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Is anyone else buying and trying protein drinks, mixes etc pre-surgery?
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My appointment with my surgeon is this Thursday, Oct 5. So my surgery is immanent. I imagine sometime in Oct. I've spent the last several weeks buying the foods (liquids) that I will need pre-surgery and for the first month after surgery. We live remotely, I'm taking 1 week from work and work from home office, so the chances of me actually making it to the store in the first few weeks is about zero. So I'm stocking up and also trying out the items I am buying. Too bad you can't just buy ONE bottle of a protein drink. I figure I'll save massively on groceries the first month so I can "justify" my expenditures now, even if they don't work out. I am lactose intolerant and have been for years. So this is a real struggle because everything is milk based. Even in lifeskills class, put powdered milk in stuff to get more protein. I'm pretty sure that can't happen for me! So I need to be creative and I need to try things before my very life depends on them! Has anyone else done this? Bought items to try? Maybe we can share the best of what we've found? I know all tastes are different. And I have a different prospective because of the lactose issues. One thing I HAVE found.....my gosh is this stuff all sooooooo sweet!!!! TOO SWEET!!! Most have Sucrolose and oh my gosh they could cut that back a bit! So anyway...here are some of the things that I've tried before surgery, and yes I'm told my tastes may change, but talking to sooo many people, it happens but not at huge rate. I'll risk it.
I love MUSCLE MILK. I've bought and tried Chocolate and Vanilla Creme. I really like the vanilla creme. This is the protein premixed shake. So I bought the powdered mix in Vanilla Creme.. I currently use it in my coffee to give me a boost of protein! Trying to wean myself of coffee. Down to one a day. My dietitian and lifeskills coach say this is fine. I tolerate this very very well.
I really like the PREMIER PROTEIN premixed shakes. I tolerate them ok. Some days better than others. I seem to tolerate the vanilla better, though I like the taste of the chocolate better. I have not tried any others. I don't like too many "fake" taste things, so I am sticking to chocolate and vanilla for premixed.
I love GARDEN OF LIFE RAW FIT protein mix. This has been my go to for several years due to lactose issues. I don't find it as sweet because it uses Stevia. I have tried vanilla, chocolate, and Marley Coffee. LOVE Marley! I typically take a scoop, water it down just a bit and then mix it with greek yogurt for breakfast. Scoop has 28g protein. It's plant and seed based. I had both my dietician and lifeskills coach look it over and they said it would be ok. It's dairy free, vegan, gluten free and soy free. Garden of Life website or Amazon. I'm glad I can still use it.
I tolerate and like Fage 0% or 2% Greek Yogurt, plain. In my classes and elsewhere Oikos Triple Zero has been mentioned. While I like that taste of that very much, it bothers my gut.
Baby food. Decided to try some to help with stages. I like baby food LOL But the Plum Organics Mighty 4 stage is good for a bit of protein and fruit if you are not tolerating stuff and need to get in a bit. They are higher in sugar, 10g. No added, it's from the fruit in them. One pouch has 4-5 grams protein and 10 grams sugar. So it's not ideal for sure, but I bought a few to have on hand in case.
FAIRLIFE makes a "milk" that is lactose free and cows not treated with rBST. Since I'm NOT a big milk drinker but know there is protein in it, I started with the 2% one. 1 cup 120 cals, 6 sugars (natural occurring ) and 13 grams of protein. I will try the skim one next and that will, hopefully, be the one I stick with. I was pleased to find this! My current "milk" is Rice Milk. I like it better than Almond milk because it doesn't have a strong taste of something other like Almond milk does. But alas, no protein in rice milk. This Fairlife is a great choice because then my family can use it for cooking. (my daughter is HUGE mac n cheese fan, damn her skinny butt!!)
TRUSOURCE Protein Water this is good but HOLD ONTO YOUR SHORTS is it SWEET! Holy batman sweet! There will be no drinking it straight up for me. Sweetened with sucralose. I have used a bottle over several days adding it to my middle 24 oz of water (I typically drink 3 minimum of these a day of water but wonder if I still can sipping constantly cuz I forget and I gulp now like 10 ozs at a time!! I'm working on it!) I added it only to give a boost of protein to my water intake. Which I feel I will need after surgery. One 16 oz bottle has 90 cals, 0 sugars and 20 grams protein. If you like it straight up, there you have 20 grams of protein with what is a clear liquid. I tried the blue raspberry. I tolerate it, though around the time I used it, I broke out in mild case of hives. I'm giving myself another week (been at least 2), then I will try again. So this is good, and too sweet to me might be just right for someone else. It is made with whey isolate. Which I seem to tolerate the isolate more. We'll see. You can find it at Target. course my target didn't have it so I bought online and had to buy several 4 packs. If I really cannot tolerate, my daughter's boyfriend is into fitness and would probably really like it. So no big deal.
SARGENTO BALANCED BREAKS these are cheese, dried fruit and nut snacks. I use these now, but they will not be able to be used until final stage and only if you can tolerate nuts, which may not be for a bit for some people. They deserve to be mentioned because in the future, they are a quick snack with protein that is portion controlled. For on the go or those lazy days. I pretty much like cheddar cheese the best and do not like swiss (no lazy cow or whatever that one is called as it's swiss), so these fit with my tastes. 7 grams of protein per container and 180 cals. While the cals are on the higher side, cheese, nuts and dried fruit are all higher calorie foods to begin with. They make them also with some chocolate and gram squares. I tried and actually was not a fan at all. So glad on that one! Again, this is for now before surgery or way after when nuts can be tolerated.
GERBER RICE CERAL I did try this and feel that if I add my FAIRLIFE milk to it, I will have some protein. I like it. It's loaded with iron (well 60% for a 4 yr olds daily value), which we will probably need a boost of. It's also pretty high % of B vitamins etc. It has 60 cals and 1 g protein, 1 sugar I can't see added so must be naturally occurring, per 1/4 cup. So while not ideal, if I need to I can use in 2nd stage with the protein milk.
PB2 POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER oh sweet heck yes! I mix with smoothies and with plain greek yogurt. 2 tablespoons has 50 cals, 2 grams sugar and 5 grams protein. May need to be a bit careful cuz of the sugars, which is added sugar, but sleevers don't tend to have dumping.
SWANSON white premium chunk chicken breast This is canned. I eat this right out of the can. I drain and rinse it then just eat it. I figure, that will suit me fine in later stages and for puree I can put it through the processor. I do not like canned tuna. Which is so weird because I pretty much eat a fish or seafood each and every day. I will grill up a tuna steak and love it, but I don't like canned and I seem to get a gut ache from it too. Really weird. So this chicken is my go to. Throwing this out there for those that do not have time to cook up a chicken breast to put through the processor. 2 servings per can of 50 cals, 0 sugars, 8 protein. So a whole can during the day will give you 16 gr protein.
BUMBLE BEE Premium Wild Pink Salmon This is also a canned good. I love this stuff and again eat it right out of the can. A serv size is about 1/4 cup, 80 cals, 0 sugars, 13 grams protein. I need to ask the dietitian if I can put this through the processor only because the cans of this I buy have the skin and small soft bones of the salmon in it. I imagine they would process to almost nothing as they currently are very small, but I'll have to see.
So that's my list of things I've currently tried and liked. I have tried MANY other premixed protein shakes and cannot tolerate them gut wise. Doesn't mean they didn't taste decent enough, but I've decided not to list them. If anyone asks me, I can let them know if I have tried and if it tasted good, bad, ok. Anyone without a lactose issue has more options for sure. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear of foods, drinks etc that anyone else has tried either getting prepared or after surgery for any stage.