Ditching the protein shakes

[New1 201]

Atkins shakes are palatable to me but the Protein is lower so you have to factor that in.

[McButterpants 2,846]

I am 8.5 months out - I tried to get rid of them, but re-introduced them at about 7 months, I realized I need them to keep my Protein numbers up and I find that my cravings are reduced with them.

My surgeon wants his patients to use real food, so he doesn't endorse using shakes forever. My local doc (also a bariatric surgeon) suggests using shakes to supplement.

It works for me to supplement now - I don't know if I will always use shakes, but I suspect I will. I work on creating different recipes and trying different things. vanilla, strawberry and chocolate by themselves gets old!

[lilijo 187]

My nut and surgeon prefer patients eating real food, but are okay with one Protein Shake a day. I'm almost 10 months out and usually start my day with a shake for Breakfast.< /p>

[LivingFree! 478]

As many have said here, we are all different and our surgeons all have different requirements, but nutrition is nutrition. Whether or not you supplement with Protein shakes after you are beyond your "safe" period (back on regular foods, for instance), the QUALITY of the Protein we eat is important too. Is it complete protein containing the 9 essential amino acids (obtained mostly from animal protein)? If we're eating mostly plant-based protein, our nutritional needs are different too. If we choose to drop the Protein Shakes, we just have to be smart about it and not compromise our health long-term.

I'm 3 years post-op and choose to still use one shake a day because it's just my insurance (and my laziness) that I've had 30 gm of high quality protein in my day.

[LKG 6]

@@SnohoGal98296 With Kaiser it is gradual. Weeks 3-4 the goal is 25-30g Protein a day. Weeks 5-6 the goal is 30-40 g. 3 months to 6 months the goal is 40-50 g. 6 to 9 months the goal is 50-60 g. 9 to 12 months the goal is 70%. So I am guessing 70 to 80 g. After 1 year all it says is to continue to eat your Protein first. You will still need to keep your portions small, at around 1 cup of food per meal.

[Kindle 8,667]

@@SnohoGal98296 With Kaiser it is gradual. Weeks 3-4 the goal is 25-30g Protein a day. Weeks 5-6 the goal is 30-40 g. 3 months to 6 months the goal is 40-50 g. 6 to 9 months the goal is 50-60 g. 9 to 12 months the goal is 70%. So I am guessing 70 to 80 g. After 1 year all it says is to continue to eat your Protein first. You will still need to keep your portions small, at around 1 cup of food per meal.

Hmmmm....those seem like pretty low protein goals. I was getting 50-60g by 1 week postop. Kaiser isn't hitting that goal until 6 months out? I would be concerned with hairloss and muscle wasting with such low protein levels for so long. Not to mention not getting enough protein in the early weeks when it is most important for for healing. But, like someone said, there are a lot of different plans out there. This one just doesn't make sense to me.

[tiredmama 137]

My surgeon wants me to get 80 grams of Protein a day using no more than 1 shake. Plus not supposed to eat more than 5 times a day total with only sugarfree liquids in between. No meal should be more than 1/2 cup of food total. It's almost impossible. I eat lots of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fish but don't usually get more than 65 grams of protein per day.

[geelynn 72]

What about making Protein shakes with fruit post-op? Nobody really seems to talk about fruit, and I think adding a whey Protein powder to greek yogurt with some fruit might be good?

[Kindle 8,667]

As I got closer to goal, I started adding fruit to my daily Protein smoothie....peaches, mangos, blueberries, blackberries, apples, etc. My absolute all time favorite is premier chocolate, 12oz milk and a banana. Mmmmmmm. I did discover, though, that citrus and pineapple do not go well in milk-based smoothies. Gives it a sour milk taste. They are fine with with Syntrax Nectar powders mixed with Water, though.

[want2besleeved 21]

<p>@@SnohoGal98296 With Kaiser it is gradual. Weeks 3-4 the goal is 25-30g Protein a day. Weeks 5-6 the goal is 30-40 g. 3 months to 6 months the goal is 40-50 g. 6 to 9 months the goal is 50-60 g. 9 to 12 months the goal is 70%. So I am guessing 70 to 80 g. After 1 year all it says is to continue to eat your protein first. You will still need to keep your portions small, at around 1 cup of food per meal. </p>

Hi LKG

What kaiser did you have your classes at? I'm taking the options 12 wk class in Sept so I'm such a newbie. I'd really love any and all details you cld give me of your kaiser experience so far..if you have the time

Thx- want2besleeved

[kpay10 95]

@@SnohoGal98296 With Kaiser it is gradual. Weeks 3-4 the goal is 25-30g Protein a day. Weeks 5-6 the goal is 30-40 g. 3 months to 6 months the goal is 40-50 g. 6 to 9 months the goal is 50-60 g. 9 to 12 months the goal is 70%. So I am guessing 70 to 80 g. After 1 year all it says is to continue to eat your Protein first. You will still need to keep your portions small, at around 1 cup of food per meal.

I'm with Kaiser, too, and I'm expected to be getting 75 grams of protein at 3 months out. I was never given a gradual plan.

[TheCurvyJones 721]

At just about 20 months out, I drink a shake a day, sometimes two. I just cannot ingest enough food to hit my Protein goals and I got tired of being lightheaded and listless. I tried to dump them, but it was nearly impossible to eat enough food. I hope the OP is able to find a shake that works in the long term. I did recently decide to dump the bars.... there's too much sugar/carbs in them for me to feel comfortable eating them. I usually eat the special K bars. Atkins bars have lower sugar but my stomach just doesn't like them, so... no bars, just shakes for me!

[TheCurvyJones 721]

What about making Protein shakes with fruit post-op? Nobody really seems to talk about fruit, and I think adding a whey Protein Powder to greek yogurt with some fruit might be good?

Depends on your body and your food issues. Fruit makes me crave and gives me a sugar rush. I may as well eat a Snickers!

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

i cannot tolerate a lot of fruit. its too much sugar for me.

but i didnt tolerate the Protein powders either. so i mixed milk and plain fage greek yogurt with a tablespoon honey or maple syrup... and sometimes cocoa powder.

this gave me plenty of Protein and i was able to tolerate just fine.

[Forsythia 882]

I've not been able to get more than 50g of Protein without a shake or bar to supplement my normal food intake. I have days where I will have a Quest bar and a particularly meaty food day and have gotten 70 or so grams of Protein. But without either a shake or a bar? Nope. There is just no room in the tank. As it is some days I just feel like all I am doing is eating or drinking and I'm still below protein goal.