blizair09

You don't have a plan that you are supposed to follow post-op? Really?

Where are you in the food stages on your plan? At 13 days post-op, I was still in full liquids!

@@RussT, I am much the same way and have been since the beginning of this journey in March. I always wear running shorts and a t-shirt when I have to weigh at the doctor. In fact, I have gotten the exact same running shorts and t-shirt in smaller sizes as I have gone along. And I obsess, too, but I have to always remind myself that they really don't give a crap. They never have. They type the number in the computer and that's the end of it. My disappointment all along has been that they don't make a bigger deal of my success than they do. But, I'm one of hundreds of patients that they try to pass through that place as fast as they can. Cut yourself some slack. You're doing great. Let your success be your inspiration. (And I promise that I am trying to practice what I preach here!!)

When I started this journey back in March with my six-month pre-op diet, my first goal (even above losing weight) was to re-establish my relationship with food. Specifically, I didn't want food to be the focal point of everything in my life anymore. And that was a tall order and took some time, but it eventually happened. When I say that I replaced food with life, I meant that instead of obsessing over where and when (and what and how often) to eat, we think about what activities we are going to do on an outing. My partner and I leave Monday for a 3.5 week tour of Southeast Asia. Our planning has been much more about excursions (some even very physically active) rather than what kind of food we're going to eat. We get out and walk; we go to the movies; we go see the Christmas light displays. And more importantly, we see people; we don't avoid pictures, and we re-connect with old friends that we have been too embarrassed to face for years. I have gotten food to the point of being fuel for me and nothing else. Sure, I want what I eat to be good. If not, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get all of my Protein from food so I could dump those heinous shakes once and for all. But every day, I remind myself that food is just food -- not a friend, not a companion, not a coping device, not a support, not a destination, not an event, not the centerpiece of life. I let food and my out-of-control obesity control my life for far too long. That is over.

I replaced food with life. And it tastes amazing!!

Actually, we found some at Sam's Club that we like. I still use it my recipe to flavor and to cook down green Beans.

Unflavored Protein powder in chicken or beef bone broth was my saving grace during the clear liquids. I also added some broth enhancer that I found at the grocery store to make it a little bit better.

I wasn't given any "have to" weight loss goals pre-op, but I did lose 99 pounds (from 397 to 298) during my six-month insurance-required diet program. I wanted to lose as much as I could before the surgery, so I followed a low carb/moderate-to-high protein/high healthy fat lifestyle and started an exercise program. I am so glad I did it. I re-established my relationship with food before the surgery, and I am convinced that the hard work helped with my seamless recovery and continued success post-op. Good luck!

This is much more of a mental game than a physical one. The best thing you can do right now is power through. The early days and weeks are the worst. Once you get through the food stages, it gets better, but it is always going to be a mental battle. Grit and perseverance is what wins this race. Good luck!

I get the hiccups at least once per day, but it is quick -- just a couple of them and then they go away.

I have cooked with olive oil (1/2 tsp per 2 oz of salmon or chicken) since I was able to bring meats back post-op. I usually have salmon or chicken (mostly salmon) twice per day.

How soon post-op did you start having Coke Zero? Does it cause you any discomfort at all? I was a huge diet coke drinker pre-op, and I miss it. I'm not planning to bring it back in the short-term, but I am hoping I can a little bit further down the road.

That is very different from my plan and most of the plans that have been discussed on here. What is their rationale for Pasta and rice? Those are "avoid forever" foods on my plan. Of course, you should follow the plan of your surgeon. But when they tell you not to count Protein, that raises a major red flag for me!

It was about six weeks post-op before my fatigue started to get better. And even now (week 11 post-op), I still get tired very suddenly sometimes.

You eat what you can eat while they eat what they can eat. Isn't the more important thing that you are spending time together as a family? One of my priorities when I started this journey in March was not making food be the defining factor for everything in my life. As weird as it sounds, that applies to meals as well. Let the fellowship be the defining factor. The food is just the fuel being consumed... Good luck!

I have religiously used a food scale since the beginning of my six month pre-op diet back in March. I actually have 4 of them now because I have forgotten one on a couple of trips and had to pick a new one up. It is my most relied-upon tool after the sleeve itself. I know that I eat too fast, but it hasn't caused any problems. One of my meat meals (e.g., 2 oz of salmon and 1 oz of green beans) takes about 10 minutes to eat. As far as this grazing thing -- I have always taken grazing to mean you are constantly eating throughout the day and many of these foods are things you shouldn't be eating, not that you are working toward your appropriate daily Protein goals. I eat 8 times a day, about 90 minutes apart. I'm not grazing; I'm eating comfortable size meals that add up to about 950-1000 calories, less than 20 carbs, and 90-100 grams of protein per day -- exactly where I should be.

No seeds in any of the ones I've tried. But there are little pieces of strawberry since it is preserves. Some of them are marketed as jelly, so those probably don't have the pieces. You can check out their website to see all of the different varieties.

I like the Smucker's sugar free jellies and preserves. I use 1 T of sugar-free strawberry in 1/2 cup of cottage cheese twice a day. The sugar-free strawberry only has 2 carbs per 1 T.

I met my surgeon for about 15 minutes during my sixth "diet visit" appointment. On the actual surgery day, he never spoke to me, and he only talked to my parents and my partner (actually, just my mom) on the phone after the surgery. When my mom asked him some questions, he was very condescending. He showed up 3 hours late to the hospital with no notice or apologies. I was the last surgery, and leaving was more important than talking to my family face-to-face as he had apparently done with the families of all the patients before me. I see the NP for everything, and I imagine I'll never lay eyes on that guy again in my life. I appreciate the fact that he is very talented and he did a good job, but as a person, at least based on my experience, he is lacking.

I have eaten less than 20 grams of carbs per day since March, and even once I get to my goal, I will probably always have to keep them low. I am a carb addict. I may not be able to completely eradicate them from my life like an alcoholic does booze, but I will likely always have to keep them low. Maybe not below 20 low, but probably below 50 or 60 low when maintenance comes around.

I lost 99 pounds during my six-month insurance-required diet program, so my surgeon didn't ask me to do the pre-op liquid diet. I voluntarily did 3 days of liquids (2 days of Protein shakes and 1 day of clear liquids) because I felt like I needed to do it, but there was no reason to do it. I adapted to post-op life just fine (and would have without those extra 3 days I put myself through). And I ended up having to do liquids for 3 weeks post-op because I wouldn't eat any of the foods that I could add during Week 3 post-op because they were all carb laden, and I have followed a low carb lifestyle since the beginning of my pre-op diet. The liquid diet (before and after) isn't something to prepare for. It is just something to embrace and power through. It sucks, but it isn't forever. The key is just to follow whatever directions are given to you by your surgeon. Good luck!

That's awesome. It is nice when things work out as they should! Best wishes!

There is a reason for the food stages and pushing ahead too early could cause you real medical harm. I didn't, and I wouldn't advise it for you -- especially 10 days early. Call and talk to your surgeon's staff about it.

When did you have your surgery? When did the water nausea go away? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App When did you have your surgery? When did the water nausea go away? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App My surgery was September 28. To be honest, I have never had an issue with water. I was able to drink 64 oz by Day 3 post-op, and I have been having about 120 oz every day since about the second week post-op.

Given your starting weight, 35 pounds in 2 months is an amazing loss. (It's actually a great loss for most anyone...) You're not going to lose all of your excess weight overnight. None of us are. Good luck. Keep up your good work!