I’ve been slacking on my vitamins and protein lately so I am making an attempt to get back on track with everything.  This morning I grabbed another Vitalady sample I ordered a while ago to try out.  This time I grabbed Syntrax Nectar in Crystal Sky (the storage container I have the protein sample in STILL smells like that Lean Dessert Cinnamon Roll!).  I know a lot of people on the ObesityHelp.com message board love the Nectar so I was pretty excited to try it.  I always think it is weird that the powder starts out white and turns a different color with some of these protein powders; this one is an electric blue.  It smelled interesting- kind of like Kool Aid or something like that.  I added 8 ounces of water (I really can’t imagine mixing it with milk- just the thought of milky Kool Aid makes me want to puke) in my Blender Bottle and shook it up.  Holy cow there was a lot of foam at the top!  I am not a liker of foam so I let it settle some while I ate breakfast (peanut butter on whole grain English muffin).  When I looked at it 30 minutes later there was still a large amount of foam, you could clearly see powder clumps and the protein had settled to the bottom of the cup like a dense cloudy fog.  I mixed it back up which just created MORE foam.   I then decided I was just going to have to drink it, foam and all.  The taste is kind of odd but not unpleasant.  It’s supposed to be a tropical punch flavor and it does have a punch kind of flavor but something is weird about it (aside from the foam and chunky protein powder bits).  Maybe that’s just the whey isolate making it taste off to me though.  Only 90 calories and 23 grams of protein is really good though so I could probably just chug this stuff so I wouldn’t have to deal with the foam and the chunky bits.

This is AFTER 30 minutes!  LOTS ‘O FOAM!

Product: Syntrax Nectar Protein: Crystal Sky

Price: $29.99 for an 36 serving tub or $1.99 for a one serving sample from Vitalady

The good: this is one of those flavors that should probably be made with water and not milk so less calories and carbs; tastes fairly decent; thin juice-like consistency; only 90 calories and 23 grams of protein

The bad: it foams up really bad when you blend it in a Blender Bottle; still has some tiny bites of clumps so it didn’t mix up smoothly

The ugly: 30 minutes later it still had a large amount of foam (and all the protein settled to the bottom while I was waiting for the foam to dissipate!); the longer it sit the more chucky bits of protein powder there are it seems

So a while ago I ordered some protein samples from Vitalady and they have just been sitting in on my shelf of protein supplements in the kitchen.  I am still entirely uninterested in food today so after rummaging around looking for something to consume I knocked over the Tupperware container I had the samples stored in and figured I would try one out.  I checked the expiration date on the samples to make sure none had expired then grabbed the one of top- BSN Lean Dessert Protein in a Fresh Cinnamon Roll flavor.  Scott thought this entire line of protein powders sounded disgusting but I figured I would give it a shot.  I went ahead and mixed it with 8 ounces of 1% milk this time (the last protein supplement I tried I used water and it tasted pretty gross) in my pretty purple Blender bottle.  I was surprised that it didn’t foam up after being shaken pretty vigorously in the Blender bottle.  I had to do a second round of shaking to get all the clumps out but managed to have a foam and clump free final product.  If you have ever wondered what a cinnamon roll batter would taste like, I am pretty sure this is it.  Pre-mixing the powder had a pleasant cinnamon roll scent but after it definitely smelled like cinnamon flavored whey protein.  Mixed with 8 ounces of milk it was still pretty thick, but I think I prefer it a little thick to really thin.  I cannot taste the whey protein which is good for me because I hate that taste!  The Vitalady sample says there is 30 grams of protein but the label says there is 20 grams in 1 serving so I am not sure how much was in this little sample baggie but 20 grams of protein per serving isn’t bad.  Only 130 calories, 7 carbs (6 net carbs)- so not a terrible protein supplement option and it tastes decent- if you like cinnamon rolls.  I think next time I would use more milk because it really feels like drinking cake batter with only 8 ounces of milk!

Product: BSN Lean Dessert Protein: Fresh Cinnamon Roll

Price: $22.99 for an 18 serving tub or $1.99 for a one serving sample from Vitalady

The good: It doesn’t taste like whey protein- it tastes like a cinnamon roll, 20 grams of protein per serving, did not foam or clump

The bad: in 8 ounces of milk it was really thick like cake batter (just add more milk to it, I know!)

