Shakes Versus Bars - Switching Back

[heynowkc 329]

My instructions are to have three meals, plus two Protein "snacks" (a bar or a shake) per day. No matter what shakes I drink I find them to be nauseating, so for a while I switched to the bars (Quest bars) and was eating two of those a day, or occassionally a bar plus a shake a day. (Premier Protein Shakes.)

But I'm just finding it too hard to get all of my protein in when I just do the bars so I'm switching back to shakes at least once, if not twice daily. I'm not super happy about it, but I just don't know any other way right now to get enough protein in. Some days it works out, but other days if I'm not paying attention I'm way under goal. Did anyone else find it too hard to get enough protein in when they don't drink shakes? (Or am I the only one dumb enough to have cut out shakes at all?)

One thing I haven't tried is making smoothies or adding fruit to my shakes. I may have to start trying some recipes soon because I dread the shakes like you have no idea.

[James Marusek 5,244]

The Protein requirement is a combination of the Protein that you consume in your meals combined with the protein consumed in protein supplements (protein shakes and protein bars). I am 22 months post-op RNY surgery and I consume around 65 grams of protein each day from my high protein meals alone so I have completely transitioned off protein supplements.< /p>

After surgery I was taking 3 Protein Shakes a day but as my meals size increased this changed to 2 then 1 then 0 protein shakes per day. I found that protein shakes tasted terrible. I was able to make them taste better by blending in a banana into the shake.

I found Protein Bars to be important because they gave me the ability to consume extra protein when I was away from home. It is hard to drag around your blender when you are away.

[bikrchk 1,313]

Not anymore. I toss a scoop (or 1/2 scoop) of whey in my coffee in the morning as Creamer and often do a PowerCrunch bar (cookie) in the the afternoon. Those, combined with a high Protein diet typically get me 75+g per day.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

I just recently made the switch back to a shake in place of a bar. I, like you, had been doing two Quest bars per day, but my nutritionist was concerned about how processed bars are and encouraged me to switch back to shakes. My compromise was to do One Bar and one shake per day, because the idea of living without my Quest Bars entirely was too much to bear. It was tough! I love my Quest Bars. I've joked before that if I could just eat 5 of them a day and nothing else, I would be a happy camper. But I know I need to eat some real food, so I'm not going to actually do that. Plus that would be pretty expensive!

Anyway, switch from a bar back to a shake actually decreased my Protein intake slightly. Quest Bars are 21 grams and my shake of choice is only 17 grams. Why are you getting so little Protein from actual food? What are you typically eating in a day besides your bars/shakes?

I got 100 grams a day no problem with two Quest Bars and then all my normal food.

[heynowkc 329]

Anyway, switch from a bar back to a shake actually decreased my Protein intake slightly. Quest Bars are 21 grams and my shake of choice is only 17 grams. Why are you getting so little Protein from actual food? What are you typically eating in a day besides your bars/shakes?

Well my shake is 30 grams of protein, so two of those is 20 grams more protein than 2 Quest bars. Right now I am eating 3 meals a day and two protein Snacks. I think I probably need to eat mostly meat for my meals because my stomach capacity is about 3 ounces of food per meal before I feel too full and I do try and include vegetables as often as I can. So usually I have about 1.5-2 ounces of meat and then some veggies. I guess.. and I never thought I would say this, I'm eating too many vegetables. My goal for protein is 80 grams/day. But I revised that recently after reading a post here to 80-100/day.

My problem, really, is that I don't always calculate protein before eating, or even before the end of the day. So I think I just need to pay closer attention and make sure to have at least one shake per day. Like yesterday, for two of my meals I had shrimp, but I only had 4 large shrimp at each meal and MFP tells me that's only 4.6 grams of protein/meal. Whoops!

My total protein for yesterday was 61 and that was after going home and having an extra snack to bring it up from 51. I left one of my bars at home so that was even more disastrous than usual. But if I hadn't forgotten and eaten the bar, by the time I got home I would have still only been at 71 grams and 9 away from goal.

Edited March 26, 2015 by heynowkc

[JamieLogical 8,727]

I hear you on the veggies. I still haven't figured out how to get many/any veggies in and get all my Protein. Last night I had a little pepper and onion mixed with my italian poultry sausage and it was tough trying to finish the sausage AND eat any meaningful amount of the veggies. I just put protein first and hope that all the Vitamins and supplements are enough to make up for the lack of veggies. Realistically, even if I WAS incorporating more veggies, it would only be a few bites a day and how much nutrition am I actually going to get out of that? Still, it's nice to try to squeeze them in when and where I can... it's just a real challenge! I stick to dairy for my morning and afternoon Snacks (cheese sticks and yogurt) and meat for my lunch and dinner. I do a Protein Bar for Breakfast and now a Protein Shake as my evening snack (used to be another bar). Lunch and dinner are my two "big" meals of the day and I can usually get between 16 and 25 grams of protein in for each as long as I stick to meat.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

I had alot of weight to lose so I had to keep the momentum strong for a long time. when i was eating 2 Quest bars a day, my weight losses slowed way down. I am not sure why - the extra carbs? The tastes good triggers me to eat just a little more other times? The processed ingredients? I don't know. I only had 2 a day, but it felt like they had just a little too much "Draw" for me. I felt like I wanted them like a candy bar substitute.

I do have bars in maintenance but i intentionally choose ones I don't care for as much - I really only eat them if i am very hungry and need something fast. I get the premier Protein ones from costco and they are high Protein and don't taste that great. The box lasts a long time...

