Puja

To eat! Your body still needs that baseline nutrition to keep itself running efficiently. Eating less than what is recommended will not only slow down your healing, but also your metabolism and weight loss. Like Chris says, don't compare! Everyone is different!

Many people confuse acid reflux for hunger... but some also confused hunger for reflux! Maybe your body actually is hungry. My doctor gave me a good tip on figuring out whether or not I'm hungry - imagine eating a boiled egg. If you can picture yourself wanting to eat a boiled egg, and truly enjoying it, chances are that you need food. Of course, it's not always a fool-proof method, but it has worked for me. I often get acid issues when I go too long without eating, and then eat too fast, which leads to more reflux. Try to listen to your body, and don't let yourself "be hungry", if your body is asking for food. At 4 weeks out, you must be on soft foods, or semi-solid foods. Eat every few hours, and keep up the protein!

Imlosing it, I completely understand where you are coming from! I was overweight my whole life (it's awesome to say that in the past tense), and felt like there was always someone watching my plate to see what I ate or how much of it I ate. That paranoia continued on post-op, and is still there, even though I hit goal a few months ago. But you know what I realized? A lot of these people who seem to be overly concerned about my dietary intake actually genuinely care for me, and don't know how else to show their support. It was me who assumed someone was still trying to criticize me or my food choices. Now, it's very heartwarming when someone makes a special dish that they think I can eat. Most people don't actually know the ins and outs of the surgery, they don't realize that I can eat whatever I want. My boyfriend's mum saw me sipping on a Protein shake a week out of surgery, and thought that was how I would live the rest of my life. So, the next time I visited her, she had stocked her cupboards with juices and protein powders. It irritated me, but I realized she was trying to be supportive in her own way. So, I sat her down and explained to her how I would slowly incorporate normal foods back into my diet. I live with my parents, and my dad still asks me when I will eat "like a normal person". He doesn't want to ruffle my feathers, he just wants to make sure I'm happy and satisfied with the variety in my diet. Of course, this lady you are working with might seriously be an evil woman who wants to put you down and upset you...but there is also the possibility that she respects your decision, and wants to help you out. Good luck to you!

I feel like the best thing about having had this surgery is that now I can think of food all day, and not feel guilty. I look forward to my meals, I surf recipe blogs, and I make mental notes of things I want to eat. All without feeling like a horrible person!! I cook more than ever, I eat a lot more variety, and some times I even feel like I eat more than I did pre-op. Of course, I make much better choices, and I'm all the happier for it I can walk around in public with food now, without thinking that the world is staring at me or judging me for eating!

I love to eat still, and I'm super happy about it! Like JerseyGirl, I'm happy to finally be feeling satisfied, with healthier foods and smaller portions. AngelaMarie, I eat every 2.5 to 3 hours, and I like it that way. It helps me stay energetic, satisfied, and keeps my metabolism up. I get lots of variety during the day, which helps keep me from snacking. Of course, you have to ask yourself if you are eating just because you can, because you are thirsty, or because you are genuinely hungry. Like SummersGirl, I find myself craving more salty than sweet, but I figure that's a good thing! I still enjoy dessert, but it's easier to stop eating it after a few bites.

Gettinmeback, you'll be fine, as long as you stay vigilant! Yogurt is going to go down easier, because it's not exactly a solid, and there is no Fiber in it. Try to add an ounce of granola, and it will make a big difference. I can easily put in 5 oz, sometimes 6, but I stay conscious and continue to weigh my meals. I still track everything. The difference between now and before the sleeve, is that now you are aware of your eating and you are in control! You have the ability to control what goes into your mouth, and how much of it. The sleeve will help you, as long as you work with it.

Thank you, Ms Skinniness! It's sucky to hear that no one in the class asked you for advice... I suppose I might have been in their position once upon a time. It's hard to take that next step towards health, unless you're 100% ready. Until then, it's sort of intimidating to see others who have taken the leap towards a new lifestyle. Is your Diabetes under control, or at least manageable, after having surgery?

