Ok y'all! Let's play a game to help the newbies (immediately post surgery)!!!!! For all of you who've already been through this forest and figured out the path to Gran'mas house, share your tips and secrets for meeting and exceeding your protein goals in Stage 1 and Stage 2 right out from surgery!!!!! (Stage 1=Full Liquids); (Stage 2=Full Liquids/Pureed liquids). So many newbies HATE and GAK at the protein drinks, so let's give them some practical advice they can refer back to and that we can re-post the link to for getting their protein in so they heal and get to progress down the path to post WLS life!!

(Psssssst!!! Calling all sophomores, juniors, and VETS!!! Please let's play?!!! Please include your favorite protein drinks too!!!)

Ok, let the games begin!!!!

Favorite Protein Powders and RTD meal replacements:

1. Premier Protein RTD shakes mixed into decaff coffee. (Bananas and Cream, Chocolate, Vanilla, Caramel). Drink either hot or over ice. You can also make a frappacino by pouring Premier Protein into ice cube trays and freezing into cubes then blending with cold coffee to make a protein frappacino.
2. Premier Protein RTD shakes mixed into decaff green or black tea. (Vanilla for Chai Lattes, Peaches and Cream, Strawberries and Cream). Drink either hot or over ice. You can also make a frappacino by pouring Premier Protein into ice cube trays and freezing into cubes then blending with cold tea to make a protein frappacino.
3. Premier Protein CLEAR RTD shakes (Fruit Punch, Orange Mango) mixed 50/50 with bottle water and poured over ice.
4. Premier Protein CLEAR RTD shakes mixed 50/50 with decaff green or black tea and poured over ice.
5. Synthrax Nectar Lemon Iced Tea shakes mixed up and allowed to sit so the foam goes away. Mix to desired strength with regular decaff iced tea or bottled water.
6. Synthrax Fuzzy Navel shakes mixed up and allowed to sit so the foam goes away. Mixed to desired strength with bottled water.
7. Isopure Protein Powders (Creamy Vanilla, Bananas and Cream, Dutch Chocolate) mixed with Fairlife Milk, or almond milk, cashew milk.
8. Isopure Unflavored Protein Powder mixed slowly into cold clear and cream soups to make a runny paste, then thinned to desired consistency and gently warmed over low heat or slowly in the microwave until warm. Do not exceed 140* or the protein will clump.

Favorite REAL FOOD ways to get protein down when in Stage 1 and Stage 2, for those who don't want to press the "easy button" and can't tolerate the taste of artificially sweetened protein drinks and powders:

Real Food Smoothie:

6-8oz Fairlife Milk Fat Free

2oz Yogurt (Greek, plain, unsweetened)

1-2oz frozen fruit (frozen blueberries, peaches, bananas--any fruit that is low glycemic without seeds. You can use strawberries, but you would have to thaw them and push the pulp through a fine strainer to remove seeds or use Walden Farm Strawberry Pancake Syrup (zero cal))

Ice Cubes to desired consistency

Bottled Water to desired consistency

Optional Ingredients:

6-12g Peanut Butter Powder (PB2 or Vitacost Peanut Butter Slim, or Peanut Flour)

Frozen or Fresh Baby Spinach or Kale

Favorite REAL food ways to get Protein down when in Stage 1 and Stage 2, for those who don't want to press the "easy button" and can't tolerate the taste of artificially sweetened Protein Drinks and powders:

Real Food Broths:

1. Egg "Drop" Re-enforced Broth

8fl oz chicken broth (or beef broth)

1 large egg, beaten

1 pinch ground ginger

1 pinch granulated garlic

1/8 tsp soy sauce or tamari sauce

1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp Walden Farm Asian Dressing or Sesame Ginger Dressing (optional)

This broth doesn't have actual egg threads in it. You stir beaten egg into broth while cold. All all seasoning and gently warm over medium heat to about 145 degrees. Going over 160* will cause the egg to curdle. If it curdles you have to blend it up. If you are concerned about salmonella, use pasteurized eggs in their shell or egg whites from a carton.

2. Tortilla-less Soup

8fl oz chicken broth (or beef broth)

1 large egg, beaten

1 pinch granulated garlic

1-2 tbsp mild Taco Bell Hot Sauce

This broth doesn't have actual egg threads in it. You stir beaten egg into broth while cold. All all seasoning and gently warm over medium heat to about 145 degrees. Going over 160* will cause the egg to curdle. If it curdles you have to blend it up. If you are concerned about salmonella, use pasteurized eggs in their shell or egg whites from a carton.

3. Pizza Soup

8fl oz chicken broth (or beef broth)

1 large egg, beaten

1 pinch granulated garlic

1 pinch dried basil, crush leaves in hand

1 pinch dried oregano, crush leaves in hand

1-2 tbsp marinara sauce (use the lowest carb, lowest added sugar marinara you can buy)

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

This broth doesn't have actual egg threads in it. You stir beaten egg into broth while cold. All all seasoning and gently warm over medium heat to about 145 degrees. Going over 160* will cause the egg to curdle. If it curdles you have to blend it up. If you are concerned about salmonella, use pasteurized eggs in their shell or egg whites from a carton.

Sneaking Extra Protein into Cream Soups and Pureed Soups: It's easy to add small amounts of extra protein into everything from cream soups, to pureed soups/stews/chilis, yogurts, kefirs.

1. Use Isopure or Unjury Unflavored Protein Powder, Fairlife FF Milk, Plain Greek Yogurt, or even powdered peanut butter and use as much as you can tolerate without changing the taste to up the protein content of a meal/snack. If you are smell sensitive, breath through your mouth while adding the protein so you don't have to be turned off by the smell.