The ugly: Scott wouldn’t even try it and he is usually like Mikey and eats everything

I can’t think of a flavor combo better than raspberries and chocolate.  It is definitely one of my favorite flavors.  I am also hopelessly addicted to Luna bars.  They are super yummy and easy to eat when I am away from home and need to eat something.  This morning I bought some Chocolate Raspberry Luna bars to try and WOW are they good!  As soon as you open the package you smell the raspberry (which I happen to think is extremely yummy).  It’s not too crunchy and not too chewy- it has just the right consistency.  It tastes just like it should- chocolaty and like raspberries.  Again these are Luna bars so they do not have the greatest numbers as far as carbs go.  This particular bar has 21 net carbs and 13 grams of sugar, but it is really yummy!  The 8 grams of protein is certainly on the low end of what I would want from a protein source but they are really yummy!  I had a duodenal switch (DS) so I don’t have to worry about dumping (but if you do then be careful with the sugar content in these) and I hardly absorb any of the 5 grams of fat they have so for me it is not such a terrible choice.  The carbs aren’t stellar but I usually eat them in the morning so I think that helps (as opposed to loading up on carbs at night right before bedtime).  Plus I will take a few more carbs to have a protein bar that actually TASTES good!

Product: Chocolate Raspberry Luna Bar

Price: $0.98 at Walmart; priced on average $1.00 – $1.50 per bar

The good: It is YUMMY; has 8 grams of protein

The bad: 21 net carbs (almost half of what I like to eat in a day!)

The ugly: if you have an issue with dumping, the 13 grams of sugar may not be very nice to you

TIP:  I have actually heard of people freezing the Luna bars and then eating them (especially the chocolate kinds) and they say it is a very yummy treat.  I think I am going to freeze the other one I bought and update on how it is!

Coming soon: I have also tried/have to try these flavors of Luna bars: Peanut Butter Cookies, Lemon Zest, Chia Tea, Carmel Nut Brownie, and White Chocolate Macadamia.  For protein powders I have Biggest Loser singles, Body Fortress (the cheap stuff from Walmart!) in a few different flavors, 4EverFit, protein shots (liquid protein bullets), and a whole box of samples for Vitalady!  Expect more frequent postings!  I also bought a Blender Bottle!

1-2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
8 oz water
ice
1/2 cup frozen banana
1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter

Blend it like crazy and it is a yummy frozen shake!

I use water to minimize the carbs I eat in a day but you can replace the water with milk easily.

I am still making my way through my stack of protein that I have bought and have decided maybe it is time to get one of those protein shaker cup things.  I know what they do and what they look like but the few stores I have remembered to look for one at did not have any!  Where the heck do you get these things?!  And is one kind better than the other?  I see some with strainer lids, some with wire coils at the bottoms and some with wire balls inside (like the  picture above).  How do you know which one to get?

Oh . My. God. It was delicious! It was every bit as good as MM described it. Now the carb count is a little high for everyday eating but I think it is a great “purse/backpack snack”. Even with 28 grams of carbs it is better than most anything that would come out of a college vending machine! Plus it has 8 grams of protein and every little bit helps! It looks like a cereal bar with a peppermint white chocolate coating on the bottom but it tastes like a cross between a candy bar and a cookie. I normal hate sweets (even before surgery I hated sweets) but I am addicted to these Luna Peppermint Stick bars after just having one. I immediately went to Amazon.com (my favorite store ever, plus with Amazon Prime everything I order ships for free which is super convenient with as much as I order!) and saw the had a case of 15 bars for $20. On the side bar it said “sign up for subscribe and save and get this item for only $17!” I forget how much I paid at Walmart for the one bar I got but I think it was $2.09. When I was at Fresh Market I saw they had them for $1.59. So I can order them from Amazon at $1.13 a bar AND they will automatically send me a case once a month?! Of course I ordered them immediately! I ordered them yesterday morning and they got to my house tonight!
So as I mentioned, I order a lot of stuff from Amazon. This is not a shameless ad telling you to buy from Amazon- I have legitimately ordered from there very regularly for the past several years! This week alone the UPS man has been to my house 3 times already. We’ve had 10 “dates” this year so far you would think we would be on a first name basis by now! Then again he only ever sees me in my pajamas and sometimes they are the same pajamas from the day before, but still! I’m just kidding about having an affair with the UPS man, but I have seen him at least ten times this month so far! I ordered a Tag Jr Reading System and a Tag book for my niece for her second birthday next month, so the Reading System came yesterday and the Tag Book (Panda Bear, Panda Bear) came today with my Luna bars.

