Why protein is important after Weight Loss Surgery?
It is essential that Weight Loss Surgery patients understand how important it is to ensure they are eating enough protein after their weight loss surgery. After gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, when people lose weight, they are not just losing fat, but muscle as well. As such one of the things that helps the body keep more muscle and minimizes the sagging skin is the consumption of protein. The human body cannot make protein without food intake, and it has no real way to store the protein either, as such it is very important to consume protein every day after weight loss surgery.
Protein comes from the Greek word proteis which means ‘of primary importance. It is an important factor of the human body and helps the body in many different ways:
- Protein is the building block of muscles. Higher muscle mass contributes to a better metabolism
- Protein is a fundamental aspect of any healthy diet
- Protein aids in proper wound healing after surgery
- Protein helps form hormones, enzymes and immune system antibodies that help our body function effectively.
- Protein helps patients build and keep their muscle mass, acting as a source of energy.
- Protein helps keep patient’s hair, skin, and nails strong
- Protein takes longer to digest and keeps the patient feeling full for longer periods of time
- Protein helps patients burn fat instead of muscle for healthier weight loss
- Protein supports patient`s metabolism so they may lose weight faster
- Protein helps curb hunger between meals (protein powder)
Patients after Weight Loss Surgery have a smaller stomach than before surgery and they will consume significantly fewer calories than before, making the choices critical so that there is really no room for empty calories. This does not mean that reducing the size of the stomach decreases their protein needs. In reality, the patient actually needs to have a goal of consuming a minimum of 90 grams of protein every day to help minimize muscle loss and to trigger weight loss. If their diet does not include enough protein, the patient might notice thinning or fragile hair or even hair loss, vitamins and mineral loss, fatigue, excess muscle break down, weakness, swelling of the feet and legs, nausea or increased hunger, weight loss stalls, among other consequences. So, patients must start every meal with protein, even when vegetables, fruits, and other carbohydrates are part of their diet, protein must be the priority. Patients must stick to lean protein sources that are low in fat but high in nutrient value such as grilled chicken, fish, or turkey.
Just right after the surgery, patients will get most of their protein from shakes. These meal supplements will help with their surgery recovery and get them on track for their new life. Once the patient reintroduces more solid foods into their diet, they need to make sure eating lean protein at every meal or snack is part of their regular routine. One key that most people don’t realize is that protein turns the fat in our body into insulin and then this gets burnt by the body, so for weight loss and losing the fat, protein is the key to success. Obviously, a patient’s surgeon will guide them by providing the best food options to eat after surgery as they recover from their procedure and it is the patient’s responsibility to follow those guidelines and dietary recommendations in order to ensure the best weight loss results. Weight Loss Team in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, for example, tries to educate all of their patients about the benefits of eating a healthy diet full of lean protein.
The key to success is having a strong eating strategy in order to have the right food choices available to you, which include their maximum nutrient intake while overcoming any emotional or mental eating cravings that can cause overeating. This strategy will help to prioritize how much protein you need, being completely aware of your diet at any point in time.
The use of protein supplements and protein shakes will help to balance out the patient’s daily intake of protein. Protein is part of every cell and organ in our body, so if a patient does not consume enough protein, they might not have enough of the nutrients they need to rebuild their muscles, lose the weight they need to lose and in the end be in poor health.
Weight loss surgery patients need adequate protein intake, always combining it with sufficient and regular water consumption. Every patient should be guided by their surgeon to make healthy dietary adjustments to have a healthier weight loss journey.
For more information regarding Clinics/ Hospitals and Weight Loss Options mentioned in this article:
Weight Loss Team – Bariatric Center at the CMQ Riviera Nayarit Hospital
Website: www.weightlossteam.com/
Email: info@weightlossteam.com
Telephone: Toll free 1(800) 404-9064 or + 1(818) 949-6911