beachgal2935

Hey April Buddies! I've been hitting those dreaded stalls myself but just keep trying to up my protein and stay below my 850 calories. I'm averaging 125 grams so it seems to be doing the trick. This past Monday was my 5 month mark and I'm down 76 lbs. I'll be 54 next month and when they tell you it comes off slower as you age they aren't lying! Oh well, I've been battling obesity for 30+ years so I will just appreciate where I am and keep on this journey. I'm honestly having the time of my life. I've been making some tasty high protein recipes and sharing them with my group that meets once per month here at Mayo. I took "5 month" pics Monday. My once tight 3X pictured here is huge on me now. The outfit in black is a "L" - Yay! Would love to hear how everyone's doing HW: 285 lb. SW: 257 lb. CW: 181 lb.

Thought about y'all this morning as I took that first bite of my 1/2 Quest Cinnamon Roll Protein bar warm and tasty (sprinkled lightly with Splenda) out of the microwave ... Super Yum

@Cervidae@purz59@chucklebery You ladies are very welcome. For those who haven't had surgery yet, I did a lot of research on my own as well. Being prepared is half the battle. Preparation is key to our success Best of luck on everyone's journeys and I'm here if you need me!

I'm posting this in an effort to help others. Everyone has a different doctor, Bariatric team, etc. so this is in no means the be all, end all way of doing things. I had my surgery at the Mayo hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. My Bariatric team, from my psychologist, nurses, nutritionists and everyone in between couldn't have been nicer, more supportive but most of all informative. I see so many people on here with questions at each stage of the diet. That's why I've decided to post a few pages from the book I was given at Mayo. I'm almost 5 months post-op and have stuck to these very simple guidelines. At 53, I have been full of energy and not once had any nausea, thrown up or had any problems whatsoever. I was proactive prior to surgery in researching everything I possibly could. I tried numerous Protein shakes, bars, yogurts and recipes. My favorite Protein shake is Premier at 30g per 11 oz. container. My favorite Protein Bars are Quest at 20g per bar. My favorite yogurt is Dannon Greek Lite and Fit Toasted Coconut/Vanilla at 12g per container. A few of my favorite recipes are my "Magic Crust Quiche" which I started eating in the "soft" food stage and continue to love today. I love using Premier Protein drinks as my coffee creamer and as a substitute for milk in making sugar-free/fat-free boxed puddings. My latest discovery is delicious pizza where the crust is made with ground chicken. This is a lifestyle decision I've made for myself and the surgery is merely the "tool" to help me achieve better health. It's the BEST decision I ever made and I'm loving discovering new things every day

My fave protein bar is Quest! Premier is my favorite protein shake but their bars leave a lot to be desired, in my opinion of course. Here are my reasons why, I don't like bars that are coated, I'm not willing to give up almost 300 calories for a bar, prefer to keep my sugar at 6g or less and you can't make warm and delicious cookies with them. Yep, I said cookies. One bar makes 4 - 2" cookies. I tear them, place on a paper plate and microwave for 20 seconds. Sometimes I sprinkle a lil Splenda if they have chocolate chunks in them to sweeten them up. Here are 16 different flavors: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies & Cream, Double Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Brownie, White Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon Roll Flavor, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Coconut Cashew, Strawberry Cheesecake, Apple Pie, Vanilla Almond Crunch, Peanut Butter Supreme, Banana Nut Muffin, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Mixed Berry Bliss, Lemon Cream Pie Here's the nutrition info using the Chocolate/Peanut Butter bars in each brand: QUEST Calories: 160 Total Fat 5g Sat Fat 1g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 5mg Sodium 240mg Potassium 200mg Total Carbs 25g Dietary Fiber 17g Sugars 2g Erythritol 5g Protein 20g PREMIER Calories: 280 Total Fat 7g Sat Fat 3.5g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 10mg Sodium 420mg Potassium 190mg Total Carbs 23g Dietary Fiber 1g Sugars 8g Protein 30g I hope you find one (or many) that you love!

