BabySpoons

I rarely bought brand new clothes while losing post-op. I love thrifting and had a blast as I shopped for smaller and smaller sizes. I sometimes hardly had a chance to wear some of the clothes I bought before I outgrew them. I go through my closet once a month pulling out what I have outgrown and donating. It's slowing down now as I near goal weight. When I was at my largest I could never find anything to fit me locally. I mostly ordered online and even then a lot didn't fit right. 4-5x Funny now that I'm in a smaller size, I'm finding cute plus size stuff. Go figure. But I ain't complaining.
Here's a pic of my latest closet clean out. Yeah I wear a lot of black. I'm trying to change that but boy a few of these items were hard to part with. I did find a loved one who wanted a bunch of it so that made it a bit easier to let go.....

I can't count the number of times I attempted to work out while morbidly obese and ended up with chaffed thighs and numerous work out pants with holes worn into them. I can walk for miles now without all that. In fact, sometimes I will do my daily walk in a pair of jeans. That was unheard of in the past for me.
It's a very good feeling. 😊

Most nutritionists hate hearing that you watch TV while practicing "mindful eating." I get it though.. I always watch TV when eating at home too. It is possible to do both for some but the NUTs don't agree.
And you can probably guess how I chose my name for this forum. I literally bought a baby spoon and used it. For a time. It really slows you down as opposed to using a big spoon (pre-op) that allows us to shovel the food in faster. I've known many overweight people who consume a meal so fast they don't even properly taste what they are eating. (finger pointing back at me)
Put the spoon down after each bite. Chew the 22 x's. Use a timer if needed. Don't drink with your meals. Taste what you are actually eating.
If you tell her you now actually try to pick out the different spices in each recipe. Garlic, chili powder, onion, etc. and do all the rest, you'll pass with flying colors. I would hesitate to bring up the TV watching though. LOL
GL

On the flip side....
I have to chuckle at the responses here. Most are from those that openly admitted to hating Protein Shakes and wanting "real" food. To each his own. Hahaha!
I may be in the minority here along with @waterwoman I'm 1 1/2 years out and still drink Protein shakes. In fact just last night. I made one that tastes just like a strawberry shake. Way healthier than eating ice cream.
I think if you struggle with eating real foods early on like I did and still do on occasion, the shakes are a godsend. When I have a day where food does not agree with me I go to my shake to get my protein in for the day. Forcing food to meet a daily quota is bad if you can't keep it down or you end up making yourself sick.
As for total meal replacements? It has it's place in this journey. For a time. Although I have drank my fair share of them, I have always tried the foods suggested for each phase. You will find that some days the food goes well and another not so much. And if not, I will revisit that food later on down the line and drink my shake.
It's a long slow process but I've come to a place that most foods are tolerable for me now but I still have those days where my protein drink is my best friend. LOL

I was too but don't be. Just practice mindful eating. I learned rather quickly after just a few bites how that meal was going to go. I would stop and push the plate away if need be. If you don't, you will pay for it. I had to learn that lesson a few times. I thought because the nutritionist OK'd a food for a particular phase, it would be OK. But it wasn't for me. Certain textures are my problem. Not from eating too much or too fast. YMMV
I still struggle with stir fry (semi cooked) and raw vegetables which is sad for me because I love veggies and salads. Also heavy meats like steak and chicken unless it is cooked to the point of falling apart. In a Soup cooked soft is best so I lived on stews etc. for quite awhile and still enjoy them.
Find the foods within your program that you enjoy and go well with you and your sensitive tummy. In the beginning, I made the mistake of trying everything allowed to me at the different phases but a lot just made me sick. I knew at some point I would enjoy those foods again in the future. Some I may never. But I like to concentrate on the healthy things I can have as opposed to what I can't.
GL.. you will do fine. And don't be scared. {{hugs}}

I was too but don't be. Just practice mindful eating. I learned rather quickly after just a few bites how that meal was going to go. I would stop and push the plate away if need be. If you don't, you will pay for it. I had to learn that lesson a few times. I thought because the nutritionist OK'd a food for a particular phase, it would be OK. But it wasn't for me. Certain textures are my problem. Not from eating too much or too fast. YMMV
I still struggle with stir fry (semi cooked) and raw vegetables which is sad for me because I love veggies and salads. Also heavy meats like steak and chicken unless it is cooked to the point of falling apart. In a Soup cooked soft is best so I lived on stews etc. for quite awhile and still enjoy them.
Find the foods within your program that you enjoy and go well with you and your sensitive tummy. In the beginning, I made the mistake of trying everything allowed to me at the different phases but a lot just made me sick. I knew at some point I would enjoy those foods again in the future. Some I may never. But I like to concentrate on the healthy things I can have as opposed to what I can't.
GL.. you will do fine. And don't be scared. {{hugs}}

