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As my nut told me, watching food commercials and the food network is literally food porn. It does not help your head hunger and cravings at all.

Yeah! Welcome to the losers club! It is a great team to be a part of. Wishing you a safe and speedy recovery!

I did get cold sick within 3 weeks post op. It sucked! I am so sorry you are not feeling well and especially sorry you are having gets issues. Which surgery did you have?

Cottage cheese also has more protein. I eat it every single day for that very reason. I eat 1percent cottage cheese.

I had no idea and am glad to know that I should go to my bariatric team for help if ever needed. Than you for sharing!

That sounds like a good strategy! Good luck!

Hi all! As some of you know, I had a 3 level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with Corpectomy on Wednesday morning. That is a pretty big surgery and I did extremely well given how nervous I was. Well here is the thing, after you have had RNY things are confusing because as you probably know, most hospitals focus on the one thing you are in there for. My hospital was terrific but we're not set up to ensure a proper bariatric diet for me given They went through my throat. So, as you can imagine my throat has been put through the ringer and I found even sipping Water was excruciating. I was unable to take any of my supplements nor was I able to eat anything for a few days. I was living on pudding, and trying to swallow cottage cheese. When I asked if the hospital could provide some nice icy cold Protein shakes that did not go so well either. So, I was released yesterday and immediately called my bariatric team to see what I should do about supplements and getting my protein in. Also, I literally cannot take a bite of pudding without drinking something to flush it down. And drinking anything painful. When my team found out I was released yesterday they asked if I could stop in immediately. I did and they were so amazing! They gave me a ton of samples of Proteins and supplements that could work for me. They had me see the doctor and bariatric nurse without any notice. They even mixed me up a delicious Protein shake on the spot and had me drink it right away. Although I am taking things slowly I am starting to get protein back into my system which of course is vital to healing. That team is absolutely incredible and I feel so blessed to have a medical team that really cares. I am talking about the Park Nicollet Center of Excellence in Minnesota. I just wanted to share my experience because it really went above and beyond! I feel so lucky! Thanks for listening!

I have never ever been told to focus on a caloric intake number. I track it only because I track my food on my fitness pal. I have been told to focus on my Protein intake and at minimum I must get 1 gram of protein for every inch I am tall. I usually will eat between 75 to 85 grams of protein. I average between 800 and 1000 calories a day. I did have a 3 week long stall very early on and at that time was exercising an hour every other day and eating about 500 calories a day. I was told to up my calories at that time leveraging protein and good carbs to get there. I went from 500 calories up to a minimum of 800 and an average of 1000. Within two days of doing that my stall broke. I have since had a week where I did not lose anything but then the next week I will drop 4/5 lbs. I am now 9 months post op and almost every day I am between 1000 and 1100 calories per day but I really don't focus too much on that number. I focus on the protein. If I don't get to my protein goal, I don't lose. Also I use the scale as only one metric to measure my success especially if I am really on top of my exercise. When I exercise daily (1hour of cardio), the scale doesn't move but I lose inches and my clothes to really measure my progress. This is because your muscles hold onto to Water and even though you are losing fat your body is changing. I have been on hiatus from anything but walking slowly at this point due to a recent spine surgery. What has been interesting is how fast I am losing again. I suspect I am losing muscle mass that I had been building. I also don't feel as good as when I was exercising and miss it terribly.

I have never done well with Protein bars. I leverage cheese (yes full fat), beef jerkey, nuts and Protein shakes. Also believe it or not a simple glass of milk will even do the trick. If I do go to a Protein Bar the only ones I can stand are Atkins. They have a couple that are pretty good but I can only eat half if I am lucky. In the beginning I actually liked a couple of the Quest bars: apple pie and banana nut were not bad. I could not tolerate any of the ones with chocolate. They just tasted horrible to me.

@@Chelsdkunk5894 When you get those cravings drink more fluids, go do something like take a walk, read a book, take a shower, go to the garden. Anything to get your mind off of it. Stop thinking that you will never have those foods again because it simply may not be true and is probably making those cravings worse. My nut has taught me very good habits that have allowed me to deal with my cravings and still indulge once in a while. When you are able to start eating normal foods again which will be a while from now, you will eat Protein first and good carbs second. My body started craving good protein and good carbs instead of all the junk I used to crave. The saying you are what you eat is so true. I used to be a fast food and sweets junkie. I had RNY, I can still eat those foods if I wanted to. My stomach will let me. I no longer desire them. The first time I tasted a French fry post surgery it was so disgusting that I just don't even think about them again. Pasta was my favorite, I have tried it a few times, I no longer care for it at all. My cravings have changed to good protein, vegetables and fruits. It really is weird the way it works. The first month or so you just have to learn to manage that head hunger you are having. Leverage fluids and go do something else to get your mind off of it. You can master the cravings, don't let them get the best of you. Also don't be afraid to reach out to your psychologist if you have a hard time with this. They will give you tools to help you through it. Good luck to you. You will do great!

