New Product Review-Enlightened Crisps

This past weekend I picked up a pack of Enlightened Broad Bean Crisps.  I was pretty skeptical at first…seriously a crunchy salty snack with only 100 calories and 7g protein?  Probably tastes like cardboard right?

No!!!  They were delicious!!  OMG it was hard not to devour the entire bag!

I threw them in our pool bag, and had our whole group trying to grab a few more.  Everyone that tried them loved them!  I found this bag in our local grocery store, but there are several other flavors out there, which I plan to order online.

If you’re looking for a crunchy, yummy snack to take with you anywhere, I promise you will fall in love with these roasted broad bean’s!

 

      

 

 

 

The Beginner’s Guide to Macro and Micronutrients

Today’s guest post comes from Monica Nichols…see her bio at the end of post!

The two most-used terms in nutrition nowadays are probably micronutrients and macronutrients. And it’s no surprise, since they’re one of the most important aspects of building a healthy diet and promoting a healthy lifestyle. When you know a sufficient amount about micro and macronutrients, it becomes much easier to plan a perfect meal that will give your body everything that it requires on a daily basis. Simply put, a “nutrient” is any organic or inorganic molecule that the body requires in order to properly maintain all the processes inside of our cells. It could be a vitamin, a protein or just about anything else. One of the most popular classifications of nutrients is based on how much of them our body needs. Hence, we get the following classification comprising of macronutrients (molecules that our bodies need a lot of) and micronutrients (those that we need in smaller quantities).

This article is going to be a quick guide to the most basic macro and micronutrients, precisely why our bodies require them and why it’s a really bad idea to let yourself become deficient in any of them.

Macronutrients

As I already mentioned, macronutrients are molecules that our bodies require in large quantities. There are three types of macronutrients out there: proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates (or carbs, as they’re regularly abbreviated) have a singular function within our organism – to provide energy. When food that contains carbohydrates is ingested, these molecules are metabolized into a more simple form of sugar called glucose. Glucose is incredibly important in our bodies, as it is the bread and butter of our body’s energy supply. Our brain needs it in ample doses to keep functioning properly, which is why people on low-carb diets can sometimes feel that their mental functions are somewhat impaired – their brains simply don’t have enough glucose to continue operating at 100% efficiency.

Carbs are somewhat of a double-edged sword, however; because they’re almost pure energy, over the centuries our bodies have adapted to respond really well to them by releasing large amounts of the feel-good hormone dopamine into our bloodstream. In other words, carbs are always welcome in our bodies and we don’t always know when we’ve had enough, which means that it’s really easy to overeat with carbs – much more so than with fats and proteins.

Hair Loss After Weight Loss Surgery

It’s been a few months since your bariatric surgery, and it happens…gobs of hair in the drain, strands all over your hairbrush, maybe even a few thin looking patches on your head.  It’s one of the most common complaints and worries about weight loss surgery.  How to keep it to a minimum is one of the most frequently asked questions.

According to the Obesity Action Coalition, major surgery and acute weight loss are two common reasons for hair loss, and according to Penn Medicine, because hair is made of protein, lack of protein can be a major cause of hair loss.

Soooo, how can you prevent it from happening?  Well, you can’t, not completely.  However, you CAN prevent it from being a big deal, and keep that shedding down to a minimum.

For heavens sake, supplement that protein!!  This is the number one reason that major hair loss happens after gastric bypass surgery.  You absolutely cannot eat enough protein in the first 6-18 months after surgery without supplementing.  I hear often that the thick shake types are hard to get down after surgery, so here is a couple fruity ones to try.  Also, if it’s just too much fluid, try protein shots.

 

Lift Protein, Berry                                                                                                       Nectar, Fuzzy Navel

 Proti Diet, Pink Lemonade

 

BariWise, Cran-Grape                                                                          ProBalance, Strawberry Splash

 

Please, please take your vitamins!  Not Flinstones people…those are for kids!  You need to take a grown-up vitamin, preferably one for bariatric patients.  There are tons out there that keep your levels up, as well as taste good.

Bariatric Multi                                            Bariatric Iron               Bariatric Calcium 

 

Many people have said Biotin has worked wonders for them.  I personally have not tried it, but it certainly can’t hurt to keep that hair where it belongs, on your head instead of down the drain!

   

Natrol Biotin                                                      HairAnew

 

If hair loss seems overly excessive, think you can see your scalp excessive, or continues past your one year mark, please see your doc.  Also remember to go in regularly for vitamin checks, to make sure your levels are up where they should be!

