I started my pre-op diet today. I'm not sure that I'm making the shakes right! :help: I used 8 oz milk and 1 scoop powder per the instructions. The shake recipes say add 1/2-3/4 cup of ice. But I'm ending up with something that is more like a drink with little ice bits. It's not smooth.

Does the ice need to be added first, so its on the bottom where the blades of the blender are?

Do I only use ice if I'm making a smoothy with fruit, which would thicken it (I think?)

Just trying to make the shakes as enjoyable as possible for the next couple of weeks (and the weeks after the surgery).

Actually, the taste is okay, so that's good. It doesn't taste like a chocolate milkshake, but I can drink it, and that's what counts. The doctors office told me not to make it with Water because it would taste really bad that way.

Also, I'm hungry!!! I do get to eat some real food during my pre-op diet, in addition to the 2 shakes per day. 1-2 lean meats per day, unlimited greens, and 1 cup of fruit. of course no carbs, fatty foods, etc.

I had a shake before coming into work, and I'm drinking one now. I guess I need to go get a grilled chicken salad before I let myself get too hungry. I'm supposed to work thru lunch today, but I may have to run downstairs and get something to eat in addition to the shake.

I guess I should finish the shake/drink first and see if I'm still hungry. I just feel like I would be hungry after just drinking a cup of milk with chocolate powder, but I should give it a chance first. Gotta change these thought processes!!!

Anyway, I welcome any ideas on how to correctly make Protein shakes or anything else. Also, if anyone has any good recipes using fruit, that would be great.

You are making the shakes correctly... I have Isopure vanilla which calls for 2 scoops and 10 oz of Water... so when i use 8 oz of milk they taste thicker. I will say that if you are using milk you can get simply smart milk 1% or Fat Free which tastes like whole and 2% respectfully. These milks really do work and were recommended to me by the Dr. Office.

As for more food, I dont know your pre-op diet, my Dr. does not mandate one but says that I can't gain and should try to lose.

But most importantly try not to THINK of food, because i suspect that is in fact what is making you hungry. This stuff is like drugs, you have to just quit it and avoid situations in which you previously OD'ed (to run with the metaphor).

I am getting cut monday so I can report back post op and I am in the same boat as you, just trying to get healthy.

Let me know, i'd be more than happy to share my Dr. handouts with you.

Thanks for the response! I welcome any information you have from your doctor.

I'm sure you are right - I'm thinking of food (its lunchtime) and thinking I should be hungry, and therefore, that's how I feel. A little of it may be true hunger just because of the drastic change in the volume of food. But I'm not as hungry as my mind is telling me. The mind is a very powerful thing!

I know I can do this. Once I get past the first couple of days, I'll be fine. Being at work helps. It's more structured. This weekend will be scary.

I actually gained 10 lbs in the month between my consultation and now. I bought a digital scale last night, as I wanted my true weight before starting the pr-op diet. I want to get down, or close to, my consultation weight at least, in these 2 weeks before surgery.

Good luck with your surgery! Make sure to report back and let us know how you are doing afterwards!

Kimmi, I only put in 3 ice cubes so it will blend nicely and not be too chunky.

Thanks. It was better when I only used a couple of ice cubes on Saturday.

Kimmi, I added a little lowfat yogurt fo mine and that really thickened they up. I am still drinking them today. I use whey protein from Walmart with skim milk and the yogurt. Choclate is awesome

When I told my nutritionist I was super hungry on my pre op she said .... ready for this.... Your going to be hungry. You just have to deal with it. Stick to the pre op diet...

Great compasion eh? lol I am 5 days in to the pre op and doing fine. Hunger is just a normal thing for me now lol

keep up the good work day 3 hit me bad, headache with light headed. I use 1 scoop whey protien (walmart) with 4 to 5 oz of 1% milk I actually am getting sick of it, it now seems to sweet. remember to drink lots of water

SCsurgery date 12/26/07</p>

I have the Protein powders and haven't used them yet. Been using the slimfast, and then a smoothie from smoothie king. That baby kept me full from 3:00pm to 9:30pm last night.

I can also have two cups vegetables and also broth so I made a quasi Soup with those ingredients. Started to get a headache today, so I sipped the slimfast really slow, like over 45 minutes and the headache went away.

Not sure what your doc says but mine allowed frozen banana, blended in or berries.

I have a "resses" shake recipe too... Choc. protein pudding/shake mix and blend it with 1 cup water, 1/2 cup low/no fat cottage cheese, 1 cup ice, and a table spoon low/no fat peanut butter.

If your doc is strict... you could freeze your cup of fruit... and blend that in? Frozen banana always makes mine creamier. Good luck.

If you have chunks of ice you have too much ice in there and also you may not have a decent blender. For my shakes I put 1 cup skim milk in (first), 1 scoop powder (second), and a "handfull" (probably comes out to about 5 cubes of ice or less) (Last of all, closest to the blender blades). Then I blend on high for about 30 seconds untill the "chunking" sound goes away.