So I need to start preparing for my pre-op diet, and im clueless about what Protein shakes to purchase? any recomendations?? like what do I eat, whats allowe, what should I buy? protein wise? low cal? so many questions! bless your sweet heart for the help!

-Pamela

The only requirement they gave me was at least 15 grams of Protein and less that 5 grams of carbs. I love the Atkins Caramel Cafe shakes they are too good to be diet. I'll be using them, Good Luck!

Go on ebay and check out MUSCLE MILK you will want the lite. These are people in business, and they have 12 or more flavors. You won't find that in a GNC. These big jugs that they sell come in some Great Flavors I like cookies n cream, chocolate peanut butter blend, strawberry cream, and vanilla cream. Even the Dr. & Dietitian said this is what you should be drinking. I never switched to anything else. It is good stuff. Banded 10/31/2006

Do you have the Nutritionist at your doctors office? For ready to drink I like Premier chocolate from costco. I find Vitamin Shoppe to have the best prices. I would go in and ask them what flavors people like best. My doctor calls for whey Isolate. There are different kinds of Whey so ask which ones are Isolate. It will be more expensive but it's easier for your body to digest. I like Dymatize Vanilla and Gold Standard Double Chocolate.

I recommend the Hamilton Beach individual blender; the mixing part is a travel cup ($15 at Walmart). I make Milk Cubes (2) and mix the shake in a blender. Gives it a frosty texture.

My surgeon's office has me on Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacement shakes (2 scoops of powder with 8 oz skim milk).

I can have 3 shakes a day with 1 frozen meal under 320 calories (lean cuisine, etc). I can also have veggies (no dip) lettuce with wishbone spritzer salad dressing and sugar free jello. I start on Tuesday, Feb 22. During one of our classes with the dietician we got to try them before buying too. A little thick but not horrible. They are so complete that you do not need to take a multi-vitamin if you choose not to.

Good Luck!

PURE Protein has 21 or 23 grams of protein and about 110 or 120 calories. I only like the Cookies N Creme, don't really like their vanilla or chocolate. I have only found it at Target which seems to be out a lot of this flavor

I just grabbed a few different brands that had higher protein and found I like this one best, you will probably have to do some trial and error as well

For me I only like the pre-made ones, the powders are gross. My favorite is Myoplex Lite, choc and vanilla are good they have 20g Protein each. The Pure Protein is pretty good too, I know they make one w/ 35g protein. But I felt the Myoplex tasted a little better.

The Atkins are good too, but the protein wasn't high enough for me.

I'm with Heather, the powders are gross. We even bought some high dollar super stuff from my chiro's office, and I really just can't drink it, it's just as gross as the rest!

I use Bariatric Fusion and I LOVE IT! (www.bariatricfusion.com) I use the powder and it is really good. And I am lactose intolerant and I mix it with water and it is still good. Fills me right up and I don't have any problems.

hmmmm, might have to give that a try.....

I use Bariatric fusion and I LOVE IT! (www.bariatricfusion.com) I use the powder and it is really good. And I am lactose intolerant and I mix it with Water and it is still good. Fills me right up and I don't have any problems.

My preference is Isopure Zero Carb - you can use it for up to 3 'shakes' a day (you have to have something with carbs for the other two). It is 40 grams (160 calories) of pure lactose free Protein, clear like crystal light, and is awesome over ice or made into a slushie, or even used as the cold Water in Jello.

Other than that, Aitkins chocolate shakes are okay but not great (for my palette), muscle milk strawberries and creme is fantastic (for me), even the powder. You really have to try all sorts of shakes to see what you like best. Start with a flavor, if you like Nesquick strawberry milk, you'll like Muscle Milk Strawberries and Creme, if you like chocolate milk, you'll probably like Gold Standard chocolate. If you like fruity flavors you'll probably like IsoPure fruit flavors (Orange, Mango, etc.) if you just want something more liquid and like kool-aid you'll like IsoPure Zero Carb.

It's all about testing. Fortunately, if you have too much of any one shake that you aren't very keen on you can mix it with one you like until they're gone.

i would totaly recommend the isopure for a drink 0 carb 0 cal 40 g Protein in a bottle and the best flavors are grape and apple melon no bother with the others, the other flavors also leave a dry mouth feeling which these flavors dont.