Sleeve of Steel! It's exciting to see a post from you! Your posts were a big boost to my willpower and confidence when I first had the surgery. I was always on the forum when I started out, and have only recently come back to see what is new. I'm currently 16 months out. I was given a healthy weight range from 115-125 (for my height), and have managed to stay within that so far. Just like you, I have some days where I can eat loads, and other days where I really feel the restriction. I still weigh my foods, and limit meals to 4 or 5 ounces, depending on the food. I don't count calories as much, but I make sure to get in a minimum of 60 Proteins, and aim for 1000-1500 calories a day. I stopped tracking on fatsecret, and mostly track everything in my head. It's like second-nature now. I've recently started introducing more healthy fats and carbs into my diet, and have found a new love for non-processed, natural foods. I feel much more normal with the surgery than I did without, interestingly enough. Ms. Skinniness, I've found myself grazing and taking in more sugar, as well!! I have to catch myself every so often, and remind myself to keep busy if I'm bored, or eat a proper meal if my body is telling me it's hungry. I eat every 2.5 to 3 hours, to keep from grazing. This sleeve has not only helped me stay healthy, but also everyone around me! They try to follow my habits, and ask me for nutrition ideas. It's so surreal. I feel blessed! I was asked to write a patient testimonial for my doctor's website, which was super exciting! http://www.oliakcenter.com/sleeve-gastrectomy/testimonials/ (I'm at the very bottom)

I drink 8 glasses of Water a day, and have a dry mouth often. It's worst when I wake up! I really haven't found a solution yet, other than to always have a bottle of water with me. I make sure to drink 2 glasses of water after waking up, and 2 glasses between each meal. Hopefully someone else on here will have an explanation or solution!

Good luck to you!!

Hi! I'm 16 months out right now, and still measure my food to 4 or 5 ounces. I can do 4 ounces of greek yogurt with an ounce of granola. On occasion, if I don't measure, I'll find I can eat up to 6 ounces, which gets scary. So, I try to keep portions to 4 or 5 ounces. 2 low fat string cheeses with a half cup of grapes (about 3 ounces) is perfectly satisfying, without me feeling full. If I'm eating something more liquidy, like lentils or curries, I will usually go up to 5 or 6 ounces. I'm vegetarian, so can't give you much input on the denser meats, which I've heard feel heavier in the stomach. Good luck!

You're so right! After surgery, I realized how much happier my body feels with natural foods. I did artificial Protein powders and bars for the first few months, but all that is out now! I cook with real foods now, but try to limit the sugar and fat contents with bananas, natural sweeteners, or yogurts. Please let us know if you decide to experiment with sleeve friendly - high protein - veggie recipes!

My parents handled that aspect, and I didn't want to know, in case I backed out due to guilt. Sorry I don't have an answer for you!

I did self pay, because my insurance was requiring a minimum of 6 months with their own doctors and diet plans, which didn't fit into my holiday schedule very well.

Oops, sorry, I suppose I gave you the same information twice.

I think there may be a few others on here that have gone to him, but I'm not in contact with them. I am really happy with my experiences in his office, with him, and his staff. He works out of a few hospitals, and I had my surgery at Placentia-Linda. They have a nurse there who is a bariatric liaison of sorts, and also elected to have her own surgery through Dr. Oliak. I believe a few of the doctors there have also had bariatric surgeries to Dr. Oliak. In my opinion, if other doctors and nurses trust him, that says a lot about his quality of work.

I think another thread was just started on a similar topic! My surgeon was Dr. David Oliak - he's amazing! His staff is very supportive and they hold weekly support group meetings. His website is: www.oliakcenter.com

Dr. David Oliak was my surgeon, and he's amazing! His office staff is great, as well. I heard a lot about his work through other doctors and nurses, which is always a good sign. If a nurse or doctor has good things to say about a colleague, that person must be good. His website is www.oliakcenter.com

I live in Southern California - Orange County! My surgery was also performed here. I'm glad your surgeon is directing you to the right sources. He's right that a lot of vegetarians and vegans become Protein powder/shake dependent.. but it's primarily because they don't have enough information, and think those are their only sources. "Vegetarian" rarely equals "healthy"! You, however, have found this site before your surgery, so you will be completely prepared! Yay for you! Educating yourself will take you half way towards your success. I drank 1 Protein shake a day for the first several months after surgery. I had to go to Bangalore after my first month post-op, and found it difficult to maintain my protein intake without the powders and Protein Bars (also 1 a day), By the time I came back to California, I was at 7 months post-op, and desperate for more food options that did not require me to rely on artificial products. So, once I came back, I started working out my daily meal plans to incorporate healthy, natural foods, with variety. I haven't touched the protein powders since! You will need powders while you are on liquids and purees - the shakes will be your best friend. You can forget them once you start back onto real foods - if you want to. As for tofu, I only eat it about once a week, but I'm always surprised by its versatility. It really is a wonderful protein source, if you learn how to use it. Rice and roti expand a bit in your tummy, which makes you get full faster - this obviously means you get less of the good stuff. I never actually restricted myself from either, but found that I didn't miss them much. I might have had a bite or two here and there, but only if something looked yummy, and I was craving it. Now, I am in a maintenance phase, and I still only have a few bites here and there. If there is something exciting like gobi parantha being made, I will make sure to enjoy a piece of it, and not feel guilty. We have to feel normal, and remind ourselves that there is no "bad" food. Only "better" food. I'm glad you find my outlook to be rational! I sure think it is. The logic in it is what has helped me stay on track, and stay motivated. Right now, I usually hit my protein requirements before my last meal of the day, so I can enjoy something with my parents - or I can cook something that I'm in the mood for, even if it's a bit low on the protein count. I just make sure to keep a track of my calorie intake. I didn't have any other weight - related issues, but hopefully I have prevented them from occurring in the future!

