Shell Renewed

In addition to the many great ideas above I used to drink basic beef or chicken broth but add some milk for extra nutrition and Protein. Fast and easy and sometimes was easier on my sleeve because the flavour was mild.

I agree with @imightknow. Inconveniencing their surgery schedule affects them for a few hours. Your choice of surgery affects YOU for the rest of your life. It was unprofessional of them to guilt trip you.

Carbonated beverages bloat (and can eventually stretch) the sleeve. Not worth it.

I've only had one person ask if I've had 'help' with my weight-loss and I've denied it. I'm such a private person and for me it's an easier path to learn to tell little white lies if I need to, though I don't like to do that. Happy for your progress @!

So I'm on a one week business trip in Europe from home in Canada. I've only been gone a day and am quickly realising that when I am not in an environment I can control, that I'm still more susceptible to temptation than I'd experienced so far. Planes have always been a relaxing wine-filled event for for me, and eating out every meal with all the smells and temptations is going to test my resolve. I've been on full solids for 2 weeks now as cleared by my surgeon, and am tolerating everything I've tried, so really the only thing that is off-limits is what I choose, not what my body can handle. Good, then I'll take this as a test..Determined to not get off track! On the plus side, the 24 lbs I've lost so far meant a much more comfortable red-eye flight...The seat was roomier, the dinner tray fit better, the seatbelt was pulled much tighter than before. I was more energetic on the long airport walks carrying my heavy carry-on, also due to my daily walking

@@tsawyer91 how are you doing?

Thanks @proudgrammy. You genuinely made my day. I was a bit discouraged this week and your note really cheered me and helped me keep perspective. @@Shell Renewed it can be hard to eat correctly/wisely away from home this is your first "test" do YOUR best for now, that's what matters "hope for the best, expect the worst" losing 24 lbs NSV's with the flight sitting more comfortably dinner tray seat belt more energy both airplane ride, and your new life up up and away good luck kathy congrats

Hi @@blizair09, They do, but I'm keeping my surgery secret. There was no way to specify my diet without it seeming unusual. I just got home now though and I didn't gain. My stomach is finicky from a few days of eating foods that didn't sit well, but I'll eat Soups and other easy foods tomorrow now that I'm home Michelle Does your work give you the opportunity to give any dietary restrictions you have beforehand in situations like this? Mine has always done that and whoever is coordinating the event always work with those that have dietary needs in one way or the other.

Also it was very difficult to keep it hidden that I'm not eating much, stretching out my meal and pushing food around on my plate. But I've managed, and no one seems to suspect my secret.

It's been a difficult week. lunch was catered, and team dinners had limited menu, so I had to eat what I was served, and it wasn't what I would have chosen. Portion sizes were very difficult to judge without being able to weigh and measure so early in my journey. I threw up a couple of times this week. I also 'slimed' for the first, second, third and even fourth time this week If you're not sure what it means be happy. If it happens you'll know, trust me. No explanation needed. I'm pretty sure I may have also gained a bit this week. Tomorrow I fly home...Can't wait to get back in a routine and on track. I think I may eat gentle foods for a few days as this has been hard on my new little sleeve.

Not going stellar so far, but hoping I can make this work ok now that the jetlag is over at least. Yesterday I ate the wrong foods and today I didn't eat at all until 8pm. Hoping the work event menus are manageable.

Day 3 I stopped pain meds, and my recovery has been smooth. I'm grateful as I know it's not always the case. I relate to the idea that it might be going 'too' well, though it sounds odd to say it. Just be grateful, keep following the surgeon's instructions, and make the most of this opportunity.

I was cleared at six weeks as well. My recovery was smooth. It is probably case dependent. Go with what your surgeon says even if it varies a lot from the rest of us. They know what's best for you.

No pre-op diet for me. Like yourself clear fluids 24 hours before. Surgery was fine and recovery smooth. Just trust their instructions and you'll be fine.

I've been eating some high-Protein Soups, low-fat meatballs in marinara, low-fat shepherd's pie with a bit of sweet potato instead of white potato (cottage pie for the Brits), and also some similar meals as @lipsticklady. A small amount of cheese or avocado are so satisfying and help me stick to my version of a plan which focuses on low carb. There are several great websites for post-bariatric recipes and there are some on this site. Have fun exploring!