 

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/metabolic-and-bariatric-surgery-blog/2012/june/hair-loss-after-weight-loss-surgery

 

 

 

15 Best Ready-to-Eat Gastric Bypass Snacks

If you’re anything like me, you need food to be on had all the time.  I stash food around like a squirrel storing up for winter.  This keeps my blood sugar even all day, and keeps me from making any kind of convince store stops, or running through the nearest drive through.  I’ve already posted about great snacks that you can make/keep at home (read it here) but they aren’t all very portable.  So I scoured around, and found 15 of the top rated snacks that meet our protein needs, are low in sugars, and are portable!

#1:  Kay’s Naturals Gluten Free Protein Pretzels in Jalapeño Honey Mustard

#2:  Pure Protein Crunch Chocolate

#3:  Ostrim Snack Stick, Teriyaki

#4:  Lenny & Larry’s The Complete Cookie, Chocolate Chip

#5:  New Whey Nutrition Protein Shots, Fruit Punch

#6:  Caveman Chicken Bites, Applewood Smoked BBQ

#7: Tanka Bar, Natural Buffalo Cranberry Bar

#8: Crucha Ma-Me Edamame Veggie Snack, Lightly Seasoned 

#9:  Power Crunch Bar

#10:  Think Thin Protein Nut Bar, Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel 

#11: Fit Joy, Frosted Cinnamon Roll

#12: Quest Protein Chips, BBQ

 

#13: Optimum Nutrition Protein Water, Icy Blue Raspberry

 

#14: RAP Protein Gummies, Strawberry Flavor 

#15:  Smash Pack, Fruit & Protein-Tropical Fruit

So here’s my current fav 15…please comment below and let me know what you keep on hand for portable protein!

 

 

Nutritional Deficiencies

Hair loss seems to be one of the biggest topics asked about after gastric bypass.  Right on the heels of this seems to be lots of comments about how “I get enough protein in with food alone” from people who had their surgeries like two minutes ago.

Let’s get real here.  You CANNOT get enough protein from food alone right after your gastric bypass surgery.  It is PHYSICALLY impossible!  Even if by some miracle you are able to eat enough food, your bypassed small intestine are not absorbing all the protein out of the foods you eat.  Same goes for vitamins, and why we need vitamin supplements also.

Hair loss is only one complication of lack of protein and vitamin deficiencies.  Anemia, bone disease, eye problems, and skin rashes are just some of the other problems that can occur.  A dietician I worked with at one of my local hospitals said they have seen numerous patients coming into the ER with medical problems due to being non-compliant.

Please, follow your doctors advice, and supplement with protein and vitamins after your surgery.  It’s not just a scheme you’re being told to do this; it’s for your own health and your own good.  Supplementing doesn’t just have to be vanilla protein powder in a blender either!  There are soooo many tasty supplements out there.  Proti Diet is one of my favorites, and comes in everything from soups to pancakes to chocolate cake!  If you like fruity flavors that will mix right into your Crystal Light, Nectar is a good choice.  Bariatric Fusion makes great tasting vitamins as well as protein powered.  I’ve included a few Amazon links to get you started.

Bariatric Fusion Variety Pack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bariatric Fusion Soft Chews-Iron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proti Diet Hot Cocoa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nectar Grab N Go variety pack

 

 

 

 

 

For further reading:

http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource-articles-2/weight-loss-surgery/protein-supplements-weight-loss-surgery

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/809195_8

Fav protein bars

I love protein bars. They are such a portable way to get energy, make a great meal substitution, and satisfy my sweet tooth. I’ve tried so many brands, but some are too heavy, some are chalky, or taste like sawdust. Of course, everyone’s tastes are different, but here is a list of my favorites, and they are all rated 4 stars or higher on Amazon.com too!

Quest: These bars are dense and satisfying. I like that they give you a “full” feeling, but are still very low in sugar, and high in protein.

Pure Protein: Bars similar in texture to Quest bars; they also come in a variety of flavors, are low sugar, and very high in protein.

The Simply Bar protein bar: I like that these bars bars have a light and airy texture. and are low in sugar.

Power Crunch Bar: Wafer type protein bars. My personal fav is the French Vanilla; tastes just like dessert!

Clif Builders Bar: Very filling, good taste and texture.

Supreme Protein Carb Conscious: Great flavor, and 15g of protein in each bar.

Luna Protein Bar: I love that these bars have fiber as well as protein. Helps to keep you full.

(The above bars can be found at Better Bariatric and Amazon.com)