FluffyChix

Have you tried sucking on em rather than chewing? Is it texture or taste? Still pre-op, but I ordered Celebrate vits: Drink Sticks 3-in-1 Multi (Citrus, Raspberry Lemonade, Wild Cherry)-LOVE every one of them, but dilute them quite a lot or mix with decaff brewed tea a LOT! Chewy 3-in-1 bites-LOVE every flavor (3 flavors--similar to a starburst) Chewy Calcium Bites--meh, too sweet--prefer Bariatric Advantage Calcium Bites Chewy Iron Bites--ICK! Gross! Don't do it!!! Made me nauseous for hours! Hope that helps!

Ha! So glad you find it helpful and not tiresome--like--why in hell does she keep blatherin' on over here? Can't she see no one cares? LOL, but it helps me regardless, cuz I've been able to go back and see my progress, and it feels good to make it to 6 days without cheats. I can't emphasize enough, THIS is a hard 2 weeks. LOL. I think I didn't fully "get it" until I was in it. Weird but true. Here's my post op plan: STAGE 1: Day 1 & 2 - Liquid Diet (minimum 48-64oz liquids per day) sugar free clear liquids (1oz per 15 minutes=4oz per hour) - (water, calorie free non-carbonated drinks, sugar free fitness waters, decaff coffee or tea, sugar free jello, clear broths) STAGE 2: Day home from hospital continuing 2 weeks - Full Liquid Diet (minimum 48-64oz liquids/45-60g protein per day) Volume Measurement: 1/8-1/4 cup sugar free clear liquids as described in Stage 1 (no more than 8oz of any liquid per hour) protein powders or RTD drinks (must be less than 4g of sugar per drink and have a minimum of 15g protein per 8fl oz) other acceptable fluids: Tomato or V-8 vegetable juice (no fruit versions), no sugar/fat free fudgesicles, skim or Lactaid milk, Fairlife milk, strained cream soups made with skim milk, thinned down plain Greek yogurt (up to a 1/2cup serving size), sugar free pudding made with skim milk (up to 1/2cup serving size), cream of wheat thinned with skim milk and protein powder added no fruit juices or sugar sweetened drinks STAGE 3: Beginning Week 3 and progressing to regular textured diet (slowly) - (minimum 48-64oz liquids per day/60-80g protein per day, eat 3 meals + 1-2 snacks daily) Volume Measurement: 1/4-1/2 cup all liquids as described in Stages 1 & 2 do not drink with meals or snacks (30 minutes before or after) start with pureed foods and slowly progress to soft solids then to regular textured foods--follow the surgeon's recommendations for advancement. Each phase will take 1-2 weeks per phase within this Stage 3 framework. chew foods to applesauce consistency, take bites no larger than a dime, eat slowly, take 20-30 minutes per scheduled meal/snack eat protein first at every meal >> follow with well-cooked mushy veggies when tolerable >> follow with canned fruits in water or natural juices limit sugar to 4g per serving and limit foods to those with sugar NOT within the first 5 listed ingredients limit fats to 6g per serving no liquid calories; no grazing (exception is 1-2 protein drinks per day until all food needs can be met with real food) introduce foods 1 at a time and keep a journal of any symptoms or pouch intolerance WeightLossStage3.pdf STAGE 4: Beginning around Week 6-7 and continuing for life - (minimum of 64oz liquids per day/60-80g protein per day, eat 3 meals + 1 high protein snack per day Volume Measurement: 1/2-1 cup or 4-8oz by weight per meal, 1/4-1/2 cup or 1-2oz by weight per snack sugar free clear liquids as described in Stage 1 protein first >> nuts/seeds/legumes >> low glycemic veggies >> low glycemic fruits >> low glycemic starches/grains eat slowly 20-30minutes per meal and stop at the first signal of fullness or "being done" (amount of food tolerated at one time will depend on the type of food and dryness of the food and if you are well-hydrated) introduce new foods slowly, 1 at a time and make note of any intolerances fibrous tough foods should be added very slowly and with great care WeightLossStage4.pdf

Super excellent point to ponder!! TY!

Awesome and thoughtful answer @jess9395 ! Thanks so much Jess! Totally get it and agree 100%! Hey, quick question. Do you remember about how many cals you got on your pre-op diet? The RD wants me around 1000cals. And so far I haven't figured out how to get anywhere near that and am usually 500-600 cals?

Sorry OP! I will exit the thread now.

Question of the Day: How many carbs in coffee? But more importantly how many cups does it take me to go off the rails on Day 6 of my pre-op liquid diet?