Are you drinking enough Water? Being dehydrated will make that headache worse. I am guessing you are in the first day or two of that diet? Also, just a question, did you just drop caffeine? If so that might be making the headache and it should go away. Try essential oils like peppermint. This works great for headaches as well. If you are not detoxing from caffeine I would bet you are not drinking enough which will definately cause that headache. For me by day four, I no longer felt hungry nor did I have a headache once I figured out the hydration issue. I had quit caffeine years before so I knew it was fluids. Good luck! You can do this, you are so close to surgery. Keep your eye on the prize!

Hi! Congratulations on taking the first steps to getting healthy! A couple of tips I would suggest probably of which you have already heard but will help you build very good habits you will need down the road. Start by focusing on 1 or 2 habits at a time. Don't try to change everything at once. If losing soda is one of them and you really must lose that one, replace it with Water or sf drinks like iced tea or crystal light. Make sure you are drinking all day long. A minimum of 64 oz. this will help prepare you for what you will need to do after surgery to stay hydrated. I am not kidding about this one, it is the number one thing you will focus on coming straight out of the operating room. Oh by the way, many times when we think we are hungry it is our brains telling us we are dehydrated. When you feel hungry drink water. Secondly I would try to start eating more Proteins and less bad carbs. Leverage the good ones like vegetables and fruit. Protein is more dense and will both fill you up faster and keep you full longer. If you are really up for some significant change to get your hunger under control, you could even try leveraging the pre op diet now for a week or two just to reset your system. Your doctors office could share that diet with you. It basically gets rid of the sugar your body craves, shrinks your liver and will even shrink your stomach some. Then you could start back on normal proteins and good carbs and lots of fluids. Yes, you will be hungry for the first few days but I promise it does get better and you will likely have to do that a couple weeks before your surgery anyway. If you choose to do this, the best thing you could do is stay away from sugar and bad carbs because it really sets you up for success down the road. To answer the question about hunger, yes for a period of time actual hunger does go away post surgery. The problem is, you still fight head hunger. Head hunger is a real issue that every one of us have had to learn how to recognize. It is that automatic response when you feel hungry but your actually not. I fight mine by first drinking water which does the trick almost every time. If that doesn't work I go do something to disrupt my brain. After a few minutes that feeling goes away. Post surgery your tummy will actually get full on very little food and your real hunger will likely be gone for the first 6 months or so. In fact, you may forget to eat or gave to set a timer to tell yourself it is time to have a little protein and good carbs. I promise this will all make sense to you but the best thing you can do for yourself is take one or two habits at a time. The ones you have chosen are good ones. Leverage sf fluids to help you and start eating some good quality proteins and good carbs to curb your appetite. A few more good habits to focus on when you are ready to add a new one: while eating try getting rid of distractions so you can pay attention to when you are really full. This means eat at the table with no tv, iPad etc. Eat very slowly so your brain has time to catch up with your stomach. Chew your food a lot. All of these will both help your hunger and build good eating habits. Good luck on your journey! I wish you all the best. Oh, and to answer your question about does everyone know this feeling of being hungry the answer is YES! We have all lived it and have had to learn different habits. The surgery is a great tool that really helps you feel full faster. It is up to you to work on making sure what you put onto your new stomach keeps you full longer. If you put the same sugar and carbs in as before surgery, you will get hungrier faster and end up eating around your surgery. You are definately doing a great job of recognizing that already! Keep up the great work! I know you can do this. Just keep asking yourself am I really hungry? Or should I be drinking more fluids or focused on something else.

Isn't that the best feeling in the world! Congratulations!

I agree with everyone on this post. I might suggest if he brings it up again and uses the why couldn't you lose without the help of this tool that you look him directly in his eyes and gently ask him the same question. Then inform him that obesity is a disease and must be treated medically to have long term success. Most of us including your brother have probably lost more than a hundred pounds. Unfortunately none of us were able to keep the weight off. This tool really is about long term maintenance. Surgery has made it easier to continuously lose the weight. It requires an entire lifestyle change long term to keep that weight off. The thing is, it's hard to have this discussion when one is not ready to hear it. And it is best not to have an argument about it but more of a conversation. Good luck on your weight loss, it sounds like you are doing fantastic! Don't let your brother drag your progress down. Just remember he himself has the same disease and at some point you might be able to help him.

I will be trying this recipe in the next day or two. Thanks for sharing!

Honestly I could not figure out how to make the itchiness go away. It helped when the glue came off but then I even had some of the knots from the internal sutures pop out. They had to be clipped and finally things stopped itching. Glad to hear you are doing good otherwise!

Congratulations to you both and get well soon! Sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk and you will feel better in no time!

The other thing I would add is I really hope you stay obsessed with it! I think those that are most successful from what I have read and trust me, I like you have been obsessed with learning everything are most successful when they stay on top of things. I am almost 9 months post op and I am on this site whenever I have spare time. I am always learning about new things to try, new exercise regimes and most importantly meeting new Bariatric family members who support me and I support as I experience all these life changes. Your life really does change after having WLS. Only others experiencing it can relate. Leverage them for support. Stay away from the folks that are negative and look for Bari buddies that motivate and support you. You are going to need it, this is hard work. The recovery from surgery is very short, the recovery from obesity is for life. I have never ever for one second second guessed my decision and it is be causeI was obsessed with learning everything I could and staying connected. I know that I will be someone 10 years from now still at my goal weight and loving my life again as I do today. I wish you all the best with your upcoming surgery and if you ever need to talk please feel free to reach out.

