Re: Richmond and protein drinks--Eleanor and

January 6, 2006

Eleanor and :

I agree that long-term studies need to be done.

But with this whole process, each person has a slight variation in

what works. This process has many commonalities, but we are all

individuals and ultimately must walk our own path that best meets our

needs.

I have been off protein drinks for more than a year, and I'm doing

great. I've never felt better. I work out hard (3 days of weight

training, 3 days of running, 7 days of walking a lot), and my labs

speak for themselves. I've also maintained my goal weight for 1

year, 2 months, so the decision NOT to do the protein drinks has

proven right for me.

: I would hope you could take the guilt out of the protein

drink thing. If it works for you, then more power to you. Do it

because it works and makes you feel good physically. Try not to take

the role of the guilty child, not admiting what she's doing, sneaking

food behind the authority figure's back.

I hope that you can adopt the attitude of the grown up, smart, caring

woman that you are, and just do what's right for you without the

guilt. If you need to tell your doctor about what you're doing, just

be upfront and uncomplicated about it. No need to apologize for

taking care of you.

Whatever you do about the drinks, I hope you can get the emotional

stuff out of the way.

You know I care a lot about you,

Francisco

> >

> > Ok, those who know me will understand that this may be straining

> my

> > tact, but here goes.

> >

> > I think there are a bunch of factors going on here. The first is

> that

> > they tend to lump all protein drinks together. If people are

> drinking

> > stuff like Ensure (which was originally designed to PREVENT

weight

> loss)

> > or Carnation Instant Breakfast, the results will be very

different

> than

> > with a high quality, low sugar, whey based protein drink.

> >

> > There are also huge differences in how the drinks are PREPARED.

If

> you

> > start with a high quality whey, but then add lots of fruit or

> juice or

> > milk, you're adding tons of sugar and maybe a bit of protein, in

a

> form

> > that we don't absorb very well anyway. I just use water and ice.

> >

> > They may be looking at just the number of pounds lost, but I

think

> that

> > is highly misleading. I think it is far better to lose 30 pounds,

> if it

> > is all fat, than 50 pounds, if 30 of that is fat, and the rest is

> bone

> > and/or muscle. With the malabsorbtion, replacing the bone and/or

> muscle

> > is MUCH harder than preserving it.

> >

> > I will not pretend to be unbiased regarding this issue. When I

was

> > researching this issue, before my own surgery, I decided to take

a

> look

> > at what successful long-term posties were doing. I found that the

> VAST

> > majority of them were doing protein drinks. I decided that if I

> wanted

> > what they got, maybe I should do what they do.

> >

> > For me, the factor that cinches my decision is the difference in

> how I

> > feel when I drink them, and how I feel when I don't drink them.

> When I

> > drink the protein drinks, it is MUCH easier to resist the Carb

> Monster.

> >

> > Is all this scientific? Probably not. I would LOVE to see long-

> term

> > studies done. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening in the

> near

> > future. Part of the problem is that the folks who do supplement

> protein

> > are also more likely to take their other supplements

consistently.

> In

> > addition, I think many of the medical professionals aren't

getting

> the

> > full picture regarding protein supplementation. I personally know

> quite

> > a few people who LIE to their doc, not admitting that they're

> drinking

> > protein drinks, because they know that if they say they are, the

> doc

> > will have a kneejerk negative response. So the patient loses

> weight, and

> > the doc says " See, she's losing weight well, and SHE'S not doing

> the

> > drinks " when she IS drinking them.

> >

> > Not sure if any of this makes any sense. I personally welcome

well

> > documented studies regarding this issue. Until I see them, I have

> to

> > rely on what works FOR ME, as well as what works for others who

> have

> > gone before me, whom I respect.

> >

> > Hope that helps!

> >

January 7, 2006

Thanks Francisco

Im actually feeling much stronger these days. I am making up my own

mind about the protein...there are days I need them and days I dont.

So Im not going to feel guilty for either side of the controversy.

Im reading a fantastic book, I think Ive mentioned....Taming the

Feast Beast. Its about food addictions and self empowerment!! Its

wonderful!!