I stalled the first week on purees. Then I cut back on carbs and the weight fell off. I don't think this is necessary, but since it's worked so well for me, I'm sticking with slightly lower carb and my surgeon approves.

Keeping my secret, and getting comfortable with the little white lies I have to tell to do so.

@@MyJourney929 Each surgeon will have their own recommendation for when it's ok to eat nuts and seeds. My surgeon told me a week ago it is a healthy food to eat now that I'm on full solids at one month.. Moderation is key but that can be easy as it's a nutrient dense food so you should be satisfied with very few of them. For the record, eating a few seeds does not equate to cake or tacos from a health or nutrition perspective. Don't feel shy about asking questions as that is what this forum is for. I agree it might be good to do a search first to see if your topic has been addressed, but also we're here to help each other. You joined us this month (welcome!) so you can't be expected to already be familiar with the vast amount of information and knowledge here that our vets have. Some find it frustrating to see the same or similar questions over and over, but we're a broad group and all in very different places on our journey. I suspect the vets may have asked a repeat question once or twice when new too

Instead of using that type of meat, I use cooked cubed chicken breast and add a bit of mayo. Same works for canned tuna, crab, etc. My favorite new 'fast food' is a boiled egg. I always have some already done in the fridge that I can grab and go. One ounce slices of cheese are a good fast food as well.

Maybe there should be a forum on here for the 'vets', and you can only join after x weeks/months as a member of this site? The topics will be those of interest to those who are more informed and you won't have to weed through the repetition. I'm not sure if this would work, but just a thought. If you did create such a forum I do hope you'd still pop into the rest of the content as we can all benefit from your knowledge and experience

I posted a quick little recipe that is similar enough for me. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/377324-layered-mexican-in-a-mason-jar-pur%C3%A9e/ Lately when I have it I also add a teaspoon of taco sauce in the layers.

My doctor allowed it as tolerated at one month and told me to "chew, chew, chew!"

I had some recent experiences that make the answer to if I can change my old ways a 'yes'. I had a work lunch lthat I couldn't skip last week. First time in a restaurant and the options were limited. I ordered my old favorite: brisket and mashed. It's a given that I ate only about a 5th of the plate, but the part that surprised me is that the fatty meal made me have this bad feeling in my stomach for over an hour. It wasn't nausea, but just unpleasant. My old food tasted too 'rich' which was a sensation I was unfamiliar with. (I think they even put bacon grease in the mashed). When I described it to a fellow sleever friend I said: "Imagine you sat down to eat a bowl of lard. That's how it felt." The next day I tried a bit of the leftovers, thinking that maybe I was just having an off day. Nope. Animal fat is now something I don't enjoy. I also slightly get this sensation if I eat the dark meat of a roasted chicken, especially if it's skin-on. Another old favorite. The other MAJOR change for me is that for most of my life I was an evening eater. In fact at least half my daily calories would be consumed in the evening and it's definitely why I became obese. A couple of evenings I had teeny tiny healthy Snacks close to bedtime and experienced GERD for the first time. It woke me up and is so unpleasant that the negative reinforcement has 'cured' me of night snacking Now if I feel like something at night I sip some tea or bouillon.

You're not so far after surgery and you had a lifetime of the old lifestyle so be patient and kind with yourself. I'm not sure if the cravings will always be there for you or not, but maybe once you start to see the rewards of your efforts and will-power with the help of this tool, that seeing them eat bread won't matter so much. I only had a couple of hungry/craving days so far, and what I noticed is that my carb count was higher those days. I decide to cut back even more on carbs instead of indulging and my cravings don't happen now. I'm between 35-40 grams of carbs per day and it also accelerated my weightloss after a stall to cut carbs. Don't be discouraged. You got this!!

The answer to your question in the first paragraph is simple: VSG is a treatment designed to treat obesity, not bulimia. Two people might have hip pain. One needs a hip replacement and the other only needs steroid injections and rest, as an appropriate treatment. It is not for the patient to decide that a treatment for a completely different health issue appropriate to their situation should be granted to you. I echo what the rest have said. This will not help your bulimia and I doubt it will get approved.