Also ... Sweet Leaf makes a Pumpkin Spice liquid flavored Stevia which I use in decafe coffee for a warm delicious latte (with Premier vanilla protein as my creamer). I also mix it the same way, but cold coffee, with ice in my Nutribullet and it tastes just like a Starbucks pumpkin spice frappuccino. Put a few drops in with vanilla boxed sugar free/fat free pudding made with Premier vanilla protein shake and voila, you have pumpkin spice pudding that packs 11 grams of protein in a 1/2 cup serving. They make so many delicious flavors. I have cinnamon, chocolate, mandarin orange, vanilla creme, rootbeer and my #1 favorite is English toffee which I use daily! Check them out if you want to sweeten things naturally

@@dhrguru I love everything pumpkin! Here's one of my favorite recipes so far. I like to replace the milk with Premier Protein vanilla (ready to drink) shake which increases the protein count to 9g per slice! I also like to pour it into my non-stick 12 count muffin tin. Then you can have 2 mini pies. Crustless Pumpkin Pie 1 15 oz can pumpkin (not pie filling) 1/2 cup Egg Beaters 1 1/2 cup skim milk 3/4 cup Splenda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbs pumpkin pie spice Beat all together until smooth. Put in pie pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Note: you can use egg whites instead of buying Egg Beaters It is wonderful served cold and can be frozen in slices. enjoy! Nutrition Facts Servings 6.0 Amount Per Serving Calories 73 Total Fat 1g Dietary Fiber 3g Carbs 13g Sugars 5g Protein 5g

@Amylou I'm with you! When they told us at Mayo - NO alcohol for a year, we knew there was research to back it up. These things are not said for no reason. That's why so many people regain their weight, say their surgery didn't work and go back for additional surgeries, etc. If we revert back to our old eating/drinking habits of the past, even in smaller portions, what results should we expect? It's a whole lifestyle change

@@Ashlegal I completely understand where you're coming from. I just posted "Diet Stages - Day 1 and Beyond" where I included 7 pages with each stage listed from the book I was given at Mayo hospital. That's where my Bariatric team is and where I had my surgery. You may want to check it out and see if it might help you. Best of luck to you on your continued success!

Sorry girls, I don't live in Minnesota. I had my surgery at Mayo in Jacksonville Florida where I live.

@@frogftsh I start with 1 oz. of Wellesse liquid calcium citrate with breakfast (it tastes really good) and 2 fast dissolve Biotin 5000 mcg. Then 2 hours later half of my Opurity (for bypass and sleeve patients) chewable multi-Vitamin, again quite tasty. At dinner I take another ounce of liquid calcium and 2 hours later the other half of the multi. I also take liquid Lyrica and Gabapentin 3 times per day for my nerve condition, 2 prescription pills that I have to grind and mix with applesauce (gross) and 10mg of fast dissolve Melatonin at bedtime. Oh yeah, I forgot, I also give myself a B12 shot once per month. It seems overwhelming at first, but you get the hang of it pretty quickly!

Hello! What kind of Protein are you drinking? Maybe I can share some recipes I came up with for my 2 week pre-op back in April. I had my surgery at Mayo hospital and they use Optifast.

I had surgery on a Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. and went home the following day at 6 p.m. The ONLY pain I had was when they "stripped" (where the tube exits the body, they pinch and slide the Fluid away from the body and into the bulb. It prevents the tube from clogging and keeps it working correctly) my drain. They'd emptied if throughout the day and it was no big deal. However, when the nurse came in at 4 a.m. to strip it, I thought I was going to scream. It felt like someone took an ice pick and stabbed straight down into my left collarbone. I have a high tolerance for pain and I cried like a baby. He kept saying how sorry he was but that he had to do it. When the day nurse came in to do it I had to endure the pain all over again. My left shoulder was sore for days. When the surgeon and his resident, that assisted, came in later that afternoon I told them. The resident doctor was the one who removed my drain prior to my leaving the hospital. It was quick and painless. They sent me home with a prescription for 55 percocet. I took one twice on Thursday and once on Friday, just as a precaution. By Saturday I was good to go. I have been full of energy and at 53 years old, with a painful nerve condition on my entire right side, I think I've done great! Everyone is different but I'm sure you'll be just fine. Just a couple of suggestions for your hospital stay ... take ear plugs and an eye mask. I did! It will help you sleep so much better