I do think there are many people who have problems down the road. When asking my surgical team about this they were very up front with me about the statistics which you can find on line for your particular surgery. Those that gain back most or all of their weight revert to old bad habits like drinking soda, alcohol and not eating properly. Remember this really is a tool. In terms of people dealing with nutrient issues, many stop taking their Vitamins and do not go in for their regular labs. Ulcers happen for many reasons, some of which come from taking medications you are not supposed to. I too have read many of those threads and usually that person will say, I didn't take my Calcium or I started taking ibuprofen for my arthritis. This type of surgery is a life choice. Once you make it, you are in it for the long haul. Some people think it is a quick fix to lose the weight and revert to old habits. You have to decide who you are going to be 10 years down the road. I know that I am never going back to that unhealthy place with multiple comorbitities an almost unable to walk. I for one will follow the plan that includes taking my vitamins, getting all my Protein, and going to regular doctors appointments. I hope this helps but more importantly you must follow up with your surgical team and better understand the statistics for your type of surgery. Know exactly what you are getting into because you are making a life choice. Good luck to you in whatever you decide.

I am really picky about Protein, cannot stand that taste. I love Premier Protein which can be purchased at costco or Sam's. chocolate is the best flavor but strawberries and cream is not bad either. This week I tried Syntrax nectars, the grab and go pouches. Fuzzy naval is absolutely delicious mixed with Water, vanilla bean torte is great mixed with milk and Caribbean cooler is excellent too. I have mixed that one with both milk and water and it is great either way. I would recommend giving them a try.

In my opinion it is not vanity. I have that problem as well as very large bat wings. When I jog or walk fast my arms really rub. My tummy on the other hand actually pulls on my back. I fully intend to finish my transformation when I get the money to do so. I too have just had a serious spine surgery two weeks ago and want to be fully recovered from that so it will be awhile. I personally would not call this being vain. You have worked hard and deserve to look and feel your best. Oh, and if accidentally we have to lift or augment the girls I will do that too! I feel like my whole body just slumped downward and it pulls on your neck, shoulders and back. If anyone wants to call me vain, I really don't care. It's my body and I worked hard to get healthy, I deserve to look and feel my best. Good luck with whatever your decision is.

In terms of the heartburn, I would definately call your doctor and ask for something. In most cases bypass cures this issue so maybe there is something more going on.

What Protein shakes have you tried? In those first few weeks I hated Protein Shakes, I could not find any that I liked. I ended up not getting enough protein in and in the long term that is a huge problem. You should get a minimum of 1 gram of protein for every inch you are tall as a minimum. I ended up trying Premier Protein ready made shakes. The chocolate flavor is the best. There are 30 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar and 160 calories. It is an excellent choice for a supplement. You can buy at Sam's or costco. Recently I had surgery on my neck where they went through my throat. It has caused me real issues and basically put me back on soft foods. From what my doctor said, this could go on for months. I went to my Bariatric team for help. They gave me a whole bag of Protein shake samples to try. Syntax nectar - fuzzy naval is excellent, I also loved the Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte. They don't have that horrid protein taste. I use Water for the fuzzy navel and milk for the other two. I ended up order a box of each of these flavors in the grab and go packets I purchased these on line via Amazon.. I have been eating a lot of cottage cheese which has great protein, pudding - I eat the real thing not sf, yogurt, cream of wheat, homemade Soups, cooked vegetables cooked very soft, I am struggling with most meats because of the swallow issue right now but most fish will work. I am surprised your doctor has you focus on calories vs. protein. I am able to get between 900 and 1100 calories a day and easily hitting my protein goals. If you cannot get your protein through food, which I still cannot you have to supplement or you will get sick. I wish you the best of luck!

By the way, when I have a craving I usually will ask myself am I really hungry? I try some Water, if that doesn't satisfy me then I will fulfill that craving. I try to fulfill it with good choices 99 percent of the time, then if there is something I really am craving like pizza or ice cream I will plan my whole day around fulfilling that craving. I can pretty much eat anything I want to but I can only eat a few bites and I am full. So if I want ice cream I make sure I eat my Protein and veggies first, then guess what I still can have a few spoon full of ice cream. And I am completely satisfied.

I had a nine month wait for approval. During that time I focused on one behavior at a time. I did not drink, smoke, drink caffeine or soda at the time. For me I focused on choosing more balanced meals, not eating in front of the TV, chewing my food a Gazzilion times, not drinking 30 minutes before or after a meal, eating my food more slowly, not eating after a certain time at night, and walking like crazy. I would choose 1 or two to focus on and do it for 13 days straight until it became a habit. Then I would continue those new behaviors and add a new one every week. I will tell you, I still find myself eating in front of the TV sometimes but if that is the worst thing I do, then I am happy. I feel like that time really got me ready for what was to come. It is a major lifestyle change and I feel like it really did set me up for success.