I am diabetic so use Glucerna and Atkins protein shakes. These are approved for weight stabilization of diabetics

My medical group suggested Carnation instant sugar free breakfast in skimmed milk. Cheap and works good until after surgery and milk started making me sick. I switched to a High Protein bar I ge at the walmart Pharmacy. They are 20% protein. I don't know if they are acceptable to my doctor I haven;t told him yet.
Before surgery they had me buy some protein shots in tall test tube like bottles. They are so gross! I still have most of them!

Trader Joe's sells Designer Whey and almost all protein powders are available on amazon. But does your nutritionist understand the difference between whey isolatel -- Designer Whey is an isolate and whole whey? The process used to make the isolate denudes most of the nutrition from the whey -- it's like so much food in this country, the processing strips out nutrition. Why do they do it? I think the manufactuerers make more money, it stretches out the product and it is something to promote but I suggest you buy whole whey, I only eat organic, and then you can make it any flavor you want. Use stevia -- carb free natural sweetner. Very imp that Stevia is organic cause otherwise the processing is full of bad chemicals. Chocolate, adds frozen fruits . . and one of my favorite protein shake tricks: unsweetened coconut milk instead of water. YUM! I am eating as few calories as possible right now, but maxing out protein so I am using water, not coconut milk but normally cocomilk transforms a shake into yummiliciousness.

There is also almond milk, but I prefer coconut and coconut milk has less calories -- unsweetened.

If you buy natural unflavored organic whey, you can add any flavors you want. I add cinnamon, tumeric and ginger to all shakes, plus organic psyllium and flax for fiber -- tiny amounts. All these things improve the body's ability to metabolize, plus flax is full of all kinds of nutrients your body needs. Post surgery, every nutrient matters.

I started out with Designer Whey then discovered five pound tubs of Optimum Nutrition were cheaper but then my boyfriend found out isolates have almost no nutrition left. And watch out for added vitamins: most are chemicals, not really good for you. Take real vitamns.

If you had surgery for diabetes, tumeric is the #1 'medicine' in ayurvedic medicine for Type II -- which is why I take some daily. If my diabetes goes away, I guess I might stop but I am so used to it now.

Taste? buy plain whey protein and make whateve ryou want: used iced coffee and chocolate powder. Chocolate is actually good for the body, it's the sugar most add to chocolate that hurt it. A tablesppoon of chocolate, a serving of whey powder (whole), stevia, a banana -- and if you peel and freeze the bananas the shakes get creamy almost like a milk shake.

I cringe to recall all the chemicalized bad artificial sweeteners I used for a long time. My boyfriend, who was not dieting, researched for me and opened my eyes.

GREAT question! I haven't tried any protein shakes yet as I'm still a month out before surgery. Note to self: Print out these great suggestions. :-)