Mental Blocks

Hello everyone. I am having trouble with bringing myself to eat and drink protein. The thought of anything bu****er turns my stomach and I want to vomit. Any tips? I feel so sick over the thought of drinking a protein shake but it's also hurting me because I need that stuff to heal :(

Have you tried the unflavored protein powder in a drink you like, or in a soup? How about in a protein pudding? I started making those about 11 months out after seeing them on other people's menus. Some people make protein pancakes but I've not tried those. I also stole the tip of having the RTD protein drink in my coffee.

Although milk is not as protein dense and has higher carbs, you could try the fairlife milk, it's the only milk I drink at home.

Do you eat greek yogurt? It's a great source of protein too.

Worse comes to worse, tell yourself the protein drink is just something you have to do, protein and hydration are not optional. Get it in however you can.

I have some Greek yogurt in the fridge I'm going to try and I just bought those "clear" protein juices today. Going to try that after it chills. All of this milk based food the doctor is suggesting has been tearing me up and the thought of taking another bite of cream of ____ soup makes my stomach turn.

Have you tried drinking bone broth? How far out are you?

There are a lot of people who can't - will not drink protein shakes. Some are alergic, others just couldn't do it.

As long as you start eating protein based foods as soon as possible, you should be fine. Greek yogurt (if you tolerate that), ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, etc.

As a long term , over 10 years post op, I developed dairy proteins allergies. So if I have slow proteins day, I make homemade egg drop soup. It is easy on my pouch, and my body tolerates it very well. You may try that. I make mine using chicken or beef bone broth, that not only has some minerals but also proteins that are good for our joints and skin.

I would recommend Syntrax Nectars. They are whey protein isolate and 23g of protein in 100 calories. They have 17 flavors, so try the sampler pack and figure out if there is one you can tolerate. My favorite is Roadside Lemonade, then Fuzzy Navel and Twisted Cherry. They are not too sweet and go down well. It is the only way I got all of my protein in for awhile. I'm lactose intolerant so these worked for me. Good luck, I know this can be difficult. Be kind to yourself.

Not sure how far out you are but you've gotten some great responses. You'll soon be done with protein shakes but if you're early enough out that you are still needing them don't quit trying until you find one that works. It takes some trial and error but what doesn't work for one might work for another.

I still drink a shake occasionally and it took forever to find one I like. In the beginning, I wanted to give up before I really got started because the stuff was so gross.

Here's what I ended up doing: Throw protein powder in cup. Add just enough water or other fluid to make the whole concoction into a liquid. (I think I ended up adding in a couple of tablespoons). Drink it like it's a shot. A shot of anything-but-protein. You'll be surprised how fast you can get it down. Personally I had to consider it as "medicine" and get it in. Nowhere did it say that I had to like it. But everywhere it said I had to do it.

Good luck finding what works for you. It can be pretty overwhelming early out but it won't stay that way.

If the smell is getting to you, try drinking the protein shake from a sippy cup. Smells bothered me for a long time.

If you are having a mental issue with eating, you may need to talk to a therapist.

I feel ya. Tomorrow will be my two week mark since surgery. My bariatric program has me on puréed foods for the first month and it's been tougher than I thought. I started out loving the premier protein chocolate shakes. To me it tasted just like chocolate milk and I said ok, I can do this! Well yesterday I had one and it was all I could do to get it down. It was so gross to me! Funny how our tastes change so suddenly.

Anyway, I might give it another go just to see. I'll also be testing out other forms of protein. Like so many on here have said....it really is a trial and error. Sorry I don't have any words of wisdom for you. Just wanted to let you know you aren't alone. Hope you find something that works for you! Best of luck!