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I supplement with shakes for multiple reasons. I'm not a morning person and it's easier for me to make a shake in the morning. I made them before WLS and they were always some vairation of Protein powder+greek yogurt that I would add fruit, veg or nut butter to. Since I am vegetarian, Protein Shakes definitely help me get in extra Protein. Prior to WLS my own person protein goal was 50gms or more. Now I aim for 70+. I doubt I would hit that w/o a shake a day. I've never been a bar person. many have things I can't eat such as artificial colorings, sugars and stevia. They are add too many carbs to my diet and I already have to watch that because of where my food proten comes from (mostly Beans and green veg). The bar that I do like and can eat like Larabars and Lenny & Larry's taste too good. Especially the cookie like bars. I don't buy them because I caould easily see myself over eating them. I keep 1 -2 Larabars in the car in case of emergencies, but I don't make them a part of my routine.

However I am a homecook. I never had a problem getting in the kitchen and experimenting. It's what got me throught the all liquid phase and it's how I keep my Protein drinks from not being boring.

I also knew from previous weight loss attemptd tht I don't lose if I eat too many carbs and I *really* don't lose eating heavily processed foods.

Edited March 26, 2015 by BLERDgirl

[heynowkc 329]

I had alot of weight to lose so I had to keep the momentum strong for a long time. when i was eating 2 Quest bars a day, my weight losses slowed way down.

You know, now that you mention it, my weight loss in the several weeks that I had been eating 2 bars per day definitely slowed. I thought it was just a part of the process but I've been trying to do shakes more often the past two weeks (not every day) and my weight loss took a serious up-tick! Maybe the Quest bars are why?? Anyone else experience this?

lunch and dinner are my two "big" meals of the day and I can usually get between 16 and 25 grams of Protein in for each as long as I stick to meat.

I think I'm going to have to do this too. I really do love veggies but I think I need to focus more on meat than I have been. (And here I thought I couldn't get any MORE focused on meat... LOL.)

It's what got me throught the all liquid phase and it's how I keep my Protein drinks from not being boring.

I really am going to have to look around for some shake recipes and see what works. There's a part of me that doesn't want to add anything to them because I know I'm just adding calories (even though my NUT wants me to avoid calorie counting) but I am going to HAVE to start experimenting if I'm going to be able to stomach them every day twice a day.

[heynowkc 329]

@@BLERDgirl I forgot to ask. I loved the cherry larabar but didn't think it had much Protein in it. What types have the most, do you know? I may end up keeping a package of Quest bars around for emergencies like you with the lara bars, but I'm definitely going to start phasing them out of my regular routine as well. Maybe after year one I will get to a point where I won't need supplements on most days, but for now I think it's safer to stick to shakes and other more natural protein sources like eggs, cheese sticks and healthy meats.< /p>

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I really am going to have to look around for some shake recipes and see what works. There's a part of me that doesn't want to add anything to them because I know I'm just adding calories (even though my NUT wants me to avoid calorie counting) but I am going to HAVE to start experimenting if I'm going to be able to stomach them every day twice a day.

Just add what you like. I start with Isopure unflavored - 26gms Protein, add anywhere from a whole to half cup of FAGE 0% greek yogurt 23 -12gms Protein. Maybe a ¼ cup of Water to help blend. Then toss in anything you want. tbsp almond butter, a dash of cacao(chocolate) powder, some fruit, some chopped spinach. It's a big protein boost to start the day and takes the pressure off the rest of the day.

My big meals are Breakfast and lunch because I am most active those times of day so if my calories go a little higher I am more likely to burn them off. Most evenings my dinner is a small vegtable salad with black Beans and an egg as my protein or Soup with a half a scoop of Isopure added. I've never been an evening/late night snacker. I might have a cup of tea or some fruit in the evening but often I don't have anything.

I don't know if it's because I am a vegetarian or not but my calories tend to be a lot lower than most people's are at 6 months. I still get in between 700 - 900 calories a day.

I don't think Larabars are really high in protein. I think at most they have between 9 -11gms of protein. I just keep those and nuts(typcally almonds or pistachios) in the car for on the go days so I don't turn to fast food. French Fries are my weakness. This was another thing I started doing pre WLS.

Edited March 26, 2015 by BLERDgirl

[cpower100 36]

I am still pre-op but making a serious effort to restructure my eating to a Protein forward diet before surgery. One of the tricks I have found is to add unflavored protein into other foods (I use Unjury unflavored and it is basically tasteless). I also incorporate plain Greek yogurt into my Protein Shakes to give it a protein boost.

[Stevehud 1,790]

for me Protein bars are a strict no no, my nutritionist outlawed them like the plague. So for me i wont touch any of them, 99% of them have WAYYY too many carbs anyway, i keep my carbs to 10g or under per day in most cases. I do recommend trying syntax Nectars though especially the fuzzy navel, and wild cherry, and grapefruit for people who dont like shakes, if you like kool aid or mio then you'll do fin with those go on ebay,and order the single serving packets to try them, ( use Water or diet iced tea with them and they're great. mix amazingly well with fruit if you wish and ice in the summer as well. especially mango and strawberries and peach, yum,

[heynowkc 329]

@@Stevehud Oh thank you for that recommendation. I am going to see if I can try them out!

[Elode 8,093]

I've been drinking shakes from the beginning, I like them so I doubt I will stop anytime soon. I doubt I would get all my Protein in without them. I have no shame