Q: My wife is about to have lap band surgery. Her dietician for the bariatric firm says the Zone Shakes do not have enough protein. She is worried that she will not consume enough protein and thus have hair loss, etc. How would shrinking the size of the stomach with the band affect how protein is digested? Won't she just have to eat more frequent, much smaller meals? Won't her metabolism be imbalanced if she eats more protein than is recommended by the Zone Diet? We have been using Zone products for about six months and enjoy them. I am very satisfied with my progress, but my wife has not been able to properly plan meals and to sustain any measurable weight loss. We would love to know your thoughts on this bariatric tool and especially if you think she can eat Zone-friendly mini-meals (grazing, I think you call it) after the band surgery.
Reggie
Dear Reggie,
A: It would be better if she learned to properly plan Zone meals. There are hundreds of recipes on zonediet.com that are quite simple to make. Lap band surgery is a short-term measure. If she still doesn’t follow the Zone Diet after her surgery, she will gain all her weight back. That said, if she does have the procedure, the shakes would be an excellent way to obtain adequate amounts of protein. Mixed with 2-percent milk, they equal 21 grams of protein. The stomach will digest the protein; however, it's the amount of liquids your wife can consume at one time that may be the limiting factor. Consider, sipping the shake over a period of time. Yes, her hormones (insulin) will be imbalanced if she eats more protein than recommended. More proteins and no carbs put one into ketosis, which should be avoided. Many bariatric surgeons recommend the Zone after the procedure. Consuming a balanced diet (the Zone), controlling insulin, and supplementing with OmegaRx are crucial for everyone. Grazing with smaller, more frequent Zone meals is fine.