First of all, Congrats on making this life changing decision! There are a few factors that go into calculating your expected weight loss as everyone is different. What has your Bariatric team told you? My team at Mayo told us to expect to lose 66% of our EXCESS weight by the 12-18 month mark. Of course you will lose the biggest amount in the first 6 months. Compliance is key in your success. We just had our monthly aftercare meeting this past Monday. Two of the ladies (both nurses, no less) are having issues. One of them at her 6 month checkup had low level of several Vitamins. She wasn't taking her B12 shot and was taking Flinstones chewables because they were cheapest. Now she's been told she has to take extra supplements. I suggested the Vitamin I take because (Opurity) it's made specifically for our bypass needs. The other lady, who had surgery 2 weeks before me, wasn't eating 3 meals per day and was also eating smaller portions of some of her old foods (pizza, rice, chips, etc.) and was having horrific pains in her stomach. She almost ended up in the ER! Anyways, there's a website if you want to check it out that you can plug your numbers in and get an idea of what to expect. It's obesitycoverage.com Best of luck to you!!!

It's called "Magic Crust Quiche". I've made is WLS friendly. Just do a search for it by name as I've posted the recipe on here a few times. Let me know if you like it.

Since you mentioned you've posted several times about already having a "stall", I will respond with a excerpt from an article written on Bariatriceating.com because it may be of interest to you: Your internal surgical wounds must heal – this is no time to go to the mall, out to dinner, visiting friends and on vacation. Sew what? In terms of food, you must stick to your surgeons program for post op food stages. You need time to allow the tiny pouch cut and sewn from the fabric of your giant floppy stomach to heal itself closed. We have all glued something only to have the seams pop open. The liquid & soft food stages are to avoid stressing pouch seams and give your stomach a break from the process of digestion. Is ice cream a puree? Sirloin steak is not a soft food. Ice cream is NOT a puree. You can’t eat popcorn, raw carrots or celery ten days after surgery. People ask if we think they could have a pork chop, we say ‘no’, they eat it anyhow, then tell us ‘they didn’t have a problem’. NO alcohol for a year… NON-negotiable… but people push back saying their surgeon said five weeks was okay. Folks… we know better and we are trying to help you. General Tso? NOT your friend The post op dietary stages are not a suggestion, they are a requirement for you own safety. You cannot eat Chinese food the week after surgery because you ‘chew it well’. A ‘craving’ for Orange chicken landed one support group member in the hospital! It’s a very bad idea to push. Being ‘released’ to ‘regular food’ does not mean what you think it does, but you already know that. How long until you can have pizza again? “Pizza is not a food for someone having obesity surgery.” (that’s a quote from Dr. N on My 600 lb Life) Every single week in our support group, these actions land new post ops in the hospital. Sip sip sip sip sip… If you had a back injury, you would not tile your kitchen floor the same week. Yet, people think nothing of making a trip to a theme park when they should be at home resting and taking in fluids. People ask us ‘Do you think I would be able to go on a cruise two weeks after my sleeve?’ (Nooooo!) As high as 30% of post ops are dehydrated enough to land back in the hospital with a Fluid IV. Not drinking enough Water after surgery can cause heart damage. Dehydration is the most common bariatric complication, yet it’s largely avoidable. Stay home and heal… drink hot water, cold water, broth, Diet Snapple, herbal tea, eat sf ice pops and Jello. (We have a free bariatric water app called HY, click for GetHyApp.com) Vitamins are critical It is impossible for you to have your stomach surgically removed or reconfigured and take in the nutrients needed to run your body. While your surgeons group has mentioned Flintstones, that is so you will possibly take something instead of being one of the 67% of post ops who take nothing. They are not optimal and won’t prevent long term problems like broken bones from simple falls and losing teeth, but may keep you from dying in the short term. The idea behind supplements is to prevent issues from grabbing you in twenty years when it’s too late to change the path. Take them! Protein from food? What a novel idea! Yes, yes, yes, we’d all like to get our protein from food and that’s what you want to hear. However, if you are unable to take in 70 grams of protein per day, you can either weaken and lose your hair or you can figure out another way until you are able to learn and eat the right foods. Protein drinks make up the difference between what you can eat and what you need. They are not simply a tasty beverage for your enjoyment for you to be all picky and ridiculous over. They are the antidote for your disease of morbid obesity. Morbid means death and obesity surgery only slows and reverses the disease IF you follow your plan. I personally like their no-nonsence approach to this life altering surgery we've all had. Also, yes to wait staff looking strangely at us but it won't last long. I found it harder for them when I wouldn't want to order anything to drink since we can't drink while eating. Now I tell them, "No thank you, I don't drink when eating". I've been asked "why?" many times. I then tell them how no one should because it doesn't allow your food to be properly digested when liquid is present. 95% of them tell me they're going to try it. I wish you nothing but success