I’ve had problems with protein supplements since surgery.  Basically- they make me puke.  The ones that don’t make me puke make me feel so sick to my stomach I WANT to puke!  So I am on this quest to find a protein supplement that tastes great, doesn’t have a million carbs in it, and doesn’t make me sick.

While at Walmart one day picking up a Luna Peppermint Stick bar (Melting Mama did a review of it a while ago that made it sound so delicious I wanted one immediately! ) I decided to grab a 6 pack of the Body Fortress Super Whey protein shots with 26 grams of protein.  I know, I know!  It is an inferior protein source compared to whey isolate but some protein is better than none at this point!  I will write a review a little bit later (probably tomorrow), but I will say as long as I held my nose I was able to get it down and keep it down.

I have a stack of protein bars to try (the previously mentioned Luna bar, an Oh Yeah! Bar, and some others) as well.  Plus I have 8 powder samples and 3 different kinds of protein shots I just ordered from Vitalady today coming in the mail.  Haven’t heard of Vitalady?  Check her out; lots of vitamin and protein options plus some WLS food options as well.  I should do a more detailed review of her site but I am a little worn out after my Wii Fit yoga session this morning and need a nap before the kids get home!

For my liquid diet prior to surgery I need to take three 8 ounces servings of protein supplements to keep up my strength and for the protein to help with recovery.  Unjury, Herbalife, and Isopure Zero Carb are the three protein supplements there were ok for the liquid diet phase.  I have heard from lots of other people that the chicken soup flavored Unjury was really tasty so I picked some up from the local sports and health store.   I have to say I was really disappointed after hearing all the hype about how good it was.  It was ok but it had a strange flavor to it- almost like mushrooms that have gone bad.  It took me a lot of determination to finish my serving due to the taste.  I am going to keep it around to try after surgery since your tastes change.  Make sure to follow the directions about the temperature of the water- if the water is too hot it will clump the protein!

With all of the protein drinks I have tried I always taste the whey isolate and do not particularly find it appealing.  I am getting ready for my liquid diet before my surgery and was reading up on what I am allowed to have while on the clear liquids.  The Alpine Punch flavor of Isopure Zero Carb was not on the approved list of protein drinks (probably because it is red and would look like blood during surgery is my guess) so I decided to try it out the other day.  I have to say this is the first protein drink I didn’t mind drinking.  The whey isolate barely had an aftertaste and tasted almost like Hawaiian punch.  The Isopure Zero Carb drinks come in 20 ounce glass bottles and have a whopping 40 grams of protein.  I really liked this flavor and plan on buying some for after surgery.   As I mentioned before, Isopure Zero Carb is pretty expensive ($49.99 for 12 at GNC).  GNC is current having a Buy one at regular price get one of equal or lesser value 50% off sale and also a gold card program that saves you 20% the day you join and the first seven days of the month for an entire year on our already low prices in stores and at gnc.com for only $15.

Rating: 5/5

Serving Size 1 bottle(s) Servings Per Container 12 Amount Per Serving % DV Calories 160.00 Total Fat 0.00 0% Sodium 80.00 mg 3% Potassium 45.00 mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 0.00 0% Sugars 0.00 Protein 40.00 g 80% Calcium 60.00 mg 6% ** Daily Value (DV) not established

Other Ingredients: Ion-Exchange Whey Protein Isolate, Phosphoric Acid, Sucralose, Polysorbate 80, Natural and Artificial Flavors, FD&C Red #40, Filtered Water No Preservatives, No Carbs, Lactose Free, Fat Free, Aspartame Free