How did you make Meal Replacement Drinks bearable?

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SassyAshleigh
SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
Hi everyone! I am new to the group, and had my last dietician appointment on 6/25 before scheduling my WLS. I have received a couple samples of Bariatric Advantage/Unjury Meal Replacements from my doctor's office. I am supposed to be drinking 4 servings every day for 2 weeks before my surgery. I figured trying them before actually purchasing them was a better idea. However, I about gag every time I drink one (The Iced Latte and Strawberry Sorbet are the only ones I can get down). How did you make yours bearable or to the point where you actually liked drinking them! So far, I have only been mixing the powder with 8 oz. of water. I have not tried Unsweetened Almond Milk. Thank in advance for your assistance! :)
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Replies

  • joysie1970
    joysie1970 Posts: 415 Member
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    The only brand I liked was Premier - I buy mine at costco. I could tolerate Unjury Chicken soup when I wanted something hot, but those two brands made me want to gag too! Premier is a premixed one, chocolate and vanilla - I switch up the flavors with sugar free coffee flavorings - the pump kind.
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
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    I wish I could do something different than the two brands I listed. My doctor's office said that I have to get the 2 week before surgery supply from them (which only includes that Bariatric Advantage and Unjury). Is the Premier's first ingredient "Whey Protein Isolate"?
  • cmchandler74
    cmchandler74 Posts: 510 Member
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    Unfortunately, I wasn't able to tolerate them. It didn't seem to be a problem with the whey - I think maybe it was the iron, which I've never been able to stomach. At any rate, I had severe and debilitating nausea. What ended up saving me was making fruit smoothies with flavorless Isopure but that was post-op. I more or less just had to suffer through the clear liquids period.
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
    edited June 2015
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    *groans* No me gusta. lol I was able to put some Pink Lemonade Crystal Light with the Strawberry Sorbet and it actually made it really good.
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
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    bump
  • Gleno97
    Gleno97 Posts: 37 Member
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    I was put on Optifast for my pre-op. It wasn't too bad, however I'm glad it's over. It is available in Vanilla and Chocolate. It tasted ok but I just got tired of having the same thing ALL the time. It is all worth it though.
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
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    I wonder why different doctor's prescribe or tell you to use something different than someone else. My sister is going through a Center of Excellence, and so am I, and they both are telling us different things. I am following my doctor's orders, but I would rather give some of these other ones a taste.
  • heathergshea
    heathergshea Posts: 38 Member
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    There is no standard I have found even among centers of excellece. Go figure. When I was drinking vanilla/chocolate shakes I would add PB2(powdered peanut butter) and that made it better. I would talk to the nutritionist a good doctor would rather you get the protein in than be overly particular about a brand in my opinion. Unless they make a profit, which I assume they do, in which case I would be weary. Your best interest should be their primary concern :)
  • anbrdr
    anbrdr Posts: 621 Member
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    You might want to swing by a GNC and try their Lean Shake 25. It is approved by my surgical center. It has a little more texture, like a milk shake, and the basic flavors are pretty darn good. I don't do milk, just ice water. You can buy a sample pouch that comes with a coupon for the tub. Also, check online. I've found numerous places that sell sample sizes of different products. It's a good way to test the market without spending a bunch of money.
  • blairmundy
    blairmundy Posts: 219 Member
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    I didn't even have to drink shakes before surgery. I just had to limit every day to 30 or less total carbs. But I did do shakes as part of that - the Pure Protein cans. After surgery I couldn't stomach them anymore but before surgery they were great.
  • cmchandler74
    cmchandler74 Posts: 510 Member
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    What about sugar-free Carnation Instant Breakfast? I hear that it's great. I can't get it in my area but you can order it from Amazon.com.
  • Fatgirlontheloose
    Fatgirlontheloose Posts: 17 Member
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    They are all nasty. Some more tolerable than others, but none are "good." Try adding frozen strawberries to vanilla, or instant coffee, their are sugar free flavors you can try, there's also powered peanut butter. It sounds really grose, but it's just peanuts without the oil...not bad, I like it. Add it to a chocolate powder, tastes like a reeses shake (ok, maybe not exactly like that). You have to be creative
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    Sometimes they taste better the colder they are, so try adding some ice to the blender when you mix it up, and making sure your water or milk is super cold. Also, a tablespoon of sugar free instant pudding sometimes helps the flavor and texture, and it only adds about 25 calories. Like others have said, you can also try adding PB2, instant coffee, I sometimes add sugar free Torani syrups. I am 20 months out from surgery and I still have protein drinks regularly. It definitely took some trial and error to find some I like. There are definitely some good ones out there. Maybe check with your surgeon's office to see if you can try other brands?
  • rnin02
    rnin02 Posts: 20 Member
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    I like the bariatric advantage flavors if I blend them with ice. I can tolerate them without the ice but with the ice it's almost a milkshake consistency.
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
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    anbrdr wrote: »
    You might want to swing by a GNC and try their Lean Shake 25. It is approved by my surgical center. It has a little more texture, like a milk shake, and the basic flavors are pretty darn good. I don't do milk, just ice water. You can buy a sample pouch that comes with a coupon for the tub. Also, check online. I've found numerous places that sell sample sizes of different products. It's a good way to test the market without spending a bunch of money.