My suggestion to you would be to seek support at bariatriceating.com. It's a wonderful site to help people in your same situation. The recipes look wonderful and they tell it like it is! I wish you success

@@Brandon Long Let's get real for a minute. Yes it's probably too early for you to be asking about having burgers and pizza the way you used to eat them but as my Dr. always says "this is gut surgery, not brain surgery!" We all have food addictions or we wouldn't have gone to the extreme of having WLS. My philosophy on this is I will follow what I've been told to be successful by my Bariatric team of experts. This means NO Pasta, rice, bread, tortillas, sugary sweets, etc. EVER again! I must respect my new pouch or I will gain the weight back. Too many people have. Look out there, they're having new WLS saying their old surgery didn't work ... bull! It works but we have to do what we're told!!! Now that being said, my goal is to look for healthier ways if making my old favorites that fit within my strict Mayo Bariatric guidelines for life. I had quiche when I was able to start soft foods. It is one of my staples and goes down so much easier than any eggs I could ever make. Not to mention it tastes delicious. One serving is only 121 calories and has 12 grams of Protein. You can also make tasty pudding with sugar-free fat-free Jello pudding (dry in the box) and 2 cups of Premier Protein Drink. Makes four 1/2 cup servings for 85 calories and 10 grams of protein. Now that I'm 5 months post-op I'm finally having one of my all time favorite foods, pizza! Since I'll never eat bread again, there is a way to enjoy this and my single serving size is only 246 calories and 31 grams of protein. If I'm going to be successful, I'm going to eat what tastes good ... and there are lots of tasty recipes out there to help us all. When you get further along on your journey (definitely NOT yet), try this pizza recipe. Trust me, you'll love it. If you want to see a pic of it, check out my post "Pizza, Glorious Pizza"! Congrats and continued success Ingredients One pound ground (raw) chicken breast ¼ cup grated Parmesan ¼ cup Reduced fat 4 cheese Italian shredded cheese – ¼ cup shredded cheese is 1 oz. by weight ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black or cayenne pepper (I used cayenne) Tools Mixing bowl (stand mixer - easiest combing method) Baking sheet, pizza pan or pizza stone (crispiest crust) Parchment paper Wax paper Rolling pin Pam or any vegetable non-stick cooking spray Instructions Place pizza stone in oven, if you’re going to use one (my preference), and preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl combine all of the above ingredients.Place a wet paper towel on a flat surface then place your parchment paper on it. Spray it with Pam and then put your chicken mixture on top. Chicken mixture makes 6 – 3 oz. portions, so 6 individual crusts (approx. 6"x4"). Lightly spray a sheet of wax paper with non-stick cooking spray (makes for easy removal). Place wax paper, sprayed side down and evenly press using a rolling pin to get it as thin as you’d like. Remove the wax paper and place parchment paper on pan or pre-heated pizza stone and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness). My individual (very thin) crusts baked on pizza stone in just 12 minutes!Put the crust between two paper towels and pat to absorb any grease. It is chicken after all. Then place it on a new sheet of parchment before topping it. Top baked crust with sauce, cheese and healthy toppings. Place back in oven and cook until melted and bubbly 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy! Crust: Nutrition Facts Servings 6.0 Amount Per Serving: Calories 114 Total Fat 3 g Carbohydrate 1 g Dietary Fiber 1 g Sugars 0 g Protein 19 g As Prepared : 2 Tbs Prego pizza sauce 2 Tbs Sargento reduced fat 4 cheese Italian shreds 1 tsp sautéed Vidalia onion 1 tsp sautéed red bell pepper ½ oz. cooked 90/10 lean ground beef Nutrition Facts Servings 1.0 Calories 246 Total Fat 10 g Carbohydrate 6 g Dietary Fiber 1 g Sugars 3 g Protein 31 g