I had to do the liver shrinking diet pre-op for 2 weeks. 2 shakes a day then I ate a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables with 3 ounces of lean chicken or beef season fried in soy sauce for my evening meal. It was delish.
I lost weight. High volume, low calorie. I'd enjoy the food while you can. JS

I was too but don't be. Just practice mindful eating. I learned rather quickly after just a few bites how that meal was going to go. I would stop and push the plate away if need be. If you don't, you will pay for it. I had to learn that lesson a few times. I thought because the nutritionist OK'd a food for a particular phase, it would be OK. But it wasn't for me. Certain textures are my problem. Not from eating too much or too fast. YMMV
I still struggle with stir fry (semi cooked) and raw vegetables which is sad for me because I love veggies and salads. Also heavy meats like steak and chicken unless it is cooked to the point of falling apart. In a Soup cooked soft is best so I lived on stews etc. for quite awhile and still enjoy them.
Find the foods within your program that you enjoy and go well with you and your sensitive tummy. In the beginning, I made the mistake of trying everything allowed to me at the different phases but a lot just made me sick. I knew at some point I would enjoy those foods again in the future. Some I may never. But I like to concentrate on the healthy things I can have as opposed to what I can't.
GL.. you will do fine. And don't be scared. {{hugs}}

I had to do the liver shrinking diet pre-op for 2 weeks. 2 shakes a day then I ate a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables with 3 ounces of lean chicken or beef season fried in soy sauce for my evening meal. It was delish.
I lost weight. High volume, low calorie. I'd enjoy the food while you can. JS

So I am finally into that 100lbs bracket (even if it is only 199lbs 😂) I am gonna Celebrate that regardless!
It feels like such a massive journey already, having started out at 281lbs, I genuinely was worried I wouldn't make progress.
Just wanted to share happier news with everyone, after my weird little downwards spiral I had 🤣 Thank you everyone for all the support ❤️

I can't count the number of times I attempted to work out while morbidly obese and ended up with chaffed thighs and numerous work out pants with holes worn into them. I can walk for miles now without all that. In fact, sometimes I will do my daily walk in a pair of jeans. That was unheard of in the past for me.
It's a very good feeling. 😊

I agree with this. I'm about 4 weeks post op. According to my plan, I can start soft foods on Monday. But I've struggled with purees and eating too fast so I've gone back to liquids and Protein Shakes. I'm honestly kind of scared of moving to soft foods and even more scared of moving to solid foods. I think if you're going to use shakes and things to supplement your diet, Meal Replacement shakes are a better alternative to protein shakes as they also have more Vitamins.
While on my LSD, I would mix the chocolate slimfast with some chocolate Protein Powder and little skimmed milk to disguise the taste of the slimfast, but also to give it a little more protein. I would not WANT to live on those long term, but occasionally, I think can still have a place in the diet if you're in a rush or not feeling well enough to cook.

On the flip side....
I have to chuckle at the responses here. Most are from those that openly admitted to hating Protein Shakes and wanting "real" food. To each his own. Hahaha!
I may be in the minority here along with @waterwoman I'm 1 1/2 years out and still drink Protein shakes. In fact just last night. I made one that tastes just like a strawberry shake. Way healthier than eating ice cream.
I think if you struggle with eating real foods early on like I did and still do on occasion, the shakes are a godsend. When I have a day where food does not agree with me I go to my shake to get my protein in for the day. Forcing food to meet a daily quota is bad if you can't keep it down or you end up making yourself sick.
As for total meal replacements? It has it's place in this journey. For a time. Although I have drank my fair share of them, I have always tried the foods suggested for each phase. You will find that some days the food goes well and another not so much. And if not, I will revisit that food later on down the line and drink my shake.
It's a long slow process but I've come to a place that most foods are tolerable for me now but I still have those days where my protein drink is my best friend. LOL

Egg Drop was my first take out item post-op but I waited till soft food stage to eat it. My program didn't have a puree phase.
I did cheat a bit by using a Vitamix and totally liquifying some Soups. But as @Arabesque said, wait until your Bariatric team OKs you for the puree stage then either strain or liquefy.
I was also concerned about the amount of fat added to Egg Drop from my local Chinese restaurant but it didn't seem to effect me. It tasted wonderful! You can also make your own using some chicken bouillon or broth and dropping an egg into it.
GL and congrats on your surgery!