    That's a good idea. I know someone doing Isopure and enjoy the flavors. It's just that I have to use either Bariatric Advantage or Unjury 2 weeks before surgery. After that, they said I could do any protein supplement as long as the first ingredient was "whey protein isolate".
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
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    garber6th wrote: »
    Sometimes they taste better the colder they are, so try adding some ice to the blender when you mix it up, and making sure your water or milk is super cold. Also, a tablespoon of sugar free instant pudding sometimes helps the flavor and texture, and it only adds about 25 calories. Like others have said, you can also try adding PB2, instant coffee, I sometimes add sugar free Torani syrups. I am 20 months out from surgery and I still have protein drinks regularly. It definitely took some trial and error to find some I like. There are definitely some good ones out there. Maybe check with your surgeon's office to see if you can try other brands?

    I have heard of adding the sugar free pudding before. Which kinda did you use with what flavors of protein?

  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
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    rnin02 wrote: »
    I like the bariatric advantage flavors if I blend them with ice. I can tolerate them without the ice but with the ice it's almost a milkshake consistency.

    That's a really good idea! I will try some of my samples with ice.


  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    I have heard of adding the sugar free pudding before. Which kinda did you use with what flavors of protein?

    With the vanilla protein, you can use almost any flavor pudding, I used vanilla, banana, pistachio, lemon, butterscotch. With the chocolate protein I have used chocolate and banana. I have Quest Peanut Butter protein powder, and I have added banana pudding to that, it's pretty yummy.
  • SassyAshleigh
    SassyAshleigh Posts: 78 Member
    edited June 2015
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    garber6th wrote: »
    I have heard of adding the sugar free pudding before. Which kinda did you use with what flavors of protein?

    With the vanilla protein, you can use almost any flavor pudding, I used vanilla, banana, pistachio, lemon, butterscotch. With the chocolate protein I have used chocolate and banana. I have Quest Peanut Butter protein powder, and I have added banana pudding to that, it's pretty yummy.


    Did you just put the protein in, then water, and how much sugar free pudding per 8 oz?
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    garber6th wrote: »
    I have heard of adding the sugar free pudding before. Which kinda did you use with what flavors of protein?

    With the vanilla protein, you can use almost any flavor pudding, I used vanilla, banana, pistachio, lemon, butterscotch. With the chocolate protein I have used chocolate and banana. I have Quest Peanut Butter protein powder, and I have added banana pudding to that, it's pretty yummy.


    Did you just put the protein in, then water, and how much sugar free pudding per 8 oz?

    I just throw it all in the blender, sometimes with a couple of ice cubes, usually about 1 tablespoon of sugar free pudding but if it makes it too thick for you, you can add less pudding or more water, depending on your taste preference.