My hunger definitely did reduce after surgery. Interestingly enough, I found myself much more satisfied after my high Protein meals than I ever did before the surgery. Satisfaction after a meal was something I rarely experienced before surgery. I still have a good appetite, and enjoy my meals. I do feel hungry faster if the daal is very liquidy, so I make thicker daal (lentils). Or, I eat more of it. I also sometimes mix daal with subji (veggies) and dahi (yogurt) to give it a thicker consistency, and more substance. I don't know why your surgeon is pushing so hard with the meat, to be honest. Eating meat makes things easier, but it's not at all necessary. Still, I eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. I don't always feel hungry, but I feel low on energy. Either way, eating small meals often is a good way to boost your metabolism! I decided to not check my weight post-op, because I have a history of self-sabotaging my diets. So, I made up my mind that I wanted to change my food choices for my overall health, not just my weight loss, and maintained that lifestyle every day. The doctors tracked my weight during follow ups, and I was always on target (if not above target) for the expected loss. At 14 months out, I was a normal BMI and had lost 85 pounds. Does your surgeon work with a nutritionist to help you work out meal plans and whatnot? Where are you having your surgery done?

Neil, 3 months out with a 62 pound loss! That's amazing! Being a vegetarian in America will definitely be much easier than in India. There is a larger variety of Protein options available to you. Natural, low fat cheeses, greek yogurt, low fat milk, powdered Peanut Butter, protein powders, nuts, and soy products. All these items are staples you should have in your house, to provide yourself with daily variety! I'm in California. Good luck to you!

I can very honestly say that I grew up obese, and tried every diet out there . The gastric sleeve is a TOOL that helps us reach our goals. We still have to make the right choices for our health, but it is a huge factor that plays into our success. I would have never been able to lose weight without it. My sleeve is the best thing I ever did for myself! You're right. Surgery is not for everyone, but it's up to us to be honest with ourselves about our lifestyle and habits. Without that, we can't be successful with or without the sleeve.

I forgot to respond to your earlier questions: My nutritionist did have some hesitations with me being vegetarian, but only because she had not had any vegetarian patients. I discussed Protein options with her, and did lots of research on my own, to find out what foods were best for me in regards to a calorie to protein ratio, fat content, and carbohydrate content. Some doctors put a carb limit, but I did not have one. Initially, I was at 800 to 1000 calories a day, and am currently at around 1200 calories a day. I eat every 2.5 to 3 hours, without fail. I don't always feel hunger, but I do feel drained, and eating keeps up my energy. 9:30 - 1 boiled egg (7 gm protein) 12:30 - 2 ounces of low-fat cheese with some grapes, or some healthy crackers, or broccoli (14 gm protein) 3:30 - a Protein Bar (12 - 15 gm protein) 6:30 - Greek yogurt with granola (17 gm protein) 9:30 - lentils with veggies (8 to 10 gm protein) 10:30 - glass of milk (10 gm protein) I started out at 207 pounds, and am currently at 118 pounds. Good luck!

Oops, I made a mistake in my initial post. My meal was 10 grams of Protein, not 20! Chaya, where are you located? I eat Indian food on almost a daily basis: lentils, paneer (make your own with low fat milk, yogurt, milk, etc. Depending on where you are in India, tofu, Peanut Butter, and cheeses are also good options (natural cheese, not processed). For a higher protein yogurt, hang your dahi in a cloth, and drain the Water out - this is similar to the Greek Yogurt that lots of people post about in the forums. If you use low-fat or non fat milk, even better! This thicker dahi can be used as cream in your daals, and tastes delicious with fruit or granola. If I have tofu available, I add that into my vegetables with Indian masala. It's good plain, and the rest of the family can eat it like a subji with roti. Make sure to press the water out of the tofu first. If you are making daal, eat yours with yogurt, while the rest of the family has rice. It's very manageable! Following a few healthy tips will be beneficial for the entire family. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions.

Neil, you can do it! I'm vegetarian, and it has worked out just fine. It does take some planning. Where are you located?