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Bariatric Protein Shakes
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It's important that you LOVE your bariatric protein shakes because they NEED to be a regular part of your life after weight loss surgery!
(Skip all the explanation and see my favorite ready-to-drink bariatric protein shakes
After surgery, it's challenging to get enough protein from food, so protein shakes help fill in the gap. Supplementing your diet with protein drinks is a quick and easy way to ensure you get all the nutrition you need.
You have two choices when it comes to protein shakes after weight loss surgery:
- Make your own
- Choose a ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shake
Make Your Own Bariatric Protein Shakes
- Start with a base of water, skim milk, Lactaid milk or nonfat yogurt (4-8oz).
- Add a scoop of your favorite blendable protein powder. (See my favorite brands).
- Sprinkle in some of your favorite flavorings (see my examples below) or a small amount of fruit to jazz things up.
- Add ice.
- Blend. Add more ice if necessary to make your shake nice and thick (if desired).
Note: Using milk or yogurt instead of water will boost the overall protein content of the final protein drink and make it a little creamier, but it also adds ~ 100 calories per cup. If you become lactose intolerant after weight loss surgery, definitely no milk or yogurt for you!
Add any of the following flavorings to your vanilla shake:
- Pina Colada: 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
- Latte: 1 Tbsp. instant decaf coffee
- Eggnog: 1/2 tsp. rum extract
- Almond Delight: 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- Pumpkin Pie in the Sky: 1 tsp. vanilla extract + 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- Apple Pie: 1 tsp. vanilla extract + 1 tsp. apple pie spice
Add any of the following flavorings to your chocolate shake:
- Mocha: 1 Tbsp. instant decaf coffee
- Chocolate Mint: 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- Chocolate Banana: 1/2 tsp. banana extract
- Chocolate Almond: 1/4 tsp. almond extract
If you try these and still HATE your shake, try a different brand and/or flavor of protein and experiment with some new protein shake recipes until you come up with a combination (or 2 or 3!) that you LOVE.
(See more of my protein shake recipes for further ideas.)
Remember, protein shakes will be a permanent fixture in your diet so you need to experiment until you find something you actually look forward to drinking :-)
There are more ready-to-drink protein shakes on the market than I can count on all my fingers and toes!
Thankfully, some of them are specifically formulated for weight loss surgery patients. Bariatric protein shakes are high in protein, low in sugar and low in calories. Perfect!
Best of all, these ready to drink shakes require no work on your part...
...except to find a flavor that you enjoy.
You can even take your ready-to-drink shakes with you so you're never too far away from your next high protein meal.
See my favorite brands. I believe they are the best tasting...and my clients agree! (Clicking on the link will open a new window to my weight loss surgery website).
Ready to Drink Protein Bullets/Shots
Protein "Bullets" or "shots" have become wildly popular too. These are 3-4 oz. vials of liquid protein that are easy to transport and provide a whopping 25-42 grams of protein.
They're perfect when you can only tolerate very tiny amounts. In other words, when a full 8 oz. protein shake just won't go down, have a protein bullet!
You can mix your protein bullets with sugar free jello and freeze them for high protein popsicles too!
Whichever bariatric drink you decide on...
Enjoy! Cheers!
More weight loss surgery.
