BLERDgirl

I gave up soda 4 ½ years ago. Since then except for the occasional coffee or tea I pretty much only drink almond milk or water so my body was already conditioned to drinking plain water. In the summer I sometimes put cucumber and mint in the infuser, but for the most part I'm a water gal. Other than the first week when I had to work to drink anything, I don't even think about it anymore. I just fill a bottle and always carry it around with me.

@@lisa0617 - can you do walking? You will lose w/o exercising, but even something low impact like walking can help .

Agreed. Since I didn't have a pre-op diet, my biggest loss was in the first 2 weeks of surgery. At my 2 week f/u I was down 26lbs. That has slowed to a more reasonable 10 -12 lbs a month and one month I "only" loss 6lbs. However the scale continues to go in the right direction so I'm not sweating it. AMEN! There are fast out the gate losers, slow but steady losers and everything in between. Do not expect miracles or compare yourself to others. Just follow the program. Protein first, then veg. Get your fluids in and try to exercise even if it's just walking.

Plain water. I may add a 3:1100% apple juice ratio, or a capful of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar(good for digestion). My favorite thing is to suck an Altoid while drinking water. I'll also occasionally drink unsweetened hibiscus or peppermint herbal tea.

@@Hertsukfem31 - Make oven "fried" chicken breast. (Use almond meal instead of flour and you get a bit of Protein. I have a recipe for pizza using finely chopped up cauliflower for the crust. Not sure about the sandwiches, but I guess you could make lettuce wraps. If you don't think about what you can have instead of what you can't, you'll drive yourself nuts. Part of what this surgery does is limit what we can eat while we relearn how to eat healthier. You have to start working on those replacements or you run the risk of being one of those who loses and then regains because they slip back into old ways.

You should try making low calories alternatives so you get the flavor without all the calories. View it as a challenge.

@@VSGmary - Walking in the pool and even Water aerobics would be even easier on your knees than walking on concrete or the treadmill. It's super low impact and the water makes you feel weightless while you are working out those muscles. I have arthritis in both knees and my ortho recommended it.

Yup really soft scrambled. I take 1 egg, whisk it really well. I then add ½tsp of greek yogurt and whisk that in. This helps keep them moist, but you can use a tiny bit of milk if you prefer. I also sprinkle just a little bit of shredded cheese. Then I either cook in a non stick pan on a low heat stirring constantly or I microwave for 1minute, stir and microwave for another 10 seconds if necessary.

Maybe it's more like a liquid protein shake frozen.

@@Hertsukfem31 @@luvbnme - So is it a mental thing? Are the foods you want to eat good for you? How open are you to exploring new foods?

Commit to 1hour 1 day a week. Promise yourself you will do that for 30 days. At the end of 30 days add 1 more day. That's all I did. As I got stronger I found I wanted to do more because I enjoyed it but when it was just 1 or 2 days it was because I needed it. Once you start to enjoy it, you start to look for activities to do. I dusted off a 10 year old bike and paid to get a tune up. I'm not gonna be some touring cyclist, but when it's nice I enjoy riding outside. I found a place that has drop in African Dance classes. I was dripping with sweat at the end, but it was fun! I may take the class once a month. Best part is it's a drop in class so there's no pressure to go.

You could try Beans. They will add carbs, but they are a good source of Protein. Lentils, black beans and split peas have the highest protein. You can blend them in a Soup or eat them whole. I sometimes have black beans with a sunny side up egg and a slice of avocado. Lentils I like in a soup with onions and mushrooms. Split peas I make a chunky soup and garnish with pepitas and a scoop of Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Good thing about beans is they won't make you constipated Be careful of bananas - they are high in sugar. I think Apples & bananas have the highest amount of sugar, but I'd have to google to confirm. I also added raw spinach to my smoothies early on. Since they were pulverized they weren't hard to digest.

I agree using an activity tracker is good because it's a constant reminder to move more. You want to hit that daily goal. I just upped mine to 12,000 steps. My gym had water weights that you can crew the caps off and add water to to make them even heavier. I LOVE water aerobics. Either I am completely obtuse or my gym is just a really good mix of all body types and fitness levels. I never feel out of place there. I also bought a waterproof iPod shuffle and come early and walk the pool for 30 - 40 minutes. It's done wonders for my knees.

I am 7 months out and in the same situation. I have to take a laxative or it is not happening. I tried smooth move tea that didn't work either. Why haven't you introduced some fruit and veg to your diet to help with that? Have you tried eating prunes or prune juice each day?

Backed up means constipated. I eat cheese as well, but I eat a balanced diet of fruit and veg as well. OP seem to indicate that she was using cheese as her main protein. That could lead to constipation.

Does it matter how fast it happens as long as it happens? Don't be so hard on yourself. This isn't a race.

@@jessjones5 - Don't be. You didn't do anything illegal or immoral. No need to be self conscious,

You need to talk to your nutritionist about that. People have different schools of thought on carbs. I look more at the type of carb and the time of day I eat it. I am a vegetarian and most of my Proteins are plant based, but they are also high in carbs. The way I eat works for me and I am able to lose consistently. However I am not sure that would work for a meat eater. My carbs tendto run between 40 -60 a day and I eat between 700 - 900 calories a day.

I do. I work out 5 - 6 days a week. I don't lose if I don't. Besides I actually feel better when I work out. I do Water aerobics, kettle ball, ride my bike and walking.

Guess what? People talk about you each and every day of your life. You can't do a darn thing about it. Unless they have something to say to your face, don't sweat it. You don't owe anybody a single explanation for what you do with your body. Don't even waste the time and energy worrying about it.

I crushed mine and smooshed them in a bit of almond butter. I was allowed 1tbsp a day and I saved it for my pills.

If you are having trouble with the shakes, call your nutritionist and review alternative before skipping ahead.

What are you eating? What's a typical day's menu? How much Water do you drink?

I was cleared to eat all foods as tolerated from 6 weeks on. Be careful eating cheese, you don't want to get backed up.

Edamame isn't a vegetable. It's a bean, specifically soy bean. Yes it's high in protein, but it also has carb. A ½ cup will have 10 grams of protein and about 8 carbs. I think the big thing is eliminating any type of carb and focusing just on protein and if you're going to add in veggies make it edamame because they have so much protein!!