Sandra Nuelken

I like Ensure Max a small container has 30g of protein. The powders made me burpy and I discovered I had to eat plant protein powder. I also found when I made a protein smoothie, it had too many carbs. I'm basically not into fixing and cooking so when on liquids I lived on the Ensure Max - 2 of them got my proteins in. Full liquids I added cream of chicken soup- blended to get the tiny pieces of chicken blended. Warm liquids tended to really fill me up. When I got to soft foods I did one Ensure a day and ate cottage cheese, refried beans, and tuna in the packets the 2.5 oz. I added seasonings to it and learned to like it. I added foods very gradually still haven't added eggs as some people had issues. But now enjoy most meats, if I shread them and eat very slowly.

I do the tuna in packets with flavoring, it doesn't taste like tuna. Also, I buy Salmon patties. Any meat shredded if eaten very slowly will work. Skip the veggies you need to focus on protein. Tomorrow we are doing beef stew. I might have a piece of potato mashed, but I will be eating meat only.

I suggest you ask your doctor for a referral to a counselor. My doctor has one on staff and yours may too. The food you so miss was not your friend and didn't solve any issues. It was killing you. You've been in an abusive relationship with food. I'm on my second go with this I had a lap-band before this surgery. Do I miss my favorite foods, sure? Do I enjoy being healthy absolutely? Is it always a fair trade not always. People will treat you different and will sometimes say you took the "easy way". They don't realize how difficult it is really. If your surgeon has a support group I would suggest that you go. Felling this bad because you want to be healthy is not a good thing. Reach out and get help.

Great job! Happy anniversary!!

Everyone is different, but I was on clear liquids week one, full liquids week 2 and I did a lot of cream of chicken soup and protein drinks like 2 a day as that made my 60 g of protein. I used Ensure Max. Everything will taste bad so I used a lot of ice and just did it. Full liquids were weeks two and three, then soft foods for the next three weeks. Refried beans, protein drinks still 2 a day. Cottage cheese was my main food. Then after 6 weeks, I was onto tuna, shredded chicken. I get a rotessori chicken and put it in 4 oz packages. Good luck. It is important that you allow time for your stomach to heal.

I am almost 3 months post-surgery. My diet is still a protein drink for breakfast, 4 oz of cottage cheese lunch and 4 oz of protein for dinner. On occasion, if my hubby is having veggies I take a teaspoon, but to get the protein in I stick to meat first. I do a lot of tuna, the chicken must be shredded I did prime rib last week, but it cut like butter. Oh, pork roast and beef roast it must be tender and shredded. I bought from Amazon a stainless toddler set of flatware so my bites are small small small. I don't eat often at the table as I eat too fast. A 4oz "dinner" of chicken should take about 20-30 minutes to eat so you need to chew a lot. I am not in a hurry to do a "typical" meal just take it easy. My doctor said your meal will be 1/3 of a cup for a long while. You may be trying to eat too much too fast. Focus on getting 60g. of protein and don't worry about veggies. Try taking tiny bites and chewing longer. I am just taking my time adding a bit at a time but still focused on the proteins.

Good luck to you! You've done great so far. As someone with an absolute passion for sweet tea and dark chocolate so far I've not been tempted. I think it is the outshine popcycles that help. No matter the age everyone has the right to feel great!

I was 72 and turned 73 6 weeks after the surgery. I had my surgery at the end of July and I'm down almost 50 pounds. This is the best decision ever. My knees hurt less and less each day. I am thrilled and feeling just great. You are never too old for good health.

After surgery, for about 3 weeks your taste buds will be all out of wack due to your body going through Ketosis. I just added ice to my protein drink I used Ensure Max, and it still tasted God awful. Gradually it became more tolerable and back to liking it again. In the first three weeks I tried to get in 2 a day to get the protein. It all gets better. I found the clear protein drinks far too sweet. Good luck.

