there's nothing wrong with adapting it to fit your regime.

Well, there's another Protein shake thread going on in the post-op subforum, but I'd also suggest Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey. For some people, flavour doesn't matter. I'm not one of those people. If it has a slight after-taste, I won't drink it for long. The shake I have now is Opt. Nutrition 100% Whey Mocha Cappucino flavour. I've been drinking it two times a day with milk and it's pretty good. It tastes like chocolate milk and I haven't detected an aftertaste. Opt. Nutrition is pretty popular on other fitness forums for their double chocolate and strawberry flavours. Anyway, maybe you'd like to try it. I've also heard good things about GNC's brand.

Doesn't ship to Canada... I was looking forward to some tasty free samples!

I don't drink my calories with coffee, juice (etc), but I do take two Protein shakes per day. I'm not on a very low-calorie diet. I'm doing about 1000-1100 calories and 130 grams of carbs/day. Also, I have a cheat day once a week, when my caloric intake is about 1600-1800. My weight-loss within the last 4 months has sped up but is still slower than many bandsters (I'm losing about 2 pounds/week). I prefer not being on a strict diet regime. It keeps me from feeling deprived or counting the days until my diet is over. I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I get in about 45 grams of protein through real food. I don't eat eggs or milk that often though. I take a scoop of Optimum Nutrition 100% whey two times a day with milk. This means that I get the extra protein from the powder and I am now consuming milk everyday, which I find beneficial. This usually brings my protein consumption to 95 grams a day. I could probably find ways to increase my protein without the Protein Shakes and without increasing my caloric intake (while being lacto-ovo veg), but I'm pretty lazy and I'm still within my caloric budget, so this works for me. By the way, if anyone's looking for a Protein shake, Opt. Nutrition (double chocolate, mocha cappuchino, or delicious strawberry) tastes pretty good and is low-carb (3 grams/scoop).

I seriously doubt that this rule was intended as an absolute. Most food advertised on tv is fast-food or packaged. In fact, I think all of these rules are general guidelines to healthy eating. Again, it's just common-sense. I'm sure that this doctor wouldn't advise against eating cucumbers because they're sometimes advertised on TV. We don't have to be pedantic about this. It's about observing the "spirit of the law."

We can make a concerted effort to adopt these rules over time though. A lot of bandsters aren't just relying on the band. They're doing things that they haven't done in years. You can still eat like crap with the band. It doesn't force you to exercise. You can gain weight with the band. Bandsters who go from morbid obesity to 130 pounds have drastically changed the way that they operate. People find that they actually can do things they formerly believed they just "couldn't." We're not automatons; we can change. Your quote marks seem to imply scepticism. The rules are just good common sense and they're probably what most people follow 80% of the time if they are successfully maintaining their weight-loss.