Is it unrealistic, at 4 weeks post-op to expect to get the majority of your Protein from food rather than shakes? I am really struggling to get more than 40 gms from food and all I ever eat is protein. Last couple of days, I've been doing one shake a day but it's just really not making the grade and I'm missing the protein quota of 80 gms.

What's a realistic timeframe to give up the shakes?

I've kind of gotten my head around Protein shakes for breakfast for the indefinite future. I don't mind them as long as it is only one per day.

I just found Greek Style Cottage cheese by Kemps with 19 grams of protein. It comes in the small containers like the yogurt. It's thick and creamy. Very good surprisingly and a nice change.

My dr recommends a Protein shake everyday forever, thinking that there's no way I can get in 80 gms of protein eating as much as I do. I'm 7 weeks out and drink maybe 1 a day at most. Sometimes I only drink 1/2 of one. I'm getting pretty sick of em and can't imagine drinking them forever. I was sposed to drink 1 forever after my lapband almost 4 yrs ago. After the first month, I never drank another one till my revision 7 weeks ago.

It's a good idea, however, since I don't really count my protein. Hate counting anything...

I don't really mind the two shakes we have (chike coffee and Syntrax mint chocolate cookie). It's just that by the time I have slogged through the solid food, I have NO hunger, and no room to stuff down a second shake.

I can reliably eat 2 oz of food at a time, so I eat four-five times a day, which means I eat every 3-4 hours. And of course in the middle of all that, 64 oz of Water or at least 48 oz of water must be consumed. So eat at 8am-12-4-7 pm and I'm so stuffed by then!

I'm just plumb out of daylight. My husbands suggestion is I should wake up earlier and start eating at 6 am. Rrrriiiiiigggghhhhttt. He was irritated at me when I laughed at that . Him with 4 oz at a time capacity, what does he know?

At 13 months, I love Protein shakes! I am a weirdo.

Up to 3 Protein shakes a day:

1. Breakfast - chia seed and muscle milk cake batter shake - 50 g (2 scoops)

2. Post work out - synth 6 Cookies and cream - 50 g (2 scoops)

3. Night time - ON gold standard double chocolate casein shake - 48-60 g (2-3 scoops, I like a certain consistency like pudding).

The calories are high, but it does not seem to matter. My body likes it and I am able to build lean muscle while weight is staying within +-2-3 lb of current goal weight (175 lb @ 5'11")

I do not always have 1 and 2 because some days I will have protein oatmeal (40 G Protein Powder mixed in) or a recovery bar like AMRAP.

I do not see myself giving up protein shakes anytime soon because they are so yummy and help me hit high protein goals. I also have lean Proteins and veggies for the other 4 meals. Total of around 2000-2300 calories a day. About 30-60 min exercise a day @ 5 days a week.

Another alternative to shakes if you are borderline is the protein hot chocolate from Healthwise or their cappuccino protein drink. I have it every night as a kind of "dessert" with a few pumps of sugar free creme de menthe syrup. 15g protein for the hot chocolate and if you make it with a cup of milk, that's even more! This tastes like normal hot chocolate to me- can't taste the protein at all. It's a really nice nightcap before bed. I'm 8 weeks out from surgery and get between 60-80g per day. My average is 70g- all from food and my hot chocolate.

Another alternative to shakes if you are borderline is the Protein hot chocolate from Healthwise or their cappuccino protein drink. I have it every night as a kind of "dessert" with a few pumps of sugar free creme de menthe syrup. 15g protein for the hot chocolate and if you make it with a cup of milk' date=' that's even more! This tastes like normal hot chocolate to me- can't taste the protein at all. It's a really nice nightcap before bed. I'm 8 weeks out from surgery and get between 60-80g per day. My average is 70g- all from food and my hot chocolate. [/quote']

Ooh that sounds yummy. Where did you find it? Only protein hot chocolate I see on amazon is ProtiDiet. So it can be heated hot without the protein getting denatured?

Ooh that sounds yummy. Where did you find it? Only Protein hot chocolate I see on amazon is ProtiDiet. So it can be heated hot without the protein getting denatured?