I found these to be just terrific to eat with. I also take them with me when I eat out to make sure I'm taking small bites and chewing a lot. I only had an issue once since surgery and I wasn't using these. I also use the small desert plate to plate my food. I just wanted to share. https://www.amazon.com/LIANYU-Silverware-Stainless-Tableware-Dishwasher/dp/B07WMZR9NQ/ref=sr_1_32_sspa?keywords=stainless+toddler+utensil&qid=1570897318&s=baby-products&sr=1-32-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzM0lPNUdUWVdET1QzJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODE3ODQ0MTE4VlVXRVMwMExWViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDIzMDc0MzhXODFXM0lSMlRSMCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2J0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Those look great, but I'm a long way from that yet. I drink a protein drink in the morning have 4oz cottage cheese for lunch and a 3 oz meat protein for dinner. That is it and that is all I can eat.

Wow you've done great!

You can exercise more, change up what you're eating, or realize that about every 10 days your body will stall and get used to the new weight loss then continue. I read that it is hard on your body to lose a lot of weight, so I figure it needs a rest. Anything around 8 pounds a month is good anything more is a bonus. Just remember we didn't get here overnight and we won't lose it overnight either.

I had ten-pound goals too, but that drove me nuts especially during those weekly stalls. Now I make my goals 5 pounds. I find it makes me less nuts and disappointed. I have to realize it is still going down so I shouldn't b***h. I hit a 5-pound goal today so I'm expecting a stall soon. It seems like I get one week a month that the weight loss stops and the body adjusts. What I find strange is I can almost tell before I step on the scale if I've lost or not.

It sounds like a great idea. I was a chew it once or twice and swallow, the eating slowly with small bites was the harder thing to shift to. Half of what I used to eat I probably never tasted. Getting the protein is the real struggle. Good luck on your journey!

I am 2 1/2 months out and about 50 pounds down. My knees hurt less and I'm looking forward to our camping trips. I'm having trouble staying in clothes, not a problem though. I found 3 trash bags of clothes in the attic that I had "outgrown" so I'm sifting through them. When I go into a restaurant I know I can sit anywhere. I also check the menu online and know exactly what I will be ordering. I also take a small plastic container with me for all the leftovers. My sister suggested a thermal lunch bag with container so you can keep it cool. I'm making plans for trips and travels. None of this would be possible before. I'm 73 and now I have some good years ahead. It had been a year since I was upstairs, now I go up and down without any issue. I know food is not my friend and it was limiting the rest of my life. I eat what I need and I no longer need everything I see. I feel that I control the rest of my life, my body no longer restricts it.

Congrats on your success! This is not a race but a journey and you were successful. I hope I'm as successful as you.

The first real food was in my second week. I took the cream of chicken soup and put it into a blender to break the tiny chicken bits and had sips of it. Then the soft foods I had refried beans, mashed potatoes, and cottage cheese at this point I drank 2 protein drinks one morning and evening to get my 60 g of protein. I had soft foods for three weeks which I introduced slowly. Remember this is your "honeymoon" period where you get your kick start on weight loss. After the three weeks of soft foods, six weeks after surgery I slowly added food. I had shredded chicken first. I weighed y food and the biggest help was ordering children's size stainless flatware from Amazon. You get service for 4 for about $12. It looks adult but it keeps you to very small bites. I never eat at the table because I eat too fast. I need to be doing something else to eat slowly. I've eaten a broken up burger, pork roast, chicken, things you can crush or cut small. I only have one "real meat" meal a day. The others are protein drinks or cottage cheese. I keep my calories at about 600 - 700 and my meat servings are usually under 3 oz. I have a pop cycle or two each night as my treat. The non-sugar added Outshine. They are really good. I also drink a lot of water. I am taking advantage of this period of non-hunger to lose as much as possible. Steak and pork chops are dense meats and probably not the safest foods Eating slowly and chewing very slowly is paramount. You don't want to have an "issue" with the food as it is not pleasant. Salads are out for at least 8 months. Lettuce is hard to digest. The reason for the gradual stages of food is to allow the healing of your stomach and not to cause issues. Good luck on your journey! I wish you success.

