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Just be careful with selecting meal replacements since a lot of them won't meet the guidelines as outlined by your team. As an example, the Bariatric Pal creamy chicken soup meal replacement mentioned above is too low in protein. While there are a few products out there that will meet those guidelines, most won't. They'll either be too low in protein, or too high in carbs. This includes the vast majority of products you'll find at grocery & drug stores.
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@NickelChip Thank you so much! I am THRILLED to find out the is a chicken soup flavor!! LOL
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The meal replacement shakes I liked the best were Bariatric Fusion brand in the cappuccino flavor for breakfast and the chicken soup flavor (made with warm water) for lunch and dinner. A caveat is that I hated both of these when I tasted them the first time. I almost got rid of them. Especially the chicken soup. But after about 3 days on the liquid diet, the soup was the best thing I ever tasted. I was so tired of artifical sweetness. I also can't say enough nice things about Syntrax Nectar Naturals orange flavor protein shake (but this is not a meal replacement shake, just a protein supplement). I quickly tired of the meal replacement shakes within the first month post-op, but I drank an orange protein shake every morning for about 6 months. I had very little appetite in the mornings but specifically the lightness of the orange texture/flavor made me feel like I was having a glass of juice. It's similar to drinking Tang, if you ever had that back in the day. Or maybe like Sunny-D. Not quite orange juice, but kind of a treat. I tried the other flavors and they weren't as good in my opinion, but I would probably still drink the orange one if I needed a supplement.
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Best of luck to all of you. My surgery is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Hope it works out really well for you guys too.
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This is what I have for my pre-op diet. It does give some guidelines for what they want the shakes to have. I'm just trying to find out which ones people prefer as far as taste before I buy some. pre-op diet.pdf
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Is it just me, or is it really odd they'd tell you what not to use, but didn't tell you what you should be using? Surely they must have some suggestions that fit what they want here? As far as I know, all meal replacement shakes contain added vitamins as that's sort of the point. They also contain added carbs and fats that most protein shakes don't have. I'd say the vast majority of people here were told to just use protein shakes. That's typically for a few reasons: First, especially if you also take a vitamin supplement, you're not going to suffer any long term harm using protein shakes instead of meal replacement shakes for a few weeks. Second, most meal replacement shakes are lower in protein than a typical protein shake. We want as much protein as possible to help prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue when dieting. Third, most bariatric doctors don't actually want you consuming very many carbs, since one of the main goals of the pre-surgical diet is to shrink your liver to make the surgery safer. The best way to do that is a very low carb diet. (The liver is one of the main ways your body stores glycogen, so by depleting it of glycogen (carbs), it will get smaller, even if no other changes take place.) TL;DR: Ask your team what they want you to use.
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FINALLLYY PLASTICSS, Advice? Stories? Successes?
FifiLux replied to fourmonthspreop's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Congratulations. Look forward to hearing your updates. -
I have a tentative surgery date of June 17th so I'll be starting my 2 week liver shrink / pre-op diet the first week of June. My nutritionist said I will have to drink meal replacement shakes for breakfast, lunch, & supper. I have Premier Protein powder at home, but he said that is not a meal REPLACEMENT, it's just a high protein shake. What meal replacement shakes do you recommend? Which ones tastes the best? I don't think I can drink the ones that have a heavy vitamin taste.
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WendyJane reacted to a post in a topic:
Resilience, Grit & Tenacity: A Domestic Violence Survivor's Weight Loss Success Journey Story
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WendyJane reacted to a post in a topic:
Urgently need a sleeve to bypass conversion but my new Insurance won’t pay.
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Thank you! 💙
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Food Before and After Photos
GreenTealael replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Recent meals: Tofu Katsu, keto french toast and an iced london fog with a cookie. - Yesterday
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Self sabotage - already??
Spinoza replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Incredibly honest post. You know that your current approach won't (can't) help you reach your weight loss goal and stay there. It's so good that you're stepping back and evaluating that before your prime period for weight loss flashes past (which it really really does - mine is already way back in the rear view mirror, LOL). I live in Ireland where access to proper bariatric therapists is limited, as i think it probably also is in the UK. But I echo the advice above to find one and work on what's going on in your head so you can make the most of what you've changed in your body. I really hope that you can get back on track. We are all here to help - all human and have all made mistakes as we went along. Lots of us have hit little blips when we find we *can* do things that we shouldn't. What matters is that we stop and call those out and get back on the horse. Keep posting and let us know how you're doing. -
Self sabotage - already??
SpartanMaker replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
This doesn't strike me as self-sabotage, as much as addictive behavior. I should clarify that I'm not a therapist, but even if I were, no one can be diagnosed simply based on a post on a message board. Transfer addiction post-bariatric surgery is incredibly common so I feel like it's worth it to seek help ASAP and get this sorted out. -
Self sabotage - already??
Claire D replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Thanks SO much to you all for taking the time to respond xxx -
Self sabotage - already??
