Do you substitute protein drinks for a meal????

Hi Everyone, I'm a little confused as to when I should drink my protein. I've noticed some people use them to substitute a meal and others just drink them in between meals. I have been drinking them in between meals. I drink Isopure or unflavored Unjury with carbcountdown milk and diet hot chocolate. Thanks in advance for your input

well on my diet it tells me to do it inbetween meals at least 4 times a day but I am only 2 weeks 2 days out.

Hi Pamela, Thanks for replying. I'm 3 weeks and 2 days out So not too much of a difference.

Oops, I meant to post this on the main message board. If you reply to this one just beware I posted the same question on the main message board. Thanks again!

Hi Veronica This may be off the subject, but where do you get the hot chocolate? Sharyn

Hi Sharyn, I get it at ShopRite or Pathmark. I know when I lived on the West Coast I used to buy diet hot chocolate at Vons or Albertson's.

When I was on full liquids I used them in place of a meal sometimes but now that I'm on pureed I drink them between meals. Usually 3 a day.

I don't think it matters how many a day, I think it matters how many grams of protein you take in total. I was told our new intestinal configuration can't absorb more than 30g at a time, so I am doing 2 30g shakes a day. For the brands I am using, that is about a scoop and a half. I blend it w/water and ice to make a shake or smoothie. It takes me about a half hour to get it down. After a half hour the protein starts to break down and will not be nutritionally usefull to us. I get additional protein by whisking protein powder into my sf pudding and eat sf yogurt and high protein soups ( my dr still has me on full liquids for 4 weeks). I estimate I'm getting aobout 75 g protein a day.

My nutrition advice says the protein drinks should count as a meal or snack, as long as I work up to 70+grms a day. I started out drinking just the Isopure Zero Carbs (40gms) and have just added an additional protein smoothie a day. (I just passed week 3.)

Hi, my doctor or nutritionist tell me to count the protein drinks (like Unjury) as a meal, but things added to your water or Crystal Light can be done while your getting your 6 cups-64ounces of water in for the day between your meals. The idea is not to drink anything 30 minutes before a meal (including the Unjury shake), don't drink during a regular food meal at all, or 30 minutes after. You should work up to 60-70 grams of protein per day. The idea is to get in as much protein as you can. It was confusing to me at first too! Hope this helps. Sincerely, LMW