JeffA70

I am back this week full time and I'm exhausted each night.

You can tolerate the refried beans, salsa, cc, etc. on puree stage? I may have to try that.

Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery is very good.

Nonfat/sugar free pudding (there are many flavors available), plus a scoop of protein powder in the mix when you make it... I have some cheesecake flavored ones in the fridge, which I added a scoop of chocolate protein powder to the mix. Gets your protein in and tastes good.

Ricotta cheese, like what's in lasagna or stuffed shells. Soft, mushy white cheese, like cottage cheese. Usually in the refrigerated section of the store near sour cream, cottage cheese, etc.

I'm just about halfway through the mushy stage. The only way I can get my 70-80g of Protein in is with a shake a day. Staples for me have been ricotta (warm, with salt, pepper and spray butter, or chilled with Splenda and vanilla/almond extract), ns/nf pudding with Protein powder mixed in, and Underwood deviled ham or chicken spread (not every day). Cottage cheese, ricotta or mushed salmon with light mayo have been staples. To make the protein shakes more palitable, I've been adding a few drops of peppermint oil or a flavored extract. Nice change of pace from plain vanilla or chocolate.

Try this...I've been loving it, on the purée food stage. 2 oz of lowfat ricotta 1 or 2 packets of Splenda A few drops of vanilla or almond extract Mix and freeze, just until it starts getting frozen. Tastes like the inside of a cannoli! Almost no carbs, and 6-7g of protein!

A friend recommended an amazing dessert last night that was such a great break from protein-enhanced ns/nf pudding. 2oz low fat ricotta 1 splenda packet Few drops of almond or vanilla extract. Mix and freeze for just a little while (not to frozen). Tasted like the inside of a canolli. Next to no carbs. 6-7g of Protein. BOOM.

I was a-hunting today at two local stores. Sadly, no Underwood Roast Beef. HOWEVER, Underwood ham and chicken (plain) were found and bought. The chicken is like 8,000% better than the Beachnut Stage 1 pureed chicken. More fat, sadly. But a nice treat. I see from their Web Site there's a Buffalo Chicken as well?

Hang in there. You see SO many people talking about stalls. Even two weeks out, I just got through a seven-day one. What changed to cause it? Dammed if I know. But you'll get through it!

I don't really feel physically hungry except for first thing when I wake up. Every other time I have been craving something, it's been head hunger, which (so far) seems easier to fight than before.

Go back full time tomorrow the 22nd, so two full weeks per my doc. Did some work-at-home minor stuff last week. I have a desk job.

I'm almost two weeks out and largely feel the same. I have zero issues getting in my 64+ oz of Water / fluids in daily. I can get down a 16 oz water bottle in probably 30-45 minutes without feeling like anything is coming up. As for food, have only had one "you'll know it when you have too much" moment. Yesterday, I had my Stage IV dinner for 2 oz of mush (I went with ricotta). I was full but apparently craved something. Grabbed one of my protein-enhanced puddings I made and ate it (probably 3-4 oz). Felt nausious and not great at all. Haven't thrown up once since the surgery, but that was the closest I've come to "I probably should be ready in case it comes up." So, yeah, I am a little worried that I can eat and drink more than I should. My doc tells me he's not worried about how much I can drink....just told me that I should just be drinking fluids all the time and get more than 64 oz.

You are my hero. I've completely forgotten about that product!!!! I'm having a meat taste craving, and the baby food isn't cutting it. Guess I know what I'm buying tomorrow!!!!

I can't. The only potatoes I can have right now at this stage are a few tablespoons of mashed, which I have no desire for personally. I'm on my doc's Stage 4, puréed and soft foods, stage. Pototo salad is probably going to be a very rare thing for me even on full food, though. Not much to it but carbs and fat. I love it, but I'm thinking it's going to be a 'just a taste' item for a long time.

That's awesome. Congrats!

And eggs. And mixed in with light mayo or ketchup. And everything! Well, almost anything. Behold the Almighty Rooster! LOL So happy that you can have it still.

Really looking forward to chili. I'm on Stage 4 for a few more weeks, though. Since folks mentioned hot sauce, a question. Has anyone found they can't tolerate it anymore? I have to admit the thought of life without it was one of the only things I used to think, 'Could I do this surgery?' Obviously decided to do it anyway. But I do love me some Sriracha!

Was literally going through my closet this AM, getting rid of stuff, and was wondering if anyone here needs clothes. I've decided to do a Goodwill drop instead of almost everything but one pair of my 52/32 pants, just to have as a reminder. I do also have a black suit, I would say is a 50/52, and pants hemmed to 50/32ish. If someone's interested, let me know. Down to a 46! Woot. Woot. Thankfully from my yo-young, I have a bunch of clothes from five years ago. But if people do these clothing swaps here, I'll keep this on mind as I move down.

I haven't been having trouble getting protein in, but agree that many of the shakes aren't the best tasting. I found, though, that adding a little cinnamon into the blender helps the vanilla flavors, and I use like 2-3 drops of peppermint oil on the chocolate ones.. At least it changed the flavors and taste up a bit.

So, I see a lot of people posting that they struggle to get their fluids and Protein in. I guess I'm lucky to not be having a problem, but I'm wondering if I'm drinking too much or two quickly. It's 945am now. At 8:30, I started a 12 oz glass of Water and finished about 9:05. Made a 12 oz Protein shake at 9:15 and it'll last me until 10. That's 24 oz in an hour and a half, fully a third of my daily liquid and 2/3 of my daily protein (shake is 50g of protein). I'm worried that I'm drinking too much, too quick. I'm now 10 days post-op and have no thrown up at all, feel full often and have to back off, etc. It just seems like I'm able to take more. Is that an issue? Am I stretching my stomach too much? My doc told me on Monday that he's not as concerned about the final number of fluids, as long as I'm drinking all day long. Thoughts?

I'm at Stage IV of my doc's plan right now. My meals are 2 oz of mushy Protein 3x a day (today: B - Cottage cheese, L - Baby food, D - Ricotta). I definitely have felt "full" from liquids and foods, but I guess I'm just a little unnerved that I can do more than I expected to be able to at this stage.