I also used the muscle milk lite i got vanilla creme and i get mine at the Vitamin shoppe they are the cheapest anywhere and sign up for there card and get points! i buy the isopure by the case there with the hubby also the Muscle milk in the big jar too! but i would also buy a few bottles of diffrent flavors and maybe try which one you like first its really a person to person tastebud thing!

My Nutritionist told me that the rules for Protein drinks are:

- Approximately 100 calories

- Greater than 12 grams of Protein

- Less than 3 grams of Fat

- Between 8-13 grams of Carbohydrates (dependent upon protein & fat content)

The brands she reccomended are Pure Protein, Muscle Milk Lite, and Medifast.

My pre-operative diet is for 7 days, and they said between days 1-6 I can also consume:

- Carnation Instant Breakfast with skim or 1% milk,

- Jello-O pudding sugar free, fat free,

- Yoguart - non fat and no sugar added (i.e. Dannon Light, Stoneyfield, Columbo Light, Axelrod, Turkey Hill frozen, Fage, or Chobani Greek Yoguart)

- Soups low-fat (3 or less grams per serving)

On the 7th day:

-broth

-Jello

- Ice

-Clear fruit juice (apple/White grape)

-Tea

Pre-operatively, my nutritionist says that I should have 1200 calories per day, 175 grams of carbohydrate per day, 85 grams of protein per day, and 12 grams of fat per day.

My operation is scheduled for March 10th, and I'm so nervous. I'm actually not sure if I want to go through with it still.

My surgeon's office has me on Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacement shakes (2 scoops of powder with 8 oz skim milk).

Mine recommended the same, but despite having dropped the cash on it, I just can't do it... I tried a few different combinations to make them bearable, but they're disgusting. I'd rather starve than force them down.

Thankfully I have a few friends who've had the surgery and one of them recommended Muscle Milk Light. She had some of the powders left over from when she went through the liquid phase and let me have them... SOOOOO much better!

So far I've only tried the Vanilla Creme (she recommended blending with frozen berries, which I haven't tried yet, but will) and the Cookies n' Creme. I'm going to be picking up the chocolate Milk and banana Creme flavors this week.

My operation is scheduled for March 10th, and I'm so nervous. I'm actually not sure if I want to go through with it still.

I'm scheduled for March 1st... also nervous and while I have pockets of questioning whether or not I want to do it, I know I don't want to waste any more time with trying and failing.

The woman who did my psych evaluation had her lap band surgery done 10 years ago in Mexico before it was legal here. She showed me pictures of what she looked like before and told me about how many times she tried and failed at different weight loss methods. Even when she saw success, it was always short lived and the weight always came back (and then some). The lap band has helped her maintain her goal weight ever since she reached it.

So whenever I think about bailing on it, I just remember what she said... it helps strengthen my resolve.

If it's the surgery itself that has you worried, I'll let you know how it goes! I did have my gall bladder removed laproscopically when my son was about 3 weeks old and it was nothing. I was up and about that night, so hopefully this will be as easy.

Thanks for the support. I am very scared about the surgery, but even more so about life after the surgery. I'm nervous about being sick to my stomach, not fitting in with my friends anymore, feeling pain, having children one day, having people judge me because I've had to go through such extreme measures to get to a healthy weight. Please let me know how your surgery goes on the 1st. I'm wondering how quickly most people return to work, I've only taken off 5 days, and I'm hoping that will be enough. Good luck on your surgery, ttyl.

-CJ

I'm scheduled for March 1st... also nervous and while I have pockets of questioning whether or not I want to do it, I know I don't want to waste any more time with trying and failing.

The woman who did my psych evaluation had her lap band surgery done 10 years ago in Mexico before it was legal here. She showed me pictures of what she looked like before and told me about how many times she tried and failed at different weight loss methods. Even when she saw success, it was always short lived and the weight always came back (and then some). The lap band has helped her maintain her goal weight ever since she reached it.

So whenever I think about bailing on it, I just remember what she said... it helps strengthen my resolve.

If it's the surgery itself that has you worried, I'll let you know how it goes! I did have my gall bladder removed laproscopically when my son was about 3 weeks old and it was nothing. I was up and about that night, so hopefully this will be as easy.