I agree that there is a huge difference in our generation. I was never conditioned to accept pervy behavior in any situation. I just considered the source in this particular case and move beyond it and know that these people exist in life--and the internet makes it much more certain you will see them. I just choose not to get bent over it. I'm defending this forum as a safe and lovely place for us. Not defending pervs. (Unimportant to the argument but my back story: I was physically abused on multiple occasions as a child/teen. So trust me, I get it. I know the emotional fallout and know what I've been through to process those emotions and thoughts. I just choose to move forward, view people as basically good/kind rather than mean/nasty/pervy, and choose to view myself as victorious over my struggles. I also try super duper hard to find some tiny grain of humor in most situations in order to deflect any bounce into sadness, depression, doom and gloom, etc and despondency. That doesn't make me better or worse than anyone else. It's just a coping mechanism I've learned to combat the trials of living. I'm sharing this because I want you to understand that I am intimately acquainted with this subject matter and don't take my position on the subject lightly.) @NegreteLove ((hugs)) to you my friend! I'm sorry for your experience and struggles and so happy to see your victorious self shining through!

I'm sorry about your pain! That's the pits! Hope you heal soon! May I ask, what are you eating if you're consuming 800-900 calories per day and it doesn't include you meeting your daily protein requirement? What does a typical day look like for you? Are you tracking/weighing and measuring everything--even water and protein?

No. I'm not saying this at all. I'm taking 1 individual situation here in this forum. That's all. No other situation. Of course there are rapes. NO we don't have that choice and that is a victim crime. I 100% agree with that. It is also a COMPETELY different topic to what I am talking about here in this instance. I was speaking specifically that because there is 1 perv on this forum, then suddenly the safety of this forum is suspect. THAT is what I'm speaking to here. And it's a false statement. And, sadly, I am not meaning to shame LaLaDee. I AM however choosing to express my opinion just as she did and am defending this forum as a wonderful and safe space for us--if we use our noggins. We are not gonna get raped on this forum. We can do things to protect ourselves. We have power (IN THIS FORUM). What I'm saying is that I'm voicing MY opinion about how strongly I feel that BP shouldn't get perceived as an unsafe place. I'm also saying that life and the Internet are for all to see--perves included. Use your head, be safe, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. I'm also saying I'm tired of having to take everything so damn serious every time we hit a bump in the road? (And yeah, if he's a 14 year old boy, his parents should woop his ass for pervin. And he should be banned if Alex decides to ban him.)

I've watched his vids several times and own his book. And if you really listen carefully, he's not TOO very different from the standard plan post-WLS. His differentiator is that after the first few months, you don't necessarily have to eat protein forward. My plan from my RD for a day when I'm at regular foods is: 60-80g protein/day, 4-5 servings fruits/veggies, 2-3 servings starches/grains, low fat (yeah, disagree but whatevs). Meal: 2oz protein (meat or meat substitute) Snack: 1oz protein (meat or meat substitute) So if at 6months I'm eating 1/2 cup of food that is protein, I maybe have another 1-2oz of capacity that I'm gonna fill with veggies. And since a lot of veggies are sliders, it seems like I may be able to eat more of them? I know his green smoothie in the morning will get in a lot of the 1lb per day, and it will slide down just like a protein smoothie once we're healed. I already eat salads for lunch where the focus is veggies and the protein is like a condiment, and already have dinners that are what he describes. So, I'd say, his advice fits within my paradigm and I think he's got it going on. I love his vids!

Oh come on. I you. I do. But, this **** happens everywhere. Welcome to Al Gore's Internet. I absolutely urge you to do what is right for you. You do you. But this is life. There are pervs in life. We are strong and secure and make our own choices. We can choose to NOT be victims and have the chance to make healthy choices. The End. Lurkin' Larry is either a letch or a 14 year old boy. His presence here is part of the human condition--sadly. But it doesn't mean that BP is an "unsafe place" to do before or after pics. That being said--BP is the INTERNET! Anyone, anywhere, anytime, anyhow should consider whether or not to post pictures to it for all eternity. It truly is your permanent record. Do you want your kids, parents, grandkids, et al to see what you post? That's how you should think of BP. BP is not an intrinsically un-safe place, and 1 perv does not make us all pervs. That being said, I STILL have my baudy sense of harmless humor and am so thrilled to read these drama-laden threads. I jones for them. I'd like to read more of them--cuz they make me bust a gut laughing. I am SOOOO sick of everyone taking life so fuc*ing seriously. *sigh* I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE. (pppssst This my lame ass attempt at lightening this comment...it probably didn't work as I thought it would) Ahhh Network, good times.

Just because we "can" doesn't mean we "should". You know? This is where the retraining and committing to new habits really comes in. Go back to basics. If you're scared now, that's good! Rather be scared now in the early honeymoon phase than 2 years out when you're eating as you always did prior to surgery and gaining like a beast.

