Macronutrients and Weight Loss/Health: Overemphasis of protein AFTER weight loss surgery

I think people can be successful with a variety of eating plans and yours may very well work for you.  It would never work for me because I'm an unmedicated Type II diabetic who controls glucose levels through diet and exercise.  Most fruits and ANY rice, pasta or white flour sends my blood sugar soaring into the stratosphere (we're talking 200-300 level).  This is extremely unhealthy for me because it causes my body to dump a ****ton of insulin into my system.  Excess insulin signals the liver to store all those calories as fat, whether it's from fruit, veggies or meat.  

I do eat vegetables and I do have the occasional fruit although it's usually 1/2 a fruit and not every day.  

Please follow the plan your dr wants you to follow to lose the weight & if you to do your own thing let him know about it so he can discuss with you why he wants you to follow the plan he has for you to lose weight, show him all the studies etc you have & discuss this b4 you have surgery.

There is an emphasis on a protein forward diet even after surgery for various reasons. I don't think anyone is telling you to give up fruits & vegetables, only to get your protein in first.Protein drinks will not satiate you as much as dense protein will. It's very easy to go overboard on fruit, especially in liquid form, way too many calories & sugar & leads to weight gain. You also won't be satiated on fruits & vegetables, balance is important. I believe that with the rny you need more protein because you're not absorbing as much. RNY & DS patients definitely need more protein, it's the whole malabsorption thing. I had the vsg, so for the most part I don't malabsorb as much so my protein levels don't have to be as high as a rny or ds'er. However the sugar in fruit is way too much to have it as a liquid based drink.

I'd emphasize the veggies in the drink & have a little fruit for taste, have a veggie based drink with some fruit rather than a fruit based drink. I think you can fit in a moderate amt of protein (not the shakes) & still have fruits & vegetables to lose weight, but discuss with your dr/nutritionist first to get a meal plan that you can live with.

I think you have to be careful right after surgery and follow the plan. As you get further along you can test the waters to see what agrees and works for you and what doesn't. I find this Bariatric Surgeon on You Tube very interesting: He talks about eating veggies....

http://youtu.be/4hf7KMEMA-Q

I did the ketosis thing pre-op. For the first month post op, I was getting most of my calories form protein shakes, so then too, I guess.  But by the time I was eating "real food" and finally able to exercise, I'd found success in "protein first" but balance in all things.  I was doing focused cardio 60 min per day 5 times per week.  Not over kill, but a good bit of activity. An active body needs carbs! I released the idea that I needed to "diet" and focused instead on behavior changes that I could sustain for a lifetime. Changes to favorite recipes to make them more protein dense, using protein enriched pasta and bread at home, etc. I lost weight on 1000-1200 calories per day of the things I wanted to eat. High protein, yes. Low carb, NO. Today, I still work out 5 days per week.  I still do 2 protein supplements per day, a scoop of whey in my coffee and a protein bar of some ilk in the afternoon. Usually one that will pass for a "cookie" :-) I eat what I like in small quantities. 85% of the time, it's pretty protein dense, but I don't necessarily sacrifice carbs to get there.  Admittedly, I don't get a lot of veggies and almost no fruit so I am compliant with my vitamins.  Occasionally I crave veggies, so I have veggies. Occasionally I crave a full fat desert, so I have some. (not 10, PART of ONE!) I try to listen to what my body is asking for now and provide it. It worked in my loss phase and has worked for the last 3 months since I've been in maintenance.  For me the secret to success has been exercise consistency and adapting to a lifestyle that I can sustain past the length of a "diet".

I love fruit, but I always pair it with a protein. I like fresh mozzarella with either watermelon or tomatoes. FF yogurt or cottage cheese over berries is also great. I am prone to really severe RH, so protein is even more crucial at each meal than it is for some people. You can enjoy fruit, but if you don't strike the proper balance, you risk RH, malnutrition, insufficient weight loss, or regain.