Huggles

> > >

> > > Ok, those who know me will understand that this may be

straining

> > my

> > > tact, but here goes.

> > >

> > > I think there are a bunch of factors going on here. The first

is

> > that

> > > they tend to lump all protein drinks together. If people are

> > drinking

> > > stuff like Ensure (which was originally designed to PREVENT

> weight

> > loss)

> > > or Carnation Instant Breakfast, the results will be very

> different

> > than

> > > with a high quality, low sugar, whey based protein drink.

> > >

> > > There are also huge differences in how the drinks are

PREPARED.

> If

> > you

> > > start with a high quality whey, but then add lots of fruit or

> > juice or

> > > milk, you're adding tons of sugar and maybe a bit of protein,

in

> a

> > form

> > > that we don't absorb very well anyway. I just use water and

ice.

> > >

> > > They may be looking at just the number of pounds lost, but I

> think

> > that

> > > is highly misleading. I think it is far better to lose 30

pounds,

> > if it

> > > is all fat, than 50 pounds, if 30 of that is fat, and the rest

is

> > bone

> > > and/or muscle. With the malabsorbtion, replacing the bone

and/or

> > muscle

> > > is MUCH harder than preserving it.

> > >

> > > I will not pretend to be unbiased regarding this issue. When I

> was

> > > researching this issue, before my own surgery, I decided to

take

> a

> > look

> > > at what successful long-term posties were doing. I found that

the

> > VAST

> > > majority of them were doing protein drinks. I decided that if

I

> > wanted

> > > what they got, maybe I should do what they do.

> > >

> > > For me, the factor that cinches my decision is the difference

in

> > how I

> > > feel when I drink them, and how I feel when I don't drink

them.

> > When I

> > > drink the protein drinks, it is MUCH easier to resist the Carb

> > Monster.

> > >

> > > Is all this scientific? Probably not. I would LOVE to see long-

> > term

> > > studies done. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening in the

> > near

> > > future. Part of the problem is that the folks who do

supplement

> > protein

> > > are also more likely to take their other supplements

> consistently.

> > In

> > > addition, I think many of the medical professionals aren't

> getting

> > the

> > > full picture regarding protein supplementation. I personally

know

> > quite

> > > a few people who LIE to their doc, not admitting that they're

> > drinking

> > > protein drinks, because they know that if they say they are,

the

> > doc

> > > will have a kneejerk negative response. So the patient loses

> > weight, and

> > > the doc says " See, she's losing weight well, and SHE'S not

doing

> > the

> > > drinks " when she IS drinking them.

> > >

> > > Not sure if any of this makes any sense. I personally welcome

> well

> > > documented studies regarding this issue. Until I see them, I

have

> > to

> > > rely on what works FOR ME, as well as what works for others

who

> > have

> > > gone before me, whom I respect.

> > >

> > > Hope that helps!

> > >

>

January 9, 2006

I have to agree with Francisco about individual variations being

important. From my pre-op perspective, it makes a tremendous amount

of sense that some people would find them useful and others

wouldn't. Some people find the standard 1200-calorie diet works just

fine for losing their 10%, others needed to " tweak " it, and others

find they can't lose unless they're doing Atkins.

My body has always seemed to work better on a very high protein

level - my health is better, my blood profiles are better, my pain

levels from arthritis are less. It's also the only way I've ever

successfully lost more than about 25 pounds (even though I couldn't

keep it off long-term, I got down almost 45 lbs. on Atkins a couple

years ago, and plan to go back on it after Orientation to lose my

10%.) My husband, on the other hand, found that high-protein diets

don't work for him at all. He was miserable on Atkins, lost very

little weight, and felt really miserable. He really needs

a " balanced " meal plan to be able to stick with it and lose.

So if you feel better and healthier on protein drinks, and you're

still losing, why not go for it? We're not machines. Our bodies

don't have firm specifications that will work the same way for each

person. Use protein drinks as another tool, and do what works the

best for you.

Cathy C.

January 9, 2006