Oh wow! Thanks for this! So the two foamy pics are the ones with the skinny foam? Is that Skinny Girl something? Sorry but going to the store today.

Day 6 is Done. Check that one off my list! I continue to do great during the day. It's so easy to manage any breakthrough hunger, and I don't really feel deprived with the liquids. I think it's because a long time ago I resolved for breakfast and lunch to just be quick bites meant only to satisfy my hunger. Weekend breakfasts/brunch were a whole other animal (ring ring: Saturday & Sunday? Please behave today mkay?). But at dinner time, the hunger really kicks up. I did ok, but while I was reheating Mr. Fluffy's dinner, I had this clear empathy for the other posters who talk about feeling emotionally and weepy about not being able to eat with their fam. I felt pretty emotional last night. So I took 4 deep breaths (4-square breathing), acknowledged it was a tough diet and sucks/is unfair (lol), and asked myself how badly I wanted it? Was the prize big enough? Would it be worth it? And I had to answer yes. So I just sucked it up, made his dinner, cleaned the kitchen while he ate, and had a sf Popsicle. When the smoke had cleared and I was no longer feeling a voracious need to feed, I made my Protein Tortilla Soup Broth and has some sf jello (2 of them--sue me). I went to bed vaguely hungry but feeling like I could commit to one more day. This morning I got up and recommitted to today.

Recipe please?

Jules, we have the same stats. I'm 226 right now, but hope (fingers crossed) to be down another 6 lbs in 10 days. Surgery is on the 20th. That's what I'm expecting but would like it more at 6months lost than 12. What kind of diet are you following now, may I ask? What level of activity do you have? Thank you so much!!

Dang! So sorry you're having a tough time!!! Could it be a stricture? Is it EVERYTHING you eat, even water at different temps?

I'm sorry about your fertility struggles. ((hugs)) Do you have PCOS by any chance? If so, have you had your fasting insulin numbers checked or know your HOMA-IR? I say this, because I don't know how you're eating post surgery, but many, many, infertile normies get pregnant after eating Atkins/low carb diets. Partly, the weight loss helps, but also because you're eating lots of healthy fats, adequate protein and only low glycemic carbs, so your insulin levels really fall and ovulation begins again.

Very interesting point! And that's been illustrated with many of the starvation studies, if memory serves! I'm not trying to be 100% perfect. At this point in my life my only goal is to be "just good enough". That's why I'm trying to understand the road I'm about to travel as much as anyone can before they travel it. I want to get a feel from people who've done it, just how good is good enough? Cuz I know I can't be abstemious. It gets me into trouble every time. But over the years I'm swell at 80/20 and even pretty awesome sauce at 90/10. The big question and fear for me is...is that enough? Cuz if maintaining down the road means 100% compliance, then I'd have to question why I'm gonna rearrange my innards just to gain it all back and a few pounds more. Right? Thank you for your advice! I'm not brushing it off. It's all going into the "pondering" mill!

I think we're gonna need piccys.

@ksadiq18 Congrats to you sweetie!!!!

Ok, so I know I pledged to be on the straight and narrow...but I really can't help myself. It's a sickness. I am very sensitive to sodium cuz I have fluid around my heart and it doesn't pump so well all the time. And the Herb Ox sodium free bullion tastes really bland without salt. Because of my BP pills, I can't add potassium salt anymore (No Salt)--so what's a chix to do? I made tortilla soup broth. Oh, happy, happy family! I'm amazed at how satisfying it is! I'm all about ethnic cuisine and bold flavors. But don't mind bastardizing things when necessary. So far I have: (all of these were approved my RD for use during pre-op liquid stages--the recipes are contained within this thread for posterity) Creamy Mushroom Beef Protein Broth Creamy Mushroom Chicken Protein Broth Chinese Broth Pizza Soup Broth Tortilla Soup Broth Tortilla Soup Broth Serves 1 8fl oz water 1 pckt Herb Ox sodium free beef or chicken bullion 1 tsp (5g) Taco Bell Border Sauce, hot 1 pinch granulated garlic 1 pinch ground cumin 1 pinch ground coriander 1 pinch ground turmeric s/p to taste Nuke until piping hot. Stir and enjoy! Nutritionals: 12 calories; 1g protein; 0g fat; 1g carbs; 0g fiber; 1g net carbs; 30mg sodium

Laughing at the humidor name!

Congrats!!!

No never. lol. You should go read my blog here. Do you have co-morbidities that are recognized by your insurance? Does your surgeon have any weight loss rules for their patents? I had to lose 5% of my weight. When I met her I was 256 and am now at 227, 6 days into my liquid pre-op 2 week countdown. It's a roller coaster journey. But you seriously have to know what your rules are on the BMI thing or that could legitimately happen to you.