NickelChip replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I am going to ask you a question that I also ask myself when I have periods of consuming things I know I should not have. How did it get in your house? It's one thing to be in a place where temptation strikes. Maybe you go to a wedding and you are handed a glass of champagne. Maybe you go to your friend's birthday party and you take a piece of cake because everyone else has one. Okay, fine. This is not likely to be an ongoing issue unless your social calendar is booked constantly (in which case you need a plan). (But also, not fine because you are at 8 weeks out and your stomach is like a delicate baby that you are feeding trash. More like fine a year from now.) But if you are on day 6 of drinking wine while watching TV at night, all snug on your sofa... why is there wine in your house? Did you buy it? Did someone else bring it in? Is it left over from something? The easiest way not to drink alcohol casually is to have no alcohol in the house. The easiest way not to eat chips, or chocolate, or ice cream is... to not have it around. Get rid of it. I know a lot of us have issues with "wasting" food or drink. What I've come to realize only slowly is that there is no difference between me eating junk I don't need that is not good for me and putting it down the garbage disposal. Except in the second scenario, I don't gain weight. After Easter, I bought a big bag of jelly beans on clearance. They weren't very good. Even so, I kept eating them. I put them in the cupboard and kept getting a handful every time I walked past. And then I would eat a few and say these are really not very good. And then I would KEEP EATING THEM! Finally, after I did this several times, I stopped and asked myself what I was doing. Why was I eating these? Why did I buy them? And my only answer was because I was bored, and a little stressed, and they were there. Also, I like jelly beans. Only I didn't like them. So, I threw them away. An almost full bag, in the garbage. I know! The waste! But I didn't need them, I didn't like them, and they were making me crave all sorts of other sweets. I just kept thinking about the fact they were there. It made me want them. When they were gone, I could no longer eat them, and I didn't care enough to go buy more. For the first year, I did most of my grocery shopping through curbside pick up. I planned what to buy based on a menu plan, and that's all I got. No impulse buys. No clearance bins. No getting a dozen bags of something bad for me because it was on sale. I gave away all my alcohol or poured it down the drain. I threw away the junk food and organized my pantry so I could find things at a glance. I made a list of healthy things that were easy to eat or take along because I know I will always eat what's easy and not what's difficult. I meal prep for the week so that I don't have to cook and prep every single day and I have no excuse to eat out. I'll also be honest that the hardest times for me were before surgery when I was trying to follow a nutrition plan but had a lot of hunger and cravings, and from around 9 months out when weight loss had slowed and my appetite was becoming more noticeable and my weight loss naturally slowed. The fact that you're feeling like this at 8 weeks is concerning because this is the time when your ability to stay motivated should be highest (constant reinforcement when you step on the scale and lose weight almost every day), and your ability to eat is the least. Don't let this drag on without addressing it. Talk to your team. Because it's only going to get harder. Maybe you're bored. Or scared of change. Or you don't believe the surgery will work and you're turning it into a self fulfilling prophecy because that's easier emotionally than trying and failing. Or you just can't help yourself when the food or alcohol is in the house because you're addicted. Whatever it is, the best day to fix it is today. And ask your family and friends for help. Be accountable to others and to yourself. Because you can fix this, but if you don't, you won't reach your goal. -
I was told that some women will pass some blood after WLS. If it continues, I'd get it checked out. I passed a large blood clot a couple days post-op, and it freaked me out. After that... nothing. It's usually residual.
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Self sabotage - already??
BabySpoons replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Me either. Why go through all that's needed to get the surgery then stop doing what's needed to achieve the goal? Determine your goal and get some counseling to change your mindset. Addictive personalities tend to substitute the food for something else. Alcohol, etc. I had to chuckle at how many times @The Greater Fool called the surgery, the MAGIC SURGERY. lol. It was kind of magic for me TBH. It fixed whatever was causing all of my weight loss efforts to fail. I exercised and dieted for years with limited results. So, it was extremely satisfying when it all finally actually worked, and I got healthy. I don't kill myself with dieting anymore or with extreme exercise pre-op. I walk 2 miles a day and try to stay moving and do some weights. I eat normally now (2 years out) but stay within the guidelines of the plan and treat myself on occasion with a drink or a piece of chocolate. I do know some people who believe the shot (GLP-1) are magic too. LOL They eat whatever they want without moving and then wonder why it's not working. People can out eat the drugs one DR told me while discussing my RNY. I have never used them but know it has helped others in addition to their WLS. Bottom line, neither WLS nor the drugs will work all on their own. But it sure helps to get you there. Do what you need to do now to become healthy again. Which in the end is really the most important thing. The honeymoon doesn't last foreva..... GL @Claire D I wish you the best!!! -
Last night I was lazy and made a road trip out for a 5 calorie iced coffee and grabbed a Southwest grilled chicken salad with creamy salsa ranch dressing from Chic-Fil-A.
