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Of course I do the "Protein first" thing, but I have never counted or tracked or measured my food. I have no idea what my carb or calorie or fat intake is. Not real sure about protein, either but I do drink a 30-40g protein smoothie everyday on top of my regular food, so I'm sure my level is good. I eat healthy, balanced meals of protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains. BUT I also eat like a "normal" person. Here's some of those bad carbs we aren't supposed to eat that I've had in the last 2 weeks alone.... Pita chips...with a nice fatty artichoke dip, chocolate covered English toffee (OMG YUMMMM), vodka cocktail, a brownie, a slice of pumpkin/cheesecake roll, hot chocolate (and not the crappy sugar-free/fat-free kind), bread (used to make a roast beef/ avocado sandwich) and pancakes with real maple syrup. Oh yeah, and although I am active, I don't exercise at all. Since I'm below goal and still losing, I'd say the "non-plan" I've chosen is working. Good luck to all of you!

Use the search function and type on stall. Or go to the appropriate forum.... http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1102-dont-sweat-the-stall-stuff-new/

I have always used whole food based vitamins, rather than chemically synthesized ones. Both Source of Life Gold and Garden of Life Vitamin Code are good ones. They contain whole fruits and veggie concentrates, probiotics, enzymes and cofactors you can't "fake". I actually only take 1/2 the recommended dose and my 6 month labs were great. I get mine in my local whole food store, but they are both available on Amazon.

Don't be too hard on yourself. I used to live in Durango at around 6000 feet. I was a ski instructor and raft guide, so very much in shape. I STILL had a rough time above 12,000 feet! I've got friends from Florida who run 1/2 marathons and they get winded when they visit me where I live in Idaho...about 6500feet. So congratulations on everything you have accomplished. Be proud!

I was making these into protein Popsicles while still on my preop diet. Just pour the mixture into molds (I found silicone molds on Amazon) and freeze. Then it really IS a creamscicle!

Bikrchk, we are almost weight loss twins! Just goes to show there's more than one way to make this work. Congratulations on your success!

I think Vitamin shoppe carries all of the Garden of Life Vitamin Code line. Amazon carries both Garden of Life and Source of Life Gold. And I just discovered my local whole food store carries the entire Garden of Life line...including their Raw Fit and Raw Protein powders that I use, too.

I can't tell you how many times I've told people on here to throw their scale away. Whining about stalls makes me CRAZY! Thank you SO MUCH for your post. It so refreshing to hear from someone who "gets it". If you eat healthy and trust the process, you will get where you want to be. You are saving yourself from all the self-induced stress that the numbers on the scale can cause. I, too, had several people that kept asking me how much I lost. They couldn't fathom how I didn't know. I don't even own a scale. I weighed myself 3-4 times in my first 2 months post op at doctors appointments. But then I started weighing myself once/week on the dog scale at work so I have something to put on my ticker. But even that has variables, because I'm wearing different clothes and shoes and sometimes it's before Breakfast and sometime after lunch. The details don't really matter. Good luck with everything!

I was taking Source of Life Gold chewables at the time of surgery ( had been, even long before surgery). I started taking them 4 days postop as per my surgeons's instructions. I was on clear liquids only first 3 days. The problem was everything tasted too sweet to me after surgery, including the chewable vitamins. I still took them, but I switched to Garden of Life Vitamin Code once the chewables were gone because they came in capsules, so no taste. I only take 1/2 the recommended daily dose of the multi plus a Vitamin D3 5000iu gel cap and B12 500mcg sublingual 3 days a week. I stopped talking the recommended calcium and iron supplements because my 6 month labs showed those levels were high. Everything else was perfect. I will, of course recheck bloodwork at 1 year post and make adjustments if necessary.

I mixed unflavored Protein powder with every kind if cream soup I could find... Lobster bisque, tomato, potato leek, Cream of shrimp, asparagus, chicken, mushroom, celery... Some of them had little chunks in them so I diluted them with milk or Water and strained them first. I Never worried about the fat content. In fact, my surgeon's dietician laughed when I questioned the fat content of the drinkable yogurt she recommended. You can't possibly eat enough at this point for the fat calories to matter. Besides, you need fat in your diet for cellular functions and absorption of Vitamins. Avocados were a fav when I got to mushies...still are, along with nuts, real 1/2 and 1/2 for my coffee and regular 4% cottage cheese. Check the labels...."low fat". Usually has higher carbs.

That's a question for your surgeon. Your stomach will be very swollen and irritated and not be functioning normally while it heals. The postop food transitions take into account both texture and Digestibility of the food. Don't do anything off plan without consulting with your surgeon. As for nutrients, I've always taken whole food based Vitamins rather than chemically synthesized ones. Source of Life Gold and Garden of Life Vitamin Ćode are both good ones....loaded with plenty of fruits, veggies, seeds, Probiotics, cofactors and digestive enzymes.