On the flip side....
I have to chuckle at the responses here. Most are from those that openly admitted to hating Protein Shakes and wanting "real" food. To each his own. Hahaha!
I may be in the minority here along with @waterwoman I'm 1 1/2 years out and still drink Protein shakes. In fact just last night. I made one that tastes just like a strawberry shake. Way healthier than eating ice cream.
I think if you struggle with eating real foods early on like I did and still do on occasion, the shakes are a godsend. When I have a day where food does not agree with me I go to my shake to get my protein in for the day. Forcing food to meet a daily quota is bad if you can't keep it down or you end up making yourself sick.
As for total meal replacements? It has it's place in this journey. For a time. Although I have drank my fair share of them, I have always tried the foods suggested for each phase. You will find that some days the food goes well and another not so much. And if not, I will revisit that food later on down the line and drink my shake.
It's a long slow process but I've come to a place that most foods are tolerable for me now but I still have those days where my protein drink is my best friend. LOL

Yep. I can usually wash/dry them and they're good to go for a few washes. The one for me is leggings. I cannot find them to fit tightly around my legs like they should and I'm in an extra small. I seriously never, in a million years, thought I'd have that problem...lol. Maybe I should check the juniors section 😳😂

I used to be able to hold my phone between my thighs for whatever reason... tying my hair up. Now I can't, like at all. It's funny to me. I have literally never had a thigh gap in my entire life.

My Skinny Jeans aren't "skinny" anymore! More like baggy jeans now!

I can't count the number of times I attempted to work out while morbidly obese and ended up with chaffed thighs and numerous work out pants with holes worn into them. I can walk for miles now without all that. In fact, sometimes I will do my daily walk in a pair of jeans. That was unheard of in the past for me.
It's a very good feeling. 😊

I can't count the number of times I attempted to work out while morbidly obese and ended up with chaffed thighs and numerous work out pants with holes worn into them. I can walk for miles now without all that. In fact, sometimes I will do my daily walk in a pair of jeans. That was unheard of in the past for me.
It's a very good feeling. 😊

I must admit, I am one of those people who is addicted to Protein Shakes and even eight years after surgery, they make up the majority of my diet.

Do I think this is wise and good? Absolutely not.

However, my blood work continues to turn out fine every year

The human body is amazing and the amount of abuse it can take

Hi guys,
I wondered if any of you have decided to completely given up conventional food and have Protein / Meal Replacement shakes instead post op.
I have heard that this is absolutely fine to do as long as you are taking your supplements and drinking plenty of Water.

What's your thoughts/experiences?

You will need to strain it extremely well: no little bits of egg, tofu, scallions or anything which may be added. Straining through muslin may be best to ensure you get everything especially those wispy bits of egg. You can also strain pho, wonton Soup, etc. They won’t have as much Protein as Bone Broth if you were looking for an alternative to only drinking the shakes so don’t make it your main source if protein & nutrition during this stage.
You’ll be able to eat it (without the tofu or scallions) in the purée stage.
But always check with your team. There can be differences in plans.
PS - congrats on your surgery!

"So I tried to walk with my thighs rubbing against each other and I ended up tripping myself because my shoes kept hitting against each other lol That was definitely crazy. But I love it!!!

😂😂😂 Thank you for the visions laugh!

Want to know a secret:
I don’t love food. IDK if I ever did as I look through some of these post and think, “Does everyone eat this many different foods?!? Or when my kids joke about me eating tea again for dinner (I do love drinking 🤣)

But also please don’t torture yourself by looking if you are struggling ❤️ Check out the research on hedonic hunger:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_hunger
https://www.webmd.com/diet/story/hedonic-hunger-and-why-we-cant-stop-eating
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6009994/#:~:text=The term 'hedonic hunger' refers,of this construct in 2009.