After bariatric surgery, there are a lot of changes that you will need to make to your diet, especially during the two-week liquid phase. During the two-week liquid phase, you are able to drink bariatric protein shakes that contain less than 7 grams of total carbohydrates.
There is not a minimum or maximum amount of protein shakes that you need to have each day. We recommend drinking one when you feel hungry, fatigued, or lethargic. They do not count towards your hydrating fluids, but you can drink your hydrating fluids right after drinking a protein shake.
One of the main things you will need to consider is how much protein you are eating or drinking. Fortunately, bariatric protein shakes are one of the best ways to get your protein. We do not have a set protein goal for patients post-surgery, but a two-week protein shake phase has proven to be a best practice.
However, not all protein drinks are good for weight loss surgery patients. Here are two important must-knows about bariatric protein shakes as meal replacements.
#1: Know what’s in your drink.
Be careful what you add to your protein shake; you should only add water. Adding any other ingredients could raise the calorie and sugar levels too high, which could be counterproductive to your health and wellbeing goals.
#2: Use a protein powder.
Talk to our medical team at WeightWise to get some tips on which protein powders may be best to use for your drink.
Add the powder, then add water — and only water. For more flavor, add sugar-free syrup.
Protein shakes are a convenient way to get the right amount of protein and nutrition into your body, especially during the first two weeks when you are unable to eat any solid proteins.
If you don’t want to make your own protein shakes, there are a variety of protein shakes on the market. However, it is important to read the ingredients carefully to make sure they are okay for bariatric patients. They should contain less than 7 grams of total carbohydrates. Some quality brands we can recommend are Premier, Core Power, Fairlife, Pure Protein, and Quest.
If you are unsure, contact our experienced medical team at WeightWise. We are committed to your weight loss journey and will help answer any questions you have about your nutrition and diet plan.
Contact us today to see if bariatric surgery is right for you! We will support you throughout the process. We believe that no weight loss procedure should represent the end of a person’s weight loss plan. We’re committed to helping you build a healthy and sustainable regimen of diet and exercise to keep you healthy and feeling your best.
If you’ve been considering WeightWise, now is a great time to get to know us!