Hi Sunny, thank you for the advice and I'm glad that it is working out for you! I will absolutely be taking a look at Dr. Weiner's books and videos!
That being said, there are some things that I don't completely agree with you about. Yes, I think focusing on the high protein, low carb diet is important, and limiting snacking is also important. But here are my two hold-ups.
1) We all snack. With the gastric sleeve, we are told to have 4-6 small "meals" a day to meet a minimum caloric intake. I, and many others, are not going to cook 4-6 "meals" a day, it takes too much time. So, I would rather have a healthy snack like yogurt and berries than an unhealthy one like a sleeve of cookies. Eating sliced deli meat and nuts can get very boring very quickly. That is why I'm trying to build a list of healthy snacks and alternative/substitute foods. This brings me to my second point.
2) Most of us live with other people. This means we are constantly exposed to the snacks and unhealthy food they are eating. If I can replace these foods with sugar-free or healthy alternatives, I won't be as tempted by them and even if I do indulge a little, they aren't as unhealthy as having a slice of cake or a handful of Doritos or potato chips. That is also why I asked about substitute or alternative foods.
Again, I appreciate your comment, suggestion of Dr. Weiner, and your encouragement, but it is a pipe dream to think that a person can stick to the pre-op or post-op diets everyday all-day for the rest of their lives. I'm just trying to limit my bad choices, especially while I'm at home surrounded by other people's food.