No liquid protein?! WTF Nutritionist!?

So I had my one month post op exam on Friday and my nutritionist and surgeon both said that they want me to quit doing protein shakes. Uhhh...what? I asked them how I should get in enough protein then and my surgeon said, "Don't worry about protein now."


I'm sorry, but WHAT? I was always told protein is the most important thing and now I'm hearing something completely different. I know that the protein drinks are "liquid calories" but I'm not sure how else to get in enough protein with just food...I don't eat anywhere enough to get even half as much as I need.

I know I was a little worried that I wasn't losing enough, but 15 lbs for month one seems decent enough when I look at the overall. That's why I can't understand why they would say no protein drinks. 

I know I should listen to what my nutritionist and surgeon say...but I just don't wanna have protein deficiency issues either. I really would like to keep my hair lol. 

Has anyone been told to cut the protein drinks??

There are varying opinions on this. If you read through some threads here, you'll see some Drs do not want patients drinking shakes.

My opinion. Do what you need to do to get your protein in. I am almost 2 yrs out and I still get 1 shake in a day. I actually need 2 because my labs have been a bit low for protein.

Hair loss can occur regardless of how much protein you get in. The main problem is muscle deterioration and your heart getting weaker due to a protein deficiency.

How many are you drinking? I keep my to one a day. Occassionally I will have a casein protein drink before bed on days when I am doing strength training, but that is something I just started. The rest of my protein comes from meat, eggs, cheese, fish, etc.

Mine also say no shakes.  Their rplan for getting enough protein is to drink 3 glasses of milk a day.  NO WAY!!  Protein drinks can vary greatly in calorie to protein ratios.  For drinks and food the best advice I got was the 10:1 rule.  For every 10 calories the item better have at least 1 gram of protein.  So for every 100 calories, 10 grams of protein.  

My NUT said they have their rules because they want people eating as close to normal as possible so that they not give up and go back to old habits.  I have never been a milk drinker so I'm sticking with shakes. 

I think I had 2 shakes a day for at least the first 6mo, then maybe one a day for the next year... now I have one once in a while as I actually like them sometimes.. I like the ones I've created and of course the Chike Coffee crack stuff..

If I'm sick or sleep in way late I will have one.. but for the most part now at 2 yrs out, I only add some unflavored protein powder to custards to make bfast stuff (eggplant bread pudding- veggies plus protein=score!)

Do what you need to to get a min of 70g a day.. don't fret the advice from Drs. Soon enough you will get enough from real food, but early out things are so tight you need the supplements.. 

what kind of protein drinks have you been drinking?  should not be very much calories.  100cal ea, 200 if you make with milk.  I think that long term a protein drink-only sort of plan is not sustainable ... it will get boring quick.  But once a day farther out is what i see others often doing. 

I am a believer in the shakes. At 8 months out I can't eat enough to get over 70g protein. You have to do what works for you. It isn't the Dr.'s body, it's yours.

If they believe you are not losing enough and it is because you are drinking to many shakes then just go buy some non flavored protein powder and add it to other things. Flavored water, SF pudding etc. 

DSers require more protein and many of them do not drink the shakes they use protein powders. 

Maybe the protein you talked to your nut and dr is not the right kind of protein. I have read on here where people have purchased "protein shots" and I don't know what that is. My dr sells the bariatric advantage powder at his office and also sells the isopure drinks so I know he approves of these drinks. I'm over a year out and drink 1 large size ready to drink isopure a day which is protein 100% whey protein" the good protein and I count it toward my water intake and my protein intake. I buy the peach mango flavor isopure and mix in one packet of crystal light peach mango and it tastes really really good. I have never liked the milky type shakes. Try the isopure so you can count it toward your water and see what they say. Btw, I buy it online at luckyvitamins.com and that is where I found it the cheapest if you buy 3 cases at a time you get free shipping. It is much more expensive at the gnc store, at the dr office and at gnc.com.

I can understand that they want you to start eating solid foods and more dense protein but I struggle to get my minimum of 60 grams of protein in each day and not because I am eating junk.  I get very close but for the past three days, I have started adding a protein shake at night somewhere between 8-10p.m.  This gets my protein up to around 80 grams per day and the weight is coming off again.  I don't see where 1 protein shake a day can hurt anything.  I personally think it is more important to concentrate on protein than calories.