Protein Shakes - Do Ya'll Do Them?

I had trouble getting past the taste for about the first 6 weeks after surgery. Keeping the shake SUPER COLD and using a straw helped me get over the taste. Since six weeks, I have been having at least one protein shake a day (Worldwide Pure Protein Strawberry it's premade in a can - 30 g protein, 2 g carbs), as my breakfast, religiously. I notice when I have the protein shake for breakfast it takes me longer to get hungry again afterward than if I was to eat any other kind of "regular" breakfast food. It's not hard to do the shake instead of breakfast because most breakfast food is just carbs anyway. I even discovered a good high protein cereal but I would still be ravenous by 10:00. Sometimes I will have a shake also for lunch or for dinner, if I am running late and don't have time to cook, or if there are no good protein choices available. My doctors actually encourage 2 shakes a day, but I think on the whole, I'm doing ok with 1 and using real food at the other two meals. Good luck, Jen M

My doc says to find one (or 2 or 3) that I like and get used to them being a part of my everyday life. I have had one every morning for breakfast since about 6 weeks post op. I use 4 different flavors of the Nectar brands and I have a vanilla and chocolate that I love to mix with NF milk and coffee Now the thought that just because something is liquid doesn't give you any benefit is crazy. I will say from experience since my mom is 5 years post op that she "fell off the wagon" and stopped her protein shakes and ended up having significant side effects from low blood protein levels. The recommended ADA of protein is 40-60g for a normally plumbed person. My mom- at 5 years post op- has difficulty consuming enough food to get this much protein from diet alone. I'm sure it might be possible. But quite honestly then she'd be able to eat nothing but protein and who wants to do that? Then, you throw in the malabsorption factor and you are playing with fire. That said. Yes, I drink a shake everyday and I will continue to everyday. It's a great breakfast substitute and most of mine are less than 200 calories. Can't beat that with a stick I will also continue to have my blood protein, iron, and nutrion levels monitored for life. No sense of going through all this to end up dying of malnutrition... Karla 215/155/135

I hate most protein shakes and swear I'll never mix them again like I did for 2 weeks after surgery. I can't even look at the hand blender without thinking I'm gonna hurl! My surgeon requires 50-70 grams protein/day, so I drink an Atkins shake (very cold with a straw) for breakfast with 20 gr. protein, and at night I drink 2% milk with no sugar added chocolate powder and 1/2 scoop of unflavored protein powder for 20 more grams. It's the best I can do.