Protein shakes? soda?

I need to find a good one that I actually like. What is everyone else using? I was planning on just using Atkins because it is so readily available. It is tasting really thick to me though. Also tried the no sugar added carnation instant breakfast. Uuugghhh. Very thick and sweet. Also, I am finding that I can comfortably eat an entire slice of toast. Is that normal? Seems like a lot until I compare it to the eight plus slices of cinnamon toast I would have as a snack preop. (mmmmmm....worthless white toast soaked in butter and cinnamom sugar--oh yeah that is yuck now right?) For breakfast, I toast a slice of this bread (Natural Ovens-multigrain bread) and put low fat peanut butter on it and taking small bites, I eat the whole thing. Is that too much? It makes me feel full but not stuffed. Any other diet coke addicts out there? I am in serious mourning for soda. Terry gave away the rest of what I had here in the house. I have to admit that I did open one and pour some into a cup and have a couple of swollows. I consumed less than an ounce I am sure, but I just felt like I would die without it. I can't say that I am not at some point going to return to drinking soda. Certainly not the 12 pack a day that I had before, but maybe a soda a day or a couple of sodas a week. Something. Am I the only one feeling that way? I really am enjoying reading the menus for the day. I need to start posting to that too. It really helps give me some ideas. Tamara 2/9/05 321/297/?

Hey There Tamara! Today I will receive my samples from bariatriceating . com. I'll let you know what I think of them. I got the nectars and some propelete gold ones too. LOL at the cinnamon toast story. I went on a peanut butter and jelly binge the week before surgery. mmmm...raspberry jam had me goin'. I went through a whole loaf of bread in less than a week's time and was sooo ashamed that I had to go buy some more before the weekend so hubby wouldn't notice...sad but true!!! Now, I eat about 1/4 slice of cracked wheat toast. Usually share with my one year old. But, if he didn't hog it all I could eat a lot more, hehe. Hey, kudos on eating the multigrain bread. That's a really important thing to make the distinction between that and white bread. Huge difference. The fiber will "help" too. On the soda front...no problem here. I must tell you about *my* morning vice though. Mine is 3 ounces (a little chinese tea cup full) of the finest brewed fully caffinated black coffee availble. Freshly ground and brewed with filtered water. I also put a teaspoon of International Delights creamer in it (gasp!). I love it and would not trade it for anything in the mornin'. I do not even feel guilty about it. Before surgery I used to go through a whole container of that creamer every week. That was over 2400 calories a week in just coffee additives. Not counting my latte's and mochas ($20 worth a week and I'm sure around 5,000 calories not counting the bagels and scones, lol!) We are establishing new habits. To me, it's all about moderation and that's why I eat my toast, drink my coffee and go out to restaurants on a regular basis and don't feel like I'm cheating myself. I'm living life and lovin it...just establishing new ways of doing things. New rituals. More later on the protein drink verdict! By the way, that Atkins vanilla shake is the ONLY thing I ever dumped on. I was driving around drinking it and had to pull over at a park and lay down in the car. Thought I was gonna freaking die. I felt totally on some bad drugs! It sucked. I do like the EAS Body for Life shakes from Wal-Mart. Molly 252/212/135

hey there. My local doc advises against soda because he said the carbonation can actually stretch out your new little tummy. However he said you can still drink it if you let it go flat. Weird I know . I haven't had any soda since surgery but just letting you know what they told me. Toast I haven't had much of that but maybe I need some bread. I had some milk of magnesia to get things moving last night. Thank god. I thought i was gonna bust lol. As far as that goes it's sugar free and I figured I had to do something to get the old plumbing moving along. Cinnamon toast sounds so good. Maybe with some splenda and cinnamon?? hmmm lol I have been craving a piece of garlic type bread that you bake in the oven. I might have myself a little piece laster on today. Molly let us know how the protein thing goes. I was just on that website yesterday and was looking at the different proteins. Are you doing any protein bars at all? I think they might hold me longer. It seems drinking things makes me hungry lol. Some weird association in my mind that when im drinking something i should have something to eat to accompany it. Anyhow keep us posted.

Just thought I would let you know that I have tried many protien drinks. For the first 3 months after surgery I couldn't stand any of them. I am now almost 7 months out and have found several that I actually like. Proplete Gold Banana Creme, Elite Cafe Mocha and Pina Colada and Nectar Fuzzy Navel and Roadside Lemonade are pretty good. Good luck to all new post-ops and future post-ops. It is so worth having the surgery no more diabetes meds or blood pressure meds and 3 to 4 sizes smaller in clothes.

Debbie, I have heard several mention the roadside lemonade. Who makes it and where do I get it? Do they have a website? Genie

Hey Tamara!!! Your sounding a bit better, glad to hear it. I am a recovering Diet Coke aholic (spelling???) I use to (before surgery) drink so much Diet Coke that my family thought I'd die from lack of Diet Coke after the surgery. But, I haven't really craved it at all....except when i was on the plane coming home and the steward parked that darn cart right at my chair and then opened a Diet Coke for another passenger. I looked up at her and said "your killing me".... We had a laugh.. Anyway...i am not even going to allow myself to try it flat or not. It's full of all sorts of stuff that i can't even pronounce. And i went into this surgery thinking i would change my eating habbits for the better. It's just my goal. Please keep us informed of your health and how things are going. See ya at the reunion!!!

Hey everyone, Just a word of caution about diet coke. I posted it in the post-op section but some chick who apparently doesn't do any research at all said she doesn't know about the 'validity' of what I said. Bring it on girlie. Anyway, the deal with diet soda. It has phosophoric acid in it which attaches itself to the calcium in your body and then flushes that calcium right out of your system. It is horrible, horrible, horrible on your body, especially post-op. If you can, try to stay far, far away from diet soda. Back when I was doing Atkins about 2 years ago, I used sugar free coffee syrups and mixed them with soda water...it tasted just like soda. I don't know if the carbonation is the same with soda, or even if the chemicals are the same in soda water as in soda...you may want to check on that though as an option. Also be careful because some Doctor's (including my mother's bariatric surgeon) says that if you drink soda when it is flat, it will re-carbonate once it is in your system. But the theory that the carbonation will expand your pouch is debated...some doctors say it will, some say it can't. Don't forget either that soda is horrible on your teeth. And since our bodies are going to be susceptible to teeth and bone density issues, it might be a good idea to just stay clear. I know that's easy for me to say...I am not as gung-ho as some people are. My husband used to drink two 64 oz big gulps per day of diet soda...it was very, very difficult for him to get himself off of that. I have just seen the affects of osteoporosis and hate to think that here we are with this new lease on life, and we would shorten it by doing something as simple as drinking soda. Hope it helps and doesn't sound like a lecture! Didn't mean for it to. Lisa

Hi Tamara! I have tried about 25 different proteins samples and I always come back to Unjury protein. My favorite is the chocolate mixed with 8 oz Fat Free Carb Countdown milk. That gives me 32 grams of protein. I also like to mix 1/2 scoop chocolate and 1/2 scoop vanilla Unjury protein mixed with milk that has been heated to less than 130 degrees. It maskes great hot chocolate. I have chosen not to drink carbonated beverages. I loved Diet Dr. Pepper before surgery but I really haven't had any trouble not drinking it. The few times I wanted it I got my husband to let me have a piece of ice out of his. Just the little taste I got was enough. I know there is a big debate about whether or not carbonation stretches the pouch. I don't want to take the chance so I just avoid it. I still weigh my food. I weigh out 3 oz. Most of the time I can eat most of it but sometimes I can just eat about half. I'm glad you are eating the multi-grained bread. It has more nutrition than white bread. Cheri