How long did you drink protein shakes?

I had my pre-op workshop with the dietician on Tuesday, and they have in our materials that we only drink protein shakes for 7 weeks.  Is this right?  From what I've read on here, it seems that most people drink them for WAY longer than that.  How can you possibly get all your protein in if your not drinking shakes?   

Most doctors will say to drink them until you can eat all your minimums in protein.

I am nearly 3 years out, my labs show that no matter how much protein I EAT, that unless I supplement with 3 shakes a day, my serum protein crashes.  And while folks stress that your hair falls out, the *most* important part, to me, is that if you do not have enough protein, your body WILL find it, and it will find it in your muscles.  And your most wonderful muscle?

Your heart.

So.  Rule of thumb, follow doctor's orders realiizing your ability to consume  enough protein is limited at first, and also ultimately that your *labs* should tell you what YOU need to do (regarding protein, vitamins, et cetera) more than John Q. Public's guidelines. 

It is possible to get in all your protein from your meals later on but I found it quite the challenge. I saw my Kaiser dietitian 2 days ago & she wants me to get off the shakes if possible. I like drinking them, specially in the morning. Then again, I'm told by her that I only need 60 grams of protein a day but I strive for 80 grams a day since I know it's what's best for us. Alot of people can reach their protein goals without shakes. Maybe you can too. Good Luck!

At a year out, I still do two protein shakes a day that have 32g of protein in them. I would have to eat constantly to get it in with food, lol.  I don't mind though because I have found a brand that I like.  Good luck to you!

I still drink a protein shake every morning.  I'm lifting weights to try to build or at least not lose muscle mass, so I keep my protein over 100 grams.  Once I get to maintenance, I will start some serious recompositioning (adding muscle, losing fat), so I will continue to keep my protein high.

i'm only a few days Post op...but i plan on keeping protein drinks in permanently...even if it's 1 a day down the road.  i like them. and it will help.    i really like the atkins shakes.

I can get all my protein through food but still do a protein drink a day, usually for breakfast.  I still don't wake up very hungry (never have), and my dietitian wants a minimum of 20g of protein per meal, and particularly for breakfast.  The protein drinks make it easy to get the 20g or more without a lot of fuss.  I've never liked the cold drinks, except for Premier, so I make protein coffees, lattes, and steamers.  Lovely way to start the day!

I start my day with Whey Protein Isolate powder (Isopure dutch chocolate) in my coffee and I have it immediately after working out.  That works out to 1 1/2 shakes per day although I don't do them with milk.  I exercise a good bit, and I am now following a 1g protein per pound of body weight rule for female athletes as I train for several races.  

Every person is going to be different. I woulderr on the side of too much protein rather than too little. As long as you are keeping your calories and carbs down, protein you don't need to build or maintain muscle is burned as fuel.  That's actually the principal behind low-carb diets -- protein takes much longer to convert to blood sugar than carbs so it helps even out blood sugar and prevent spikes and crashes.

A lot of Nuts do not what you drinking your protein except for the first few weeks. I am 2 years out and I still drink 2 a day. I love my shakes and my Nut approves because it works for me.

I'm not a breakfast person. Never have been. So I usually start my day with a shake and then have a snack later in the morning. I eat the majority of my food during the middle of the day so when I get home from work I dont really want to eat. I have another shake at that time and then another snack before bedtime.

I honestly feel you have to find the right balance for you. Use your doctor's plan as a guideline and then adjust according to your needs. You will find a lot of Nuts/Dietitians recommend higher carbs than others so you will see a lot of OH members that say their Nut recommends 100+carbs a day but they have found they lose better/faster under 40. Again, it's all about finding what works the best for you!

Good Luck!!

You technically dont HAVE to drink them but I found that I could not possibly get enough protein in without them. Also, I found that I lose more with them. I only drink one a day, and am 2 months out.