We're all trying to lose weight right? And we're all trying to break bad habits, like attachments to candy and Desserts, right? So then why are most of the Protein powders and drinks things like "luscious chocolate" and "creamy vanilla"? I suppose "boiled broccoli" would be gross, but even apple becomes apple pie, and lemon becomes lemon sorbet. Isn't this just reinforcing bad habits? Do our stomach-brains know there's a difference between a Protein Drink and a malted chocolate ice cream frappe?

Seems like it'd be better to stick to unflavored supplements in Water or milk, things like Orange that aren't Orange Chiffon. Anyone find they've become addicted to chocolate milk shakes for lunch everyday? Or that the jump to a "real" milk shake becomes more tempting?

Nope. Just glad to have flavored protein. Yummy occasionally after ready to drink gets old

@@Didjit I detest the flavored Protein powders, other than a coffee/protein combo I get from Click. I have that one and a canister of GENEPRO and that's it. I've given all the flavored ones (chocolate Splendor, for real???) to others in my support group. I find the belief, by the companies that make this stuff, that cramming in Desserts is what WLS patients are looking for almost offensive.

Anyone find they've become addicted to chocolate milk shakes for lunch everyday? Or that the jump to a "real" milk shake becomes more tempting?

Absolutely not.

I found it more and more difficult to chug down the shakes, even though I found a brand I really like. Now the only way I find them tolerable is in hot coffee. So far that's a real keeper.

As for milkshakes: I was never a friend of milkshakes, they're not a temptation for me.

I have got to the point that all I use is GENEPRO Protein powder. Unflavored of course!!! I LOVE my coffee so this just works for me!! I make myself a cup of expresso in my Keurig pot, add some sweet creamer and some FF Half/Half. Like I said it is a WIN WIN for me!! 30 grams of protein and I get to have my coffee too.

I find the belief, by the companies that make this stuff, that cramming in desserts is what WLS patients are looking for almost offensive.

I'm not sure what brands people on here are using. The three brands I use are not made for WLS patients specifically or for weight loss. Some of these have indeed fancy names, e. g. "tropical tango".

I don't really mind it. I maybe have to chuckle a bit when reading these fancy names. I also don't think dessert like supplements are borderline offensive. One can always use a neutral powder.

Watch out for specialized bariatric vitamins and calcium. You can tell they are trying to appeal to the fat brain in all of us "lemon delight" or "creamy caramel" or "chocolate fudge truffle" vitamins and supplements packed with calories and carbs. And then you read people here saying things like, I just love my chocolate fudge truffle iron chews, they are just like a candy bar! My daily treat!

No one needs candy masquerading as vitamins and minerals. Go take a Feosol tablet, a generic chewable multi-vitamin, and save the calories, carbs, and money you would otherwise be throwing away on the fake candy vitamins.

/rant mode

@@summerset **One can always use a neutral powder.** This is what I do...no chocolate Splendor or Cheesecake delight for me, blech. Just not-very-sexy GENEPRO

@@ShelterDog64 I had to look up "splendor" in the dictionary and ... had to chuckle.

Meh, I don't want to imagine how "Cheesecake Delight" might taste. I usually hate all the fruity tastes with the exception of above named "tropical tango" (Vega brand). I still have two samples of Ricotta-Yoghurt and Yoghurt Apricot lying around. Maybe I'll try mixing them up with some yoghurt.

@@Didjit

The kind of stuff I eat and drink even with yummy names, tastes nothing like how they have named it. I can tell the difference. A Protein product tastes like a protein product even the delicious ones. I have protein brownies all the time but they don't taste like brownies, they taste like protein.

This is a way of life, not a diet. Adjusting how you mind thinks about food is a lot bigger than what things are called.

I loved steak before surgery and I love it afterward. The difference is I eat 4 ounces at a time instead of eating 8 to 12 because I am no longer a glutton and I eat proper portions.

I think a bigger issue with protein supplements are people that over use them. My program suggested eating as much real food as soon as possible to remove protein supplements. I suggest people have real food in proper portions instead of protein supplements mainly because they are more satisfactory and provide more satiety.

I also say this as a savory, not a sweets person. I have never been into sweets. Not before surgery and not after either.

@@ShelterDog64 From I've read on the sales page it seems to be the sexiest Protein around.

I'm a bit confused though. How can 30 g of protein only have about 60 kcal? 1 g of protein equals 4.2 kcals - so 30 g of protein should have about 120 kcal. Or did I get their serving sizes wrong?

@@summerset there is a fair amount of controversy about whether Genepro can back up their claims. For example, they claim to get 30 grams of protein out of a tablespoon of powder -- but a tablespoon of powder weighs about 15 grams. A gram is a unit of weight. In this universe, with our laws of physics, it isn't possible to get 30 grams of protein from 15 grams of anything,

@@summersetFor example, they claim to get 30 grams of Protein out of a tablespoon of powder -- but a tablespoon of powder weighs about 15 grams. A gram is a unit of weight. In this universe, with our laws of physics, it isn't possible to get 30 grams of protein from 15 grams of anything,

What I thought first.

Then I thought that maybe I got their serving sizes wrong but obviously I didn't.

Edited November 5, 20169 yr by summerset

@summerset@Bufflehead I'm not going to get into a battle about GENEPRO, they do refine the Protein to some degree through electophoresis but I count a scoop as 20g vs 30g of protein. The bottom line for me is that I can't detect it in my food...that's not been the case for the other 10 protein powders I've tried, so I use the Genepro.

@@ShelterDog64 I've got absolutely nothing against people using Genepro when it works for them. To be honest, I think that many people tend to over-consume protein post-op, so if Genepro is less protein than it says it is, maybe that is a good thing! Even if it was tested and turned out to be like those herbal supplements that claimed to be ginseng and were actually just ground up houseplants, if people are using it, they are losing weight, and their bloodwork is good, I see no harm in it at all.

I've never been a huge sweets eater, so getting protein through shakes and bars was tough on me. I'd much prefer to chew on a steak than on a Quest bar.

Lunch is supposed to be (in my mind) hot and savory, not chewy and fake chocolate flavored. I never used protein powders, but I also lacked in protein. My surgeon was big on shakes, big on real foods, not so big on protein bars.

I carry a protein bar in my bag for "emergencies". I often attend conferences and vendor lunches that are very carby/fatty and leave me feeling nauseated if I try to eat what they provide. The bars last in the bottom of my bag and are a good alternative when the need arises, but I would rather turn to jerky, cheese, and almonds.