Congrats on your success and continued happiness I was a hot mess. I was diabetic, had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, even had a stroke at 53 and now suffer a debilitating nerve condition because of it. I'm off all meds, with the exception of my 2 nerve meds that I will take the rest of my life. No pity party here though because I am a new woman thanks to my team at Mayo! They have become my second family. I love giving back. We meet every second Monday and share what's going on with us. I'm always bringing copies of recipes or tips I've learned. They have two classes. I'm in the newbie class and will graduate to the one year and out group next April. One lady had her surgery 6 years ago and attributes her success to coming each month. It's those who shy away when times get tough that don't succeed. We're all going to fall, the strong will get up, ask for help and then be there when someone else needs help. Thank you for sharing your story with us!

I've heard taking not only getting the proper amount of Protein but taking your daily Vitamins makes a huge difference. I'm 5 months post-op and have had tons of energy since day 3 post-op. I'm almost 54 years old and have lead a sedentary lifestyle for many years. What type of multi-Vitamin are you taking? Are you taking B12 injections already? I found this excerpt from an online post and it is so true: Vitamins are critical It is impossible for you to have your stomach surgically removed or reconfigured and take in the nutrients needed to run your body. While your surgeons group has mentioned Flintstones, that is so you will possibly take something instead of being one of the 67% of post ops who take nothing. They are not optimal and wont prevent long term problems like broken bones from simple falls and losing teeth, but may keep you from dying in the short term. The idea behind supplements is to prevent issues from grabbing you in twenty years when it’s too late to change the path. Take them! Prior to my surgery, I bought Flintstones vitamins +Iron because they were cheaper but hated the hard texture and taste. After surgery, I began taking Opurity Bypass & Sleeve Optimized chewable vitamins and love the taste. Just a thought.

You're welcome! Let me know if you try it.

I will definitely give this a try. I use the vanilla Premier Protein as creamer in my coffee for Breakfast, milk replacement in my sugar-free fat-free Jello pudding (turns that 1/2 cup serving into 11g of protein), etc. It's a great replacement for milk in pretty much anything, so you don't always have to drink it straight up! I'm trying to keep thinking outside the box since this is my new life now

I was only in the hospital overnight and when they put me on the scale the morning after my surgery and I saw a 9 lb. gain I was mad! Same thing I was told, IV fluids, etc. When my surgeon came in I told him he was in big trouble and then we had a good laugh. Still, I had to lose those 9 lbs. and it freaked me out, both of which were NOT funny

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm going to share this with my monthly WLS support group at Mayo. I just passed my 4 month mark at the end of last month and with my 72 lb. loss so far, I haven't eaten any bread, crackers, chips, Pasta, rice, etc. That's what got me to my highest weight of 285 and that's what's keeping me far away from it now! I hit a stall 5 days ago and am now investigating to see if Splenda may be the culprit. Two of my close friends call it "poison" so I'm starting to wonder if they're right?! Congrats to all on this journey

@@Cherry Muffley - I loved the 2 week liquid diet pre-surgery! My NUT laughed at me when I told her how much fun I had with it. She said hearing that was a first for her. It's all about doing your homework and being creative. Listen, we all LOVE food or we wouldn't be taking these drastic measures to try and get healthy, right?! I had surgery at Mayo and my liquid diet consisted of Optifast shakes and any non-caloric beverages, period! I bought a Nutribullet and turned my vanilla and chocolate shakes into rootbeer floats, chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate, pumpkin spice frappuccinos, etc. If you have the will, there's a way. Post-op I've enjoyed such high Protein foods as delicious quiche, noodle-less lasagna, pudding, warm gooey Cookies, etc. My philosophy is I want what small amounts of food I can eat or drink to be the best tasting things I can get. Preparation is key to success. I just got back from a 2 week vacation in the beautiful Florida Keys where I lost 6 lbs. This new life is the BEST!!!