Ditching the protein shakes

[LKG 6]

@@want2besleeved I went to Fresno. Two hours away from where I live. I wasn't give any information on a 12-week class. We had the info meeting in Manteca and then to meet the surgeons and go to their class, I went to Fresno. Once I picked my surgeon we had a group class with just him. That was all the classes that I had. I had Dr. Adolfo Alvarez. Love him.

[LKG 6]

@@kpay10 In the book that Fresno gave me, that is how they are breaking it down. What Kaiser did you have yours at?

[Texasmeg 568]

I am 7 mos out amd was told at the beginning I needed 80 - 85 grams of Protein a day. I called the NUT the other day, realizing I had lost 70 lbs and this might have changed. She told me to drop it to 60 - 65 grams per day. I drink one muscle milk light (20 grams) most days to meet that requirement.

[Kissifur 244]

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.

I had my surgery through Kaiser WLA and I wish there was a gradual increase with protein. It is way pass stressful trying to get 75-80 gms from day one. Which I gave up trying really early on. I wasn't getting that much protein before surgery so now I focus on protein as much as possible.

[newme1 2]

i hate the shakes. have tried so many ready made, but they all make me gag....

hoping to add berries at some point, but not sure when that would be safe to do.

[Lucrezia Borgia 35]

I'm 7 months out with very good restriction and a very busy work schedule with no breaks in my 12+ hour days. No way could I eat enough to get in all my Protein. I still have a 30-40g protein smoothie every day that I drink between appointments. I add Suprafiber or Metamucil and benefiber to the smoothie, so I'm getting a lot of my Fiber, too. And at 24-32 oz, it's a good portion of my fluids.

Maybe if all I did was graze all day on the weekends (between ranch chores, yard work, housework and playing ) I could probably get enough protein through regular food. But at this point the smoothie is easy, tastes delicious and has the best absorbed form of protein out there (Whey isolate) so I have no plans to give it up.

Hi...I'm scheduled for my vsg in mid Sept, so I'm looking ahead to post op - what shakes do you use?

[Kindle 8,667]

Premier chocolate and strawberry ( didn't really like their vanilla)...diluted with skim milk because all RTD shakes are too sweet and thick for me. Muscle Milk banana cream, cake batter and velvet cake. Syntrax Matrix vanilla. Syntrax. nectar cherry, lemonade, apple and fuzzy navel. Garden of Life Raw Fit original and Raw Protein chocolate and vanilla (The protein source in these is sprouted seeds and I started drinking these when I developed a bit of lactose intolerance postop.) That resolved after about 4 months but I still drink them. There are so many other brands and flavors out there. These are just the ones I found that I liked.

I use Torani SF syrups or Mio and Dasani Water drops to mix up the flavors. I.e. Mio tangerine + Matrix vanilla = dreamsicle. I also add peaches, mangos, bananas and berries. I usually mix the chocolate and vanilla powders with milk (even more protein) and the fruit flavors and GOL with water.

I added Unjury unflavored Protein Powder to every kind of broth and cream Soup and bisque I could find for a savory alternative to the sweet shakes. I also use the protein powders to flavor plain Greek yogurt...really cuts down on the carbs instead of getting presweetened yogurt. Garden of Life vanilla mixed with yogurt and milk makes a great protein rich pudding.< /p>

Good luck!

Edited August 4, 2014 by Kindle

[McButterpants 2,846]

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?

@@geelynn, I put in a couple of strawberries and some blueberries in my shakes. It adds texture. Sometimes I'll add 1" of banana, too. I always use low-glycemic fruits - I wouldn't add a lot of really ripe banana or pineapple or high glycemic things like that.

It helps bulk them up!

[jess9395 5,449]

<p>i hate the shakes. have tried so many ready made, but they all make me gag....</p> <p>hoping to add berries at some point, but not sure when that would be safe to do.</p>

Have you tried powders? I can't do any ready made only powders

[Lucrezia Borgia 35]

What kind are you drinking? I like Premier chocolate and strawberry, Garden of Life vanilla and chocolate, Syntrax Matrix vanilla, Syntrax Nectar cherry, lemonade, apple and peach, and Muscle Milk banana, cake batter and red velvet cake. I also add coffee, PB2, fresh fruit, 100% juice, and Torani SF syrups for flavor variety. I dilute the RTD versions with milk to cut the sweetness and thickness and dilute the powders with at least 50% more liquid than what the directions say. There's so many options available, you might try different ones to find something that doesn't make you gag.

Thanks for your suggestions! I'm still about a month from surg date, so I'm trying out various shakes now to find some I like for the 2 wk pre op liquid diet and then post op for Protein. Glad to see so many options and ways to get creative with them :-)

[Movinon 33]

I am about 5-6 weeks out, and find it so difficult to choke a shake down. I just almost gag no matter what I try then I experience horrible stomach cramps after. I am down 32 pounds, and try to eat anything I can get down Protein first, however I find I am only averaging 350 cal/day which I know is not good.

Does anyone out there have these issues ?

Q

[mrsbshe 21]

I stop drinking Protein shakes the second week out. I can't stand them too sweet.

I eat Protein every 2 to 3 hours and I'm doing fine.

I'm in my 6th week

Edited August 9, 2014 by mrsbshe

[lisi287 4]

I've never drank shakes or any Protein drinks. I just couldnt stomach them at all. It was either drink them and vomit or not drink them at all. I chose the cleaner option. My nurse told us at our first meeting that if we couldn't get the Protein Drinks down, we could drink a glass of milk and it was fine.

[jmoorez 0]

Try the Atkins Advantage shakes (I get mine at WalMart); I like the vanilla. I can add strawberries or blueberries for a treat.

[Pugmadkate 61]

I'm five weeks out and ditched the Protein shakes two weeks ago. I just couldn't tolerate them anymore. Between eating eggs, chicken, Greek yogurt and tuna plus drinking low sugar/high carb milk I'm able to get in my daily Protein.