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Coming up on 15 years after VSG
SouthernSleever replied to SouthernSleever's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
A couple things related to my weight gain - when I gained weight it was due to eating fast food/junk food during nursing school and then the pandemic (people sending goodies to hospitals) and the stress of the job. I also had two traumatizing relationships in that mix - what was 30lbs would have been 60lbs pre-wls When I was gaining weight, I wasn't stepping on the scale. So now, I do this often to keep me accountable. You are going to regain some, your stomach is tiny and then the swelling goes down and you can eat more (and you should)! I feel like wls is the only way I could have kept this off. The best thing is that the food noise is gone! I would redo the surgery once a year, every year, if I had to. That's how important is been to me. -
Self sabotage - already??
The Greater Fool replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
One issue many post-ops have is high expectations pre-op. We think with the magic surgery we will be able to follow the draconian diet plan, or even just the strict diet plan, we are expected to keep that we've never been able to keep before. We think the magic surgery will make us keep the exercise plan that we've never been able to keep before. In short, the magic surgery will make us enjoy doing the things we hate doing and have never followed through on before. Then we run smack into the wall of reality and think less of ourselves because it seems we are sabotaging ourselves. My personal philosophy for post-op life was only to do things I felt I could follow through on. When I was considering surgery I evaluated the eating plans to ensure I could follow through and that it wouldn't feel like torture or even a hardship. I looked at exersise that I didn't dispise. If I didn't think I could/would sustain it I wouldn't commit to it. During this 'honeymood period' you will lose weight almost no matter what you do. Now, this reward of weight loss is being associated with bad eating habits and bad drinking habits. As @catwoman7 says, now is the time to build good habits that get associated with weight loss rewards. Later, when the going get's tough it will be the good habits you associate with weight loss which will keep you going. We also make the big mistake thinking that the magic surgery will fix our heads when, in fact, it often makes what's going on in there worse. We often make the mistake of thinking we can do these big changes on our own. This is why support is so important. Family support, if it's truly available is helpful. Friends can be another help, again if it's truly available. Professional support can be invaluable. Therapists can have vast experience with the coping issues you may not even know you are facing. They can provide you with new insights and new coping mechanisms to replace those the surgery took away. Good luck, Tek -
Self sabotage - already??
catwoman7 replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi - if you aren't able to get back on track alone, I'd seek out the help of a therapist. This is your big chance of losing a ton of weight, so you don't want to blow it. It'll never be this easy again! (not saying it's easy, but way easier than it has been or will be once you're past the so-called "honeymoon stage"). You need to take full advantage of that, so do whatever you need to do to get back on track! -
Hi lovelies, I hope you’re all doing well? You were all so supportive with the question I asked a few weeks ago that I thought I would come here and see if you have any advice for me now! As of tomorrow I am eight weeks out from the gastric bypass procedure. I have lost quite a bit of weight (2 stone) which I’m absolutely delighted about (and people are starting to notice which has been a really good feeling). However, I must have THE most stubborn self sabotaging streak because I have started to drink alcohol again (and not just on special occasions) as well as not following the food rules and not exercising. I can’t understand why I’m being like this because my family are so happy that I’ve done this and have been so supportive, and my friends (even though they don’t know about the operation are really starting to notice) so WHY am I doing this to myself? I just wondered if you guys knew of a reason I may have hit the wall so early (I really do not want to fail) and especially if you have any advice, book recommendations apps or anything that I might be able to do to help me get back on track and find my way again. Really appreciated as always thank you xx
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Resilience, Grit & Tenacity: A Domestic Violence Survivor's Weight Loss Success Journey Story
BabySpoons replied to Sharon Chen's topic in Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories
. Agree. I grew up in very similar circumstances. My father was a deacon in the Southern Baptist church and highly respected in the community. But behind closed door he became a monster who beat my mother with his fists (and his children when we were older) along with severe mental abuse. I walked away from God because of it. Even though He never left me. I returned to church years later to realize I can't base my faith on the actions of other people. The churches are filled with messed up/ broken people. Although I no longer attend church, I still believe. I pray one day you will see that you still need Him. As the loving caring Father that he really is and unlike the earthly horrible ones both of us grew up with. It's really easy to believe in ourselves and others when things are going well. But we tend to forget it's only by Him that we wake up every morning and take our next breath. Food for thought... -
Where’s the weight loss?!
ms.sss replied to Jaxxamillion's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
don't forget, wrists, shoulders, ring size, shoe size/width! oh, and your standing height -
Back to basics. Taking vitamins
c945105 replied to ShoppGirl's topic in Protein, Vitamins, and Supplements
I used to struggle big time with the timing of my supplements, especially Calcium and my multivitamin with Iron. I tried different combos but always felt off, either nauseous or I’d just forget to take something. What’s worked lately is spacing them like Calcium with lunch and dinner, then the multivitamin with a small snack later at night. I learned the hard way that taking Iron too close to Calcium blocks the absorption, so I don’t mess with that anymore. And Greek yogurt has helped me too. It's gentle on the stomach for taking pills, especially early in the day. I’ve also been using this app called Menalam that figures out when and what to take based on your diet and habits. It gives personalized supplement recs, and I only adjust when my schedule changes or new lab results come in. -
Just wanted to pop by and wish you all the best of luck ❤️