Nope' date=' it still has to be under boiling...I stick my cup of milk in the microwave for 1 min 10 seconds and it gets it warm but not hot- but warm enough to definitely count as hot chocolate. I get mine from my surgeon's office usually, but amazon has it- strange thing is it's made by Health Wise, but they let companies rename it when they sell it, so it's incredibly hard to know if you're getting the right product or not. I ordered this from Amazon hoping it would be the right thing, and whew, it was! [url']http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJOYTAS?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links[/url]

If it's true that our bodies can only absorb or make use of only so much protein in one meal, I think doing half a shake is reasonable and maybe easier to fit in with the rest of the food you are eating .... Or the protein water which counts towards ur fluid intake and is less calories than shakes ...

If it's true that our bodies can only absorb or make use of only so much Protein in one meal' date=' I think doing half a shake is reasonable and maybe easier to fit in with the rest of the food you are eating .... Or the protein Water which counts towards ur Fluid intake and is less calories than shakes ...[/quote']

The protein water sounds like a good idea. Too bad everyone seems to hate Isopure.

At 13 months' date=' I love Protein shakes! I am a weirdo.

Up to 3 Protein shakes a day:

1. Breakfast - chia seed and muscle milk cake batter shake - 50 g (2 scoops)

2. Post work out - synth 6 Cookies and cream - 50 g (2 scoops)

3. Night time - ON gold standard double chocolate casein shake - 48-60 g (2-3 scoops, I like a certain consistency like pudding).

The calories are high, but it does not seem to matter. My body likes it and I am able to build lean muscle while weight is staying within +-2-3 lb of current goal weight (175 lb @ 5'11")

I do not always have 1 and 2 because some days I will have protein oatmeal (40 G Protein powder mixed in) or a recovery bar like AMRAP.

I do not see myself giving up protein shakes anytime soon because they are so yummy and help me hit high protein goals. I also have lean Proteins and veggies for the other 4 meals. Total of around 2000-2300 calories a day. About 30-60 min exercise a day @ 5 days a week.[/quote']

I would have to spend my entire day eating to get in that many calories I'm glad it's working so well with your fitness routine. You look great.

My surgeon's daily plan is 3 meals of no more than 3 ounces each' date=' and no Snacks, for six months after surgery. After six months you can increase your meal size to 4 ounces, but still no snacks until you reach your goal weight. So for me I don't think there is any way I'll be giving up shakes until I hit maintenance and that's a long way off.[/quote']

Does s/he expect that even early on? Yeah I can see how it wouldn't be possible to get enough Protein with 12 oz!

I'm 8 weeks and my surgeon said I should be getting most Protein from food. I'm allowed 3 meals' date=' 4oz each. I still have a shake for breakfast every morning because if not, I don't get enough protein.[/quote']

I'm doing a shake in the morning too. Are you doing the rest with just food? That gives me hope that maybe in a few weeks I might get there too.

The Protein Water sounds like a good idea. Too bad everyone seems to hate isopure.

Yeah I'm not a fan of the Isopure or any of the other protein waters. Yuck. But, an option if u are having a tough time getting in enough protein. IF you can choke it down, LOL!

I struggled so much getting shakes down' date=' it slowed my Fluid consumption. They lasted only through the purée stage (one a day at that point), but my Protein goal is lower than yours at 63 vs. 80. I drank milk 3x a day (okay to add a little cocoa) and only the highest protein foods possible until I could increase my food capacity upwards a bit.[/quote']

It's possible I'm over doing the protein. It's for a very annoying reason. My husband doesn't track, and I know he needs 80. So rather than track two inputs, I just am trying to monitor both of us together. I figure as long as he makes most of the meals, then it's only fair that I should track I'm kidding, I'd track it for him anyway. But maybe I only need to hit 65 or so and should not worry about it after that point.

I'm about 10 weeks out & I still have my espresso shake every morning mostly because I like it. However' date=' if I wasn't drinking it I think I would have to work harder on getting enough Protein in. Most days I hit 70-80g protein range just fine, but if my shake was taken out of the equation it would be much more difficult to do. You've seen my food diary, so you know I eat pretty decently, but the shake is definitely a crucial protein boost.[/quote']

Yeah I do the chike coffee every morning too. Need to try your recipe! I have to get espresso powder before I can. Btw, I can see your diary but not your recipes, at least on the app.