I don't and never have counted calories or carbs or fat. For the first few months I just concentrated on water, protein and vitamins. I keep track of my fluids in my head as the day goes on so I know I'm getting 64oz. I have a 30-40g protein smoothie everyday. And other than that it's pretty much like LindafromFlorida said.... I eat when I'm hungry and I eat a healthy, balanced diet of protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains. I am active but I don't exercise. I weigh once a week so I have something to put on my ticker and I never worried about stalls. I'm 17 pounds under my surgeon's goal and 7 under personal goal. I couldn't have asked for a better life. Don't get too hung up on numbers.... Just trust the process and enjoy the NSV's.

OMG I'm so jealous.! I usually keep Protein bars and jerky in my saddlebags for Snacks on rides. I'm a big fan of trail mix, too....I just make my own with my favorite mixed nuts and craisins. I also do the frozen Water bottle thing, but I freeze my Syntrax nectar Protein drinks in them instead of plain water. One of my riding pals has had bypass and she's always snacking on sunflower seeds when we ride. And she freezes bottles of Vitamin water to drink like slushies as they melt. Have a great trip! Did I mention I'm jealous?

To me, "High fat/low carb" kind of implies it's OK to pig out on fried cheese curds, bacon and pork rinds. I think a better post-VSG diet description would be "high protein, moderate fat, low carb". Post op I've always eaten protein first, I don't really pay attention to fat content, and I avoid simple carbs and sweets. I focused more on protein while I was losing, but since passing goal, a balanced diet of protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains has been the norm and quite easy to achieve.

OMG! It was just this morning I found myself balancing on one leg in the middle of my bathroom to pull my socks on!

Your boobs fall out of your bra every time you bend over.

"I will be going to my surgeons appt. tomorrow and I will tell them just how it has gotten on this sight as far as the hateful remarks that people are giving to people who need support and help." So you are going to run home and "tattle" on us? WTF does your surgeon care about what gets posted on here anyways? And while we're on the subject, If all of the surgeons did their jobs and provided appropriate education and support like they should, their patients wouldn't have to come seeking advice from total strangers on an Internet forum.

Will do, but I had surgery with Dr. Ariel Ortiz and Dr. Martinez at OCC, not Dr. Elias Ortiz.

I just sent you a PM. And be sure to read the "Dr. Ariel Ortiz and Obesity Control Center" thread on here...very long but informative.

I flew from San Diego to Salt Lake City day 3 postop. Then drove myself home 5 hours in a snow storm on day 4. Back to work day 7 where I'm on the road all day.

Like mick said, getting your fluids in should be #1 priority....dehydration will wipe you out. I got a Clostridial infection 6 weeks out and the diarrhea sent me to the clinic for IV fluids 3 times...the second time they tried to admit me because my BP was crazy low. Took 3 liters before my BP came back up and they let me go home. Took another liter of G2 before I finally peed. Oh yeah, and anesthesia and pain meds will slow your GI tract, often resulting in constipation. I took Miralax everyday after surgery and it still took 5 days before I had a BM.

Everyone is going to be different, but here's my experience.... I had my surgery at OCC in Tijuana. I was discharged about 9am day after surgery and went back to the Marriott. My sister and I walked to the Walmart plaza (about 1 mile round trip) so she could get her Starbucks. Went back to the hotel, took a nap, watched some TV and then walked to Walmart again so I could pick up some herbal tea bags and a couple Protein drinks at the GNC store. Then back to the hotel where we rented a movie before going to bed. Second day...went back to OCC for a recheck and then had the driver take us to the Avenude Revolucion shopping area and walked around there a couple hours...found the worlds most delicious hibiscus Popsicles! Then back to the hotel for a nap and walked some more, just around the hotel. Third day...back To OCC for drain removal and flouroscopy leak test. We were then shuttled back to San Diego where I walked the halls of the airport until my flight back to Utah. The weather was super crappy roads were icy, so a I stayed in a hotel that night rather than drive home. Day four....went grocery shopping and drove the 5 hours back home to Idaho. Had to plow my driveway when a I got home and then collapsed on the couch. Spent the next 2 days lounging at home before going back to work day 7. Basically, I had no pain or real restrictions. Just got tired easily and spent every waking moment trying to get in my fluids. Hope you have an easy recovery, too.

Interesting! I just looked up Zegerid and yes, it's basically Prilosec (Omeprazole) mixed with sodium bicarbonate. So here's the interesting part.... Prilosec OTC comes as a coated tablet. The coating is there to protect the Omeprazole from stomach acid and the tablet is not supposed to be cut or crushed. I am a vet tech and we use Omeprazole in dogs and cats, too, but the doses are often smaller than the 20mg that is available. I consulted with a pharmacist years ago to figure out a way to make a suspension out of the crushed tablet so we could administer smaller doses. He suggested mixing it with liquid sodium bicarbonate instead of Water and that's what we do. So I guess I'll look for Zegerid and use that instead. The capsules will be a lot easier to mix rather than having to crush the Prilosec and pick out the tiny pieces of coating. Ok, sorry for my dorky tangent....

My sister accompanied me to TJ for surgery and she insisted that I take and send her pictures as I lost weight (we live in different states ). So glad she did...Those pictures are the best documentation I've got...much more impact and motivational than the scale.

Check out the "Don't sweat the stall stuff" forum on here. Or do a search for stall. You will find hundreds of posts. But really, the easiest way to get over a stall is to stay off the scale.