I do not and will not buy any foods or snacks that I like. I only have in my house the good foods and if I want to "binge" I can have 3 no sugar added Outshine pop cycles. I know what I like and I know that having it in the house gives is like pouring an alcoholic a drink. You just don't do it. Find an Overeaters Anonymous to help you deal with your food compulsion. You will find others with the same issues you have.

My son also has the same schedule. What you need to do is look into Keto high protein foods. My son says he's never eaten more than when he switched to Keto diet for his type 1 diabetes. He's always got jerky, cheese, almonds on hand. Most grocery stores carry protein foods and so does Amazon. I drink Ensure Max 30 g of protein and they fill me up. Protein foods fill you up, carbs spike your sugar and make you hungry in no time. Keep a small baggy of almonds around to eat or jerky with cheese. Is it easy, some days better than others. But living with obesity and food being your best friend is fun either. You can do it if you focus on what you can do and eat rather than what you can't do. Browse the keto, high protein section in your markets you may be surprised. They even have ice cream. You can do it.

Every doctor's diet is different. I had clear liquids for a week, I also didn't drink artificial sweeteners. Full liquids for two weeks, I did cream of chicken soup with protein drinks. I used Ensure Max as it has 30 g. of protein. Then 3 weeks of soft foods. I actually stayed on it for about 6 weeks as I just wasn't all that hungry. Protein drink for breakfast. 2.5 oz of tuna with olive oil and Italian seasonings and cottage cheese. Outshine pop cycles with no sugar added for treats starting week 2. I absolutely love them. I have added other meats for tuna, eating very slow with the children's flatware I bought from Amazon. They are stainless and they make you eat small bites. Drink lots of water and 60 g of protein. If it doesn't have protein it doesn't find its way on my plate. I also weigh my meat and never put more than 3 oz on my small plate, so it looks a lot. I usually don't eat more than 2oz. I found out that you get a lot of chicken, but a bit of a burger. Some meats are denser than others. Good luck and remember it is a journey with lots of stalls.

I had a burger just the meat last week. I still weigh my meat and eat no more than 3 oz and usually less. I like tuna, chicken, salmon, and the burger was a real treat. Now if my meat looks dry I put cold-pressed olive oil on it to make it moist. The olive oil also increases the good cholesterol. I also eat cottage cheese for protein. I stayed on the soft diet for about 6 weeks and I'm slowly "testing" meats one at a time. I also purchased from Amazon children's stainless flatware so my bites are always small. I've not had an issue so far and everything I've eaten has done well.

I had surgery after my weight loss with the Lap-Band. What I learned for my surgery; you will permanently lose the feeling in the area's lifted or tucked. I liked tummy rubs, no feeling now. Even if you go to someone who has done a lot you may not be happy with the outcome. I ended up with what is called "dog ears" on my tummy tuck. It was an outpatient surgery 7 hours and sent home with drains everywhere. Then in about 30 days I threw 3 blood clots and was very lucky and I did not die. I did end up with all 3 in my lungs. It is a very serious surgery and not to be taken lightly. I nearly died and if I had to do it again I would not.

After having all the issues I did with the Lapband I have decided to eat carefully, I hate throwing up, did my share with the band. I got on the soft menu and stayed with the soft diet for almost 6 weeks. I do tuna, roasted chicken, cottage cheese which you can drizzle salad dressing on, and I am slowly adding a different protein. I had Goulash soup this weekend which was mostly beef. I figure I have lots of time to add things. So far no sickness and only a good journey.

I had the lap band, then had it removed. Then I was sleeved the end of July. It is no more painful than the lap band or having it removed. In fact, I think the removal hurt more because of the port. I had absolutely no pain, in fact, I refused the pain pills. I was tired, guess the surgery makes you tired. I took about 2 weeks to get my strength up, kept trying to vacuum and realized that was not a good idea. I love the sleeve as there is no more filling - unfilling. I remembered the band diet quickly and fell into it easily. Good luck with your journey!