Here are some common unflavored protein powders and yogurt and Fairlife FF Milk macros. It's easy to see you can up the protein content of a liquid substantially by adding small amounts into each drink or meal! Even an extra tablespoon will add up in protein over the course of a day!

2. Make protein enriched milk to up the protein count of the milk. The World According to Eggface has instructions about this, but this is an old low carb trick that existed long before that. Mix it well, seal, and refrigerate over night. Best is consumed ice cold. You can also sweeten or flavor it. Hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup works great for Chocolate Milk!!!

You can make this high protein milk and use it in soups, gravies, stews and any place that calls for regular milk, or drink it plain (ice cold). Or make hot cocoa out of it!

1/4 cup Dry Non-Fat Instant Milk

8fl oz Fairlife Fat Free Milk

Optional:

2tbsp (16g) Hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate Milk

Shake or whisk until combined. Seal and chill!

Edited November 19, 20187 yr by FluffyChix

1 hour ago, FluffyChix said:

Favorite Protein powders and RTD meal replacements:

1. Premier Protein RTD shakes mixed into decaff coffee. (Bananas and Cream, chocolate, vanilla, Caramel). Drink either hot or over ice. You can also make a frappacino by pouring Premier Protein into ice cube trays and freezing into cubes then blending with cold coffee to make a protein frappacino.
2. Premier Protein RTD shakes mixed into decaff green or black tea. (Vanilla for Chai Lattes, Peaches and Cream, Strawberries and Cream). Drink either hot or over ice. You can also make a frappacino by pouring Premier Protein into ice cube trays and freezing into cubes then blending with cold tea to make a protein frappacino.
3. Premier Protein CLEAR RTD shakes (Fruit Punch, Orange Mango) mixed 50/50 with bottle Water and poured over ice.
4. Premier Protein CLEAR RTD shakes mixed 50/50 with decaff green or black tea and poured over ice.
5. Synthrax nectar Lemon Iced Tea shakes mixed up and allowed to sit so the foam goes away. Mix to desired strength with regular decaff iced tea or bottled water.
6. Synthrax Fuzzy Navel shakes mixed up and allowed to sit so the foam goes away. Mixed to desired strength with bottled water.
7. Isopure Protein Powders (Creamy Vanilla, Bananas and Cream, Dutch Chocolate) mixed with Fairlife Milk, or almond milk, cashew milk.
8. Isopure Unflavored Protein Powder mixed slowly into cold clear and cream Soups to make a runny paste, then thinned to desired consistency and gently warmed over low heat or slowly in the microwave until warm. Do not exceed 140* or the protein will clump.

Don't forget Isopure Zero Carb RTD, clear proteins, super easy to drink, thin and fruity. And Protein2o, another clear protein that's super easy to get down as it's as thin as water and comes in fruity flavors.

1 minute ago, Matt Z said:

Don't forget Isopure Zero Carb RTD, clear Proteins, super easy to drink, thin and fruity. And Protein2o, another clear protein that's super easy to get down as it's as thin as water and comes in fruity flavors.

Awesome ones @Matt Z! Keep 'em coming! Let's compile all our tips and tricks into one place then we can just direct people who are struggling to it!!

You can also make you own sugar free jello. After they have child use a blender and add sugar free cool whip and sugar free jam with a 1/4 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt. Ups the protein in a big way. If you live chocolates Hershey dark unsweetened cocoa powder to you Greek yogurt with a little stevia and PBFIT. Yummy too

Bump

Thank you everyone!! I'm too weeks post op and have been living off of beans for the past 3 days. I came up with mashed potatoes instead of using water I used chicken broth and thinned out with half cup of milk. Turned out to be 13 g of protein 50g carbs

12 minutes ago, Martha88 said:

Thank you everyone!! I'm too weeks post op and have been living off of Beans for the past 3 days. I came up with mashed potatoes instead of using Water I used chicken broth and thinned out with half cup of milk. Turned out to be 13 g of Protein 50g carbs

Just FYI, the protein in broth is mainly from collagen, a necessary and beneficial amino acid, but a very incomplete protein. And if you depend on it to meet your protein goals, you could quite quickly find yourself in a mess of trouble.

Just FYI, the Protein in broth is mainly from collagen, a necessary and beneficial amino acid, but a very incomplete protein. And if you depend on it to meet your protein goals, you could quite quickly find yourself in a mess of trouble.

Thanks! Any tidbits help!! You're a seasoned pro and I'm a newbie. I also had a question about the amount of pure I can fit in just about 3/4cup. Is this too much for being 16 days post op?

33 minutes ago, Martha88 said:

Thanks! Any tidbits help!! You're a seasoned pro and I'm a newbie. I also had a question about the amount of pure I can fit in just about 3/4cup. Is this too much for being 16 days post op?

Sorry hon. I'm not seasoned, just "been around the block" a few times. What is your question?

I'm still fresh out, 18 days post op. Protein shakes make me nauseous, I Just can't tolerate them anymore. Here's what I do:

BariWise Hot Chocolate and Cream of Chicken Soup (find it on amazon). These are a lifesaver!!!

Isopure Unflavored Protein Powder

Danon Light and Fit Strawberry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt with cinnamon

Protein goals are no longer an issue ?

Congrats! And even more, congrats on finding things that work for YOU! Experimentation is the key to success!

I have some suggestions for anyone whey-intolerant like me.

Two good soy options are Now Sports and 365 Everyday Soy. Egg and pea protein is awful. Rice protein is bearable with IsoSplash flavoring. I've also ordered RedCon1 MRE Lite animal protein shakes in Dutch apple pie and oatmeal chocolate chip. They are made with beef, chicken, turkey, pea, and egg proteins. NO WHEY. Havent tried them yet but have excellent reviews. Atkins has whey but is also half soy, so tolerable for me but low in protein.